Trip Report

Instead of Peter, Paul & Mary - we had Peter, Paul & Alice plus Bert & Rex. This was the very nice two rope climbing party on Mt. St. Helens. We arrived a little late at the upper parking lot Saturday night due to leader's business conflict. Everyone was fed and in the sack about 9 o'clock so we could get up at 2 a.m. We left about 3:15 a.m. Our route was up the Lizard with variations. Just below the Dogs Head we turned west across a small snow field which indicated we needed crampons and ropes to proceed. We headed directly into the Ice Fall of Forsyth Glacier. Our first crossing included a nice "little" jump across a Crevasse. This was just a warm up. We encountered a mass of ice blocks and crevasses which taxed the leader to find a route that would go. We chopped steps up two ice walls after a pressure climb out of an ice chimney. Time consuming but great fun. Climbing proficiency of the group was good as no one had trouble with the stretch, corners, etc. (you should have been there!). The balance of the climb was a traverse through the remaining crevasses to the standard Lizard Route and ugh! - up the mountain. We made the "Real" False Summit about 10:45 a.m. and after some lunch, ambled over to the summit. One of our party lost their sun glasses and a nice Seattle Mountaineer (Cherrie Mann) loaned us a pair. Weather was clear, warm, which made the view from the summit supreme.

We did not have a Summit Book. The Register Boxes are still under the snow so could not determine if the Obsidian Book is on the mountain. Summit Certificates issued to all in the party. We did not have an Obsidian First Aid Kit - using our own.

Climbers: Bert Ewing, Alice Moffitt, Paul Orum, Peter Swan, and Rex Stevens, leader.