Mount St. Helens—A Mountain Reborn

This map features a bird’s-eye view of the volcano that famously erupted on May 18, 1980. That eruption instantly transformed the glacier-capped volcano and its surrounding forests and lakes into an unrecognizable landscape, permanently altering its physical form and catastrophically disrupting its mountain ecosystem. In the years and decades that followed, however, streams carved new paths through the volcanic deposits, the volcano grew bulky lava domes, and within the steep crater walls, a new glacier was born. Today, plants and animals have repopulated the lakes and lands around the volcano and life is once again flourishing. This poster shows several examples of Mount St. Helens’ transformation; its metamorphosis through time demonstrating the resilience of nature and life. Made for the Washington Geological Survey, in partnership with the USGS.