Mount St. Helens sunrise live cam – Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake Blockage)
Working, checked 83 s ago Still image · every 10 min Volcano · Official source · What camera types mean
What you are looking at
This camera at Johnston Ridge Observatory points east-southeast toward the debris blockage at Spirit Lake, the natural dam of landslide material left by the 1980 eruption. The frame shows a dark, shrubby ridge of hummocky debris in the foreground and middle distance, with the rounded summits of more distant peaks on the skyline beyond.
When Mount St. Helens' north flank collapsed in 1980, the debris avalanche blocked Spirit Lake's natural outlet to the North Fork Toutle River. To keep the lake from overtopping the blockage, engineers built a drainage tunnel through a nearby ridge in the 1980s, and the blockage and lake levels are monitored to this day. The Cascades Volcano Observatory posts volcano updates on its Mount St. Helens page.
A fresh frame appears here about every ten minutes. Summer and fall show the slowly greening debris; in winter, snow smooths the hummocks into soft white mounds. Morning sun from the east can backlight the view. Tip: pair it with the Spirit Lake camera from the same observatory to see the lake that this blockage holds back.
Camera details
- Camera ID
- msh-splblockage
- Operator
- Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS)
- Name at the provider
- CVO St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake Blockage)
- Volcano
- Mount St. Helens
- Volcano number (Smithsonian GVP)
- 321050
- Elevation
- 0 m / 0 ft
- Camera faces
- Southeast (116°)
- Image updates
- Every 10 min
- Video format
- Still image (JPEG)
- Position
- Exact (from the provider)
- Licence
- U.S. public domain
- Data source
- USGS volcano webcams
- Last checked
- 02:45 UTC (83 s ago)
- Working, last 7 days
- Not enough checks yet
From the provider's own camera list and our automatic checks. Readings and details can change without notice.
About Mount St. Helens, Washington
Weather now in Mount St. Helens: 57 °F (14 °C), clear sky, wind 4 mph (6 km/h) from the east. Forecast for 8 PM local time. Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0)
Mount St. Helens is a place in Washington, United States. The camera is about 5.9 mi from the center. Mount St. Helens keeps America/Los Angeles time (UTC−7 at the moment); the panel above shows the local time live.
Mount St. Helens rises in Skamania County in southwest Washington, about 52 miles northeast of Portland and close to 100 miles south of Seattle. It is the most active volcano in the Cascade Range in modern times. On the morning of May 18, 1980, an earthquake set off the collapse of its bulging north face, the largest landslide in recorded history, and a sideways blast and eruption followed. Fifty-seven people…
On the map
Live cameras near Mount St. Helens
WorkingStill imageMount St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory
WorkingStill imageMount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Dome)
WorkingStill imageSt. Helens (JRO, East Wall)
WorkingStill imageMount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Glacier)
WorkingStill imageMount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Loowit Fan)
WorkingStill imageMount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, NF100)The nearest other cameras are Mount St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory (0.0 mi), Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Dome) (0.0 mi) and St. Helens (JRO, East Wall) (0.0 mi).
All Mount St. Helens live cameras · Camera radar centered here · More from USGS volcano observatories
Questions about Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake Blockage)
Is Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake Blockage) working right now?
Yes, it is working: at our last automatic check (Oct 8, 02:45 UTC) it was sending new pictures. It is a still image, not video: a new photo arrives about every 10 minutes straight from Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS).
Who runs this camera?
Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS) runs this camera, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Volcano Hazards Program. It is an official source. Its images are in the U.S. public domain. LiveLocation shows them straight from the source with credit. About USGS volcano observatories Watch at the source
Where is the Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake Blockage) camera?
It is about 5.9 mi from the center of Mount St. Helens, Washington, United States. Coordinates: 46.275, -122.218. All cameras in Mount St. Helens
What time is it at the camera, and is it day or night?
Mount St. Helens is in the America/Los Angeles time zone. The "Right now" panel above shows the local time live. On October 7 the sun rises at 7:15 AM and sets at 6:37 PM there.
Can I see other cameras nearby?
Yes: 16 other cameras are within 25 miles of this one. The live camera radar shows them all on a map, nearest first. Open the radar here
Where can I check the alert level for this volcano?
Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS) sets the U.S. Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code for this volcano, not LiveLocation. Read its latest update before you plan a visit; the camera alone cannot tell you how safe it is. USGS volcano updates Official camera page
What do the sensors at Mount St. Helens: St. Helens (JRO, Spirit Lake Blockage) show?
The latest readings from the provider: Volcano alert level: NORMAL · aviation code GREEN; Last USGS notice: Sep 16, 2025, 10:42 local time; Issued by: Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS). They update with the provider's data, so they can be a few minutes old.