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Current Conditions
Mount St. Helens Climbing Route
Mount St. Helens is OPEN during the government shutdown
For current information, please visit the link below.
Last update: October 16, 2025
There is a lot of snow above the treeline. Temps this week are low enough to make the snow quite icy. Good microspikes (not the spring things or other sidewalk gear) would be needed. A winter storm requires winter gear and winter skills. Bitter cold with wind chills in the single digits and teens. There is a cornice now.
Summit Forecast:
- Thursday 10/16: Mostly sunny but high temps in the 30's and high winds on the summit (30+ mph) will make it feel very cold.
- Friday 10/17: Very cold with high temps around 32 F and winds to 40 mph. Clouds and dense fog with a good chance of snow mid day. Cold enough that the mountain will be icy.
- Saturday 10/18: Clouds, likely above the mountain, with a small chance of snow. Summit highs in the mid 30's with winds of 30 mph. Storms moving in by late day.
- Sunday 10/19: Very cold (23F) windy (35+ mph) with heavy snow that will probably be heavy rain at the Bivouac. Heavy fog.
- Monday 10/20 and on: The storm tapers off but it will still be cold with a chance of snow and rain every day.
EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION AT THE RIM. Portions of the rim are actively crumbling into the crater and there are sections that are undercut. These sections have been covered by ash and ice and are difficult to see. Stay back a few feet from the edge.
Want more info about climbing Mount St. Helens? Visit our climbing page.
Want support during your climb? Check out our guided adventures for more information about summit climbs with the Mount St. Helens Institute. 2026 dates open in mid-November.
Have a report to share? Email us!
Visit USGS' live feed to see current conditions from the north side. You may need to change the feed to "newest first" to see the most recent image.
Forest Road 25 is open! After a two year closure, Forest Road 25, the main north-south route on the east side of Mount St. Helens, is open to the public.
October 12 view toward Kiwi Camp on the Monitor Ridge Route
October 12 snowy, icy boulders and limited visibility on the climbing route
October 12 Looking up the climbing route from Kiwi Camp (treeline)
October 5 Cornice and crumbling edge at the rim very difficult to see. Stay back!
Air Quality at Mount St. Helens
The sensor that captures the data below is at the Science and Learning Center at Coldwater and is operated in partnership with Washington Department of Natural Resources. Conditions may be different at other locations throughout the Mount St. Helens area and at different elevations.
Roads
ROADS: At this time in the season, road conditions change daily. FS-83 and Marble Mountain Sno-Park parking areas may be wet, slushy, or snow-covered. FS-81 and the gravel 830 road leading to the Climber's Bivouac Trailhead are snow free as of 10/14 but may be closed by the end of October. The gravel 830 rd is rough and very bumpy, but passable in any vehicle. Take it slow.
Climbing Route
CLIMBING ROUTE: Monitor Ridge Route, aka Summer Route from Climber's Bivouac. As of 10/14: summer route is still open. Forest is muddy. Expect snow above the treeline. Traction devices (microspikes or crampons) are required for safety. The boulders are beginning to be covered with ice and are difficult to traverse. Expect 12-16" of snow above 6000'.
CORNICE WARNING: Stay on the rim and do not step down onto the scree shelf just below rim.
NAVIGATION: Navigation is essential as well-worn paths above the treeline are covered with snow. Come prepared to navigate your path.
Cornice
CORNICE WARNING: The rim cornice has melted out, but the rim edge is fragile and sloughs regularly. STAY BACK - STAY ALIVE.
Avalanche Conditions
AVALANCHE CONDITIONS: NWAC Avalanche foreasting has concluded for the '24/'25 season. It is your responsibility to decide when, where and how to travel. Make sure you have the experience and skills to evaluate avalanche danger, and match your terrain choices to the conditions. Give the highest priority to observations of recent avalanches and other signs of instability, such as shooting cracks, rollerballs, significant snowfall/wind loading and rapid or prolonged warming.
During avalanche season, regularly check the Northwest Avalanche Center for up to date information.
BE PREPARED
BE PREPARED: Know the types and uses of traction devices, ice ax, and self-arrest techniques. Know the forecast at all elevations before your climb, have cold/wet weather layers and redundant navigational aides (map, compass and GPS) for low-visibility conditions. Have GPS basemaps and tracks in your navigation device before you go and look for pole cairns that mark the route above treeline.
PERMITTING: Washington Sno-Park Permit required as of Dec 1. Refer to the recreation and permitting site for current permit dates, prices and limitations. Information about Washington State sno-park passes can be found here.
CLIMBING ROUTE: Refer to the recreation and permitting site for current permit dates, prices and limitations. Climbing information from the Mount St. Helens Institute is found here.
LEAVE NO TRACE: Climbers are required to utilize blue bags to pack out all human or pet waste, including toilet paper.
CAMPING: There is dispersed camping and pit toilets available at the trailhead, but no running water, and bathroom services may be limited so please bring your own toilet paper, soap, water, or hand sanitizer. Please plan accordingly.
MOUNT ST. HELENS NATIONAL VOLCANIC MONUMENT CONDITIONS
Plan your visit to Mount St. Helens using our information page at www.mshinstitute.org/visit.
NORTH SIDE (504 CORRIDOR): 504 access open through Coldwater Lake and Hummocks Trail. South Coldwater trailhead open to bikes and foot traffic. Science and Learning Center open for visitors 4 days a week, Friday through Monday, 10 am - 4 pm through September 29; open 2 days per week, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm beginning October 4. Johnston Ridge Observatory is closed. The Science and Learning Center is closed during the government shutdown.
EAST SIDE (WINDY RIDGE): Unmarked detour around Huffaker Bridge work; see USFS alert for details. The Truman Trail, 99 Extension Road, and Harry's Ridge Trail are closed M-F (open Saturday and Sunday) due to Spirit Lake Outflow Tunnel construction; see USFS alert for details.
SOUTH SIDE (CLIMBING ROUTE, APE CAVE): FR 25 has been restored as a through route as of September 19, 2025. Forest Road 25 will close for winter.
ALL AREAS: Fire restrictions have been lifted as of September 19, 2025. Fires are permitted in most areas. Use precautions to prevent wildfires. Fires are not permitted in zone 3 of the Monument, including recreational areas along the 504 corridor, Windy Ridge, the pumice plain, and the Mount Margaret Wilderness. Propane cooking stoves, lanterns, and heaters with off switches permitted in all areas.
ADDITIONAL FORECASTING AND CONDITION GUIDES
U.S. FOREST SERVICE
See the U.S. Forest Service Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument website for more information.
FIRE
Incident Information System has the most up to date info on all fires (prescribed or wild) around the country, or Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. Visit Washington Smoke Information, Washington's Air Monitoring Network and AirNow for the latest in Air Quality and forecasting.
WEATHER
Weather.gov point forecasts- Marble Mountain SnoPark (2,700ft) and mid-slope (6,200ft). Mountain-Forecast.com provides forecasts at three different elevations: summit 8,328ft, mid-slope 6,500ft and just above the trailhead 3,200ft.
AVALANCHE
Visit the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center for the most up-to-date avalanche forecast information during winter months.
SNOWPACK
Visit these SNOTEL sites for recent snow pack readings on the south side of Mount St. Helens- June Lake (3,400ft) and Swift Creek (4,400ft).
This conditions report is provided in conjunction with the US Forest Service, and is intended for personal and recreational purposes only. Safe backcountry travel requires preparation and planning, and this information may be used for planning purposes but does not provide all the information necessary for backcountry travel. Advanced mountaineering education is strongly encouraged for winter climbing.
The user acknowledges that it is impossible to accurately predict natural events in every instance, and the accuracy or reliability of the information provided here is not guaranteed in any way. This report describes general conditions and local variations will always occur. This report expires 24 hours after the posted time unless noted otherwise.