Gifford Pinchot National Forest · Washington

Ptarmigan

2.0 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 216A · trail class 3 · typical grade 12-20% · tread 18-24 inches wide

Begins at the forest's mile 0, 46.1457, -122.1838 - no trailhead mapped Drive to where the trail begins

Trailhead: Climbers Bivouac, Summer Climbing Route the Forest Service's write-up

<ul> <li>$5/vehicle/day or valid<a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/giffordpinchot/passes-permits/recreation"> Recreation Pass</a>&nbsp;for site use. Fee tube on-site for payment. See <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3843447.pdf">Mount St. Helens Map</a>&nbsp;for fee and payment sites.</li> <li><a href="http://www.mshinstitute.org/explore/climbing-permits/">Climbing Permit</a> required for travel above treeline (4,800 feet) See Permit Information section.</li> </ul> · reservation required

A 2.7 mile winding gravel road (Forest Road 830) leads you to Climber’s Bivouac and the trailhead for Ptarmigan Trail #216A , the start of the Monitor Ridge Climbing Route . Fourteen or so tent pads with fire pits are available, as well as dispersed camping. Sites are first come, first served only. There are pit toilets, but no water.

America the Beautiful, Northwest Forest Passes or $5 per vehicle per day in the fee tube cover the recreation fee. Parking is limited, with overflow parking available at Marble Mountain Sno-Park , the parking for the winter climbing route, located about seven miles away. Please park motorhomes or travel trailers at Marble Mountain Sno-Park lots.

Click here for Mount St. Helens Summit Information.

Winter/early spring climbing tips

Climbing preparation, safety and route information.

Avalanche Forecasts (West Slopes South)

Avalance Observations Map (West Slopes South)

⚠️ Important Alert: A dangerous cornice , an overhanging mass of snow formed by wind, grows through the winter on the leeward side of the wind exposed edge of the summit and crater. As it grows, the cornice can hang quite a distance over the edge, making it fragile and extremely dangerous to walk upon to get a view into the crater. Stay back at least 30 ft (9 m) from the visible edge. There may not be any flagging stakes or markers indicating the danger zone, so use extreme caution. The high summit drift may prevent you from having any view over the rim to the North. Always check current conditions before your climb.

Click here to read the most current climbing conditions from Mount St. Helens Institute.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in Gifford Pinchot National Forest

All 365 trails in Gifford Pinchot National ForestFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.