Since 1992 my world has changed about every six months. As a seasonal park ranger I usually work only six months of the year during late spring, summer and early fall. And, I work in some of the most beautiful places in the world, still limited to U.S.A.
.jpg "Mt St Helens 1992")
Mount Saint Helens 1992
I started my career as a seasonal park ranger naturalist while attending Western Washington University during the early 1990s after I’d taken a class in Interpretation. That’s not a foreign language thing, I was interpreting a landscape. I learned about the natural and cultural history of the area making it possible to share stories with visitors and answer questions. My internship was a summer at Mount Saint Helens National Monument 12 years after the big eruption. I was hooked. What an amazing job to learn, share, meet people from around the world, and live in a beautiful place. After graduation, I returned for four more summers to share the never ending stories of Mt St. Helens, a landscape in amazing recovery. I found it almost unbelievable to see the subtle changes that occurred daily.
.jpg "Spirit Lake MSH NM WA")
Spirit Lake
When the mountain blew on May 18, 1980 I was planning a wedding in Illinois. Where were you?
Very impressive mountain. May 1980 … I was still very much single
I don’t remember hearing about this in 1980. I will have to google.
Spirit Lake looks beautiful.
What a job you must have…
I have relatives in Washington State, so they went through Mt. Saint Helens — the sent samples of the ash and everybody had great fun playing with it…
Wonderful post – and an great way of life, too!
Cheers, Klaus
That would have been my first Spring in Florida. Been here half my life now.
Truly,
Gaelyn: What a neat post, while I remember the explosion and watching it on TV I have no mental tie to 1980.
hmm…in may 1980 i do believe i would have been returning from graduate school back to home in southern california.
i do remember saint helen’s blowing her top…it was quite a news item on the west coast.
WOnderful photo’s and what an interesting job to have, stunning landscape
What a great thing to get to do and you must see such beautiful places. Those two shots you shared are breathtaking, I’ve neve been to that part of the country.
What a wnderful lifestyle being a park ranger and getting to spend your life in the most beautiful surroundings.