There are some things to consider when climbing Mount Saint Helens in winter and early spring. From November to March, there are no quotas, and climbing permits are free and self-issued at the trailhead. The winter trailhead is significantly lower than the summer trailhead Climber's Bivouac adding about metres of elevation gain to the overall ascent. Climbers should be equipped with an ice axe, crampons and avalanche safety gear. Departing Calgary after work on 22 March , Zosia and I spent the next couple of days skiing in Montana and Idaho before winding up in Kennewick, Washington.
On 25 March , the day before our proposed ascent of Mount Saint Helens, Zosia and I left our hotel in Kennewick and spent a leisurely day driving and sightseeing along Highway 14 on the north side of Columbia River. From there, we drove for another couple of hours to Marble Mountain Sno-Park. The winter trailhead boasts two large parking lots, dual composting toilets, and a spacious warming hut.
While sleeping inside the hut is prohibited, overnight camping in the parking lot is permitted. When Zosia and I arrived at the Sno-Park, a steady rain was falling in the area, and the parking lot was virtually deserted except for one other vehicle. Although the weather forecast for the following day promised some light snow in the morning followed by partly cloudy skies, the steady rain was dispiriting, and we agreed that we would pull the plug on our ascent if it was still raining in the morning.
Getting my car ready for bed was a bit tricky in the rain, but Zosia somehow managed to rearrange everything from the inside. To keep our skis dry, I moved them inside the warming shelter for the night. I then went to the trailhead kiosk to self-register our climb and pick up a couple of free climbing permits. Before retiring for the night, I met and chatted a bit with a father and son from the other vehicle.
They were also planning to climb Mount Saint Helens the next day but using snowshoes instead of skis. On their way to the winter trailhead for Mount Saint Helens, Sonny and Zosia stop to pose beside an informative sign. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak When Zosia and I awoke in the wee hours of the morning on 26 March , we were relieved to hear that the rain had finally stopped. Instead, wet snow was falling, but for us, that was far better than a steady rain.
