Damaged equipment removed from Mt. St.Helens crater

Scientists removed more than 500 pounds of damaged equipment from Mount St. Helens' crater on Friday, when they took a helicopter to the volcano to make new observations of its continuing dome-building eruption.The equipment was battered in a series of explosions within the crater over last fall and winter, according to a briefing Saturday by the U.S. Geological Survey.The volcano's new lava dome, which has been growing since last October, is shorter now than it was a few months ago because it's once smoothy exterior has splintered and fallen off into piles of rubble.Most recently, the dome has developed a slump in its middle, according to the USGS.