(Photo courtesy of Washington State Library.)

For many Washingtonians, the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, is one of those moments forever ingrained in collective memory.

Saturday is the 33rd anniversary of the iconic mountain blowing her top. We  feature photos from our State Archives and State Library showing how the mighty mountain and nearby Spirit Lake were popular recreational spots in the years before the devastating eruption. The last photo shows the mountain sending ash thousands of feet into the air during the 1980 eruption.

(Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives.)

(Photo courtesy of Washington State Library.)

(Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives.)