7/25/2006 9:26:53 PM Climbing crew of seven arrived at the Mt. St. Helens climbers bivouac from Bremerton Washington at about 8:30 pm, a four hour drive (including a stop for a fast dinner). Setup tents right away. Stars were bright along with a few meteors. What a difference it makes to get away from city lights!
7/26/2006 5:33:50 AM Early rise. Alarm went off at 3:35 am and was at the trail head by 4:05 am. First two miles are through the forest to the tree line. The boulder field is right above the tree line and while there are many ways to ascend, the poles you can see in the mid-field are the guideposts.
7/26/2006 6:17:16 AM After a few hours Steve’s new boots and the angle of ascent have caused some warming on the heals…nothing some mole skin won’t take care of.
7/26/2006 6:39:46 AM As we are heading up after two plus hours of hiking a look back reveals hiking bivouac, Mt. Hood, and in the far distance to the right is Mt. Jefferson.
7/26/2006 6:44:20 AM The boulder field varies in size and provides a good scramble. Some boulders are not stable and are as large as Volkswagens so secure footing is key.
7/26/2006 7:14:53 AM Traveled along a large snow field more than half way up the mountain. Steam was coming out most of the time and can be seen to the upper right. A little dark, but there are three members of our team in front the large rocks to the left of center, one has a white shirt.
7/26/2006 7:34:32 AM If it were not for the snow, it looks like something from the moon. At this point, the incline increases, rocks get smaller, and there is more ash, making it even more difficult to climb.
7/26/2006 8:38:13 AM Several hundred yards from the top and for some (like me!) this was a tough final push. The rim is where hikers are sitting at the top on the crater’s edge.
7/26/2006 9:20:14 AM Hikers sitting on the edge of the volcano crater rim after a good hike. The seriated edge of the rim trails to the left towards the north under the watchful eye Mt. Adams.
7/26/2006 10:14:10 AM Looking northward towards Mt. Rainier, the direction of the blast and line of destruction is still evident. Logs are still floating on refashioned Spirit Lake and move at mass as the wind blows through the valley below. In the foreground, the lava dome with smoke/steam is growing at a rate of an equivalent dump truck load of rock every 15 seconds. It was hard to get a good perspective of how large the dome actually is. I could not convince anyone from our team to go down to the dome to provide a human scale perspective. I heard a recent news report (7-30-06) that stated the height of the dome to be as high as the Empire State Building and growing. Constant rockslides could be heard echoing and occasionally seen rolling off the dome. We did not experience any particular smells, but when the winds would gust, fine ash irritated the eyes and nose (keep your mouth shut!).
7/26/2006 10:37:35 AM Four of the team preparing to head back down. It was pretty windy while we were on top. Good goggles helped. Some put on gaiters, some did not. I did not put on gaiters but had higher hiking boots that worked ok in the soft ash and rocks.
7/26/2006 10:50:18 AM Several of us attempted to glissade on the snow and speed our way down the mountain. I am sure the glissading would have been better in the spring. The snow was a little slushy and dirty from the ash being blown around the mountain side. Warning, when glissading in shorts they act as scopes to funnel all snow in the path directly up your shorts, but after about twenty seconds you cannot feel anything from the waist down anyway.
7/26/2006 11:09:12 AM As we head down the mountain the temperature increased. It was time to practice some clothing management and shed. Sun screen and bug spray was applied as we got close to the tree line and biting flies were beginning to feast.
7/26/2006 12:51:01 PM A view back up the mountain at the tree line shows the boulder fields.
7/26/2006 1:43:40 PM Nine hours and forty minutes later most of us were back at camp. I consumed all but a few sips of a three liter hydration pack. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful (in its own way) climb. Good weather, good friends, good to see the mighty hand of God at work.
