Seasonal route: The road is subject to closure in winter. In May 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted, shooting ash and smoke 80,000 feet into the air and causing a mile-wide avalanche. FR 99 takes you deep into Mount St. Helens National Monument to see the aftermath of nature’s fury—as well as its rebirth. Flowers and trees have begun to cover the mountain’s barren shoulders, and Spirit Lake is still a scenic spot.
