Mount Saint Helens part 1

     Volcanoes are the keys to earth's past, its present and its future. Of Earth's volcanoes, over six hundred are known to be active, and most of these are in specific belts and hot spots spread around the globe. One of the world's most famous, most destructive, and most closely watched and studied is probably Mount Saint Helens.

     Mount Saint Helens, formally as "America's Mount Fuji", and one of the world's most beautiful mountains, stands majestically in picturesque southwestern Washington State amid its other famous breath-taking volcanic neighbors, such as Mount Rainer, Mount Hood, and Mount Shasta in the Cascade Range of the United States.

     The Cascade Range itself, stretches from central British Columbia, Canada, in the north, through the states of Washington and Oregon, finally coming to an end in central California.  The Cascade Range also forms the eastern-most side of the Pacific Ocean's 'Ring of Fire'.  Mount Saint Helens is located fifty miles north of the metropolitan areas of Portland,Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.

     Since pre-historic times, Saint Helens has been known by many names.  Most of these along with many legends and lore, come from western Native American Indian tribes, such as the Flatheads, and the Shoshonis. Many of the most common which appear are: Smoking Mountain, Tah-one-lat-clah (meaning fire mountain), and Loo-Wit, which means "Lady of Fire" or "Beautiful White Mountain" depending on its pronuciation. In 1790, the mountain was finally renamed by the British for a minor diplomat named Baron Saint Helens.