I climbed to the summit of Mount St Helens via the Monitor Ridge trail (summer route), from Climber's Bivouac and the Ptarmgian Trail.
Camped at Climber's Bivouac the night before. By nightfall the campground seemed mostly full.
The next morning I could hear more vehicles arriving and other hikers getting ready to head out from about 4:00 a.m.
I started at 5:00 a.m. and reached the summit ridge by about 10:00 a.m.
The trail was pretty busy. From the time I cleared the treeline, there were very few moments when I could not see and/or hear other people.
The trail is pretty easy to discern, and having other hikers to follow (or see where not to go) was a benefit.
Some talk in here (WTA.org) and on the trail about "bearing left" at a couple of places on the way up. I traversed back and forth between the "left" and "right" routes a couple up times (mainly up that long, irritating gully) and could not really tell that one was better. Right = rocky up-and-down; Left = squishy sand and gravel.
The "Hard" rating for this climb is rightly earned, and final push through all the scree and gravel toward the rim seemed absolutely grueling. I saw several hikers turn back at this stage. But views from Monitor Ridge were worth it.
The rim itself was entirely snow-free, hot and dusty.
Coming down took 2 hours and bit. Total climbing time (not including lunch at photography at the top) was about 7 hours.
Advice: Water, sunscreen, food. I met people all along the trail in both directions in need of one or all three of these. I carried 3 liters of water and drank it dry by 2/3 of the way down. Next time I will carry 4.
It is dry and intensely sunny this time of year. You will want sunscreen.
This is a very taxing climb and despite being a busy trail, there is not much room for error. Minor mis-calculations could quickly turn into real problems. So please carry the right stuff, dress properly, and be ready for a long, steep climb.
Otherwise this is a gorgeous and incredibly rewarding trail, with great views all the way up and down.
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