|  We happened to be in Yakima one cloudless morning, when Karen got the inspiration to climb Mt. St. Helens. I resisted at first as the weatherman had predicted scattered thunderstorms, but we headed down highway anyway. All the ranger stations were closed although the visitor center near Castle Rock was open. We briefly talked to an 'interpreter' who warned us that there would be snow on the route! I never would have guessed that from the completely white volcano I could see out their window. There were also signs that said the roads to Ape Cave & Lava Canyon were closed. With time to kill we went up to the Lava Canyon anyway, which was not only open but also full of people. Having done the Ape Cave twice already in April I suspect the situation was the same there.
We had to wait until 6pm to get the permits from Jack's which was fortunate because we were able to get accurate information from climber's returning to sign out. The current warning said you had to take the Worm Flows Route (an additional 4 miles + 1000ft elevation gain) as the road to Climber's Bivouac was closed and that trail was difficult to follow. The opposite was actually true and we were able to drive within 100 feet of the parking lot in our Corolla. We started our ascent at 4am with the idea that we could use crampons and climb the snow while it was still hard rather than post-hole our way to the top. We also brought along headlamps so that we could make our way in the dark. Surprisingly it was pretty light out at 4:45 when we finally got started and the snow was soft enough that crampons weren't needed.  We had no problem finding the trail through the woods; lots of muddy boots trudging through the snow had made the route obvious. We past the tree line in about an hour; a series of posts marks the route all the way up the ridge to the summit. There was not a cloud in the sky and with each step the views got better. First Mt. Adams, then Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, and finally we saw the Three Sisters. We stuck mostly to the rocks and kept up a steady pace. In total it took us 4.5 hours to get from the parking lot to the rim.
 The sight when you first reach the rim of the crater and see Rainier clear and crisp against a perfect blue sky towering above Spirit Lake and the blast zone is one of those rare intoxicating moments that keep you addicted to hiking. Mt. Baker and Glacier Peak were also visible making it a total of seven of the Cascades finest on display. Best of all we had the place to ourselves.
 And as if that wasn't enough you get to slide back down 4000ft on your butt, zooming past the poor unfortunate souls who started late, are stuck knee deep in snow and still have hours worth of climbing ahead of them. Because of the perfect weather, the snow conditions & the solitude that came with it being a weekday it turned out to be "one of the best" hikes we've ever done. The drive back to Canada sucked but we would do it again in a heartbeat. Totals: 10 miles, 4500ft - more photos here
| More Hikes Near Mt. St. Helens 
The view of Mt. St. Helens from Lahar.
Falls Creek Falls (photo below) - Impressive waterfall, best views are from the lower trailhead 3.4 miles . 
Other noteworthy waterfalls: Curly Creek Falls has a natural arch, Big Creek Falls is tall, Lower Lewis Falls are broad and seldom visited Rush Creek Falls is a one mile bushwhack. Lava Canyon is a short easy hike that features a canyon that was uncovered during the 1980 eruption. Nearby the Lahar Viewpoint is a worthy stop. 2 miles 300ft loss. 
Dog Mountain best in spring when the flowers bloom (above photo was taken mid-May). Lots of balsalmroot. It can be hiked in a variety of loops which vary slightly in length ~ 7.5 miles 2800ft gain. Great views up & down the gorge, partial views of Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens & Mt. Adams. Ape Cave – lower cave: 1.5 miles 100ft gain, upper cave: 2.5 miles 400ft – available most of the year. Lower cave is wide and ‘Scooby Doo" like, the upper cave is rugged requiring some climbing and squeezing. The quarter mile ‘Trail of Two Forests’ loop is nearby and well worth a look. It contains tree fossils and many other volcanic oddities
Q |
