after the eruption

In the winter of 1982-83, I visited Mount St. Helens from the west (the usual way), coming in along the Toutle River to an overlook at the end of the road.  Along the river, mud on the trees showed where the high water line had been during the ash flow flood following the eruption.

the overlook in 1982

the "high mud" line

Then in the summer of 1983, I went in from the east along logging road 99 to see the devastation area.  There were still denuded trees, flattened by the blast, that had not yet been logged.  They looked like porcupine quills covering the hillsides.

devastation

the "porcupine quills"