Samples of particles from Mount St. Helens were collected in both the stratosphere and troposphere for measurement of the light absorption coefficient. Results indicate that the stratospheric dust had a small but finite absorption coefficient ranging up to 2 x 10(-7) per meter at a wavelength of 0.55 micrometer, which is estimated to yield an albedo for single scatter of 0.98 or greater. Tropospheric results showed similar high values of an albedo for single scatter.