The Most Important Eruption in US History

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How Mount St Helens destroyed an entire landscape- and then turned into a breakthrough.
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0:00 - Intro
1:17 - Sponsor
2:44 - The Eruption
5:29 - The Aftermath
8:45 - Outro
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[@DaveTexas]

I was in middle school when this eruption happened. We lived about 2,000 miles away, but I remember the ash coating cars and other surfaces. Not a thick layer of ash, but enough that it made our family’s cars look dirty. I had trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that a volcano in Washington could eject so much ash that it was falling many states away.

[@mas5867]

You must have lived in a small pocket in OK. Most of the detectable ash did not fall that far away.

[@ey3z4ya]

​@@mas5867 most of it, sure, but Oklahoma WAS one of the most distant states to receive minor ashfall

[@mas5867]

@@ey3z4ya That's why I said a small pocket that DID get detectable ash.

[@dr.froghopper6711]

We got a light dusting in central New Mexico.

[@donalddeluxe6407]

Let’s pray rainier won’t explode.

[@gryph0n55]

Shoutout to the Mt Saint Helens Observatory where they have that theatre that plays the min-doc about Mt St Helens and then at the end it shows the mountain as it used to be, then the screen goes up, and the curtains pull apart, revealing the backwall behind the screen is actually a giant window, and Mount Saint Helens is perfectly framed in it. That shit is magical, they get an A+ for that.

[@nomercyinc6783]

its theater

[@gryph0n55]

@@nomercyinc6783 the amount of care I have is so low that mathematics doesn’t have a number small enough to represent the amount of care I have about the spelling, shut the fuck up

[@gryph0n55]

@@nomercyinc6783 I don’t care, I care so little that Mathematics doesn’t have a number small enough to represent how little I give a shit, stfu

[@lightonthehill8548]

Honestly, in the context of Mount Saint Helens's enormous eruption, the line "nothing matches the map" is so incredibly chilling, especially as, what sounds like, a genuine reaction from radio chatter.

[@CortexNewsService]

What always boggles my mind is the eruption was relatively small. It was "only" a 5 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index

[@PABadger13]

That's original audio from a helicopter flight into the blast zone from the first days following the eruption. I think, but am not completely sure, that it's from the day of the eruption, during the search and rescue phase - an embedded reporter (before that was a phrase) taping the pilots as they searched for survivors. The second tape is Gerry Martin, a ham radio operator killed in the eruption, and constitutes part of his final radio transmission.

[@argynews2825]

You should think about Yellowstone that volcano carved out a huge crater in THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAIN that is located right in the middle of mountain and the lava chamber is ginormous Mt Saint Helens didn’t even get close to the amount of cubic feet of material moved by Yellowstone

[@independentskarab7775]

@@CortexNewsService To be fair anything with a VEI >=4 can probably be called 'large', considering the amount of material that they erupt. VEI 6 and onward are so large due to the nature of the logarithmic scale however that things get blown out of proportion quickly and eruptions like mt st helens' (DRE of 0.25 km^3) seem small.

[@alphagames1174]

@@argynews2825 I've been there, when you're at the Geyser and the cabin there you can see the hills in the distance forming a wall, you're inside this giant crater, that takes 3 hours to drive across, really mind boggling.

[@ericmattt]

The cut at 0:50 was one of my favorite things I’ve ever seen. So well done dude 🔥

[@luisfilms]

and the suspense build and sfx right before the cut made it 10 times better too.

[@IAF1900]

@@luisfilms Totally agree! It was really powerful

[@M4xXxIkInG]

it was really nice until i noticed that the two trees have to be photoshopped into the black/white picture :D

[@celticlass8573]

@@M4xXxIkInG The match was the background, not the foreground.

[@Ninkira]

Still a little disappointing though 😭

[@pnw8836]

I’m fairly local to Saint Helen’s, living only 1.5 hours away. I see it every time I drive to town on a clear day. The landscape around it is truly unmatched, and it’s amazing to see how much it has rebounded with life. I use it as a personal reminder that no matter how bad things get, there’s always an opportunity for things to get better.

[@debbylou5729]

Centralia? Chehalis?

[@childofcascadia]

1.5? I'd guess like Trout Lake.

[@SomuaSomua]

I can see it from my high school

[@pnw8836]

@@childofcascadia Yacolt! Should have clarified, 1.5 hours from the north side, but much closer to the south side

[@colbymarsh2074]

​@@pnw8836im from vancouver. This state has some political issues, but it is gorgeous

[@jaredfilms]

Loved the story telling, great work! Also that match cut @ 0:50 was incredibly executed

[@connorthompson05]

Totally agree. That was epic.

[@M4xXxIkInG]

even tho its kinda hard to believe thats those two trees remained EXACTLY the same down to the last branch over all those years not to mention the shockwave :D

[@TheSilentpigs100]

@@M4xXxIkInG thought they woulda got alittle bigger by now amazing tho

[@amogus205]

@@M4xXxIkInG its obviously photoshopped to make a nicer transition. the foreground is the current one just the background and st. helens was edited in. (which is totally fine, no shade imo an awesome transition)

[@kiefcoffee]

A "most replayed" moment for suree

[@cameronkirk8453]

Oh man that cut at 0:50 was great. Absolutely loved this video

[@LennonMapes]

This is by far one of your best pieces of educational/documentary style work yet. Incredible storytelling and meaningful compositions throughout. Super well done Aidin!

[@Jessica_Costantini]

have you checked out his recent Redwood Forrest vid? amazing!!!

[@ProximaCentauri88]

I super agree. This is also the first video on Youtbe where I saw great shots of Mt. Saint Helens before the eruption.

[@Sepheus13]

My mother lived through the eruption. Living in Portland 75 miles away. She always said it it was a serine destruction. The amount of ash that coated the cars seemed like snow. She and my grandmother collected a few film canisters of it. I was born 15 years later on May 18th. Always called me her Volcano baby. And now I have one of those film canisters sitting in my case. Great video. I love the area so much. Thanks for capturing so many of the feelings you get from standing on that ground.

[@emmahealy4863]

*serene? Serine is an amino acid

[@Sepheus13]

@@emmahealy4863 That would be the word. Thanks for the correction, Lol.

[@Commander_Koyke]

Lol. Even though no one cares and no one asked, I'm born in May 19th 😂 so just a day apart.

[@christinacody8653]

My Aunt and Uncle did similar, and I received a vial of it to use as an example of ash on my science fair exhibit on volcanoes.

[@Sirmellowman]

my mom and my grandparents use to go to spirit lake every year. they said it was pure paradise, hands down the most beautiful spot on the planet. and she could not believe what it looked like after the eruption. the familty was on their way there on the day of the eruption and almost got caught in a bad situation but luckily they shut the roads down before she could make it in too far.

[@shadowelii]

found this channel only a mere 30 minutes ago and i am just in awe of the cinematography/your way with the camera. and the way you tell the facts and stories. like damn, that shot from 0:48 - 0:54 hits like a gut punch, along with the background radio broadcast.

[@angelllortiz]

The match cut of pre-eruption to you walking down the same field was immaculate man

[@suleymanemrezeytin922]

It's very nice of you to add subtitles. Thank you. So people from all cultures can follow you. Greetings from Turkey. 👋

[@ericmattt]

I remember being absolutely awestruck by this place as a kid. So awesome to see you doing this place justice 🙏

[@clawthewonderful1520]

love this. some of the shots here genuinely feel like a big budget sci fi movie on some distant planet. great work.

[@AirShark95]

Very neat mini-documentaries! The research combined with the stunning camera work and production quality makes for a very enjoyable and educational experience! If these sorts of topics are something you want to continue making, perhaps having a video on the Cascadia Subduction Zone and the potential future megaquake it could unleash could be a very interesting topic. I'm sure you'll be able to capture the beauty and power of the PNW coastline in a very captivating way! Keep up the wonderful work!

[@AidinRobbins]

Cascadia Subduction Zone video will definitely be happening at some point- just a matter of finding a constructive way to do it considering it's SUCH bad news. Terrifying but fascinating

[@thomasellis7625]

I went to Mt St Helen’s every other year from 2005 or 6, to 2014 or 15. It’s incredible to have seen everything bounce back so quickly, from the first trips seeing spirit lake still almost entirely covered by logs, to now just a fraction of it, or the standing dead forest turning to a living, green forest again. Certain objects like the miners car, of which mostly the chrome is all that’s left now. And of course the ever interesting caves and tree molds. Mount St Helen’s is probably one of the most spectacular things you can see in the continental US

[@topdragonmusic567]

Even though I've lived about 30-45 minutes from Mt. St. Helens most of my life, and learned about it extensively in school, I still marvel at the videos and photos of the eruption. Such a powerful natural event. It's pretty cool to look at from the visitors centers when the weather is clear.

[@Claudio89DK]

0:50 those trees have litterally not changed at all damn

[@Ninkira]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm lollll

[@anoobwithnolifesed]

underrated comment

[@2fastGEO]

someone finally realized. Its the survivor tree of this event.

[@whoknowsnotme]

The black and white photo is edited, it doesn't appear on reverse image search and every leaf and flower is in the exact same place as over 44 years later which is impossible. Still an amazing bit of work but I think it's giving people the wrong idea

[@lavenderandwine]

I know this video is a year old as of me typing this but, but wanted to share as someone who grew up in southeast Kansas, as did my parents. My mother was graduating high school that day. Everyone during the ceremony thought a nuclear bomb had gone off. They didn't know what had happened until later that evening on the news, mind you the area my mom grew up in was marginally bigger than the one I did of 60 people so small farming communities. My mom STILL remembers all of it. I picked up some helenite for her once when my previous job at a crystal store had had it. I also have a piece (I just really love obsidian honestly and am fascinating by how it's created).

[@michaelkantner6420]

Great video! My parents had two pictures of Spirit Lake, before and after the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. It was so drastic, the difference between the two. I was 13 at the time of the eruption, and it was all over the news, about the ash cloud, about how the landscape changed so much it didn't even look like the Earth, it resembled the moon more than anything else.

[@azzikko2688]

I hiked on the pumice plains with my family when I was about 10 years old, around 2001 or so. It was very cool, a whole other type of world above the clouds. We saw lizards, the only tiny lizards I have seen in the north in my whole life. We also saw the ghost forest of standing burned trees and the lake still full of fallen logs, which really impressed me. Very cool place. We have a magnet that has ash inside collected from the eruption, and it's so full of iron particles that sometimes it gets stuck to the magnet on the back of the container too.

[@SvendleBerries]

I was born in 1983 and have been into everything surrounding this eruption for as long as I can remember. Growing up not far from the mountain Ive visited it many times. Its been awesome to grow up and observe the regrowth of the area as its happening. Nature is an amazing thing. Excellent video, Aidin :D

[@xjp1998]

I was a kid when Mt. Saint Helens blew its top, and we all watched it live on tv. It was a massive disaster. In 87, we visited the area, and I can tell you from your film that the dome in the middle of the mountain was not there in 87. The mountain is regrowing

[@GP2_engine_14]

Two weeks ago I discovered your channel randomly, your Fire Lookout video was suggested to me on the front page. Your channel quickly became one of my favorites and I hope you will be able to do this for a long time to come. The research and work you put in these videos is admirable.

[@kaifalkenberg3378]

This was awesome! I grew up in WA and have spend so much time around both Mt St Helens and Mt Rainier. I love these mountains, thank you for doing such an outstanding job telling their stories to the world

[@camaslindbeck1985]

Hey Aidin, This is exactly what I am looking for on this platform. I think it’s super cool that you’re into these landscapes and the issues surrounding them. I’ve got some similar ideas for videos around this genre that I’m interested in making. Keep it up!

[@joshuastewart3524]

Simple, Short, Elegant, Well done, to the point. I like this sir, I like this mighty fine. In an era when KZbinrs try to have an hour long video about stuff, you did this short but lovely video covering the topics you intended to in a good easy and pleasant way. I must assign this "A total Vibe"

[@SWExplore]

Aidin, I am so very impressed with your work, not only in this video about Mt. Saint Helen's but with every video that I've watched. You are already well recognized as a talented videographer, narrator, and director of your presentations. I'm so glad I found your channel!!

[@marissanorth85]

I live about 45 minutes away from St. Helens. I take pictures every time there's a clear day. I've been obsessed with this mountain since I was a kid. Volcanoes, and mountains in general, fascinate me. Great job!!

[@willhandy5345]

Well done. I was an adult when St. Helens blew, and I’ve been, briefly, to the site. Volcanology is one of my lifelong interests. You taught me stuff I hadn’t known, and your presentation was moving.

[@jaseg6673]

That transition at 0:55 has to be the best I’ve ever seen in any film, I had to watch it over and over

[@thomasshealy962]

Incredible, Aidin! The opening and final shots were absolutely stunning. It's amazing that you got to see Mt. St. Helens and the Cascades, and I can't wait to see which corner of the globe you'll be covering next!

[@shoto42]

I had the chance to summit St Helen’s about a year ago, wasn’t able to get to the summit but I was able to hang out in the bowl of the mountain. It was eerie and my group just sat silent a couple of minutes to take it all in. The landscapes from that point of view was crazy and I’ll never forget it. Though I do plan on going back up there since I wasn’t able to summit it and ever since then I’ve felt this need to go back up there. It has this pull that I feel every mountain has, but each one is special I feel like, like I live near Mt Hood here in Oregon and there’s this weird connection I get from it that no other mountain has. It’s the same thing with Helens, it has this pull that is irresistible like it’s beckoning for you to come.

[@williambk]

This is hands down your best work on this channel so far! Fantastic job, man.

[@ajbwalla123]

I live in Longview, and on a clear day can see the mountain peaking over the surrounding mountains when I leave the house to run errands. She is massive. I always smile when I see her and say, "There's my mountain". Just glad her giant crater is on her northern flank and not pointed at us. I just wish I were here in 1980 to see her erupt. A drive to the mountain is amazing winding roads constantly changing in elevation. Once you get close enough and can see her, it is just amazing.

[@CaseyPattersonOlympian]

This was so well done. Congrats and thank you for putting so much detail into the history of St. Helens

[@lorenz_paulus]

Great video! I like where you’re taking your channel; those more documentary-flavored videos are a pleasure to watch-and they still offer a lot for learning how to attract and maintain viewer attention during longer, more informative sequences.

[@jack1701e]

That cut at 0:50 is chilling. A reminder that we live on top of powers so SO much greater and more destructive that we can create. All that lava, pressure and energy under the crust... frightening.

[@johnchedsey1306]

I first visited Mt. St. Helens as a kid in 1983 and it was foggy, creepy and dead looking. My next visit was in 2006 when I moved to Washington and made a trip (or two) there almost every year after that till moving away in 2021. The difference every spring in greenery and growth was quite noticeable, and the difference between 2006 and 2020 was incredible. It does help that the Pacific Northwest is all about green and plant growth, of course.

[@demark365]

Great editing, loved the quick before and after slides, really helped put it into perspective!

[@JAHDFILMS]

Very beautiful shots!!

[@IAF1900]

Super informative, super chill, super viby, super well edited. Discovering the US with these videos is super entertaining!

[@mariahsfindlay]

the shots in this were absolutely stunning!

[@connorthompson05]

Just by being subscribed to your channel, I'm learning a ton recently with your videos such as this one. Keep it coming Aidin! I specifically enjoy your style of beautiful shots juxtaposed to the shots of the volcano erupting. Crazy what a difference! And your well thought out composition at the beginning looking at the before, then the after had me compelled to continue.

[@Davn]

Really cool video, love your story telling abilities!

[@williamhearn]

Always so good. Great job showing the emotion of the landscape.

[@Zac_Cole]

Your story telling and the visuals gave me chills. It's so cool.

[@adventuresofjandk]

We plan to be there here in a few weeks. Can’t wait to put together a video of the adventure.

[@StarfallSabersForever]

Your videos are so beautifully shot, edited and wonderfully told. Really glad I found your channel!

[@ammer8566]

I think the young man that made this video should have a lucrative career narrating videos. The tone and rhythm of his voice is so easy to listen to and absorb. A natural talent.

[@dontbethatguy783]

Insane that this video only has 50k views. Absolutely gorgeous cinematography, and great story telling on a very interesting topic. Thanks for making it regardless.

[@seth-nj2vw]

I have seen a few videos on this topic, but you really did an amazing job with this one! Awesome video!

[@The-Thinking-Cat]

The beauty of your documentary almost brought me to tears. I have lived in Washington state my whole life. Thank you for contributing something poetic to the story of Mt St Helens.

[@Gizathecat2]

I love how you tell video stories, especially ones in Washington State! I sadly was living in Bakersfield in California when the mountain blew. In January of 1980 I had been visiting friends in Seattle and Mount St. Helens looked “normal.” In the 1970s my mom and sister visited Spirit Lake and met Harry Truman. Many years later my husband and I visited Spirit Lake 2.0. One of the trails near the lake takes you past areas which were “sheltered” from the blast where the vegetation is much heavier and greener than the areas that got hit hard by the heat and ash.

[@uzuart]

I found your channel one week ago, you don't know how much I love your videos, you're an inspiration for me now

[@bbacalhau]

This is so well put together! Loved it!

[@dankdude5615]

👍

[@felixbal9388]

These new types of videos you've been putting out recently are so so good man, keep them coming!

[@Kevnslife]

Blown away by the visuals and the way you explain everything!

[@dorianmerrill]

Powerful video Aidin, thanks for sharing!

[@stevenweatherman7325]

Wow! I love your work, editing, and aesthetic. That was good storytelling.

[@peterdwyer1601]

For such a young presenter you do a great job, Aidin - good clear voice and presentation, well paced and you convey a great respect and love of creation. Looking forward to more of your presentations. Congratulations young man. Best wishes from Australia.

[@farrukhtahir4010]

Amazing 👌 Aiden, I used to watch your videos for learning videography and editing, but I learn so much with these new videos and through your story telling

[@EarthUncutTV]

Lovely video Aidin, really great stuff!

[@PieyPata]

You are so talented!! Being able to tell an amazing story in just 10 minutes is fantastic. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@RoccoGermani]

Another great video! Loving the documentary style!

[@guntisbalodis7658]

Dude, love your new concept and editing! Looks kinda similar to Johnny Harris’s style, but in the end - your own! Nice job! Keep it up! ❤

[@akashghoto8975]

This got me hooked up till the very end. Nice job AIDIN!

[@williamalexanderr]

Insane story that I wasn’t unaware of ! The amount of research you’ve done is greatly appreciate it because I wouldn’t know where to even start ! Love the pacing of this video and everything else that came along with it 🙌

[@ElvisLin]

Love these types of videos! Super engaging and high quality. Keep it up!

[@nightmareflame101]

Very lovely video! The St. Helens eruption is truly fascinating.

[@eroglucagdascan]

Awesome documentary ! ⭐️

[@Libby9111]

I love everything about this. The story and cinematography are incredible

[@Michael_Odelberth]

Well executed! Good job!

[@jordanjcreates]

Great video man! You have such a gift for storytelling, beautifully done 💫

[@davidwebster2616]

I just came across all your content Aidin, great work!

[@esforever1790]

I'm so happy you're blowing up. Seriously underrated content

[@drewsimms]

Story telling is next level man! Awesome video as usual

[@philiphatton]

Fascinating story. Brilliantly executed. Thank you for sharing.

[@samlaurent1436]

These educational pieces are fantastic, keep doing them. Truly good content.

[@touchstoneaf]

Welp, I just subscribed to you, one of the fastest times I've ever hit that button. You touched on things that no one else has when they talk about this eruption, I cheered when youtalked about ecological succession and all of that, and how it's changed what we understand about preservation of natural biomes. You are on top tier for that. Fantastic job. Can't say enough good things.

[@loganfishbeard]

I got to watch this mountain erupt throughout the 2000's from my bedroom window. I look back on it today humbled and privileged that I was able to witness first hand the mountain rebuilding itself from that iconic 1980 event.

[@chris_3729]

Thx for the really nice video. I never thought I would like this type of content, but I really enjoyed it and will definitly watch more.

[@zapsizzle]

You're work is inspiring man! I have to take some notes for myself!

[@RonitBatra]

bruh this is so beautifully documented. great work ❤️

[@quinhayes4792]

Amazing video! i'm loving this type of content, keep it up!!

[@lkevincurry]

Great Vid Aidin! Love your approach to film making. Top Notch!

[@Deeplycloseted435]

Young man, this is excellent work. Well shot, well edited, and well written. Subbed.

[@zerakhu]

The flow in your vids are amazing ❤

[@mlegrand]

Your videos deserve the full screen treatment. 🙌🏻 Well done as always Aidin 👏🏻

[@calpal9983]

Outstanding work.

[@jaker.astrophotography8076]

The drone footage is really great, good video!

[@vsznry]

Very well framed story & well produced video.

[@ShaneNixonFamily]

Amazing! Great job!

[@adrianvalentin]

Beautiful. Thank you!

[@NikhilM09]

Everything has been Perfectly Documented. Loved it brother.

[@thelostsketchbook1521]

I've been seeing your growth as a creator and artist for few years now! And it's amazing

[@FakeSuspect]

I loved the video! Your story telling in on point to listen to on a gloomy rainy day! Its so comfy watching this!

[@russianwarshipgofyouself1287]

What an amazing filmography and storytelling mate, keep up the good work!

[@UsernameInvalid48]

Really cool to see the area finally starting to heal and get some new trees. Back in 2008 when I climbed it as a teenager there were barely any sapplings