When the Mountain Came Down

On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens exploded with the force of 500 atomic bombs. The blast flattened 230 square miles of old-growth forest in under ten minutes. Trees that had stood for centuries lay down like matchsticks. Spirit Lake, once a pristine vacation destination, was buried under 600 feet of debris. Geologist David Johnston, stationed six miles away at an observation post, radioed his final words: "Vancouver!…