Quick report

Mt St Helens, Worm Flows Climbing Route

Andy GoodwinWest Slopes South
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Quick report

Most of the Mtn above 5800' is old hard snow, rime ice, and rocks. The storm Thursday and Friday left very little new snow. What did fall was wind scoured and deposited on southern and eastern aspects as patchy storm slabs, most just a few inches deep. Just below the rim at 8200' on a south aspect, there was a large area of wind transported snow that was up to 12" deep. It was sitting on a very hard thick ice later. When I isolated a block with my shovel, a gentle tap would cause a 1 inch thick layer to slide off the top. As it slid off it would cause a 3 inch thick layer below it to slide off the block. There were no signs of avalanches but it was a good day to stay near the ridges and off steep wind loaded slopes. Blue bird day today, but the sun caused no melting of softening above 5800'