Gifford Pinchot
National Forest
Forest Headquarters
10600 N.E. 51st Circle
Vancouver, WA 98682
(360) 891-5000
TTY: (360) 891-5003
Cowlitz Valley
Ranger District
10024 US Hwy 12
PO Box 670
Randle, WA 98377
(360) 497-1100
TTY: (360) 497-1101
Mt. Adams
Ranger District
2455 Hwy 141
Trout Lake, WA 98650
(509) 395-3400
TTY: (360) 891-5003
Mount St. Helens
National Volcanic
Monument
Monument Headquarters
42218 N.E. Yale Bridge Rd.
Amboy, WA 98601
(360) 449-7800
TTY: (360) 891-5003
Johnston Ridge Observatory
24000 Spirit Lake Highway
P.O. Box 326
Toutle, WA 98649
(360) 274-2140
Mount St. Helens
Visitor Center
at Silver Lake
3029 Spirit Lake Highway
Castle Rock, WA 98611
(Operated by Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission)
TTY: Phone for the Deaf
|
|
Current Conditions |
Special Conditions & Recreation Information |
|
Mount
St. Helens Special Conditions Volcanic Activity |
Current
Volcano Status
The USGS/Cascades
Volcano Observatory, in Vancouver, Washington and the University
of Washington Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network continue
to monitor the situation closely and will issue additional updates
and changes in alert level as warranted.
Latest USGS Mount St.
Helens Advisory
Additional Information
A telephone recording
that covers the current status of
Mount St. Helens volcanic
activity can be heard by calling:
(360) 891-5180
For other Mount St. Helens
information, contact the
Mount St. Helens National
Volcanic Monument Headquarters: (360) 449-7800
Other Information
|
Monument
Visitor Centers and Recreational Facilities
July 23, 2008:
Winter
Travel Safety Information.
- Coldwater is closed permanently.
Apes'
Headquarters and lantern rentals is now open.
Pine Creek Information
Station -- Closed permanently
Cascade
Peaks: Closed. Winter
Road Damage Limits Access to Windy Ridge on the East Side of the
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
Lava Canyon
-- Access is closed by washout of Forest Road 83 near the
June Lake Trailhead. The suspension bridge remains closed.
Closed. The Lava Canyon trail #184 on the south side of Mount
St. Helens remains closed for maintenance at the suspension bridge.
From the Smith Creek Trail #225 it is not possible to make a loop
using Lava Canyon Trail #184.
Windy Ridge
Viewpoint -- Winter
Road Damage Limits Access to Windy Ridge on the East Side of the
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. (July 23, 2008)
Visitors
Should be Prepared for Wind-Blown Ash or a Potential Ash Fall
[Last Updated: June
25, 2008]
In rare instances, forest
visitors near the volcano may encounter a
potential volcanic ash plume or ashfall. Volcanic ash (fragmented
rock dust) can be mobilized by crater rockfall, high winds, or,
in rare instances, by small steam explosions in the crater.
In the event of a volcanic ashfall, stay tuned to local media for
up to date reports on the status of the volcano.
Volcanic ash (fragmented
rock dust) is non-toxic but, if breathed-in, can cause physical
damage to your lungs and airways. In the event of ashfall,
remain calm, try not to breathe ash, cover your nose and mouth with
a cloth or napkin. If possible, seek shelter in a building
or vehicle and remain inside until the ashfall passes. If you are
in a vehicle roll up your window, and do not start the vehicle as
volcanic ash could damage your engine. Typical ash clouds
dissipate within 20 to 30 minutes. Once the ash clears, drive
slowly and carefully because volcanic ash can be kicked-up like
road dust and can limit visibility. When wet, use extra caution
as ashfall deposits on roadways can be slippery.
Climbing Mount St Helens
- February 1, 2008: Forest Service officials
have announced the relocation of the Mount St. Helens Climber’s
Register to the Lone
Fir Resort. The Lone Fir Resort is located in the town of
Cougar, Washington five miles east of the former register location.
- Mount St. Helens climbing permit reservations for 2008
climbing season begin February 1 at 12:01 am.
- Mount St. Helens climbing permits are sold on the Internet
on a first-come, first-served basis by the Mount
St. Helens Institute , a non-profit partner of the Gifford
Pinchot National Forest.
|
Area
Closures
Updated April
14, 2008
There are no special
closures related to volcanic activity in affect at this time.
Mount St. Helens Closure Area Map (Click to enlarge)
Area 1 (Red) -- Entry into the crater is still strictly
prohibited.
Area 2 (Blue) -- Travel above 4800 foot elevation (treeline)
on the volcano requires a Climbing Permit. For details please
see Permit System
webpage.
Area
3 (Yellow) -- Area is open only on developed trails.
No camping, pets, or stock are permitted. Off-trail travel
requires Administrative Closure Permit issued by Monument Headquarters.
There are no other special
closures at this time.
Roads
There are no road closures
due to volcanic activity at this time.
Trails*
There are no trail closures
due to volcanic activity at this time.
*Volcanic Hazards: We recommend that hikers in the Spirit Lake Basin
on the north side of the volcano, who observe a large steam or ash
emission or hear a rumbling noise upstream (sound of a mudflow or
debris flow) be aware of potential hazards from debris flows and
mudflows. If you are in a gully or stream draining the north side
of the volcano and observe a large volcanic event please act decisively
and move to high ground as soon as possible.
|
Gifford
Pinchot National Forest Information |
Camping
Notices
Forest visitors
near the volcano need to be prepared for a potential
ash fall.
Fire Restrictions and
Information
- July 14, 2008 (1000 hrs): - All Roads, Trails,
Campgrounds east of Forest Road 23 north of Trout Lake, Wash.,
are closed due to wildland fire activity. Access is temporarily
to the Cold Springs/South Climb Trailhead on Mt. Adams until further
notice.
Forest Facilities
- Cascade Peaks:
Currently closed for the season.
Anticipated opening later in July 2008.
Forest Roads
- July 14, 2008 (1000 hrs): - All Roads, Trails,
Campgrounds east of Forest Road 23 north of Trout Lake, Wash.,
are closed due to wildland fire activity. Access is temporarily
to the Cold Springs/South Climb Trailhead on Mt. Adams until further
notice.
- July 11, 2008: – Starting Saturday, July
12, visitors
to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest can drive through the national
forest on Forest Road 25. This road provides key north/south
access from Randle and Packwood to Swift Reservoir and other areas
on the south end, and also on the east side of the Mount St. Helens
National Volcanic Monument. Drivers and motorcycle riders should
use caution on Forest Road 25 as some road areas may have settled;
and rocks and other debris may be on the road bed. Secondary roads
off of Forest Road 25 may have snowdrifts, fallen trees, and rocks.
On the north end of Forest Road 25, the Woods Creek bridge project
will enable coho salmon to access additional habitat in Woods
Creek. A temporary bridge bypass allows drivers to access Forest
Road 25 with only minor delays at milepost 4, south of Randle,
Washington. This bridge project will begin in late July.
Forest Trails
- July 14, 2008
(1000 hrs): - All Roads, Trails, Campgrounds east of
Forest Road 23 north of Trout Lake, Wash., are closed due to wildland
fire activity. Access is temporarily to the Cold Springs/South
Climb Trailhead on Mt. Adams until further notice.
- July 1, 2008:
- Record low elevation snow fall will keep a number of
Forest Trails impassable for several more weeks. Please
visit the trails current conditions page
for more information.
- Forest
Storm Damage Information: The November 2006 flood
damage and the subsequent windstorm
on December 14-15, 2006 will affect Forest visitor's ability
to access some popular sites in the Forest this year. As upcoming
spring and summer weather brings visitors to the Forest, officials
are emphasizing that road and trail damage and repairs will affect
some travel routes.
Visitors should
exercise additional caution this year when venturing out on roads
and trails.
- July 1, 2008: Forest visitors near the volcano
need to be prepared for a potential
ash fall.
- August 28, 2007: Access is closed by
washout of Forest Road 83 near the June Lake Trailhead.
The Lava Canyon trail #184 on the south side
of Mount St. Helens remains closed for maintenance at the suspension
bridge. From the Smith Creek Trail #225 it is not possible to
make a loop using Lava Canyon Trail #184.
Forest Campgrounds
- July 14, 2008
(1000 hrs): - All Roads, Trails, Campgrounds east of
Forest Road 23 north of Trout Lake, Wash., are closed due to wildland
fire activity. Access is temporarily to the Cold Springs/South
Climb Trailhead on Mt. Adams until further notice.
Forest Winter Sno-Parks
- June 20, 2008: Sno-Parks are currently
closed for the season.
Hunting Information
- June 20, 2008:
- No Special Conditions at this time. Forest
Storm Damage Information November's flood damage
and the subsequent windstorm
on December 14-15, will affect Forest visitor's ability to
access some popular sites in the Forest this year.
|
|