climbing Mt St Helens

We've been planning it for months - you need a permit, and they sell out fast - and on Thursday I climbed Mt. St. Helens with a big group of friends. I drove up on Wednesday night with Michela and Joanna, and we stayed in a rustic cabin with another friend, Maya. On Thursday morning we met at the trailhead at 5 am to begin the ascent: Anja and Luna, Adrienne and Jeff, Paula, Tracy, and the four of us from the cabin.* A second group started at 6:30 - Elise and Todd, Elise's sister and boyfriend, Mary and a friend, Chenin.

*Actually, Maya got lost in the pre-dawn darkness and mountain roads, and didn't show up for 45 minutes. I volunteered to stay at the trailhead and wait for her; she came just after 5:30 and we hit the trail at 5:45. We caught up to the first group on the way up; the second group we saw in passing on our descent.

It was a gorgeous day - perfect weather, a few clouds but amazing views, not too hot even at midday (mid-70s).  We followed the Monitor Ridge route, a 9.6 mile round trip gaining 4,665 ft. The first two miles of the trail were an easy uphill ascent through a mountain forest; the next two miles were scrambling over and around big boulders; the final section is ash and loose gravel, very challenging to keep your footing.

 

Mt. Hood in the early morning sun.

 Looking down on the clouds.

 a columbine flower

 Mt. Hood, again, this time with foregrounding trees.

 Peer closely to see the red-headed, yellow-throated bird that warbled at us.

 Mt. Adams

 

at the summit!!! Mt. Rainier appears as you make the crest.

Looking down into the crater of Mt. St. Helens

 Adrienne and Jeff, Anja and Luna