Wonderful article. Really well written and thought.

I was fortunate to be in the downwind proximity of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. The recovery of the mountain is stunning and well documented, but I was further out in the 8" ashfall zone. The recovery there still astounds me. It looked bad the morning after, but within a year it became really obvious that it would have no lasting effects. Amazing.

Thanks for a great update. I really do appreciate it.