Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is located on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Southwest Washington. Best known as the site of the historic 1980 volcanic eruption, the Monument offers a variety of recreation opportunities, including the chance to climb to the summit of the most active volcano in the Cascade Range. Before May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens' summit altitude of 9,677 feet (2,950 meters) made it the fifth highest peak in Washington State. The conical snow covered mountain was often referred to as the Mount Fuji of America. The May 18, 1980 eruption transformed the mountain and surrounding landscape significantly. The volcano lost an estimated 3.4 billion cubic yards (0.63 cubic mile) of its cone (about 1,300 feet or 396 meters in height), leaving behind a horseshoe-shaped crater (open to the north), with the highest part of the crater rim on the southwestern side at 8,365 feet (2,550 meters) elevation. Today the summit of Mount St. Helens offers climbers a breathtaking view of neighboring cascade peaks, the crater formed by the 1980 eruption and surrounding areas. Mount St. Helens is a popular climb for both beginner and experienced mountaineers. Although strenuous, Mount St. Helens is considered a non-technical climb and is suitable for people in good physical condition who are comfortable scrambling on steep, rugged terrain.