Mount St. Helens
With virtually no snowpack to speak of in the majority of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the question of whether several major roads will open up soon has popped up.
The answer is likely to bring a smile to those wanting to take an excursion by car to the mountainous areas of the forest.
Forest Road 25, which carries traffic through the forest south from Randle, will reopen April 1, according to Sue Ripp, the public affairs officer for the national forest. Road 99, which connects Road 25 to the popular Windy Ridge scenic viewpoint, will also open that same day.
Road 25 connects the east end of the Mount St. Helens area to Road 90, which then connects to other areas on the south and east ends of the volcano, including the most popular climbing route at Climbers Bivouac, the Marble Mountain Sno-Park and Ape Cave.
“On the south half of the forest, they actually opened Road 8303 at the Trail of Two Forests and Ape Cave because there were so many cars parked along the roads,” Ripp said. “This year, there’s just no snow.”
For people from Lewis County wanting to access those areas on the south and eastern portions of the mountain before April 1, a trip down Interstate 5 to Woodland and east beyond Cougar will be necessary. But when the major roads from Randle southward open in fewer than three weeks, one will be able to make a trip by vehicle that circumvents the mountain with few obstructions.
“On the 90 road, it doesn’t really have a gate, but there’s a sign near Curly Creek Falls that gets flipped saying the road is closed because of wildlife,” Ripp said. “But it’s open right now.”
As for another popular tourist attraction, the Johnston Ridge Observatory will remain closed until May 1 because of staffing. However, Ripp said it’s still possible for people to hike along the roads to both the observatory and Windy Ridge if they wish — but they have one simple request.
“People are free to walk the roads, but we ask that if you pack something in, make sure you pack it out,” Ripp said. “We always just try to get that message out to everyone.”
