Where were you when it blew? Mount St. Helens eruption remembered on 30th anniversary

Cloudy 30th anniversary of Mount St. Helens blast

VANCOUVER, Wash. — About 1,000 tourists and other visitors have marked the 30th anniversary of the big eruption of Mount St. Helens at the Johnston Ridge Observatory.

Five miles away, the volcano remained stubbornly behind fog and rain clouds Tuesday.

Forest Service and other officials commemorated the May 18, 1980, blast by cutting the ribbon on a new exhibit and breaking ground on a new outdoor amphitheater at the observatory.

They will help tell the story of how the top 1,300 feet blew off the mountain in a blast that killed 57 people, knocked down 230 square miles of forest, filled local rivers with mudflows and spread ash for miles.