8,365 feet
Worm Flows, Grade I+
- Gear Used:
- trekking poles
- snowshoes
- snowboard
January 19, 2009
MOUNT SAINT HELENS
8,365 feet
The Approach
This was my first time to really get up close and personal with Mt. Saint Helens! In fact we were a party of 3 and it was all of our first time up here! Needless to say, we ended up horribly lost on the drive. This cost us a lot of time and we ended up turning around about 1,000 feet shy of the summit.
The Climb
Once we finally figured out where the winter route starts we were on our way! The hike starts in the tree's on a pretty packed out ski trail. I think it was about 2 miles before we broke out of the tree's and the whole mountain was laid out before us!
Eric and Mark hiking up the trail with our first view of Helens.
Large wooden trail markers have been placed in the snow to help you stay on course but the route is pretty obvious the whole way up.
Eric hiking the ridge with Adams in the background.
Climbing the upper slopes of the mountain.
We ended up turning around with about a thousand feet to go. We figured we hauled our boards up here so we better use them while we could. The sun was going down and the temperature was quickly dropping!
Me on the amazing ride down!
Me with thousands of vertical feet to go!
Enough said!
The ride down was fun and fast! The last 2 miles through the tree's is almost like riding a boarder cross run! What a great day in the mountains!
-Useful guide books-
