We Share KOMO Reporter’s Trip Through Hell of Mt. St Helens

Reporter Dave Crockett of KOMO TV woke up at 3 AM on May 18th, 1980 with a ‘hunch’ the mountain was going to do something. And the resulting video he filmed became a world-wide phenomenon.  The 56th. Anniversary of Mt. St. Helens erupting.

  Crockett Said on Video “Whoever Finds This…”

Crockett was on the mountain, when it blew, and he had to abandon his news car. He was able to flee to a valley area that was somewhat protected from the blast. He kept trudging through the pitch black, laboring to breathe., before a breeze began to blow out the ash.

 “At This Moment I Honest to God Believe I am Dead.”

Crockett said that on video, before finally making his way to a sliver of light above a ridge, and was able to escape.  11 hours later he was rescued by a helicopter.

This video is a the full KOMO report that was done the following day.

Crockett saw a wall of water behind him coming down the road, and drove up his car up a logging road, sped away, took a left up a hill, and then found himself between the destroyed road and another collapse of the hillside.  He decided to get out his camera and start shooting.

The ash he said, had been building in the sky, and when it began to fall, it turned the sky black.  He waded through the receding stream of steaming mud and water.

Crockett said he could hear the mountain rumbling behind him, before finally reaching daylight. He took some pictures of himself, looking ghostly, covered in ash, but a huge grin on his face for having survived. During  his trek, he spoke later of his faith, and how he was able to make it out.  Praying a lot.

He was fortunate, a total of 57 people died in various locations from the blast,  the mud and water flows and more.