Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: August 2004
We were lucky it was raining a lot both days before our hike. The ash was firm so it was easy hike rewarded with nice view on Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams ?? Everything else was under the clouds...
Route Climbed: Moniter Ridge Date Climbed: June 2001
The climb was amazing, i was only 11 at the time. We climbed it when it was covered in snow. Many people had ice axes and crampons, my family only had pants and boots. The view of the crater is amazing. Yo cant get too close to the edge to to a huge cornice.
Route Climbed: Swift Creek Date Climbed: April 2004
Skied from the top, sunny day, nice ride down. If it's hot out, it would be best to leave early so you can enjoy some non-slushy snow on the turns down.
Route Climbed: Monitor ridge from climber Bivouac Date Climbed: 17 May 2004
Me, Marantz and Paglia at the first skiing of our American tour to Cascades volcanous. Great snow, great weather. Impressive the top!!! Unfurgettable!!!
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: May 13, 2000
Nice easy climb, weather was great but turned sour on top. Had a short view of steam coming from the crater. Clouds rolled in and wind was blowing extremely hard.
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: August 15, 2001
First climb ever! An awesome experience! The only problem was there were about 15 wild fires that year and I could only see about 1 mile or so worth of visibility from the summit. I didn't get to see any of the surrounding mountains. Very disappointing!
I Want to do it again whenever I am back in the area and it is reopened for climbing.
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: Mid-July 2003
Got up early morning with dad to start climb. Great weather, practically no clouds in the sky at the trailhead. Nice easy trail for a couple of miles in the trees. Got above the treeline, big boulder fields. That was interesting hiking up them. Lasted another mile or so. Then came the pumus and scree slopes, fun stuff. Reached the summit in the early afternoon. Great photo opportunities. You could see Mt. Adams to the east, Mt. Rainier to the north, and Mt. Hood to the south. The crater was fantastic to look at, bits of steam coming up. My first volcano climb.
Route Climbed: Frosythe Glacier Date Climbed: circa 1970
With all the attention that St. Helens is getting, I thought someone might get a kick out of the old St. Helens. I scanned some old slides of this now, non-existent route.
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: September 18, 2003
Well, we both kinda knew it would be doubtful we'd hit the summit. My friend Isaac was in town from MN to try to climb something like Baker or Rainier but with the storms and recent snow dumps, we decided to try something tamer with crevasseless non-avalanchey terrain.
Only about 20 others on the mountain this day as it was raining for the first 1000 feet or so. Then wet snow, then about 5500-6000 feet, it was full-on ice-pellets-in-the-face, high winds, postholing fun. And there are 3 more days of summer left!
About 7500 feet at the last post, I had already placed several wands between posts due to crappy visibility. Visibility went to maybe 40 feet or so and the winds were maybe 50 mph. Was starting to get turned around in the swirling snow so we decided to head back down. Slowly we inched our way down weaving back and forth to try to find the posts. Was lucky to find all my wands in the mess and we headed back down and on to Jack's for some hot food.
So, I am only 1 for 3 on this volcano and still never had any decent views. Maybe I'll hit this one again on a nice weekend once the permits are done for the year. Still had a good time though since we were out on a mountain.
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: Oct. 2nd, 1993
This was a great day for climbing - there was a strong temperature inversion and while it was 45 degrees at my house in Vancouver, it was 65 degrees at the trailhead when I arrived just before sunrise.
Got to the summit in an hour 45 minutes and was treated to incredible views.
I've climbed St. Helens about a dozen times since this first summit and it's always an awe inspiring trip.
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: September 5, 2004
Amazing day on the volcano. Clear as a bell. Awe inspiring views of Rainier, Baker, Hood, and Jefferson.
Thought I would cruise this "easy" Cascades peak, and did travel fast (3&1/2 hrs. to the summit), but don't be fooled as I did-it's a big hike. Non-technical, but big for a southwesterner such as myself.
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: September 5, 2004
Amazing day on the volcano. Clear as a bell. Awe inspiring views of Rainier, Baker, Hood, and Jefferson.
Thought I would cruise this "easy" Cascades peak, and did travel fast (3&1/2 hrs. to the summit), but don't be fooled as I did-it's a big hike. Non-technical, but big for a southwesterner such as myself.
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: August 8, 04
This is a fun Hike & climb up a Cascade peak. We started at 5:30am to beat the heat and most of the other hiker's. A nice warm up for 2 miles before you hit the Ridge. Then its up and up to the crater rim and the Summit on the Left. Great views of Rainier, Adams and Hood.
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: August 6, 2004
Started climb in mist along Monitor Ridge, beautiful start, nice views. Weather began to really decline at last 600 feet. 30-40 mph winds with sleet at summit, and we were facing into the wind on descent. Not exactly a nice summer climb, but a good clothing/gear shakedown to figure out what was waterproof and what was decidedly NOT.
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: July 28, 2004
Snow-free all the way. Summitted in a little under 3 hours. Was a little suprised at the extent of the boulder scrambles, (not difficult,) that comprised the middle 2000 feet or so of this route. I'd been putting off getting the permit and going up high here for years, and wasn't disappointed. Quite the contrary, this is a very fun, direct, fairly easy route with spectacular views, and I doubt the quota of 100 people was present today. A lot of smoke which unfortuately blocked out Rainier. But the changing topography and views make it a great climb, and if you've never seen the crater from the top, you are missing out the greatest view of a mind-boggling spectacle. Wow!
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: July 24, 2004
Started at 5:45AM at trailhead to beat the heat. No snow at the trailhead. We could have avoided snow all the way to the top, but chose to climb up a couple sections since it was easier than the rocks.
Hit the crater rim at about 9:15 and the weather was still nice, we had managed to stay in the shade most of the morning. It didn't start heating up until we had began our descent. By the time we got back to the car it was easily in the 90s.
Really nice hike, lots of pumice and great views from the top.
Route Climbed: Worm Flows Date Climbed: April 3rd, 2004
Climb Party: Ercan, John, Aish
Summitted St. Helens via the Worm Flows route. Late start from TH (Marble mountain) at 08:30. Reached summit at 14:45. Glissaded down most of the way. Reached TH just before dark at 18:30. Slow descent due to John's bad knee / feet and dehydration.
Route Climbed: Swift Creek Drainage Date Climbed: March 2004
Have climbed it twice. The first time was in the summer of 2002. Was a hot, dusty, overcrowded slog up monitor ridge with the only reward at the top. St. Helens has probably got the best view of any Mt I have been on. Raineir, Adams, and Hood are looming seemingly an arm reach away and the blown out crater is absolutely amazing. But I vowed to never do it again in the summer. The second climb was in March of 2004 in the middle of the week. We had perfect weather. We had 3-4 full sun days prior to our climb and full sun both days of the climb. We started at 2200 feet from the gate and snowshoed into timberline up the Swift Creek Drainage. Set up a snow camp and slept like babies until a 6 am awakening and frozen path up the beautifully blanketed slopes. The summit was almost too warm and beautiful to believe with only 2 other parties seen all the time. Will do it again and am looking forward to it.
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: July 22, 2002
This was my first summit attempt with my best friend and was an amazing trip which inspired a pact to keep climbing.
From the begining of our day, where a line of lights tripped up the mountain in front of us, to the blazing hot trip down, it was gorgeous. But the view from the top, looking down into the side of the mountain was unlike anything I have seen before or since.
Lesson learned? Gaiters; there not just for snow any more. Boy did I wish I had a pair as I dug ash and pummice out of my shoes!
Derek Franzen - Apr 26, 2005 10:47 am
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: July 10 2003With daughter Kelsi, 2 hours from climbers bivouac. Just didn't realize how huge the area of devastation was from the original eruption.
brusy - Apr 18, 2005 7:18 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: August 2004We were lucky it was raining a lot both days before our hike. The ash was firm so it was easy hike rewarded with nice view on Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams ?? Everything else was under the clouds...
James C - Apr 4, 2005 5:28 pm
Route Climbed: Moniter Ridge Date Climbed: June 2001The climb was amazing, i was only 11 at the time. We climbed it when it was covered in snow. Many people had ice axes and crampons, my family only had pants and boots. The view of the crater is amazing. Yo cant get too close to the edge to to a huge cornice.
Blakester - Feb 14, 2005 8:55 pm
Route Climbed: Swift Creek Date Climbed: April 2004Skied from the top, sunny day, nice ride down. If it's hot out, it would be best to leave early so you can enjoy some non-slushy snow on the turns down.
Franz77 - Feb 10, 2005 2:44 am
Route Climbed: Monitor ridge from climber Bivouac Date Climbed: 17 May 2004Me, Marantz and Paglia at the first skiing of our American tour to Cascades volcanous. Great snow, great weather. Impressive the top!!! Unfurgettable!!!
Andy Dewey - Feb 3, 2005 3:12 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: May 13, 2000Nice easy climb, weather was great but turned sour on top. Had a short view of steam coming from the crater. Clouds rolled in and wind was blowing extremely hard.
captainron - Jan 16, 2005 10:43 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: August 15, 2001First climb ever! An awesome experience! The only problem was there were about 15 wild fires that year and I could only see about 1 mile or so worth of visibility from the summit. I didn't get to see any of the surrounding mountains. Very disappointing!
I Want to do it again whenever I am back in the area and it is reopened for climbing.
SummitQueen - Nov 25, 2004 2:44 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: Mid-July 2003Got up early morning with dad to start climb. Great weather, practically no clouds in the sky at the trailhead. Nice easy trail for a couple of miles in the trees. Got above the treeline, big boulder fields. That was interesting hiking up them. Lasted another mile or so. Then came the pumus and scree slopes, fun stuff. Reached the summit in the early afternoon. Great photo opportunities. You could see Mt. Adams to the east, Mt. Rainier to the north, and Mt. Hood to the south. The crater was fantastic to look at, bits of steam coming up. My first volcano climb.
Norman - Oct 17, 2004 12:00 am
Route Climbed: Frosythe Glacier Date Climbed: circa 1970With all the attention that St. Helens is getting, I thought someone might get a kick out of the old St. Helens. I scanned some old slides of this now, non-existent route.
Brian Jenkins - Sep 24, 2004 7:03 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: September 18, 2003Well, we both kinda knew it would be doubtful we'd hit the summit. My friend Isaac was in town from MN to try to climb something like Baker or Rainier but with the storms and recent snow dumps, we decided to try something tamer with crevasseless non-avalanchey terrain.
Only about 20 others on the mountain this day as it was raining for the first 1000 feet or so. Then wet snow, then about 5500-6000 feet, it was full-on ice-pellets-in-the-face, high winds, postholing fun. And there are 3 more days of summer left!
About 7500 feet at the last post, I had already placed several wands between posts due to crappy visibility. Visibility went to maybe 40 feet or so and the winds were maybe 50 mph. Was starting to get turned around in the swirling snow so we decided to head back down. Slowly we inched our way down weaving back and forth to try to find the posts. Was lucky to find all my wands in the mess and we headed back down and on to Jack's for some hot food.
So, I am only 1 for 3 on this volcano and still never had any decent views. Maybe I'll hit this one again on a nice weekend once the permits are done for the year. Still had a good time though since we were out on a mountain.
Don Nelsen - Sep 24, 2004 2:10 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: Oct. 2nd, 1993This was a great day for climbing - there was a strong temperature inversion and while it was 45 degrees at my house in Vancouver, it was 65 degrees at the trailhead when I arrived just before sunrise.
Got to the summit in an hour 45 minutes and was treated to incredible views.
I've climbed St. Helens about a dozen times since this first summit and it's always an awe inspiring trip.
peakbagger - Sep 8, 2004 10:36 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: September 5, 2004Amazing day on the volcano. Clear as a bell. Awe inspiring views of Rainier, Baker, Hood, and Jefferson.
Thought I would cruise this "easy" Cascades peak, and did travel fast (3&1/2 hrs. to the summit), but don't be fooled as I did-it's a big hike. Non-technical, but big for a southwesterner such as myself.
Interesting from a geological standpoint as well.
peakbagger - Sep 8, 2004 10:35 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: September 5, 2004Amazing day on the volcano. Clear as a bell. Awe inspiring views of Rainier, Baker, Hood, and Jefferson.
Thought I would cruise this "easy" Cascades peak, and did travel fast (3&1/2 hrs. to the summit), but don't be fooled as I did-it's a big hike. Non-technical, but big for a southwesterner such as myself.
Interesting from a geological standpoint as well.
Wallylongridge - Aug 13, 2004 12:17 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: August 8, 04This is a fun Hike & climb up a Cascade peak. We started at 5:30am to beat the heat and most of the other hiker's. A nice warm up for 2 miles before you hit the Ridge. Then its up and up to the crater rim and the Summit on the Left. Great views of Rainier, Adams and Hood.
amochka - Aug 7, 2004 12:42 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: August 6, 2004Started climb in mist along Monitor Ridge, beautiful start, nice views. Weather began to really decline at last 600 feet. 30-40 mph winds with sleet at summit, and we were facing into the wind on descent. Not exactly a nice summer climb, but a good clothing/gear shakedown to figure out what was waterproof and what was decidedly NOT.
Erik Zadow - Jul 28, 2004 10:24 pm
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: July 28, 2004Snow-free all the way. Summitted in a little under 3 hours. Was a little suprised at the extent of the boulder scrambles, (not difficult,) that comprised the middle 2000 feet or so of this route. I'd been putting off getting the permit and going up high here for years, and wasn't disappointed. Quite the contrary, this is a very fun, direct, fairly easy route with spectacular views, and I doubt the quota of 100 people was present today. A lot of smoke which unfortuately blocked out Rainier. But the changing topography and views make it a great climb, and if you've never seen the crater from the top, you are missing out the greatest view of a mind-boggling spectacle. Wow!
jtostenr - Jul 26, 2004 2:26 am
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: July 24, 2004Started at 5:45AM at trailhead to beat the heat. No snow at the trailhead. We could have avoided snow all the way to the top, but chose to climb up a couple sections since it was easier than the rocks.
Hit the crater rim at about 9:15 and the weather was still nice, we had managed to stay in the shade most of the morning. It didn't start heating up until we had began our descent. By the time we got back to the car it was easily in the 90s.
Really nice hike, lots of pumice and great views from the top.
aishv - Jul 5, 2004 1:03 pm
Route Climbed: Worm Flows Date Climbed: April 3rd, 2004Climb Party: Ercan, John, Aish
Summitted St. Helens via the Worm Flows route. Late start from TH (Marble mountain) at 08:30. Reached summit at 14:45. Glissaded down most of the way. Reached TH just before dark at 18:30. Slow descent due to John's bad knee / feet and dehydration.
Pawkala - Jul 2, 2004 12:26 am
Route Climbed: Swift Creek Drainage Date Climbed: March 2004Have climbed it twice. The first time was in the summer of 2002. Was a hot, dusty, overcrowded slog up monitor ridge with the only reward at the top. St. Helens has probably got the best view of any Mt I have been on. Raineir, Adams, and Hood are looming seemingly an arm reach away and the blown out crater is absolutely amazing. But I vowed to never do it again in the summer. The second climb was in March of 2004 in the middle of the week. We had perfect weather. We had 3-4 full sun days prior to our climb and full sun both days of the climb. We started at 2200 feet from the gate and snowshoed into timberline up the Swift Creek Drainage. Set up a snow camp and slept like babies until a 6 am awakening and frozen path up the beautifully blanketed slopes. The summit was almost too warm and beautiful to believe with only 2 other parties seen all the time. Will do it again and am looking forward to it.
belleofthewell - Jun 24, 2004 2:47 am
Route Climbed: Monitor Ridge Date Climbed: July 22, 2002This was my first summit attempt with my best friend and was an amazing trip which inspired a pact to keep climbing.
From the begining of our day, where a line of lights tripped up the mountain in front of us, to the blazing hot trip down, it was gorgeous. But the view from the top, looking down into the side of the mountain was unlike anything I have seen before or since.
Lesson learned? Gaiters; there not just for snow any more. Boy did I wish I had a pair as I dug ash and pummice out of my shoes!