Inside the crater of Mt. St. Helens a huge new dome extrudes massive fins and cylinders of solid rock.
This detail inside the crater of Mt. St. Helens in May, 2006, shows the massive new dome (the pyramid of bare gray rubble) towering over the irregular snow covered mound of the first dome which developed between 1980 and 1986. The magma chamber below the summit pushes up dacite lava that solidifies before it reaches the suface, where it extrudes as a solid rock fin or cylinder.

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All materials on this site are copyright 1992-2007 by Doug Gorsline / ashcreekimages.com.
Please email me at douggorsline@comcast.net
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The North Fork of the Toutle River winds through the debris field left by the May 18, 1980 eruption.
A new dome grows behind the 1980-86 dome inside the crater of Mt. St. Helens.
The outdoor terrace at Johnston Ridge Observatory on Mt St Helens
Looking across the Toutle River Valley into the crater of Mt St Helens.4
Dome building continues in the crater of Mt. St. Helens in 2006.4
Visitors line the edge of the terrace at Johnston Ridge Observatory.4
Ash Creek Images
Photographs of the West by Doug Gorsline

Closeup of the New Dome Inside the Crater of Mt. St. Helens in May, 2006.