March 24, 2012, Mt St Helens

My brother and I hatched a plan to ski St Helens.  Really not wanting to get up early, we opted to meet in Woodland Friday night and sleep in the snow park.  Got up after all the other climbers had flashed by the car, and eventually got started headlamp free at 7am.

The 15 climbers ahead of us had set a great track through the flats and up the first 1500'.  Eventually we broke away from the pack to skin the crusty open bowls and faces.  Sastrugi was the name of the game for the top 2000', with few slabs to be found.  We made incredible time with ski crampons and setting a flat zigzag track and summitted by noon.  The sun was finally breaking free and we enjoyed a few good turns and lots of creamy combat-y turns down low.  Fantastic day, and we were stoked to test ourselves on a big day with a hut trip looming in the near future.  (I confirmed my dukes are about done...)