Pictures: Lyle Such
Camera: Canon 5d Mkiii
Trail Details:
Distance: 9.2 Miles
Difficulty: Strenuous uphill with a lot of rocks and snow
Elevation Gain: 4,500 feet
We decided to attempt a Memorial Day ascent of Mt. St. Helens. May is still relatively early in the season, but after contacting some local climbers, we found out the conditions had accelerated to almost summer like conditions. After a stop at the local Seattle REI to rent our axes, we drove the 3.5 hours to the Climbers Bivouac where we spent the night.
We got an early start. 5:30 am was our departure time. The sun was just beginning to rise, so walking through the first stretch of forest made for a very moody, foggy beginning. The trail starts out relatively flat, and soon begins to climb through the forest.
As we reached the tree line, we rose above the clouds and fog to get our first look at the mountains we were headed up into. Looking back over the trees was beautiful. The sun was filtering through the treetops and fog to create these amazing beams of light. Getting up early was well worth it!
You are required to have a permit once you climb above the tree line. After April there is a limit of 100 climbers per day. We only ran across a handful on the way up. As everywhere, the later you start the more crowded it will be.
Once above the trees, we were faced with a steep, rocky climb. The trail is easy to follow, there are a set of very tall white poles marking the way. We found that there wasn't a completely obvious path, instead you maneuver the rocky terrain however you like. As we got higher, the snowfields became more consistent, and we were able to strap on our crampons and take a more direct path up the snow.
You can choose either a rocky climb or a snowy climb. Either way, once you reach the higher elevations you're required to get onto the snow.
Mt. Hood off in the distance.
This is what happens when you climb with a bunch of photographers!
We reached the summit, and continued to traverse the rim to find the best spot to look into the crater. Because there's still snow, there is a cornice that makes it dangerous to walk near the edge. Unfortunately what we found to be the best spot was in the direct path of clouds, so we climbed back up to the first point where we reached the rim.
Mt. Ranier beyond the crater.
Looking down into the crater.
After a short break on the rim, some lunch, and some photos, the fun part began. There are chutes carved into the snow that you can use for glissading, a controlled slide using your ice axe as a break to get down the mountain. Each snowfield was broken up by rocks, so we had to be careful not to get out of control. After one section of glissading ended, we had to climb into the next section over the rocks and begin the next slide.
Thu looking back at the mountain we just conquered.
Back to the tree line.
About 8 hours later we entered back into the misty, foggy forest that surrounds Mt. St. Helens. The gradual, dirt packed trail was a welcome break from the rocky terrain we had just climbed over.
