we're planning to end our trip to the PNW with a st-helens climb after we get done with our Rainier plans. Tentatively, 7th or 8th of june is when we'd be heading there. We have all necessary winter mountaineering gear and from what I've read, access to climbers bivy is hard with the non-snow ploughing.
a) Has anyone done the hike/snowshoe/skin upto climbers bivy lately? Is the route relatively easy (i.e. follow the road) or is some more serious navigation equipment required?
b)where's the best place to park if we're going to be hiking up rt 83 since its snowed in at the moment (and for a while from what I assume)
c)Via the standard route, is roped travel required/advised when there's this amount of snow (or are crampons/ice axe sufficient), again, pictures and reading are all we have access to out here for info.
d)Avy problems on st-helens that I should know about? (conditions change but general advice)
e)Wildlife (aka bears) we have to worry about?
Thanks in advance for your anticipated replies
mak
