Skip to content
Mt. St. Helens climbing permit

St. Helens Gear Checklist

What to carry on St. Helens, and why. 9 more are worth the pack space.

9Total Items
9To bring

What to bring on St. Helens

Specific to this permit, not a generic camping list.

  • Bring

    The Ten Essentials

    USFS explicitly cautions climbers not to substitute a cell phone for preparedness

  • Bring

    Government-issued photo ID for every person on the permit, plus a copy of the permit

  • Bring

    Boots that handle boulder fields and loose ash

  • Bring

    Sun and wind protection; the upper mountain has no shelter of any kind

  • Bring

    All your water, treated if you refill anywhere

  • Bring

    Trekking poles for the ash descent, which is where most of the knee damage happens

  • Bring

    Gaiters

    the pumice gets into everything

  • Bring

    Ice axe and traction for spring climbs on the steep snow slopes USFS warns about

  • Bring

    A blue bag; USFS encourages their use

12 people can go on one permit. Split this list between them so nobody carries two stoves.

Build a shared list

General backcountry gear

Kit we recommend for backcountry trips in general. This is not a checklist specific to St. Helens — the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument rules for this permit are above.

🎒
Recommended
Wild Ideas

Bearikade Weekender

Ultralight carbon fiber bear canister. IGBC certified.

1 lb 15 ozultralightcarbon-fiber
$325
🎒
Recommended
Katadyn

BeFree 1L

Ultralight collapsible filter system.

2 ozultralightfast-flow
$44.95
🎒
Recommended
BearVault

BV500 Bear Vault

The most popular bear canister for Sierra backpacking. Fits 7 days of food.

2 lbs 9 oz7-day capacityapproved
$89.95
🎒
Recommended
Black Diamond

Distance Carbon Z

Lightweight folding carbon poles.

1 lb 1 ozcarbonfolding
$169.95
🎒
Recommended
Sawyer

Sawyer Squeeze

The most popular water filter for backpacking.

3 ozpopularreliable
$37.95

Gear Tips for St. Helens

💡 Pro Tips

  • •Weigh your pack before you go. A lighter pack makes for a happier hike.
  • •Rent expensive gear if you are trying a new activity for the first time.
  • •Test all new gear at home before hitting the trail.
  • •Check current regulations as some items may be required seasonally.

Affiliate Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. When you purchase gear through these links, PermitSnag earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely believe in. This helps us keep the lights on and continue building tools to help you get into the backcountry.