Climbing Mt. St. Helens – What it’s Like
Climbing a mountain has always sounded fascinating, but it has always looked like too much work. All that gear you have to pack, all the talk of oxygen depletion. But who can beat the views. And what an accomplishment!
When the opportunity came up to climb Mt. St. Helens, I took it. This mountain is only 8,363 feet tall. I’d hiked up around 5-6,000 feet. I figured I could handle it. I went with a guide which I would definitely recommend to anyone who has not had experience climbing. My son and daughter and the guide’s wife rounded out the group.
This is not like hiking. You have to get a permit to climb which you purchase in advance as they only give out so many per day. Even after you have your permit, you have to watch the weather reports. If the weather is inclement, you will not be permitted to climb.
The average time to climb up and get back down is 10-12 hours. My guide didn’t want to be hiking uphill in the hot afternoon, so we went up to a parking lot which is used by climbers and skiers the night before. It was at about 4,500 feet. This was in May, so the parking lot was still covered with snow. We spent the night there. We were high enough that our backpack stoves weren’t terribly efficient.
At 4:30am we were roused out of bed. After breakfast we were fitted with crampons. We used the arch style which only went across the instep of our boots. Crampons are steel teeth that bite into the snow to keep you from sliding around. We also carried ski poles. These are used for a little extra energy when climbing at the higher elevations and as a brake when coming back down.
The first part of the climb was easy. It was on a nice path with a gradual climb. This path led up to the trail that goes all around the mountain. We started out in partial snow, but were soon in full snow. The crampons came in very handy. The further we climbed, the trail grew steeper and the more effort it took.
Around 6,500 feet we were out of the trees. There were long stretches of loose rock with no snow. This was more difficult to climb on than the snow by far. By this point I was struggling. The trail was very steep. I had to pace myself. I’d count out 25 steps, then stop to rest. Very slow going. The guide’s wife opted out here. She found a rock and went to sleep.
Unfortunately it wasn’t much further when my daughter about passed out. She was having a very hard time breathing. Around 7,000 feet or so, I turned around with her. My son went on with the guide. He made it to the top and got to see the crater. My daughter took a nap. I enjoyed the views. Breathtaking!
When my son and the guide got back down, we had a lunch, then it was time for fun! Glisading down the mountain side. We had purchased those real cheap rain ponchos. You sit on the poncho and use it like a sled. So much fun! Before we started, we had lessons on how to use our ski poles for a brake. Then off we went! So much better than the climbing. By the way, the rain ponchos weren’t terribly effective at keeping us dry.
When we got into the trees, we had to revert back to hiking. By this time we are all pretty tired. We took 11 1/2 hours to do the climb. Would I do it again? Yeah, I’d love to see the crater up close and personal. If you go, be sure to hook up with a guide. Go in late spring when there is still snow most of the way. Climbing on that loose gravel is bad news. Bring lots of water and sun screen!
For more information, check out the Mt. St. Helens website.
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