Mt St Helen's Summit- We Made It!!

Trail Stats

Route: Monitor Ridge (summer route)

Distance: ~10 miles round trip

Elevation Gain: ~4,500–4,600 ft

Summit Elevation: 8,363 ft

Permit Required: Yes (seasonal climbing permit)

Group Size: 4

There’s something special about going back to a mountain that didn’t go your way the first time. Redemption energy is real, and this trip absolutely delivered.

We kicked things off the night before by heading up to the trailhead and setting up camp in hammocks. Sleeping under the trees with that pre-climb excitement buzzing in the air always hits different. It wasn’t the world’s best sleep thanks to nerves and alarms set way too early, but it was perfect for what we needed: a quick reset before summit day.

Morning came fast. We were up before sunrise, headlamps on, moving by that quiet determination that only exists when everyone knows a big day is ahead. The climb itself was honestly a blast. Lots of laughs, steady pacing, and that shared suffering that somehow turns into fun when you’re with the right people.

Not every summit day goes exactly to plan though. Out of the four of us, three made it to the top. One member made the smart call to turn around earlier, which is always the right decision when your body says no. Mountains aren’t going anywhere.

Reaching the crater rim was surreal as always. The views opened up in every direction, with the volcano’s massive horseshoe crater reminding you just how powerful this place is. I kept my personal tradition alive with a summit headstand photo, grabbed some group shots, soaked in the moment, and tried to memorize the feeling of being there again after a previous attempt that didn’t end the same way.

The descent was its own adventure. We eventually caught back up with our fourth teammate before the rock scramble section, which made the day feel complete again. Everyone made it down safely, which is always the real win.

By the time we hit the bottom, we were sore, exhausted, dusty, and absolutely starving. Nothing tastes better than carbs after a volcano climb. Nothing.

This mountain gave me another summit, but more importantly, it gave us another shared story. And those are the things that last.