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
May 04, 2009:
Winter
Travel Safety Information.
- Coldwater is closed permanently.
Apes'
Headquarters and lantern rentals is now closed for the
season .
Pine Creek Information
Station -- Will reopen in time for Memorial Day weekend.
The information station is a partnership between the Forest, Mount
St. Helens Institute, Skamania County, Discover Your Northwest,
Cougar Area Trail Seekers and the Swift Community Action Team. Hours
of operation will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Labor Day.
Volunteers are still needed to staff Pine Creek, if you are interested
please contact Hailey Heath with the MSHI at 360-449-7887.
Cascade
Peaks: Closed. The Forest Road 99 leading to Windy Ridge
should be open by late-June 2009.
October 07,
2008: Lava Canyon Trail #184: Partially open, between the
trailhead and the suspension bridge. Stay on the North side of Muddy
River. No travel permitted beyond the suspension bridge.
Hazardous conditions on the trail. The upper bridge has washed out
and the river channel has changed locations.
Windy Ridge Viewpoint
-- The Forest Road 99 leading to Windy Ridge should be open by late-June
2009.
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
 |
Area 1 --
Crater is closed to all entry except for scientists with a
permit. Area includes crater floor, inside walls to
the rim, and NE and NW flanks of the volcano.
Area
2 -- All travel above 4800 foot elevation (treeline)
on the volcano requires a Climbing Permit. For details
please see Permit
System web page.
Area
3 -- Area is open only on developed trails.
Snowmobiles, camping, pets, and stock are not permitted.
Off-trail travel requires Administrative Closure Permit issued
by Monument Headquarters.
Goat Marsh
Research Natural Area (SW of mtn) -- Goat Marsh RNA
is closed to motorized use, camping and stock use.
Closure
Area Map (8.5" x 11" size, 250 KB, .pdf)
|
Designated
Non-Motorized Corridor on Winter Climbing Route
 |
The
area around the Monitor Ridge and Worm Flows Climbing Routes
is closed to snowmobile use to provide for the safety of climbers
and other non-motorized winter recreationists.
Non-motorized corridor
is defined by the western flanks of MonitorRidge, the south
crater rim, the eastern flanks of the Worm Flows and the 4800
foot elevation line except where timberline is above 4800
feet. Where timberline is above 4800 feet, snowmobiles
may cross the non-motorized corridor immediately above timberline.
Non-Motorized
Closure Area Map
(8.5" x 11"
size, 202 KB, .jpg)
|
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
Forest Roads
- January 2009: Forest Road 47 - Skate Creek
Sno-Park is being re-opend to non-groomed routes only. The Forest
Road 47 bridge is closed to all use including snowmobiles.
The 52 road will not be groomed. Riders may use a combination
of the 52 road, 5240, and the 84 road for access through the area.
To see a fact sheet on the Skate Creek Bridge as well as background
on other bridges on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, please
click here.
- December 18, 2008: All Forest roads are impassible
or not advised for travel, with the exception of those plowed
to winter sports
sites.
Forest Trails
- 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.
- May 06, 2009: Forest visitors near the volcano
need to be prepared for a potential
ash fall.
- October 07, 2008: Lava Canyon
Trail #184: Partially open, between the trailhead and
the suspension bridge. Stay on the North side of Muddy River.
No travel permitted beyond the suspension bridge. Hazardous
conditions on the trail. The upper bridge has washed out and the
river channel has changed locations.
Forest Campgrounds
- May 06, 2009: - No Special Conditions at this
time.
- May 06, 2009: Most
Campgrounds are still closed as winter conditions remain across
much of the Forest. Campgrounds will be opening for the
camping season over the next several weeks.
Forest Winter Sno-Parks
- May 06, 2009: Sno-Parks will beging operating
again in the late fall.
- January 2009: Forest Road 47 - Skate Creek
Sno-Park is being re-opend to non-groomed routes only. The Forest
Road 47 bridge is closed to all use including snowmobiles.
The 52 road will not be groomed. Riders may use a combination
of the 52 road, 5240, and the 84 road for access through the area.
To see a fact sheet on the Skate Creek Bridge as well as background
on other bridges on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, please
click here.
Hunting Information
- May 06, 2009: - No Special Conditions at this
time.
|
|
