[moonspots]

My eldest grandson managed to snag two permits to hike St Helens, and dad is reluctantly going along. Grandson wants to leave parking lot early enough to see sunrise from the summit, or thereabouts, and dad isn't at all thrilled with this idea, thinking the "trail" such that it may be, will be strewn with rocks, boulders and all manner of night time hiking hazards. I've never been on the south side of St Helens, so I have no idea what to tell them. If you have any good experience based advice, would you want to share with me, so I can relate to my son what the trail is REALLY like? Thanks, all!

[kw]

How much experience do you guys have with rock scrambling? Most of the trail is pretty clear where to go, but there are a few steep rocky sections that might be a bit technical for someone inexperienced in the dark. The top section (past the rock scramble) is all rocky pumice but isn’t really scrambling, it’s just very steep hiking. The one up-side is that you’re above the tree line for most of the ascent so depending on how bright the moon is (and your headlamps are) it’ll be pretty easy to see forward.

[moonspots]