June 7, 2010, St.Helens

     2 of us had a nice skin and ski down the Monitor Ridge route yesterday.  We luckily bought into the WX forcast even though it was pouring in spots on the drive down from Enumclaw the previous eve.  Planned to head up Worm Flows, but found out the road to Climbers Bivy opened for the season about 1 hour before - so thats where we headed.  The trail through the woods is mostly snow covered with a couple bare patches.  Conditions were firm early - skins worked fine and ski crampons not needed.  Cornice hazard still present on the rim.  Started the ski down about 11:00 and choosing the left or right aspect of Monitor Ridge gave a great choice on firmness or butter, which was pretty consistant until around 5000'.  Saw the most trash/gear on the upper part of the mountain that I have seen on any Cascade Peak in a long time.  Picked up a new ice axe guard, un-opened 1/2 liter of gatorade, 3 energy bar wrappers and tried to dig out a picket that was buried deep but the top 3 " are exposed - on route at 8000' - that's  still out there.   ;D