iain Posted March 22, 2004 Posted March 22, 2004 Climb: Mt. St. Helens-Worm Flows Date of Climb: 3/21/2004 Trip Report: Well the freezing level was through the roof but I didn't want to go "cragging" just yet, so it was off to Mt. St. Helens for some spring skiing. As much as I like powder, I love hanging out in a t-shirt taking off skins rather than huddling over my pack trying to pry them off with mittens in a howling snow storm. There was the usual parade of 2-cycle monsters in the parking lot, along with some serious tv watching going on in the mobile homes as pops was out on the steed. There is still great snow coverage to the parking lot on Swift Creek trail. Here is what the current coverage on Helens looks like The skin up was great, nice and warm. PNW spring skiing in full effect. Skins were glopping up just enough to set some fierce skin tracks, but not glopping up enough to slow you down. The top was quickly reached. Spirit Lake and Rainier Mt. Adams is still holding a lot of white The ski down was very nice for the top 2000', but became rather slow farther down. No complaints here though. Sometimes a high freezing level is just what you need to get you to enjoy a laid-back spring-like weekend in the mountains. Here's to spring skiing! Quote
iain Posted March 22, 2004 Author Posted March 22, 2004 Yeah that debris field was wild! It looked like seracs at first. It must have happened mid-winter, because it was there and partially-buried last time I was up there in February. Quote
iain Posted March 22, 2004 Author Posted March 22, 2004 perhaps, but I will be a disgrace when I show up at Smith with everyone getting their cragging game on while I'm still skinnin' and grinnin'. Quote
ashw_justin Posted March 22, 2004 Posted March 22, 2004 (edited) I was there yesterday too, we were the large group of snowboarders. There was a little bit of new snow over an ice/slush crust. In most places there wasn't enough new snow (i.e. post 10-day cornbake) to make slides a concern. We only caused some minor sluff while traversing. Coverage is good, cornice jumps abound. Attached is a photo of our "snowpack analysis." ps: Mt. St. Helens isn't in Oregon!!! Edited March 22, 2004 by ashw_justin Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.