Climbing permits for Mount St. Helens will go on sale Wednesday, March 18 at 7:00 a.m. PDT through Recreation.gov. Permits are required for all climbers year-round, but between April 1 and October 31 the number of climbers is limited to protect the volcano’s natural resources. During this period, permits must be purchased online in advance. Climbing permits for trips during these months will be available on a first-come, first-served basis on Recreation.gov for $15 per person with a $6 fee per permit reservation. Climbing groups are limited to 12 people per permit.
When securing a permit, the person purchasing the permit will need to enter the names of all climbers in the group. Each climber in the group will need to carry their identification that matches the list of climbers on the permit. Permit holders will be able to change the members of the climbing group, as well as cancel or refund climbing permits until 14 days before their climb. Climbers will also be able to show a digitally downloaded version of their permit in lieu of a paper copy. Forest partner Mount St. Helens Institute will continue to provide climbing information and climbing route conditions at: www.mshinstitute.org.
Before March 18, climbers should create an account on Recreation.gov to help expedite their permit purchase when permits go on sale. For more information about Mount St. Helens climbing permits visit: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/climbingmsh
Every year millions of visitors use Recreation.gov to plan, reserve, and share their experiences in national forests, national parks, and other public federal lands. Recreation.gov provides online reservations for more than 3,000 campgrounds
