Frozen
Mount St. Helen, WA
While trekking along Mount St. Helen, I encountered vistas so bright with the sun's reflection I had to shield my eyes from the blinding glare. Knee deep in snow and surrounded by stark, ice encrusted trees, the only sound to accompanying my solitary hike was the creak of branches in the unrelenting wind. In this frozen wonderland, like a scene from Dr. Zhivago, I found it difficult to imagine the havoc wreaked by Mount St. Helen---especially the most catastrophic eruption of 1980. During the years following the deadly volcanic event, the surrounding areas were left to gradually return to their natural states.