PHOTOS: 34 never-before published photos of Mount St. Helens eruption

A view of snow-capped Mount St. Helens shot sometime in early 1980 from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Cracks and fissures begin to show on the north face of Mount St. Helens in this photograph shot sometime in the spring of 1980 from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Mount St. Helens had a conical peak, as seen in this photograph shot sometime in the spring of 1980 from a Cessna 150, until the May 18 eruption left behind a horseshoe-shaped crater. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Ash billows from the peak of Mount St. Helens in this photograph shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. An aircraft can be seen in the distance on the far right. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Cracks and fissures begin to show on the north face of Mount St. Helens in this photograph shot sometime in the spring of 1980 from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Ash billows from the peak of Mount St. Helens in this photograph shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. An aircraft can be seen in the distance near the left side of the mountain. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Mount St. Helens and the clouds of ash billowing from its peak take on a monotonous gray tone in this photo shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Ash and clouds surround Mount St. Helens during a subsequent eruption as seen from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Clouds of ash pour from the horseshoe-shaped crater of Mount St. Helens, shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Clouds of ash from Mount St. Helens look like clouds of fire around sunset in the aftermath of the volcanic eruption on May 18, 1980. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

An picturesque view of clouds of ash oozing from the horseshoe-shaped crater of Mount St. Helens, shot around sunset from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Clouds of ash from Mount St. Helens take on an orange glow around sunset in the aftermath of the volcanic eruption on May 18, 1980. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Clouds of ash billow from the horseshoe-shaped crater of Mount St. Helens during one of the subsequent eruptions, shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Sunset adds color to the ash billowing from the horseshoe-shaped crater of Mount St. Helens during one of the subsequent eruptions, shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Clouds of ash billow from the horseshoe-shaped crater of Mount St. Helens during one of the subsequent eruptions, shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Mushroom-shaped clouds of ash from subsequent eruptions are captured in photographs taken at sunset from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. The wing of the aircraft is seen in the photo. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Clouds of ash rise from the horseshoe-shaped crater of Mount St. Helens, shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Mushroom-shaped clouds of ash from subsequent eruptions are captured in photographs taken at sunset from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Clouds of ash pour from the horseshoe-shaped crater of Mount St. Helens, shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Mount St. Helens and the clouds of ash billowing from its peak take on a monotonous gray tone in this photo shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Mount St. Helens erupted several times in the months after the big blast May 18, 1980, as seen in this photo taken from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Nearly 150 square miles of forest around Mount St. Helens was blown over or left dead and standing as seen in this photo taken from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

The landscape was leveled and covered in ash in the area surrounding Mount St. Helens as seen in this photo taken from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

A glimpse of the devastation around Mount St. Helens shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. A lateral blast ofrock, ash, and hot gases devastated a 230-square-mile area. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

The May 18, 1908 eruption of Mount St. Helens leaves a barren wasteland in a direct blast zone that covers 230 square miles. This photo was taken from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

An up-close view of the ash-laden landscape from the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, shot from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. The ash scattered across a dozen states. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

The eruption of Mount St. Helens wipes out the landscape in the immediate area and causes destruction for 230 square miles as seen in this photo taken from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

The ash deposited in the area immediately surrounding Mount St. Helens looks like a moonscape in this photo taken from the cockpit of a Cessna 150. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

Nearly 7,000 big game animals were killed in the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. A photo taken from the cockpit of a Cessna 150 captures some of the survivors. Courtesy of Peggy Short-Nottage, via The Statesman Journal

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PHOTOS: 34 never-before published photos of Mount St. Helens eruption

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