Mt. St Helens - what's going on???
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 6:06 pm
What is with the St. Helens climbing pass system?
The forest service limits the St. Helens climbs to no more than 100 people per day.
I just climbed Helens for the 3rd time and an obvious pattern is clear... the number of people climbing St. Helens is nowhere near the number of permits sold.
It seems like the permit limit is reach WEEKS beforehand. Therefore, one needs to make climbing arrangements weeks ahead. And woe to the climber who gets bad weather on their assigned climb date... much less, those who need to re-arrange their plans.
My first climb, 100 passes were sold... it seemed like... maybe 15 people summited. The great majority were not even on the mountain.
My 2nd climb 85 passes were sold. We were only two to summit that day. Maybe 10 other "trekkers" did a partial climb, obiously with no intention on summiting.
My 3rd climb, the forest service website wouldn't show how many passes were sold. Judging from the days before and the days ahead, 100 passes were sold. It apears that only 11 people made any summit attempts.
It kinda puts hardship on me to plan so far ahead and I'd like to buy my passes a few days before the climb.
Are people buying up the passes and not using them? Or is the Forest Service being less than honest about the number of passes available?
The forest service limits the St. Helens climbs to no more than 100 people per day.
I just climbed Helens for the 3rd time and an obvious pattern is clear... the number of people climbing St. Helens is nowhere near the number of permits sold.
It seems like the permit limit is reach WEEKS beforehand. Therefore, one needs to make climbing arrangements weeks ahead. And woe to the climber who gets bad weather on their assigned climb date... much less, those who need to re-arrange their plans.
My first climb, 100 passes were sold... it seemed like... maybe 15 people summited. The great majority were not even on the mountain.
My 2nd climb 85 passes were sold. We were only two to summit that day. Maybe 10 other "trekkers" did a partial climb, obiously with no intention on summiting.
My 3rd climb, the forest service website wouldn't show how many passes were sold. Judging from the days before and the days ahead, 100 passes were sold. It apears that only 11 people made any summit attempts.
It kinda puts hardship on me to plan so far ahead and I'd like to buy my passes a few days before the climb.
Are people buying up the passes and not using them? Or is the Forest Service being less than honest about the number of passes available?