parkerm

It was a good day. Left camp at 6am and slogged it up to the top. We were the first to summit a little after 1pm, and you are all welcome for the steps Not that they held up in the warming snow. We switched snow shoes for crampons at about 6500' but wish we hadnt. The route is fairly well protected and you can take ridges almost the whole way. We only saw some cornices tumble off, nothing else as far as slides.

yes, and also we have abandoned all goals of getting to the summit. we will probably still go down there, but if it doesnt look safe, we wont go.

With the avalanche conditions, im not sure if we are going either. Depending on what the weather does today, we may go for a early 5am start Saturday to try and get up before it warms.

Im heading down tomorrow. Anyone have a recommendation on crampons? I'll have mine ready, but wouldnt mind ditching them if not necessary. Also, with the NW Avalanche center down, any other suggestions to monitor the conditions?

Just confirmed with the Gifford-Pinchot front desk (360-891-5100) that a sno-park pass is NOT required this late in the year. He said as of early April they are not needed. Not even a NW Forest pass is required. Also it sounds like the road from Cougar snopark to Marble Mount snopark will hopefull be opened soon. They will update the info here: http://mshinstitute.org/index.php/climbing/index I'll be up there on the 30th too yapajake.

Thanks caver. We are snowshoeing it and they got over a foot last week and closed the road to Marble Mountain sno park. Hopefully they will open it back up. Even with all the snow did you get to the crater rim in a day by leaving at 8am?

Anyone have any update on conditions at St Helens? I see they have the road gated at the Cougar sno park at this point. I'm taking some people up hiking on 4/30 and wondering what the climb will look like.