LAVA CANYON WARNING SIGNS

project date: 2007 | by susan jurasz

The May 18, 1980 volcanic eruption of Mt St Helens did more than blow a mountain top, it melted the Shoestring Glacier and sent a massive lahar surging down a valley, stripping away vegetation and topsoil to scour the basalt bedrock smooth.

Today, the peacefulness felt in Lava Canyon is deceptive. A burbling creek enters the basalt canyon and unexpectedly hurtles 132-feet downward forming a spectacular and deadly waterfall. This waterfall has been responsible for at least three deaths since the Lava Canyon Trail opened. To help educate visitors and hikers about the dangers of the site, Sea Reach was asked to develop interpretive signs with drawings of the site showing the waterfall ahead and warning signs in multiple languages.