[TR] Mt. Saint Helens - Worm Flows 5/11/2013

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Trip: Mt. Saint Helens - Worm Flows

 

Date: 5/11/2013

 

Trip Report:

 

Headed down south with two skiing friends and two wish-they-had-skis-but-need-$-first snowshoers. Parked at the overflow lot on Fri night which was still pretty crowded and active until late. We got up at 4 and headed up at 5.

 

680 folks were registered to climb according to the ranger when we checked out. Crazy! A veritable army, including a lot of fugly women in dresses. :-)

 

From the upper lot there was a lot of dirt melted out for about a mile (300 foot gain). After that we skinned with only a couple dirt patches to navigate. From here skinning was good up through the first steeper slope, then we had to carry skis over the pumice ridge. After that the skinning was more work than it was worth - with overcast skies and firm snow we opted to carry skis for most of the trip above 5000 feet.

 

We hung out a lot on the ridge crest, with 3 of us making a side trip to the summit, then we all headed down after noon. The skiing was absolutely perfect, glorious, orgasmic corn snow.

 

Overcast skies in the morning:

 

Summit P0rn:

 

AC and LC stoked to start skiing:

 

Spectacular skiing:

The gully above frigging rocked:

 

Gear Notes:

Ski crampons would have helped about 5000 feet.

 

Approach Notes:

First mile has lots of dirt - melting fast!

[Pete_H]

Wow. Thats a low snow pack for early May.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Wow. Thats a low snow pack for early May.

 

Yeah, this last heat wave has done its work.