St. Helens climb in next 2 weeks

[mikesspamlessemail]

Can I do this with just boots? I was planning to pick up a permit on purmit.com and head out on a nice day.

I believe at this time of year it's a straight walk-up, so no need for any special equipment, is that correct? Anything else essential besides good boots, lots of water, food, eye protection, navigation equipment?

Is there any need for crampons/ice ax? I don't want to be one of those idiots that gets stuck in a bad situation, but I've heard anecdotally that people go with just boots.

[Bosterson]

It depends on when you go. There's a lot of snow this year, so the upper mountain should still be well snow covered for another couple months or so. By August you should be fine without gear, but if you're going now, you should definitely take an axe and at least Microspikes, though if bringing crampons wouldn't require you to change the footwear you'd otherwise be wearing, and you own crampons, I would say bring crampons. (Microspikes are nice for hiking, but not effective at steeper and icier slopes, and don't bite as deeply in soft snow.) The snow might be slushy and none of this will be necessary, but you don't want to get up there and find out you should have brought more gear and then either have to go down, or (worse) continue up without them and put yourself at risk.

[kepPNW]

Was up there yesterday (6/18). The snow is extremely soft! Maybe 95% of folks were wearing microspikes, and no one apparently died. (Saw some slips.) I was wearing "trail crampons" and felt very confident. It is not currently a "straight walk-up"!

No need for an ice axe, unless you're wanting to court injury glissading. (Those who tried, were mostly failing, fwiw.) Most people were using trekking poles.

Forest Service indicated they hoped to have Climber's Bivy open this week, but the road is still gated and snow-covered. The gate at Marble Mountain was open, though!

Regarding idiots, yeah, saw one guy going up in something similar to Chuck Taylors. Not sure he made it. Saw a good number of idiots standing on air, as they couldn't be bothered to find a safe, cornice-free spot to look into the crater.

Have fun!

[-Q-]

Forest Service indicated they hoped to have Climber's Bivy open this week, but the road is still gated and snow-covered. The gate at Marble Mountain was open, though!

What's the snow level looking like on the southern slopes?? Think hikes out of June lake, blue lake, red rock pass etc are open now?? Thanks!!

[kepPNW]

Forest Service indicated they hoped to have Climber's Bivy open this week, but the road is still gated and snow-covered. The gate at Marble Mountain was open, though!

What's the snow level looking like on the southern slopes?? Think hikes out of June lake, blue lake, red rock pass etc are open now?? Thanks!!

Low! Feet deep at 3200' as we headed up from Marble Mtn. No access to Red Rock Pass or Blue Lake yet, as of Sunday; probably sometime this week? Would guess trails around June Lake still mostly covered. (Except on lava.)

[Chip Down]

How about Ape Canyon to Plains of Abraham? Looks like the Marble Mountain gate was opened recently, like in the last ten days or so, and I've seen pics of little snow up high in some areas, but I'm still a little timid about getting to the plains. I don't mind some snow, I just want to make sure I can get my car to the TH, and I don't want to be postholing in the hot afternoon sun.

[-Q-]

Yikes!!
Kinda surprised to hear this. That's still a lot of snow to melt.
Thanks for the update

[neilsonw]

Yikes!!
Kinda surprised to hear this. That's still a lot of snow to melt.
Thanks for the update

Likewise--I'm hoping to climb for my first time early next month and was planning on some snow on the upper slopes but I'm a little concerned that it'll be a lot to deal with for the whole route.

[mikesspamlessemail]

Many thanks all for the great responses.

I think I may try to do it later in the summer based on what you all have said. Seems like that'll fit in better with my lack of equipment (and lack of desire to purchase).

There was still a decent amount of snow near the top of Devil's Peak last weekend so not surprised.

[kepPNW]

How about Ape Canyon to Plains of Abraham? Looks like the Marble Mountain gate was opened recently, like in the last ten days or so, and I've seen pics of little snow up high in some areas, but I'm still a little timid about getting to the plains. I don't mind some snow, I just want to make sure I can get my car to the TH, and I don't want to be postholing in the hot afternoon sun.

Gate at Marble Mountain opened last week. And yeah, plenty of snow where the Ape Canyon trail meets Loowit, but seems entirely consolidated. (Recent photos and reports on the PortlandHikers Facebook group.)

Yikes!!
Kinda surprised to hear this. That's still a lot of snow to melt.
Thanks for the update

Likewise--I'm hoping to climb for my first time early next month and was planning on some snow on the upper slopes but I'm a little concerned that it'll be a lot to deal with for the whole route.

Climber's Bivy may open this week. Stay tuned for that. If so, yeah, should be a much simpler climb from there. Worst part going up the Worm Flows as that final push as we gained Monitor Ridge. Very steep, and very soft! Lots less so once on the ridge. And, it looked mostly bare below the monitoring station.