Great hike in 2 ft+ snow with 25+ mph wind, ice pellet, and snowing (white out after 1 mile of climbing the boulders). First 2 miles in the tree were mostly snow free. Light snow after the tree-line through the first set of boulders. Blazed trail after first 2 sets of boulders. Pushed on after everyone turned back. Made as far as near-vertical boulders beneath Monitor Station (6379 ft elevation according to Strava, 1821 ft elevation and 1.275 miles from the crater). Weather will be better tomorrow for climbing.
Trip Report
Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge — Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020
South Cascades > Mount St. Helens
Comments
Chris47 on Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
Thank you for your trip description. I'm looking to hike it on first day of Nov, hopefully weather will cooperate. It's so sad you cannot get a permit during summer time...
Good job.
Posted by:
Chris47 on Oct 11, 2020 11:32 PM
caPt.Peet on Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
Looks like starting in the early AM would be a very good idea...
Posted by:
caPt.Peet on Oct 26, 2020 08:05 PM
Nov 1
I'm planning to be at the regular trail head around 7am. I dont like starting on dark.
Posted by:
Chris47 on Oct 26, 2020 11:23 PM
Ryuga on Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
Tomorrow's weather is not bad. Sunny with 30 mph wind. Wind chill at 32' around 2pm, right during your descend if you started at 7am. Good luck. https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mount-Saint-Helens/forecasts/2549
It was too bad we couldn't summit on Oct 11. We summited 4 times earlier in the summer, including a double summit (sunrise summit + afternoon summit) back in August. We had good fun. Will be back for backcountry skiing in several months.
Posted by:
Ryuga on Oct 26, 2020 11:27 PM
Chris47 on Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
I meant I will hike it on Sunday, Nov 1. How is the trail? Is it very easy to follow? I've never been on this mountain. I dont think it will be too much snow.
Weather looks great on Nov 1 and I bet will be other people too.
Posted by:
Chris47 on Oct 26, 2020 11:32 PM
Ryuga on Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
The trail has three sections. Forest (2 miles), boulders (1.8ish miles), and gravel/ash (~1 mile) to reach the most direct portion of the ridge from the trail. True summit requires you to traverse the ridge to left for about 20 minutes under normal conditions. Forest is easy. gravel/ash is easy to follow as well. Just go straight up. If there are other people, just follow their footsteps in snow or in ash if snow is gone. It is the boulders that requires you to pay attention as it makes a couple sharp turn to left and right. Just follow the wooden poles marking the trail. If you are lost, try to use your map (download before hiking as you may not get much signal in the mountain). Of course, other hikers should be able to help.
Posted by:
Ryuga on Oct 26, 2020 11:40 PM
Chris47 on Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
Thank you very much for description, I might ask more questions later and definitely post pictures and info next day on Monday. I know I have to pay for parking there, do I need to do anything else for the free permit?
Posted by:
Chris47 on Oct 27, 2020 12:07 AM
Ryuga on Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
Just the parking. I would agree to start early at 7AM. Even during a nice day in the summer and knowing the trail, it took me about 4 hours to summit and 3 hours to descent (4th summit of the summer, https://www.strava.com/activities/3900321549). Depending on the snow condition and your readiness, it probably will take you between 5 to 7 hours to summit, longer to the true summit. You definitely want to start to descend before 3PM around this time of the year to at least get back to the trees before the sunlight goes out. Good luck and have fun. It is a beauty up there, especially during a sunny day.
Posted by:
Ryuga on Oct 27, 2020 12:26 AM
Chris47 on Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
Great idea with Strava, I will record it too. Looking forward to reach the true summit.
Thank you for helping out.
Posted by:
Chris47 on Oct 27, 2020 12:39 AM
Hey Chris47...
Are you part of the [Meetup] group coming from Seattle? Their current plan would be about a 10AM start which I think is too late. Working on a plan to start earlier.
Posted by:
caPt.Peet on Oct 26, 2020 11:42 PM
Chris47 on Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
I'm coming from Portland, we will be three, wife, son (15) and I. Plan to be there around 7am and start on sun light.
Posted by:
Chris47 on Oct 27, 2020 12:10 AM
Hey Chris47...
Are you part of the [Meetup] group coming from Seattle? Their current plan would be about a 10AM start which I think is too late. Working on a plan to start earlier.
Posted by:
caPt.Peet on Oct 26, 2020 11:42 PM
Ryuga on Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge
Tomorrow's weather is not bad. Sunny with 30 mph wind. Wind chill at 32' around 2pm, right during your descend if you started at 7am. Good luck. https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mount-Saint-Helens/forecasts/2549
It was too bad we couldn't summit on Oct 11. We summited 4 times earlier in the summer, including a double summit (sunrise summit + afternoon summit) back in August. We had good fun. Will be back for backcountry skiing in several months.
Posted by:
Ryuga on Oct 26, 2020 11:28 PM