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Illegal skiing inside volcanic craters


caverpilot

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Just wondering if anyone has ever been caught and arrested for skiing inside Mt. St. Helens crater or at Crater Lake. I'm sure people have done it, but so far my search variations haven't hit on anything. Also wondering what the fine would be if caught doing so. A 1989 Bend Bulletin listed the fine at $75. Crater Lake NP just told me that skiing on Wizard Island was prohibited, but man wouldn't that be awesome?!

 

Not planning anything, just wondering....

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why would skiing on wizard island be prohibited if it is snow covered? do they simply not allow skis on the tour boats that go there?

 

Good question. The park mentioned that the tour boats only go to Wizard in the summer, so maybe that has something to do with it?

 

Neither MSHNM or CLNP allow travel inside the caldera/crater due to the dangerous and crumbly cliff bands according to one rule I found. They are more concerned, naturally, about needing to rescue someone from inside then they are worried about resource protection.

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Based on this 2012 map the area you're talking about going is Area #1

and rules state, " Closed to ALL public entry."..sic..Not sure what you could get away with or what potential fines are but the word, "all," is written in caps ;)

 

Don't get me wrong, skiing Wizard would be WAY safer (assuming one could get there safely) than skiing inside MSH considering the lava dome and the glacier caves there - I'm sure the "crevasse" fall ("cave fall?") danger is probably pretty high.

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A certain person I know has been in the St. Helens crater twice during the summer months.

 

At the time there was a hot creek you could soak in and watch the car sized boulders come down the crater walls.

 

Climbing the lava dome is not recommended due to pockets of sulfur dioxide gas - the body's response is to clamp your windpipe shut right quick because sulfuric acid is formed when the gas comes in contact with water (your saliva does just fine) and the body would prefer that not get to your lungs - but the 'summit' view is incredible.

 

Skiing into the crater during its more active periods could be interesting - melt water occasionally seeps into the magma chamber and the resultant littoral explosions have been known to launch large projectiles several miles downrange.

 

 

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