May 6, Mt St Helens
5/15/07
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
5027
11
Damn. Should have gone Saturday.
Like many people, I bet on Sunday being the better day so made plans accordingly. As I grabbed a bite to eat at Jack's, I overheard one of the workers mention that 132 permits had been issued for Saturday and about 150 for Sunday (the 6th). During the drive up, St Helens was sunlit in all its glory. Fairly mellow scene at the snowpark. There still is some snow around the parking lot so there's no need to bring ice for your cooler. :D
After arriving, I decided to hike up the trail to see where the continuous snow began and found it about 30 minutes in (~0.75 miles). I continued up the trail to just below timberline and St Helens was still basking in sunshine but the upper 500-1000 feet were wrapped in clouds which were starting to drift in. Satisfied, I returned to my car. Usually, you have people arrive at the trailhead at all hours but this was a first for me- at 10:45pm, three or four snowmobiles DROVE into the parking lot. I don't know where they came from but it HAD to be illegal since there was only patchy snow AT BEST around the snowpark.
After 10-15 minutes of full bore snowmobile music, they had loaded up into their trailer and finally left. Sleep eventually followed and I was up and on the trail at 6am. My first good view of the mountain was quite different than my last- mid to high overcast except St Helens where the upper 1000 feet were firmly entrenched in clouds (and not the happy kind).
I plowed along like everyone else, hoping the weather would improve with time. I saw no evidence of natural slides- just a couple of ski cut wet slides. The snow was already a little soft but there is a well defined bootpack up. Sometime around the 5000+ foot level, the winds began. They were variable but had some stronger gusts that would come through. A little higher, the light rain started and the winds got stronger.
I kept going until around 7300 feet when it was CLEARLY dimishing returns. Visibility was really bad above 6500 feet so I opted to shadow a group of skiers downhill until the visibility got better. The snow was pretty soft on the way down, almost to the point of being slow. I think the most fun I had was running the cross country trail below timberline- fast and firm! ;D
I did shoot some video which I might link here if I decide to cut it up tonight..
Like many people, I bet on Sunday being the better day so made plans accordingly. As I grabbed a bite to eat at Jack's, I overheard one of the workers mention that 132 permits had been issued for Saturday and about 150 for Sunday (the 6th). During the drive up, St Helens was sunlit in all its glory. Fairly mellow scene at the snowpark. There still is some snow around the parking lot so there's no need to bring ice for your cooler. :D
After arriving, I decided to hike up the trail to see where the continuous snow began and found it about 30 minutes in (~0.75 miles). I continued up the trail to just below timberline and St Helens was still basking in sunshine but the upper 500-1000 feet were wrapped in clouds which were starting to drift in. Satisfied, I returned to my car. Usually, you have people arrive at the trailhead at all hours but this was a first for me- at 10:45pm, three or four snowmobiles DROVE into the parking lot. I don't know where they came from but it HAD to be illegal since there was only patchy snow AT BEST around the snowpark.
After 10-15 minutes of full bore snowmobile music, they had loaded up into their trailer and finally left. Sleep eventually followed and I was up and on the trail at 6am. My first good view of the mountain was quite different than my last- mid to high overcast except St Helens where the upper 1000 feet were firmly entrenched in clouds (and not the happy kind).
I plowed along like everyone else, hoping the weather would improve with time. I saw no evidence of natural slides- just a couple of ski cut wet slides. The snow was already a little soft but there is a well defined bootpack up. Sometime around the 5000+ foot level, the winds began. They were variable but had some stronger gusts that would come through. A little higher, the light rain started and the winds got stronger.
I kept going until around 7300 feet when it was CLEARLY dimishing returns. Visibility was really bad above 6500 feet so I opted to shadow a group of skiers downhill until the visibility got better. The snow was pretty soft on the way down, almost to the point of being slow. I think the most fun I had was running the cross country trail below timberline- fast and firm! ;D
I did shoot some video which I might link here if I decide to cut it up tonight..
That's my husband and our friend just in front of you in this picture
We continued to the summit ridge. The top 1500' vertical feet were definitely lacking in the visibility area and we were forced to ski near the climbers trail as the ascending masses were our only visual reference points :)
I concur with you about the trail below tree line being some of the most fun. Yep,yep,yep.
Hopefully, the visibility will be a bit better the next time around. You can find more photo evidence here
We continued to the summit ridge. The top 1500' vertical feet were definitely lacking in the visibility area and we were forced to ski near the climbers trail as the ascending masses were our only visual reference points :)
I concur with you about the trail below tree line being some of the most fun. Yep,yep,yep.
Hopefully, the visibility will be a bit better the next time around. You can find more photo evidence here
Ok, I remember your group- a couple of Voile splits along with a Prior Split. :D
I also remember you guys arrived Saturday evening & hiked in to (presumably) camp at timberline. At least you got a nice sunset!
I also remember you guys arrived Saturday evening & hiked in to (presumably) camp at timberline. At least you got a nice sunset!
HI- I might go up next friday and was wondering if the road up is too rough for my honda civic, which has poor clearance. do you remember how bad the road is? also, think i could get a permit just showing up on friday and do you think there might be many folks going up on a friday?
thanks linda
thanks linda
The road is pave the whole way. So no problems there. However, you need to purchase your permit before you go. They no longer sell them at Jack's. The only way to get them is online here. To climb on a Friday you must purchase the permit by 11:59 on Wednesday.
author=Scole link=topic=7036.msg28205#msg28205 date=1178668955]
Ok, I remember your group- a couple of Voile splits along with a Prior Split. :D
I also remember you guys arrived Saturday evening & hiked in to (presumably) camp at timberline. At least you got a nice sunset!
Yep, that was us. :D
We did have a nice sunset and camp around timberline. However, I knew my dreams of sunshine volcano riding were not to be when I woke up to the pitter patter of rain drops on the tent at 6am. Next time.....
We went up on the 29th of April and had some sunshine and great snow to ski down on. Seems we got lucky. Looks like I am enjoying the view.
Seriously- it's killing me. ;D
Just to follow up on Ultra's comments, the rangers were checking permits, even on the crappy day we experienced. The ranger I talked to went up to 6000 feet & then turned around. With better weather (and the last weekend before the quota period) coming, you can be sure that they'll be out checking permits this weekend.
Just to follow up on Ultra's comments, the rangers were checking permits, even on the crappy day we experienced. The ranger I talked to went up to 6000 feet & then turned around. With better weather (and the last weekend before the quota period) coming, you can be sure that they'll be out checking permits this weekend.
6000'? Is that the kind of motivated staff you get for $15/permit? Hey since they already outsourced permit sales to a ticketmaster clone ($7 "service charge?"), why don't they go ahead and hire some private snowmobilers to ride around checking permits. Why stop there? Lease out the Marble Mtn Lodge for concessions, quick wax station five bucks, pay toilets, cut down some trees put in a terrain park with some loud music playing. A hit for the whole family, Mt. St. Helens Ski Resort packages starting as low as $100 (+$47 service charge), space is limited make your reservations now. ::)
Tell us how you really feel, Justonian.
I missed the good weather by skiing on Sunday too, Scole. Bummer.
I missed the good weather by skiing on Sunday too, Scole. Bummer.
I have less of a problem paying a fair fee to the gov't... but a "service charge" extracted by a private company, through an exclusive deal with no alternative and no competition? Larry the tool wants YOU! ...to pay an extra 47% per permit into the hands of active.com, ("partnered with ESPN") for the opportunity to legally climb in public federal lands. That, my friends, is bullsh.
Reply to this TR
Please login first: