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Climbing Permits
Climbing permits are required to ascend Mount St. Helens above 4800' elevation.
If you are unable to obtain permits, the Mount St. Helens Institute offers a limited number of guided climbs to the summit of Mount St. Helens each year. You can learn more and sign up by visiting this page.
Climbing Permits
At 8,328 feet high (as measured by USGS in 2009), Mount St. Helens offers climbers a breathtaking view from the crater rim. Although it is not a technical climb, it is strenuous and hazardous due to ice, large boulders, loose pumice, fast-changing weather and volcanism. Climbers should be in very good physical condition, well equipped, informed about volcanic hazards, and have plenty of water and food.
The Mount St. Helens Institute has partnered with the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument to help protect the volcano’s fragile features and to ensure climbers have a safe, low-impact experience on the volcano.
Before climbing Mount St. Helens, please read climbing rules, road and trail conditions, and other important information from the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
Climbing permits are required year-round on Mount St. Helens. A Climbing Permit allows an individual or group (max size limit of 12) to be in or upon the area defined as the Mount St. Helens Closure Area #2 (PDF) during the 24 hour period designated by the permit.
MSHI does not manage individual climbing permits acquired through the recreation.gov portal. Read more about climbing permits on the Recreation.gov website.
Permit System
Climbing permits are included with all MSHI guided climbs. For individual permits, refer to recreation.gov for all permit timeframe, costs, quotas, cancellations, etc.
From recreation.gov:
Climbing permits are required year round on Mount St. Helens. A Climbing Permit allows an individual or group (max size limit of 12) to be in or upon the closure area during the 24 hour period designated by the permit.
To reduce crowding and protect natural features, the number of climbers per day on Mount St. Helens is subject to a quota from April 1 to October 31.
Permits are released in one month increments on the first day of the preceding month. For example, April permits are released on March 1. All releases occur at 7:00 AM Pacific Time.
A permit may be printed up to 14 days before your reservation date. Once your permit has been printed, you cannot make changes.
Outside the quota season permits are free of charge and self-issued at the trailhead.
Important Dates:
November 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025 No limit on daily number of climbers and permits free of charge and self-issued at trailhead.
April 1, 2025 - May 14, 2025 Daily limit of 350 climbers
May 15, 2025 - October 31, 2025 Daily limit of 110 climbers