St Helens from Spirit Lake?

[seanglacier]

I've skied St H a few times from the marble mtn approach... but have never heard of anyone doing it from the Sprit Lake Basin...

I have a friend that want to do it via Spirit Lake this weekend but could not find in info on the web re specs. Any ideas? We would all be skiing.

 

[fettster]

Sounds like you'd be starting from the Windy Ridge area which is not plowed in the winter. Here's the latest from the USFS site:

 

http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/current-conditions/msh-recreation-report.shtml

 

"Windy Ridge Recreation Area & Forest Road 99: CLOSED FOR WINTER

 

SUMMER SCHEDULE: The Windy Ridge Viewpoint and other interpretive sites along FR99 are typically open and maintained from mid June through the end of September. Opening can be as late as mid-July during years with a deep or late-melting winter snowpack. Expect views of Spirit Lake, the blown down forest, and the pumice plain. Many hiking trails in the area provide for exploration of the volcanic blast zone. Scheduled interpretive programs are offered daily at Windy Ridge and Meta Lake from late June through Labor Day. Look for the "sandwich" boards at Windy Ridge and Meta Lake for scheduled topics, times and talk locations."