The Mount St. Helens Institute's mission is to awaken in people of all ages an appreciation of the natural processes and cultural heritage of the Pacific Northwest's volcanic landscapes.

WE'VE CREATED SOME GREAT PROGRAMS FOR 2008!  CLICK ON ANY OF THE LINKS BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION! 

• Volcano Views and Brews--a once per month speakers series at the Lucky Labrador in Portland. Next event is July 15 at 5:00 pm.  
• Climbing Permits  Climb Mount St. Helens!
• Field Seminars - hands-on experiences at the mountain and in the forest designed to help you understand Northwest Volcanic Landscapes.
• Family Field Seminars - Looking for something fun to do with your kids this summer?  Join us on Wednesdays for Birding, Animal Tracking, Water Ecology or Geo-Caching adventures. 
• Guided Climbs to the Crater Rim-- Guides will provide your permits and geologic and ecologic interpretation along the way to the rim.
• Conservation Corps - one and two day or week-long trails and other maintenance volunteer projects.  Bring your family, friends, co-workers or service club! 
• 2008 work party events
• Sunday Hiking Program -- join us for one or all of our free hikes.  Sundays through the summer and fall.
  
• Volcano Volunteers - Program/Interpreters - volunteers lead talks and walks at Mount St. Helens.
• Mountain Stewards - Program- volunteers provide safety and interpretive information to climbers, and help to maintain the sensitive climbing route and Mount Margaret Backcountry.
• Key Sponsors and Partners-- the Mount St. Helens Institute is supported by a wide variety of private and public organizations.  Please patronize their businesses.

Help us build a community of people who are passionate about the preservation and utilization of Mount St. Helens.

Climbing Mount St. Helens

Climbing has returned to the volcano!    Please visit the Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument's frequently asked questions page for more details about climbing the volcano. Also, please visit the climbing permit system page for more information. 

Winter / Spring Climbing Access has Improved but Remains Limited: Record snowpack has formed large unstable cornices (snow overhangs) on the crater rim (please see climbing page and scroll down to cornice photo).  Forest Road 83 is open to Marble Mtn Snopark (drive slowly and use extra caution because seasonal maintenance has not been completed. Watch for narrow lanes, road slumps and slide debris).  Access to Climber's Bivouac (normal summer trailhead) remains closed due to record snow pack.  Climbers should note that climbing from Marble Mtn Snopark adds one mile one-way distance and 1000 foot elevation to the climb.  The Marble Mtn Snopark is the normal winter access point from which many hardy winter climbers snowshoe, ski and climb to the rim either by camping overnight below timberline or completing the entire climb in one day.