Webcam footage from the Johnston Ridge Observatory shows ash blowing to the west from Mount St. Helens on Oct. 14, kicked up by strong easterly winds and dry weather.
State Route 504, the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, has opened for the season, allowing visitors to Mount St. Helens access to the popular Johnston Ridge Observatory.
Efforts to get the road ready for summer coincided with the May 18 event commemorating the volcano’s 1980 eruption.
“Because of the unpredictability of winter weather, and given the unique location of the highway, we’re always faced with new challenges,” Washington State Department of Transportation Maintenance Supervisor Aaron Yanez said in a release.
“This past winter was no different. Over the past several weeks, our crews have been hard at work, clearing downed trees and removing debris from ditches and culverts, in hopes of minimizing springtime repairs and closures."
