Home > Trip Reports > Mount St. Helens, May 16, 2009

Mount St. Helens, May 16, 2009

5/15/09
WA Cascades West Slopes South (Mt Rainier)
5644
13
Posted by Teleskichica on 5/16/09 2:20pm
A perfect day of almost corn.  8) Only pics for now . . . report to come.
http://picasaweb.google.com/teleskichica/MtStHelensMay162009?feat=directlink


looks like a very nice day indeed- I am ready to go back there soon... how is the approach looking? getting melted out near treeline and in the woods yet?

I guess I should be patient and wait for the report.

Glad you two had fun. I wish I were out there... soon I will be free.

Chris

Still skiing to (and from) the Marblemount Sno-Pk.  Though, two slush-puddles are forming, the snow is getting narrow between tree-wells, and the trail has 6ft. melted out just after you exit the trees and cross above a small dryfall by the end of a ridgelett.

With the pictures already disclosed I'm not sure what my TR will provide. Ahhh yes, the details.

Holly and I set the alarm for 4am...ha, an ambitious start time. After ignoring it several times and hiding in my sleeping bag through her rustling (It seemed like she was eating chips and sleeping in a mylar bag) we finally got up and underway by 5:30. The morning breeze warmed up quickly as the sun rose in a bluebird sky and we wondered if we'd have corn or total glop by the time of our descent.

The climb up was somewhat difficult for me coming through the tail end of a sinus infection with severe headaches, body cramps, a distaste for food, etc... and frankly, Holly kicked my ass. All in all I was floored by her recovery from the complications of a broken ankle and not skiing all winter, climbing Hyak and skiing again for the first time two weeks ago, to climbing 5500' feet up and skiing St. Helens. I think she deserves the "most determined skier of the year" award.

The ski down was variable from semi thawed rime/baby corn the first thousand feet from the Crater Rim to super  saturated corn glop at the bottom. The best skiing had was between 7000 and 5000 feet where the new snow had gone through a slight freeze/thaw cycle, developing an inch of soft corn atop of a semi-firm base. Below 5000 feet the gloppy snow surface increased in depth about 3'' per thousand feet to the car (2700'). Having new skis and not realizing their balance point until half way down the mountain I actually had the most fun skiing the glop. It was easy to point into the fall line, hop through turns and over small knoll lips triggering small wet slides. Holly skied well, controlled, and laid down some enviably perfect S turns through most of the descent.

Much like our path up the mountain we deterred from the climbers track several times and found ourselves following a worm flow channel down through the forest rather than follow the trail. The symmetrical U shaped ravine of the channel was superheated by the sun's photons beaming in from all sides and I got fried. I'm donning two six inch sun-burnt bands on my legs from the gap between my shorts and boots...quite embarrassing and painful. Does anyone have any suggestion for sunscreen that works well on fair skin? The zinc oxide products seem to not work well for me. I'd appreciate any feedback on this, as it's tough to fight off the sun's effect on a volcano when you're blond/blue and burn at the thought of sun...thanks! Otherwise, hope everyone is enjoying summer weather turns on our 90% snowpack, cheers! 

Your pictures and TR are wonderful. I was in Nisquallie yesterday in same hot and beautiful weather.  8)

I've been using coppertone sport 15 for years (it comes in much higher spf too) - does not run into eyes or feel greesy, ok with my sensitive skin, only need to apply once a day (but better to reapply in case you missed a spot - though I never had a problem), works well on fair babies too.

author=blitz link=topic=13353.msg55572#msg55572 date=1242588579]
works well on fair babies too.


Can you buy babies at the fair now?  Sorry, I can never resist a pun.

I like Brad's "Farmer tan".  Pretty good for a city boy.  Usually, it's the arms, though.  Brad, and Holly, that 2nd picture of Holly has telemarktips written all over it.  I think you should send Mitch at TTIPS Holly's Hyak trip report, and the picture, above.

Is there anything as cool as spring skiing?

hi all,
Im looking to ski MSH next weekend and have never done so.  How and where can you pick up a climbing permit?  Can you get it on line or does it have to be done in person?  Looks like you had a great time!

Chris

>>Sunscreen<<  New topic?

Ha.  I'm so fair that if I leave my light on at night, I wake up with a sunburn.
I am the major cause for the extinction of aloe vera plants in my house.

I use Bannana Boat or eqv. in the summer.  Bullfrog or Dermatone in the winter when I'm also worried about wind-burn.

The most important thing seems to be to apply once in the car, once at first sun.  This way you get  any spots you missed.

I'm also fond of big-brimmed hats or French Foreign Legion style hats, dress-shirts, and long light pants. Also a deterant to brush and bugs.  Sometimes a light balaclava.  Otherwise I would be spending all my $ on gallons of sunscreen. 


Don, thanks for a a good laugh! I appreciate punny humor. :) And yes, winter skiing is definitely "cooler" than spring.

Hi Chris:
Here is where you purchase climbing permits:
http://www.mshinstitute.org/climb-the-volcano

And here is where you find out what is available:
http://www.active.com/availability.cfm?CHECKSSO=0&EVENT_ID=1669307

Brad and I had the good fortune of Eric aka Shredder pre-purchasing too many permits and selling the voucher to us. When you do get them, pick them up at the Lone Firs resort which is open from 8AM to 9PM Monday through Friday and 6AM to 9PM Saturday and Sunday. It takes just under three hours to get to Helens from Tacoma--traffic is definitely an issue on weekdays though. You'll have to ask someone else about routes, Brad and I, well, we have a streak of nonconformity runnin' through our veins and ended up taking our own route up top for at least three-quarters of the way. Just make sure to also keep track of where you are headed on the way down so you don't get spit out somewhere way away from your original start point.

We did have a great time and looking forward to more of it!





Neutrogena SPF 55 has worked well for me.  You can get it at any drugsture.  Since Neutrogena has so many out now, here's a link to what it looks like: http://www.amazon.com/Neutrogena-Dry-Touch-Sunblock-Helioplex-3-Ounce/dp/B000FKJR8Q.  It seems to run into the eyes less than the SPF 70 for some reason. 

Thinking of heading up to Mt St Helens this Friday and hoping the weather patterns this week bring on some more corn.

Nice pics!

That looks awesome. I've never been down there but need to ski St. Helens ASAP. Are there any areas you need to be cautious about as far as avalanches are concerned?

author=Teleskichica link=topic=13353.msg55559#msg55559 date=1242537651]
A perfect day of almost corn.  8) Only pics for now . . . report to come.
http://picasaweb.google.com/teleskichica/MtStHelensMay162009?feat=directlink




For sun, white poly under shorts + a full-zip shell for when things get funky. 

thanks for the info!!

Chris

You guys were making some lovely turns up there I must say.  Desert rock climbing or skiing great corn on a volcano...ah, the many vices...;)

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2009-05-16 21:20:51