Mount St. Helens
After my first climb of Mount St. Helens in 2019 and a break during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I found a perfect weather window for my second attempt.
I drove to the Marble Mountain Sno-Park the evening before and car camped at the trailhead. It was difficult to sleep due to the traffic coming and going all night. Eventually I decided to just get up and head out, starting at 5:15 AM from the trailhead.
The appearance of the sun rising over the ridge brought new energy along with perfect temperatures. The snow became deeper as I moved higher up the mountain and eventually I transitioned to snowshoes with ascender bars. Compared to my first climb, this felt a lot easier as my foot was in a natural position and I didn't sink in as much.
Due to the pandemic and an early start, there weren't many people at the crater's edge. The views were just as good as last time.
Eventually I made my way over to tag the true summit without incident.
Along the way I encountered this skier with her dog, both clearly enjoying their day. To me, this photo captures the essence of spring on Mount St Helens—a fun, sometimes mellow, early season climb/ski. I resolved to come back some day and ski it myself.
Starting elevation: 2,681 ft | Elevation Gain: 5,640 ft | Distance: 10.5 mi Equipment: Snowshoes, poles, ice axe