Mt St. Helen’s Glissading
$150 | May 30th, 2025 | 18 spots| Almost Sold Out, 1 spot left!
“Climb the mountain so you can see the world, not so that the world can see you.”
Schedule
Depart from Rise Fitness @ 5 am
Carpool to the Marble Mountain Sno-Park
Start Climb 7am
Return Home between 6-8pm
Route
The Worm Flows Climbing Route is the primary route used by climbers during the winter and early spring to reach Mount St Helens Summit. Worm Flows is the most direct route to the summit of Mount St. Helens during the winter season. Ice axe, crampons or micro spikes are recommended on this route. Snow or rain pants are best for glissading. A durable garbage bag will suffice. I have climbed this route 7 times and the Ptarmigan Summer Route twice.
Hike Details
From the Marble Mountain Sno-Park we use the Swift Ski Trail, #244 to reach timberline. We’ll cross to the west side of Swift Creek, just above Chocolate Falls (elev. 3,700') following ridges and open slopes to the crater rim. Wooden route marking posts will guide our climb from the timberline through the boulder fields to the crater rim. It is of utmost importance to stay clear from the cornices at the crater rim. We will glissade from right from the rim to almost the tree line. This will cut out MUCH of the strain on your knees coming down. It will require moving from chute to chute as we navigate our way down the same route we came up!
Round trip is approximately 11 miles/5,700 elevation gain
Total hiking time round trip approximately 7 to 10 hours
Below is a Climbing Gear Checklist and example of micro spikes on Amazon. Only once have I rented CRAMPONS, due to a heavy snowfall season, from the Mountain Shop in Portland. Doubtful we will run into this issue and will know more a week out. The spikes help a lot with the last 2 hour slog to the summit!
The most important gear items will be:
Broken-in footwear (trail shoes or hiking boots)
Wool blend socks to prevent blisters
Trekking poles with snow baskets!
Rain pants or large heavy duty garbage bag to glissade
Backpack and fuel
Criteria
It is imperative for a group effort of this magnitude that you abide by these Physical Fitness Pace Parameters.
You must be able to hike UP Dog Mountain in 1:45
Included
Training plan
Climbing gear checklist
Permits
Guided Climb
Custom Neck Buffs
Not Included
Transportation (car pooling is encouraged)
Food/Gear
Inclement Weather
I have climbed St. Helens 9 times in early June. Eight of those times the weather was amazing! That being said….
St. Helens is an active stratovolcano. I will not climb in poor visibility and rain.
If May 30th isn’t deemed safe, there will be an alternate climb date on June 2nd.
If June 2nd isn’t deemed safe you will receive $100 refund (and keep your buff).