The first, opened in 1986, is near Interstate 5. It accommodated the curious before roads were built into the blast zone. The Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center, opened in 1993, is named for nearby Coldwater Ridge, as is the new Coldwater Lake formed by the blast. It specializes in educating the public about how plants and animals are re-entering the region. Five miles from the crater and lava dome, the Johnston Ridge Observatory affords the closest view of the now dormant crater.
Smoke appears to rise from the heart of the crater, but it's just water vapor.
The eruption left behind cracks leading to the mountain's core, as hot as 840 degrees or more. When rain and melting snow seep down, the heat creates steam. The center at Johnston Ridge features exhibits about the geology of the area, including a scale model of the mountain with colored lights showing the path of the landslide. He was trying to radio the U.S. Geological Survey office in Vancouver, Wash., the agency responsible for studying volcanic activity. Headquarters never picked him up, but a pair of ham radio operators heard the call and reported it for posterity.