Vacation IV: Mt StHelens

While Katrin stayed in the Lone Fir Resort and took care of the kids. I was allowed to scramble up Mt StHelens  with a good friend:

 One first shot before we started the approach to pitch the tent for our snow camp.

Volcanic landscapes and sun.

 We are still far below 4800' around here the other 3 groups pitched there tents for the night.

 Close to our overnight spot.

 We just have to level out the snow a little, thus we don't roll down the mountain in the night. We secured the tent with a buried ice axe, just to be safe.

 Our spot! Preparing dinner and melting snow for cooking and drinking the next day! The Temperature in the tent was around 5 degree celsius (~43°F), but from below it was cold. Well the Thermarest mattress was fine, except my hip bones were poking through and thus having only minimal insulation to the snow. The rest of my body felt pretty warm.

 Next morning, very early, coffee is the first thing we do cook!

 With crampons on the way up to the crater rim.

 Small crevasses on the side of the Swift Glacier. we saw a couple of larger ones in the middle.

 We made it, the crater rim, but a whiteout inside, no views in this direction.

 Looking back 'down', the direction we came from ... a sea of clouds.

 The summit photo! Amazingly with a blue patch of sky behind us - we had very turbulent wind, calm one second, having to crouch to not to be blown over 2 seconds later.

 Down we slide (glissade) and walk.

One last late morning/lunchtime coffee prior packing the tent and heading back to the car. It was a great adventure, I want more!!!!