SKAMANIA COUNTY, Wash. — Next spring marks 40 years since the eruption of Mount St. Helens that forever changed the landscape of the Pacific Northwest.
All these years later the mountain still brings thousands of people to the trails around it, in hopes of reaching the summit.
The climb itself is not technical at all, but it’s definitely a workout and it's incredible to see the views. When KGW's Joe Raineri and Jon Goodwin first set out for the climb, which usually takes about six to eight hours, they saw beautiful conditions with clear skies. They thought they had a great shot at reaching the top.
It didn’t take long though for those conditions to change.
PHOTOS: 34 never-before published photos of Mount St. Helens eruption
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