# When Mt. Rainier Blows (Not If)



## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

To me, it seems insane to live in a place where a volcanic eruption can destroy you. This video is sobering:


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

https://patch.com/washington/across-wa/cascadia-megaquake-risk-rises-slow-slip-event-begins

It looks like the area is getting active.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Remember Mt. St. Helen’s? Wow. Then there is talk about yellow stone.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

I've lived about 60-90 miles north of Rainier for 50 years, if it blows in my life time, it is what it is. I did survive Mt St Helens erruption although 57 people didn't. I was in Portland Or. at the time which is closer then where I live.
What I find insane is to live somewhere where the weather kills people and wipes out entire towns every year. There where over 1,500 tornado's last year in the US, only about 30 or so people lost their lives but there was $5 billion in damage. Aside from the loss of life, how many people didn't or didn't fully recover from last years tornado season, how many suffer from some form of stress related issues.
I see trailer parks in tornado alley and it just baffles me. To me it would be like building your house over an exposed section of the San Andreas fault line.

I also survived the Nisqually quake in 2001, which was a 6.8 magnitude, even though I was in a warehouse with units of hardwood flooring stacked 15' high all around me when it hit. Watching a concrete floor ripple like water is an odd sight, let alone a 10,000 lb fork lift dance and jumping off the ground about 6-8"

But really, eveyone should move inland because when the polar ice caps melt, the cost will relocate inland.


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## patrioteer (May 21, 2018)

Lunatic Wrench said:


> But really, eveyone should move inland because when the polar ice caps melt, the cost will relocate inland.


Good deal, I am already there. No volcanoes and fully land locked. Just the way I like it.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Same way I feel about hurricanes.


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## Steve40th (Aug 17, 2016)

Isn't there old proof showing they have had mudslides from Rainer's past?


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

Camel923 said:


> Remember Mt. St. Helen's? Wow. Then there is talk about yellow stone.


When Mt. St. Helen's blew we had ash covering our cars and I am at the Southern end of CA.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Steve40th said:


> Isn't there old proof showing they have had mudslides from Rainer's past?


Yes, lahar's is what they'er called, all the melted snow, ice, rivers and lakes turn into a monster mud flow. I'm about 60 miles north of Tacoma where much of the lahar's dump into the Puget Sound.

But if you think about it, really where on the planet is safe.


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

We lived for fifteen years on an ancient Lahar.the hill (lahar) behind our home in Tacoma was 120 feet tall and when the developers started taking down that hill to build new homes,it became evident that the neighborhood was built on that same mudflow.

I spoke to a USGS volcanologist that was inspecting the area that was uncovered and he pointed out ash,mud and trees that were brought down the mountain.said that particular flow was approximately 800-1000 years old.

We had a birds eye view of Rainier (Tahoma) from right out our front window,always wondered what the fluck we would do if it blew.plan was get to higher ground up aways from our house.The Puyallup valley (just below the mountain)wont have a chance in hell and there are new homes and established communities all over the area. 
I still think that the chances were better than living in tornado alley.now,we live in a place where winter may leave a few feet of snow in a good storm.I will deal with that.


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## MisterMills357 (Apr 15, 2015)

It looks like Seattle is going to get torn up, when it erupts. There are spots all over America that are due for a disaster, and that is one of them. It is about 60 miles to the volcano from Seattle.

But isn't Anchorage screwed up too? Mount Redoubt puts ash into the air, and shuts down Anchorage International, every once in a while. It may not get a lava flow, but it would be bad.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Well, no matter where you go, there you are, and if it erupts, shakes, blows, pours, overflows, burns, slides, opens up, burps, coughs or spits, there you are dealing with it.

I'm just sayin :tango_face_wink:


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

The damage will depend on the way she blows, ie, which side.
Direction will matter
I lived in the are when St Helen's blew.
The winds are from the west, it took a long time for the ash cloud to circle the globe and cover the Olympic Pennisula, but it happened.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Lunatic Wrench said:


> Yes, lahar's is what they'er called, all the melted snow, ice, rivers and lakes turn into a monster mud flow. I'm about 60 miles north of Tacoma where much of the lahar's dump into the Puget Sound.
> 
> But if you think about it, really where on the planet is safe.
> 
> View attachment 78194


We were up that way a few years back, checking out the state parks; Mt Rainier, San Juan, it sure is purdy, but I wouldn't want to live there. I'd take a hurricane over a volcano any day.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Annie said:


> We were up that way a few years back, checking out the state parks; Mt Rainier, San Juan, it sure is purdy, but I wouldn't want to live there. I'd take a hurricane over a volcano any day.


When it comes to hurricanes, I have days of warning and I can follow the tracking. When they come through, they don't wipe out the entire town.
Tornadoes are a threat, but they also don't wipe out the entire town.
Pyroclastic flows and rivers of mud of epic proportions, on the other hand, will erase everything but memories. No thanks. This lowlander will keep the threat of tornadoes and hurricanes.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Annie said:


> it sure is purdy, but I wouldn't want to live there. I'd take a hurricane over a volcano any day.


Probably a lot of people saying that in Hawaii right now. 
2010-11 I lived on the NW side Mauna Loa while doing some construction work over there, that thought was always in the back of my mind.

The bigger concern is Yellowstone, it's a super Volcano and has been more active for some years now. If it goes it would have a global impact that could change things as we know it.

i'm actually more concerned about the big earthquake we'er supposed to be overdue for, but it's like a 15% chance it would be the big one at 8.0-9.0

But in the big picture, my chances of getting killed crossing the street or commuting into the city are a lot higher.

You gotta take life with a grain of salt. Unless you live in Detroit, that's a whole other ball game.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Volcano's don't just erupt one day out of the blue. 
St Helens gave us weeks of forewarning, and most everyone had left the area. From what I remember, other then a few that refused to leave the mountain, it was mostly looky loos that got caught when it went.
But none the less, it is mother nature we'er talking about.

I guess the difference is growing up here. It's a perceived threat, it's imminent but on a geological time line.
I sit way up here in view of a Volcano that has done slightly more then nothing for 300 years and watch Tornado's and Hurricanes roll thru the midwest, gulf and east coast, one after another, every year.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

tango said:


> The damage will depend on the way she blows, ie, which side.
> Direction will matter
> I lived in the are when St Helen's blew.
> The winds are from the west, it took a long time for the ash cloud to circle the globe and cover the Olympic Pennisula, but it happened.


The video offered evidence on which side can be expected to blow.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

Lunatic Wrench said:


> Volcano's don't just erupt one day out of the blue.
> St Helens gave us weeks of forewarning, and most everyone had left the area. From what I remember, other then a few that refused to leave the mountain, it was mostly looky loos that got caught when it went.
> But none the less, it is mother nature we'er talking about.
> 
> ...


There is always Mt Baker too,.

I was born & raised here, always in view of Rainier. I've always said if it starts to rumble, I'm outta here. It's scary to think that everyone in Western Washington will probably be trapped with very limited escape routes. We only have 4 or 5 mountain passes to the east, Pacific Ocean to the West, and I-5 north & south.

I've always wondered if the Mega quake would trigger Rainier for a double whammy. If so, then even the few roads out could very well be down.

Living north of St Helens, surprisingly we didn't get much ash like elsewhere, but any of the minor eruptions beforehand stopped traffic everywhere, even on the freeways for people to get out of their cars with cameras & binoculars to watch.

Nisqually quake, I could hear the dishes & pans rattling in the cupboards long before the floor started rolling, but I couldn't figure out what was going on at first. We don't have many noticeable quakes around here so when they do happen it's always a surprise. There have been a few minor quakes over the years but only in the 3's I think. There was another larger quake in 1964, I was only about 4 at the time.

If Yellowstone goes, I think we're all screwed


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Don't forget the hwy 99 tunnel thru downtown Seattle as an escape route, if they ever finish it. :vs_laugh::vs_laugh:

The Seattle area is a horrible place to evacuate, can't go west unless you got a boat, can't really go east, unless you got a boat and then can steal a car on the other side.
Even living up by the north end of lk Washington isn't going to help a whole bunch. I've got in-laws up in Mt Vernon, but that drive sucks during rush hour, not going to try it during a mass exodus.
I'll probably just sit back with my wife, the dogs, a bottle of whiskey and some Oreo's.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Lunatic Wrench said:


> Don't forget the hwy 99 tunnel thru downtown Seattle as an escape route, if they ever finish it. :vs_laugh::vs_laugh:
> 
> The Seattle area is a horrible place to evacuate, can't go west unless you got a boat, can't really go east, unless you got a boat and then can steal a car on the other side.
> Even living up by the north end of lk Washington isn't going to help a whole bunch. I've got in-laws up in Mt Vernon, but that drive sucks during rush hour, not going to try it during a mass exodus.
> I'll probably just sit back with my wife, the dogs, a bottle of whiskey and some Oreo's.


Do y'all get Blantons bourbon out there? If not, let me know. I'll mail you a bottle.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

Volcanos at least give a warning before they blow. You can leave. I would dread living on an island like Bermuda that is too small to grow enough food for the population, and has little rainfall. There you depend on men, the most unpredictable of all situations.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Denton,
I've not heard of Blantons bourbon, but my drinking skills are not what the used to be. I mostly stick to the old faithfuls, Jack Daniels and Sailor Jerry's for rum.


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

I remember the Nisqually quake,I had just left home after lunch.I was on my 'zuki bandit going down South Tyler in Tacoma when it hit.I really didn't feel the full effect,just my bike swaying.I thought I had a flat tire.I stopped for a moment,got off bike and looked around it,then rode on.when I turned right onto so.38th,I saw that the Tacoma power building was evacuated.I said to myself,hmm,musta been a bomb threat!.I rode to work and all my employees were standing outside the building then,I put two and two together.my people were pretty freaked out,they had never felt a quake before!.I went into work,picked up a phone and tried to call my wife but,circuits were busy,I tried my cell,no nothing.I texted her and was thinking about closing up and sending everybody home when she texted me back and said she was ok,pheww!.no real damage in the business and I got a message from HQ via the computer (we had power)and boss said everybody go home.closed up shop,went home and checked off our preps list cause we thought Rainier was going to blow.

Wife said,it didn't feel that bad to her,as we also were in the 1989 Loma Prieta quake in the SF area.we have been through at least 5 that I can think of so far.but,that's another scary story I will share soon.


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## TGus (Sep 18, 2017)

What would you "guys" do if a volcano blew far enough away for houses to survive the blast and immediate debris, but close enough that you'll be covered in foot-deep ash?

I don't think I would try to leave; everyone else would be doing that, -and the roads would become deadly parking lots. Leaving later wouldn't be possible either because of the ash accumulation on the roads. I would buy all I would need, (especially water), from the local area to get through a few months in my house, and wait for the ash to fall. My only concern at that point would be removing the ash from my roof to avoid a cave-in.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Grab my 1 micron RZ dust mask.

That ash will clog your air filter in a hurry. I'd probably just stay put until things settled down a bit. 
But once it rains, like 5 mins after, it'll be a nasty mess.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

MI.oldguy said:


> I remember the Nisqually quake,


I was in a dangerous place when that one hit, but here I am.

The Satsop and Duvall quakes weren't to bad. I was one the phone with my Sister when the Duvall hit, she was freaking out, I was just watching the neighbors house move back and forth 2-3' while holding onto the kitchen sink.


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## NotTooProudToHide (Nov 3, 2013)

I'm not ashamed to say, I don't find Volcano's scary I find them cool as hell. In fact I would LOVE to see an eruption with my own eyes especially a Plinian Eruption. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plinian_eruption

Of course I would want to be a safe distance away but still it would be the trip of a lifetime to see all that raw power escaping at the same time.


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