From October 2004 until July 2006, the Mt. St. Helens was off limits during it's most recent eruption phase. On July 21, 2006, the mountain was reopened for climbing.

For the latest information, please visit the Forest Service "Climbing Mount St. Helens" page or http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov.

Animations

The USGS has posted the following two-image animated GIF to show the change from one day to the next when the current eruption's pinnacle collapsed. Note that you can detect the upward movement of the smooth lava column.

Images from the USGS

The USGS maintains a site with current images of Mt. St. Helens as it is rapidly changing. I hope they don't keep changing the address, but if this link breaks, please let me know! You can find a plethora of fascinating images if you poke around here:

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/Images/MSH04/

Pre-eruption Photos

Overview

Mt. St. Helens erupts on October 1, 2004

The current Mt. St. Helens VolcanoCam image.

Even before May 18, 1980 when Mt. St. Helens blew its top sky-high while vaporizing a vast area to its north, it was the smallest of Washington's 5 volcanoes at 9677 ft (2950 m). The blast removed far more than that 1312 feet from the height of the mountain. It left a mere shell of what had been a beautifully symmetrical cone. The melting of several glaciers contributed to the massive floods. Sliding earth buried wonderful stands of virgin forest and recreational facilities and killed untold wildlife. A beautiful tree-lined lake was dammed to a higher level and filled with heat-stripped logs. Condensed rock vapor was carried on the wind to be deposited up to thousands of miles away.

For seven years recreational climbing was banned on Mt. St. Helens. Then in May 1987 it was reopened. Only the south routes are still allowed. Access to the crater is strictly forbidden.

On clear mornings I can see the mountain as I drive out of my neighborhood to work. That view is a constant reminder of the power of nature. I have always regretted that I had moved from Vancouver, WA to Juneau, AK only three months before the eruption. I returned two years after the eruption, but I missed out on all the excitement. When the mountain blew its top, a part of me went with it.

Getting There

From Interstate 5 at Woodland, take the exit for State Highway 503. Drive past Lake Merwin and Yale Lake. Then just after the Swift Reservoir viewpoint, turn left on forest road 83. Follow the signs to Climber's Bivouac, which involves a right turn onto forest road 830.

Red Tape

Please read thoroughly this page from the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument for information about obtaining permits to climb Mt. St. Helens. A permit is required above 4800' on the mountain. I will not attempt to reproduce all of the red tape requirements on this page. The link above leads to the definitive source of this information.

When To Climb

St. Helens is best climbed during the permit season, with optimal conditions occuring from May through September.

Additional information posted by John: However, don't let winter prevent you from hiking up this stratovolcano. St. Helens is popular from February to early-summer for snowshoe and ski / snowboard summits. A bonus is that you'll get away from the permit quota hassle though you will need a WA or OR Sno-Park permit if you are parking at the Marble Mountain Sno-Park. Check the Books section for Dan Nelson's "Snowshoe Routes : Washington" or Amar Andalkar's Ski Mountaineering and Climbing Site for additional info.

Additional comment posted by ben: Climbing in the winter also means that you can avoid the scree and ash that is the bane of a summer climb - two steps up, one step backsliding.

Camping

Please read this page from the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument for information about camping near the mountain.

Mountain Conditions

Click here for current weather information.

External Links

Amar Andalkar's Ski Mountaineering and Climbing Site
Routes, photos, links, and information about climbing Mt. St. Helens.
St. Helens (08/21/2000)
Zeitcam.com
Time Lapse movie of Mt. St. Helens Web cam and other mountains.
Mount St. Helens via Monitor Ridge

Additions and Corrections

[ Post an Addition or Correction ]

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jeffreyking	Untitled Comment
Hasn't voted	The Climber's Bivouac has somewhat of a noteriety for being one big party on evenings during the summer. If you plan on getting some sleep and want an early start, I recommend camping about 100 yards down the approach road or perhaps off the Ptarmigan Trail.
	Posted Jul 15, 2002 12:02 pm

millsb40

Untitled Comment

Hasn't voted

Measurements taken by GPS stations recently placed on Mt. St. Helens show the lava dome is expanding and earthquakes continue yet more frequent. Odds are, this Mountain will be closed to climbing for a while...

Update 07-12-06. The Mountain will be re-opening to climbing, see the Gifford Pinchot web page http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/mount-st-helens/ for more details.

Posted Sep 29, 2004 10:30 am

mutant1

Untitled Comment

Hasn't voted

A good view into the active crater is available from Goat Mountain.

Posted Oct 20, 2004 10:47 am

D Smith

Untitled Comment

Hasn't voted

Just as a side project, I recently started a Website that makes time-lapse movies of still-image Web Cams in the PNW and abroad. Mt. Saint Helens is a really fun one to watch when it's letting off steam:

http://www.zeitcam.com/showcam.php?cam=sainthelens&day=20050209

(click on previous days links if nothing interesting shows up initially.)

Let me know what you think! (still a work in progress...)

-Dave

Posted Feb 9, 2005 12:28 pm

Bob Bolton

Untitled Comment

Hasn't voted

Awesome Dave!! Thanks a million. I'll make a new section on the main page and include the link. Will this thing automatically adjust for changing daylight hours?

Bob

Posted Feb 9, 2005 9:40 pm

D Smith

Untitled Comment

Hasn't voted

That's feature is "in the works"...right now I just have a cron job run from 9 to 5 PST -- works well for St. Helens in Winter, but not summertime or European cams.

Posted Feb 10, 2005 12:04 am

Angela	Permits
Hasn't voted	Permits are now issued exclusively on line. A confirmation is emailed to you and you stop in at Jack's where you sign in and recieve your climbing permit.
	Posted Jun 12, 2007 8:21 pm


	Bob Bolton	Re: Permits
	Hasn't voted	Thanks Angela - you're right, I need to update that information. -Bob
		Posted Jun 12, 2007 10:21 pm

Redwic

Permit Pickup Location...

Voted 10/10

After ordering a climbing permit online, the receipt needs to be taken to Lone Fir Resort (in Cougar, WA) to receive the actual climbing permit. As of June 6 , 2008, the Mount Saint Helens Climber's Register was moved to the Lone Fir Resort. The Lone Fir Resort is located on State Route 503 in the town of Cougar, WA at 16806 Lewis River Rd. Phone (360) 238-5210.

The Climber's Register is self-service and is located outside the Lone Fir Resort. For your safety, please be sure to sign in and sign out at the register.

Posted Aug 30, 2008 12:45 pm


	Bob Bolton	Re: Permit Pickup Location...
	Hasn't voted	Thanks -- appreciate the note! I changed the text to reference the Lone Fir Resort and included a link to their website. The other links on the page will lead to the pickup location. That should suffice I'm thinking. -Bob
		Posted Sep 3, 2008 2:28 am

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Images


					$St. Helens\' Crater (1981)$
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