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St. Helens South Face (The Worms)

 5.0 (1)
  1. Areas
  2. WA
  3. Southwest Washington
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3.0 Miles 4.8 Kilometers


Ski Line

0' 0 m

Ascent

-4,609' -1,405 m

Descent

29%

Avg Slope (16°)

65%

Max Slope (33°)

8,083' 2,464 m

High

3,474' 1,059 m

Low

Shared By Jacob Winey

Conditions

Unknown
History
Getting forecast...

Avalanche risk for Apr 28, 2018: Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern. Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Full forecast for NWAC: WA Cascades West, South — Brought to you by Northwest Avalanche Center

Avy tweets from @nwacus

“Ever skied a worm? Think naturally sculpted halfpipes with views of volcanoes the whole way down. ”

— Jacob Winey
Driving DirectionsGPX File
Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry
Mount St. Helens requires permits to climb above 4,800'; they can be purchased for $22 here: (discovernw.org/store_mt-st-…)

Also, you need a National Forest Recreation Pass to be able to park at the climber's bivouac.

Description

The south face of St. Helens is the most popular ski route of the volcano, since it follows the same slope as the usual ascent. Make sure to take your time at the summit to enjoy the spectacular view of the caldera and Rainier to the north, before dropping into over 2,000' of open, consistent corn. The descent is pretty straight-forward, no crevasse danger, no really hidden obstacles or traps, just beware of sudden slope changes and rocky areas (good potential for localized avalanche triggers). Just ski down to the hiking trail and follow that out the same way you came up.

Contacts

Land Manager: USFS - Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Office

Aug 1, 2018: Gifford Pinchot National Forest issues fire restrictions effective August 3

Jul 31, 2018: Celebrate Smokey Bear’s Birthday in Vancouver Saturday, August 11

Jul 30, 2018: Forest Road 90 closed east of Curly Creek Road

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  5.0 from 1 vote

#1

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#62

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Photos

A view of the caldera and lava dome with Rainier and Adams in the background.
A view of the caldera and lava dome with Rainie…
 3
Shredding corny worms with a view of Mt. Hood from the St. Helens South Face (The Worms).
Shredding corny worms with a view of Mt. Hood f…
 3
Mt St Helens
Mt St Helens
 3

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