On your descent, take care to stay on route, a minor detour may put you far off route at timberline. Though Mount St. Helens is not a particularly dangerous climb, some accidents and injuries do occur. Most serious accidents happen when climbers slide or glissade down snowfields and are unable to stop or avoid hazards. Always control your speed and be able to stop yourself. Weather conditions on Mount St. Helens can change rapidly.
Experienced climbers carry extra clothing, food and water.
Before leaving home, check our Weather Links page for the latest weather and avalanche forcasts and satelite images. The rim is precipitous with drops of nearly 2,000 feet to the crater floor. A snow cornice develops in winter and often lasts into summer. Take great care, as portions of the rim may be unstable at any time of the year. There are no active glaciers on Mount St. Helens.