Cougar, Washington
Mount St. Helens via Monitor Ridge
Climb the volcano that blew its top in 1980 and peer into the steaming crater.
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
- Length
- 10 mi
- Elevation Gain
- 4,500 ft
- Duration
- 8–12
- Best Season
- Jul–Oct
- Permit
- Required
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Features
- Volcano crater rim, Lava boulders
About the trail
Monitor Ridge is the standard summer route up Mount St. Helens (8,366 ft). From Climber's Bivouac, the trail climbs through forest to treeline, then ascends a punishing boulder field of lava blocks to the volcanic ash slope above. The crater rim opens onto a smoking lava dome with Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount Hood visible across the Cascade chain.
Trailhead map & directions
Trailhead: 46.1912, -122.1944Get directions →
Turn-by-turn route
- Drive Forest Road 83 to Climber's Bivouac trailhead.
- Hike Ptarmigan Trail 2 miles to the wilderness boundary.
- Scramble the Monitor Ridge boulder field for 2 miles.
- Ascend the ash slope to the crater rim.
- Return via the same route — glissade only on snow, never on ash.
Parking
Climber's Bivouac — Northwest Forest Pass required.
Tips from the trail
- A climbing permit is required year-round via mshinstitute.org; April–October permits sell out quickly.
- Bring gaiters and gloves — the boulders shred skin.
- Stay back from the cornice at the rim; collapses have killed climbers.
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