Day 1: Drive to Cougar, WA, where we pick up our permits.
Winter/Early Spring Climbs:
We drive to Cougar Sno-Park at 2,250ft/686m and snowshoe or ski to just below Timberline at 4,800′/1,463m.
Late Spring Climbs:
We drive to Redrock Pass at 3,116ft/950m. We cross over a lava field, meadows and mixed forest, hiking 4 miles/6.7km to our camp site just below the Loowit Trail at 4,800 ft/1,463 m.
We’ll set-up camp and practice our ice axe and glissading techniques. Your guide(s) will prepare dinner while you relax and enjoy the mountain experience. Following dinner we’ll have a pre-climb briefing and get our summit packs ready.
Day 2: We get up at 6 AM, have breakfast and head directly for the summit. In about four hours we should reach the summit rim at 8,365 ft/2,250 m. The view from the rim is fantastic as we look down 2,000 ft/610 m into the crater with the lava dome steaming below. Mt. Rainier is framed in the gap to the North. At the rim we will have lunch and depending on conditions take in the wonderful views that stretch in all directions. Early season climbs offer opportunities to glissade down a significant portion of the climb. Returning to the Climbers’ Bivouac, we can change clothes, have a refreshing cool drink and enjoy a last look at the mountain before we return to Portland. Climbing Mount St. Helens is an experience of a lifetime.
**Rare Earth Adventures will make every attempt to follow the trip itinerary. However, this itinerary is subject to change due to group dynamics, unsafe weather and/or route conditions, or other reasons beyond our control.
