Mount St. Helens Monitor Ridge: A Relentless, Awe-Inspiring Journey to the Crater’s Edge

In July 2025, three of us set out to reach the crater rim of Mount St. Helens — the iconic volcano in Washington State that last erupted in 1980. We chose the Monitor Ridge route, a challenging 10-mile round trip that gains roughly 4,500 feet of elevation. Our goal? To stand at 8,366 feet, peer into the massive Mount St. Helens crater, and soak in sweeping views of the Cascade Range.

Bob filmed the entire climb and I turned it into a YouTube video filled with trail tips and honest observations.. If you want to see the route in action, you can watch it here.

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Stage 1: The Ptarmigan Trail

The day starts at Climbers’ Bivouac at 3,700 feet. The first 2.1 miles wind through shady Pacific Northwest forest, offering glimpses of Mount St. Helens through the trees. It’s peaceful and deceptively easy. By the time we reached the Loowit Trail junction at timberline, we’d already climbed about 1,100 feet — half the distance, but only a quarter of the total elevation gain. The steep stuff was still ahead.

Stage 2: The Rock Scramble

From the timberline, the trail transforms into a jagged boulder field — the remains of past eruptions. We navigated hill after hill of lava rock, following wooden posts and cairns to keep our bearings. Gloves were essential to protect our hands from the sharp volcanic stone, and trekking poles often got stashed so we could use both hands for scrambling.

The heat here was intense — the dark rock absorbed the sun and radiated it back at us like an oven. And just when we thought we’d reached the last crest, another boulder hill appeared. Off to our left, a narrow snow chute traced a white ribbon down the slope, a striking contrast to the black rock. This two-mile stretch gained about 2,500 vertical feet and tested our endurance, balance, and patience on the slopes of Mount St. Helens.

The Scree Slope

At the top of the boulders, the rim was just 0.75 miles away but separated from us by 900 feet of loose volcanic ash. Every step forward slid half a step back, making progress painfully slow. It felt like hiking a giant sand dune, except the “sand” was ash and pumice from Mount St. Helens. We kept moving, fueled by determination and the promise of summit views.

The Mount St. Helens Summit

Finally, we reached the rim. Below us lay the vast crater, with a steam vent still breathing reminders of the volcano’s power. Along the way, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount Hood were visible on the horizon. We took photos, had a toast, caught our breath, and embraced the incredible feeling of accomplishment standing on Mount St. Helens.

The Descent

As mountaineer Ed Viesturs famously said, “Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” We didn’t film much on the descent — partly because we were exhausted, partly because our focus was on making it back safely — but the sense of achievement stayed with us after our Mount St. Helens adventure.

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Final Thoughts & Tips on Mount St. Helens

If you’re considering climbing Mount St. Helens via Monitor Ridge:

• Permit required above the Loowit Trail. Mount St. Helens permits and climb information are available at recreation.gov
• Bring at least 4 liters of water in warm weather — we carried 3 each and it wasn’t enough.
• Wear sturdy gloves for the rock scramble.
• Trekking poles help in the forest and on the ash slope, but you’ll stow them during the scramble.
• Start early and pace yourself — this climb is a marathon, not a sprint.

If you are interested in epic hikes, check out our Mount Kilimanjaro Trek