[TR] Mount Saint Helens - Worm Flows 4/3/2015

[Mike Lewis]

Trip: Mount Saint Helens - Worm Flows

 

Date: 3/29/2015

 

Trip Report:

Went up Worm Flows climbing route on Mount Saint Helens with Michael Williamson on March 29th with a snowboard. He provided excellent company and our paces up the mountain were about even. Lots of others on the mountain with skis/snowboards. Conditions were perfect with mostly sunny/high clouds and patchy snow starting at about 5,500' becoming firm at 6,000'. Winds started halfway up and became a steady 40mph making my snowboard a sail which threatened to blow me over. Ice from the crater rim to the true summit made it a little spicy but the run-out was excellent and I was undeterred with an ice-ax. Cornices were very minimal but I still kept a good 15-20 feet clear. Views were pretty good and our route made for a moderately difficult day of about 6,500' of gain. This would be my final Washington Cascade Volcano and I thought I'd try to snowboard down to celebrate. Unfortunately I had forgot how to do it but still managed to laugh at my folly and enjoy the day. Thanks to MW for getting me there.

 

[img:left]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/70/17007530101_d69186a446.jpg[/img] [img:center]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/70/17007532421_840f2bb8d8.jpg[/img] [img:center]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/70/17007532031_f6504f7530.jpg[/img] [img:center]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/68/16801013317_7b6f253637.jpg[/img] [img:left]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/70/17008411935_8254694ac2.jpg[/img] [img:center]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/68/16820665308_1378b3c4d8.jpg[/img] [img:center]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/68/16801012937_32647ddc7b.jpg[/img] [img:center]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/68/16820666988_844e8d56d5.jpg[/img] [img:left]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/63/16386006264_52d663905b.jpg[/img] [img:center]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/68/16820907220_f62ee72874.jpg[/img]

[img:right]http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/thumbs/63/16388291433_606d413c40.jpg[/img]

 

 

Gear Notes:

Ice ax, crampons and snowboard

 

Approach Notes:

Upper gate was locked so had to start at 2,600'