Hike Log
Mount Saint Helens
Trailhead
Climber’s Bivouac
Type of hike
Day hike
Trail conditions
Trail in good condition
Road
Road suitable for all vehicles
Bugs
No bugs
Snow
Snowfields to cross - could be difficult
Also on this hike
Beautiful day! We got lucky with the weather and had a great hike to the summit. Going down was faster but much more difficult (so say my aching knees). Grateful we started early! Also had a fun night staying at the Lone Fir resort in Cougar. Highly recommend!
Beautiful to see MSH in a fresh coat of white snow! Did you need any traction (microspikes or crampons) or an ice axe?
We used microspikes and trekking poles. We saw several folks who made it to the rim with just trail runners, but they were definitely sliding. No need for crampons or ice axes as of Monday. The snow was pretty easy to navigate—not deep enough to posthole, but a little slushy as it warmed.
The boulders were glazed in ice on the way up from about 6500 feet. That had all melted in the sun by the time we went down, but they were pretty slick in the morning.