• Guided Climbs
• Register Online!

• Climbing Permit System

• Permit Availability

• Permit Fee Structure

• Climbing Season Information

• Registration Process

• Equipment Needed for the Climb

• Permit Pick up at Lone Fir Resort

• Need more information?  Email us climb@mshinstitute.org  or call us at 360-891-5107.

 ***** *Climbing Warning********

Limited Road Access Requires Multi-Day Winter/Spring Climb:  Forest Service 83 is open to the Marble Mountain Sno-Park. Forest Road 81 is open 1 mile past the Cougar Sno-Park. Forest Road 830 is closed due to snow. For more information visit the USDA Forest Service's climbing report page.

An Active Volcano!

The climbing program on Mount St. Helens was closed in October, 2004, because the mountain changed dramatically from a slumbering giant to an actively growing, dynamic volcano.

As the climbing permits are re-established in 2006, the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and the Mount St. Helens Institute are partnering to emphasize the tremendous and inspiring learning opportunity that the climb provides. The mountain is viewed much differently by scientists, resource managers, and visitors during this era of active growth.

Reflecting the dramatic changes on the volcano, the newly re-opened climbing program is also viewed and shaped in new ways. Attention to safety issues on this continuously erupting volcano demands more thoughtful preparation and encourages an emphasis on education about the landscape and natural processes that are shaping it.

Incredible opportunities to learn and experience are the focus of the newly opening climbing program that allows access above 4,800 feet, up to the crater rim. The limit on the number of climber permits, 100 per day, reflects a continued emphasis on thoughtful stewardship on the mountain.

Climbing has returned to the volcano!    Please visit the Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument's frequently asked questions page for more details about climbing the volcano. Also, please visit the climbing permit system page for more information.