upper Kalama River side of Mount St Helens is Open!

Submitted Wed, 10/21/2009 - 5:29pm by DAnderson

Road 81 is now open on the south-west side of Mount St Helens.  That means you can drive to Red Rock Pass and the spectacular trails on the south-west side of the mountain, including Toutle, Sheep Canyon, Butte Camp and the Loowit on the west side of the mountain.  Repairs to the Toutle between Red Rock Pass and Blue Lake were made this summer.  The large washout on the Loowit between the Sheep Canyon and Butte Camp Trail has been brushed out, but it won't be worked on until next summer. 

Provided there are no serious floods this winter Monument visitors will beable to drive not only to the south-west side of the mountain on Road 81, but also out to Lava Canyon on the repaired Road 83. 

rd81

Road 81 on the south-west side of Mount St Helens, 20 October 2009.  This section of the road is above the Kalama Horse Camp. 

42007

April 2007.  This is what it looked like after the November 2006 floods.