Mount St. Helens - Monitor Ridge — Monday, Jul. 21, 2025

My friend and I got a later start than most hikers, beginning our ascent from the Climber’s Bivouac around 6:00 a.m. The first ~2 miles wind gently through the woods—a pleasant warm-up, but a bit daunting knowing the real elevation gain was still ahead in a much shorter stretch.

Eventually, the forest gives way to rocky terrain, and just past the permit checkpoint, you enter the boulder fields. From here, it's a steady climb over large rocks, with the route marked intermittently by wooden poles. There are several ways to ascend through the boulders, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself route-finding a bit.

Once we cleared the boulders, we hit the ashy section—which is... tough. Progress is slow and slippery. We found that short steps and frequent breaks helped the most. If the skies are clear, the view from the top of this section is jaw-dropping—you’re standing on the edge of the crater. Many hikers stop here, but the true summit lies roughly another 0.25 miles to the left along the rim.

We decided to continue to the true summit. Honestly, the views aren’t much better (they’re already incredible). The rim trail is steep, ashy, and feels structurally questionable in places. You’ll want to make sure you’re staying within your personal risk tolerance. WTA’s warning about the unstable rim is no joke—we heard rocks tumbling down the crater walls the entire time we were up there.

If you want a visual overview of the hike (with spoilers), I documented our experience on YouTube—link below.