Mount St. Helens Monument scientist leaves legacy

By Jackson Hogan

The Daily News

LONGVIEW — Peter Frenzen has worked at Mount St. Helens for 35 years, yet he still lights up talking about the mountain.

“I’ve been many places in the world, and maybe I’m biased, but maybe the coolest places I’ve ever been, anywhere, are around Mount St. Helens,” he said. “It never ceases to amaze me. I pinch myself practically every time I’m out there.”

Frenzen, 60, who’s served as the staff scientist at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument since its creation in 1982, is retiring at the end of September, according to The Daily News.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

For decades, he’s been the public face of the 110,000-acre area, helping to coordinate research, document it for future generations, advocating for its protection and conveying its findings to the public. It’s a job that left him no real time for any research of his own.

“I liked doing research when I was doing it, but I personally find the promoting of the understanding of what people are learning to be more satisfying to me,” he said. “The impact of having people understand the world that we live in is not a tranquil place [is crucial].”

He has also appeared in many documentaries about Mount St. Helens, speaking about the complex but amazing evolution of natural and geological processes. Today, he’s a bit wistful when he watches some of those older productions.

“It’s actually kind of disconcerting to watch yourself age,” Frenzen said, laughing. “People will [watch these old documentaries] and say, ‘You were so young!’ ”

Frenzen, a Midwest native, said he “escaped” to the Northwest to study ecology at the University of Washington. About the time he began graduate studies at Oregon State University, Mount St. Helens erupted and he was able to study the aftereffects with some of the world’s most prestigious researchers.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he said about analyzing the volcano post-eruption in 1980. “I was just lucky enough to be included.”

Jerry Franklin, Frenzen’s professor and mentor at OSU said he knew right off away his young protege scientist would excel in the natural science world.

“He was always a very enthusiastic individual, and upbeat,” said Franklin, now a professor in ecosystem analysis at UW. “He brought just a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm to his research.”

When Ronald Reagan and Congress created the monument in 1982, Frenzen was immediately hired as a staff scientist, a position he held for 35 years. One of his most important messages from that experience? That it’s a big misconception that the volcano’s eruption May 18, 1980, was a freak event.

“One of the things that Mount St. Helens teaches you is, ‘Hey, [Earth] is changing and it’s going to change,’ ” Frenzen said. “We have to be aware of what the Earth is capable of, since we’re much better off working with it than trying to push that big rock up a hill, since it’s more powerful than we are and we live at its pleasure and benefit from it.”

Frenzen’s favorite spot of the monument — he said this was not an easy choice — is Mount Margaret, where hikers can look across Spirit Lake into the crater of the volcano. The peak, located just northeast of Spirit Lake and Mount St. Helens, is around 5,800 feet tall and is in the heart of the volcano’s blast area.

From that viewpoint, Frenzen said it’s remarkable to witness how quickly vegetation and wildlife have returned.

“It’s hard almost for me to remember what it was like,” he said. “I look at photographs, and I do remember, it’s hard to forget the way the landscape looked. But it’s so different now than it was right after the eruption, that it’s almost hard to wrap my brain around that I’m standing in the same place.”

Frenzen said one of the U.S. Forest Service’s challenges in managing the monument is balancing the needs of tourists with preserving the natural landscape.

He believes the Forest Service has done a solid job of walking that tightrope, even though tourists still get upset about being forced to stay on trails.

“There are 200 miles of trails people can hike, and they take you to some of the neatest places,” Frenzen said. “I know there are people that are upset that you have to stay on the trail, but you can pretty much see what you need to see from the trail. What defines the trail is the plants on the sides of the trail, and their flowers wouldn’t be there if everyone ran all over the place.”

Frenzen has received many accolades throughout his career, including the Forest Service’s 2010 Gifford Pinchot Award for Excellence in Interpretation and Conservation Education, and Educator of the Year for Forest Region 6, which includes Washington and Oregon, that same year.

In his spare time, Frenzen continues to surround himself with the outdoors. He said he loves kayaking, gardening, cross-country skiing and going on walks with his wife.

Franklin said Frenzen’s lifelong dedication to the monument has helped it greatly throughout the years.

“[Frenzen] doesn’t give up on ideas or people or activities, and because of his persistence, he’s been a very significant stabilizing influence,” Franklin said. “He’s provided a lot of continuity for what’s going on at the monument.”

Unfortunately, Frenzen said, his staff scientist position will not be replaced because of budget cuts. Still, even after retirement, Frenzen doesn’t plan on abandoning his volcano just yet — but he might explore a few other places as well.

“There are so many trails and places I haven’t hiked. Oddly enough, there are a lot of places I haven’t hiked at Mount St. Helens I’d like to hike. I plan to do a lot of hiking, travel around North America, probably also other places in the world. I’ll enjoy the time I have remaining and the friends I have and live my life.”

More in News

Ellen White Face, left, and Dora Ragland enjoy some conversation after finishing a Christmas dinner prepared by Salvation Army Port Angeles staff and volunteers. The Salvation Army anticipated serving 120-150 people at its annual holiday meal on Tuesday. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Hundreds served at annual Salvation Army dinner

Numbers represent growing need for assistance, captain says

Jefferson separates prosecutor, coroner roles

Funeral director hired on one-year basis

Public concerned about hospital partnership

Commenters question possible Catholic affiliation

Sylvia White of Port Townsend is making a major gift to the nonprofit Northwind Art. (Diane Urbani/Northwind Art)
Port Townsend artist makes major gift to Northwind

Artist Sylvia White, who envisioned an arts center in… Continue reading

Skaters glide across the Winter Ice Village on Front Street in downtown Port Angeles. The Winter Ice Village, operated by the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce, is open daily from noon to 9 p.m. through Jan. 5. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Fresh ice

Skaters glide across the Winter Ice Village on Front Street in downtown… Continue reading

Paranormal investigator Amanda Paulson sits next to a photo of Hallie Illingworth at Lake Crescent, where Illingworth’s soap-like body was discovered in 1940. Paulson stars in a newly released documentary, “The Lady of the Lake,” that explores the history of Illingworth’s death and the possible paranormal presence that has remained since. (Ryan Grulich)
Documentary explores paranormal aspects disappearance

Director says it’s a ’ Ghost story for Christmas’

Funding for lodge in stopgap measure

Park official ‘touched by outpouring of support’

Wednesday’s e-edition to be printed Thursday

Peninsula Daily News will have an electronic edition on… Continue reading

Joe Nole.
Jefferson County Sheriff Joe Nole resigns

Commissioners to be appoint replacement within 60 days

Residents of various manufactured home parks applaud the Sequim City Council’s decision on Dec. 9 to approve a new overlay that preserves manufactured home parks so that they cannot be redeveloped for other uses. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim preserves overlay for homes

Plots can be sold, but use must be same

A ballot box in the Sequim Village Shopping Center at 651 W. Washington St. now holds two fire suppressant systems to prevent fires inside after incidents in October in Vancouver, Wash., and Portland, Ore. A second device was added by Clallam County staff to boxes countywide to safeguard ballots for all future elections. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Political party officials fine with Clallam’s loss of bellwether

With election certified, reps reflect on goals, security

For 20-plus years, Bob and Kelly Macaulay have decorated their boat and dock off East Sequim Bay Road for Christmas, seen here more than a mile away. However, the couple sold their boat earlier this year. (Doug Schwarz)
Couple retires Christmas boat display on Sequim Bay

Red decorations lit up area for 20-plus years

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Daily News relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in