AVALANCHE: Visit the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center for the most up-to-date avalanche forecast information during winter months. SNOWPACK: Visit these SNOTEL sites for recent snow pack readings on the south side of Mount St. Helens- June Lake (3,400ft) and Swift Creek (4,400ft). While away a warm summer afternoon on the banks of one of the largest lakes in the Mt. Hood National Forest.Surrounded by a dense conifer forest, the 1,400-acre Timothy Lake is a paddler's paradise, with wide-open water for cruising and cozy coves for exploring and taking refuge from the hot afternoon sun.
- Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Oregon
- Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Orchard
- Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Oregon Coast
- Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Orange
January 29, 2021 update
Sunrise: 7:30 am
Sunset: 5:14 pm
The road to Climber's Bivouac is CLOSED. Climbers should depart from Marble Mountain Sno-Park (winter route), which requires a Washington Sno-Park Pass after December 1. The roads will not be plowed until December 1.
Permits are required year-round. After November 1 permits are free, unlimited, and self-issue at the trailhead. Climbers must sign in to the climber's register at the kiosk at the trailhead as their 'self-isssue' permit.
There is dispersed camping and pit toilets available at the trailheads, but no running water, and bathroom services may be limited so please bring your own toilet paper, soap, water, or hand sanitizer. Please plan accordingly.
Please climb with your quarantine household, and maintain at least 6 feet of space between yourself and other hikers. Please review our Mount St. Helens and COVID-19 page to learn about open trailheads and sites, expected services, and how to recreate responsibly. Please bring a mask to put on when you pass others on the trail.
WINTER ROUTE, Worm Flows out of Marble Mountain Sno Park:
Road 83 to Marble Mountain is plowed, with packed snow and may have some icy patches in the last 2 miles. The parking lot has 2-3' of snow. A Washington State Sno-Park Pass, purchased in advance, is required to park at Marble Mountain between December 1 - March 31, or as posted. Climbers are required to utilize blue bags to pack out all human or pet waste, including toilet paper.
Woods to tree line: 2-3' at the parking lot up to 2 feet of fresh snow at Chocolate Falls/tree line, with enough snow for snowshoes and skis, though may get compacted. At tree line snow becomes deeper and post holing becomes a major issue without snowshoes, with cornices on the east side of the route, with wide cracks 4-8 feet back from the edge. Tree line to the antenna station is deep, soft snow. Volunteer Andy Goodwin observes, 'There is a very weak layer under the last snowfall. It appears to be hoar frost and it is everywhere. The top layer over the weak layer is firm at 4000' but quite soft at 5000'. On 30 plus degree slopes at 5,000' plus, slab avalanches are very easy to trigger. The cold wind was loading those slopes with additional snow. These are dangerous conditions and may take some time to resolve. New snow tonight won't help!' The last part of the transition up to Monitor Ridge (7500-7600') finishes out at a very steep angle with drifted snow 20' deep. NWAC states 'On Monday 2/1, areas of wind-drifted snow will continue to be the most likely location to trigger an avalanche at upper elevations. Lower elevations may get damp from rising freezing levels and some rain, and could still produce surprising avalanches. Consider dialing back your terrain choices from what you may normally pursue at Considerable hazard.'
A cornice is forming along the summit rim wiht a significant crack - PLEASE STAY BACK 8-10 feet - to avoid cornice collapse, and there is no safe view into the crater. The true summit is 1/4 mi west of where the route tops out. Do not just follow the 'fall-line' on your descent ('fall line' is if you were to roll a ball down the hill, it would travel with gravity and that would take you off-route). Route finding may be challenging in dense cloud or fog; be sure to know the route and carry navigation equipment. Because of icy conditions, glissading is not possible at this time.
Mountaineering boots with gaiters, crampons, snowshoes, and ice axes are recommended. Skiers and split-boarders should have ski crampons to ascend. With more snow accumulation, backcountry travel becomes increasingly risky and avalanche-prone. Be prepared with avalanche knowledge and equipment, and do not assume other visitors have the same training.
Please check the forecast as conditions can change rapidly.
Have a more recent report? We would love to hear from you! Email your conditions update to climb@mshinstitute.org, photos welcome.
Latest updates and information can be found online: https://www.fs.usda.gov/giffordpinchot/
The Gifford Pinchot National Forest continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation and evaluate potential impacts. Please remember to review current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and focus on protecting yourself, your family, and your community.
This conditions report is provided in conjunction with the US Forest Service, and is intended for personal and recreational purposes only. Safe backcountry travel requires preparation and planning, and this information may be used for planning purposes but does not provide all the information necessary for backcountry travel. Advanced mountaineering education is strongly encouraged for winter climbing.
The user acknowledges that it is impossible to accurately predict natural events in every instance, and the accuracy or reliability of the information provided here is not guaranteed in any way. This report describes general conditions and local variations will always occur. This report expires 24 hours after the posted time unless noted otherwise.
See the U.S. Forest Service Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument website for more information.
FIRE: IncidentInformation System has the most up to date info on all fires (prescribed or wild) around the country, or Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. Visit Washington Smoke Information and AirNow for the latest in Air Quality and forecasting.
WEATHER: Weather.gov point forecasts- Marble Mountain SnoPark (2,700ft) and mid-slope (6,200ft). Mountain-Forecast.com provides forecasts at three different elevations: summit 8,328ft, mid-slope 6,500ft and just above the trailhead 3,200ft.
AVALANCHE: Visit the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center for the most up-to-date avalanche forecast information during winter months.
SNOWPACK: Visit these SNOTEL sites for recent snow pack readings on the south side of Mount St. Helens- June Lake (3,400ft) and Swift Creek (4,400ft).
Source: Marvin Henkel Jr.
The Willamette River hosts one of Oregon's best spring Chinook fisheries, with plenty of hatchery run salmon that allow anglers to bring some of the best-eating fish home.
The salmon fishing starts in the Lower Willamette during the late winter.
The springers then disperse into the Clackamas River or pass Willamette Falls toward tributaries well up into the Willamette Valley through spring and into early summer.
The Lower Willamette River flows through downtown Portland and then splits below the St. Johns Bridge. The main body takes a direct path to the Columbia, while Multnomah Channel veers northwest to meet the Columbia well downriver at the city of St. Helens. The forks form Sauvie Island.
Willamette River Fishing Regulations
The lower Willamette generally is open all year to the daily harvest of two fin-clipped Chinook salmon (fin-clipped steelhead you may catch are counted in the same daily limit).
Anglers need a special endorsement in addition to angling license and harvest tag to fish for salmon, steelhead and sturgeon throughout the Columbia River basin.
However, anglers should check the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website for restrictions sometimes imposed after the printing of the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations book, if the run forecast is too low to allow that much fishing.
Unclipped (wild) chinook and steelhead must be released unharmed.
If you end up farther upriver, consult your regulations booklet for a description of closed fishing areas below the falls at Oregon City and the West Linn Paper Company tailrace.
When to Catch Willamette River Spring Chinook Salmon
Fishing guide Marvin Henkel Jr. typically starts fishing the lowest part of the Willamette in late February.
The spring Chinook fishing here often holds up well in this lower part of the river until the middle of May, although Henkel often switches to sturgeon fishing before then.
Fishing slows for Chinook when the Willamette gets too muddy, following heavy precipitation up in the valley.
Check the tide tables for Kelley Point before you go. Henkel prefers fishing for springers here through the incoming tide, with the best bite often occurring from an hour before to an hour after a tide change.
Where to Catch Willamette River Spring Chinook
The favorite fishing spot below the St. Johns Bridge is at the head of Multnomah Channel, where migrating springers headed straight up the Willamette converge with other Chinook that turned up the channel at St. Helens.
In the area Henkel fishes, the typical water depth is 18 to 25 feet, and the fish hug the bottom through here. He generally sticks to an area that is maybe a half mile above to half mile below the channel and also slightly into the channel.
At times, the fish in the lower river will bite better in the deeper areas, such as the shipping lanes.
At those times, Henkel often will fish where the river bottom is 50 to 80 feet, upstream from the channel toward the St. Johns Bridge.
He also will fish over water almost that deep in the Willamette below the channel, toward the Columbia River, especially on the Sauvie Island side where the bottom is often 40 to 60 feet deep.
In both of those deeper areas, he has the most success fishing in mid-range depths, perhaps 20 to 30 feet beneath the surface.
How to Catch Lower Willamette River Spring Chinook
The current here typically isn't strong enough for anchoring to fish, so Henkel and most anglers stick to trolling for them.
He'll often run his boat in a big square that takes him above and below the head of the channel and into it a little ways.
In this area, where the water isn't too deep, you'll want to stick to the bottom.
Your weight should hit the bottom every 10 to 15 seconds. If it's not doing that, lower it until you are making frequent contact.
If it's dragging constantly, reel up until the weight gets into the bouncing pattern. Adjust frequently as the river depth changes.
Henkel's preferred bait is herring, which he fishes both as cut-plugs or as whole baits.
While some guides only fish herring plugged, Henkel finds that certain days the salmon seem to prefer whole baits, which are quicker to rig.
He usually starts with at least one rod rigged each way to gauge what the salmon want that day.
Green label is the most popular herring size in the spring, although larger baits are fine for making cut-plugs.
Henkel employs a 50-pound TUF line for his main line, with a 6-ounce cannonball sinker on a slider to get the bait down to the fish.
Use a bead chain swivel and then a mooching rig with a 7- to 8-foot leader (30-pound test) with 4/0 and 5/0 hooks.
He likes a sliding hook rig (he buys pre-rigged Gamakatsu brand hooks) so he can pull a slight bend into the bait to give it a nice, slow roll while moving through the water. He can adjust to a faster roll quickly, if desired.
Some anglers add a flasher to their rig, but Henkel likes them plain – other than very frequent applications of Smelly Jelly (various scents work) to the herring. Using a diver is also an option some anglers prefer.
When Henkel moves to deeper water, he switches to a 10- to 16-ounce sinker and typically fishes up off the bottom in 20 to 30 feet of water, or roughly 16 to 25 pulls. He tries different rods at different depths until he establishes the right depth for current conditions.
When fish strike a trolled herring, usually one of two things happens.
Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Oregon
Sometimes the fish will hook up immediately and start peeling off line. Give the rod a tight jerk and then keep your rod up and line tight for the big fight.
Other times the pole will slam down to the water and pop right back up. The springer probably 'stunned' its prey and might come back for its meal.
Quickly pull 10 to 12 feet of line off the reel and watch for your rod tip to begin another dip toward the water. Give it a tight jerk to set the hook.
While Henkel nearly always trolls herring while fishing between St. Johns and the Columbia, other options include a Luhr Jensen Kwikfish (with a herring or anchovy wrap), a trolling spinner, or a prawn trolling rig.
Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Orchard
Henkel would rig these off a leader behind the same set-up he uses for herring.
If All Else Fails
Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Oregon Coast
If you're not having success, change up your approach. Put on a fresher bait, add scent, change depths or bend your herring more for a faster roll.
Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Orange
'Do something different,' he said.
SNOWPACK: Visit these SNOTEL sites for recent snow pack readings on the south side of Mount St. Helens- June Lake (3,400ft) and Swift Creek (4,400ft).
Source: Marvin Henkel Jr.
The Willamette River hosts one of Oregon's best spring Chinook fisheries, with plenty of hatchery run salmon that allow anglers to bring some of the best-eating fish home.
The salmon fishing starts in the Lower Willamette during the late winter.
The springers then disperse into the Clackamas River or pass Willamette Falls toward tributaries well up into the Willamette Valley through spring and into early summer.
The Lower Willamette River flows through downtown Portland and then splits below the St. Johns Bridge. The main body takes a direct path to the Columbia, while Multnomah Channel veers northwest to meet the Columbia well downriver at the city of St. Helens. The forks form Sauvie Island.
Willamette River Fishing Regulations
The lower Willamette generally is open all year to the daily harvest of two fin-clipped Chinook salmon (fin-clipped steelhead you may catch are counted in the same daily limit).
Anglers need a special endorsement in addition to angling license and harvest tag to fish for salmon, steelhead and sturgeon throughout the Columbia River basin.
However, anglers should check the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website for restrictions sometimes imposed after the printing of the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations book, if the run forecast is too low to allow that much fishing.
Unclipped (wild) chinook and steelhead must be released unharmed.
If you end up farther upriver, consult your regulations booklet for a description of closed fishing areas below the falls at Oregon City and the West Linn Paper Company tailrace.
When to Catch Willamette River Spring Chinook Salmon
Fishing guide Marvin Henkel Jr. typically starts fishing the lowest part of the Willamette in late February.
The spring Chinook fishing here often holds up well in this lower part of the river until the middle of May, although Henkel often switches to sturgeon fishing before then.
Fishing slows for Chinook when the Willamette gets too muddy, following heavy precipitation up in the valley.
Check the tide tables for Kelley Point before you go. Henkel prefers fishing for springers here through the incoming tide, with the best bite often occurring from an hour before to an hour after a tide change.
Where to Catch Willamette River Spring Chinook
The favorite fishing spot below the St. Johns Bridge is at the head of Multnomah Channel, where migrating springers headed straight up the Willamette converge with other Chinook that turned up the channel at St. Helens.
In the area Henkel fishes, the typical water depth is 18 to 25 feet, and the fish hug the bottom through here. He generally sticks to an area that is maybe a half mile above to half mile below the channel and also slightly into the channel.
At times, the fish in the lower river will bite better in the deeper areas, such as the shipping lanes.
At those times, Henkel often will fish where the river bottom is 50 to 80 feet, upstream from the channel toward the St. Johns Bridge.
He also will fish over water almost that deep in the Willamette below the channel, toward the Columbia River, especially on the Sauvie Island side where the bottom is often 40 to 60 feet deep.
In both of those deeper areas, he has the most success fishing in mid-range depths, perhaps 20 to 30 feet beneath the surface.
How to Catch Lower Willamette River Spring Chinook
The current here typically isn't strong enough for anchoring to fish, so Henkel and most anglers stick to trolling for them.
He'll often run his boat in a big square that takes him above and below the head of the channel and into it a little ways.
In this area, where the water isn't too deep, you'll want to stick to the bottom.
Your weight should hit the bottom every 10 to 15 seconds. If it's not doing that, lower it until you are making frequent contact.
If it's dragging constantly, reel up until the weight gets into the bouncing pattern. Adjust frequently as the river depth changes.
Henkel's preferred bait is herring, which he fishes both as cut-plugs or as whole baits.
While some guides only fish herring plugged, Henkel finds that certain days the salmon seem to prefer whole baits, which are quicker to rig.
He usually starts with at least one rod rigged each way to gauge what the salmon want that day.
Green label is the most popular herring size in the spring, although larger baits are fine for making cut-plugs.
Henkel employs a 50-pound TUF line for his main line, with a 6-ounce cannonball sinker on a slider to get the bait down to the fish.
Use a bead chain swivel and then a mooching rig with a 7- to 8-foot leader (30-pound test) with 4/0 and 5/0 hooks.
He likes a sliding hook rig (he buys pre-rigged Gamakatsu brand hooks) so he can pull a slight bend into the bait to give it a nice, slow roll while moving through the water. He can adjust to a faster roll quickly, if desired.
Some anglers add a flasher to their rig, but Henkel likes them plain – other than very frequent applications of Smelly Jelly (various scents work) to the herring. Using a diver is also an option some anglers prefer.
When Henkel moves to deeper water, he switches to a 10- to 16-ounce sinker and typically fishes up off the bottom in 20 to 30 feet of water, or roughly 16 to 25 pulls. He tries different rods at different depths until he establishes the right depth for current conditions.
When fish strike a trolled herring, usually one of two things happens.
Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Oregon
Sometimes the fish will hook up immediately and start peeling off line. Give the rod a tight jerk and then keep your rod up and line tight for the big fight.
Other times the pole will slam down to the water and pop right back up. The springer probably 'stunned' its prey and might come back for its meal.
Quickly pull 10 to 12 feet of line off the reel and watch for your rod tip to begin another dip toward the water. Give it a tight jerk to set the hook.
While Henkel nearly always trolls herring while fishing between St. Johns and the Columbia, other options include a Luhr Jensen Kwikfish (with a herring or anchovy wrap), a trolling spinner, or a prawn trolling rig.
Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Orchard
Henkel would rig these off a leader behind the same set-up he uses for herring.
If All Else Fails
Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Oregon Coast
If you're not having success, change up your approach. Put on a fresher bait, add scent, change depths or bend your herring more for a faster roll.
Best Places To Hook Up Near Saint Helens Orange
'Do something different,' he said.
And then, if it's just not happening, Henkel switches to sturgeon fishing
OregonResources
ODFW trout stocking schedule
ODFW weekly recreation report and regulation updates
ODFW annual fishing regulations
National Weather Service forecasts
Marvin Henkel Jr. of Portland has been a professional fishing guide since 1999. His clients at Marvin's Guide Service fish for salmon, sturgeon, steelhead and walleye in the Columbia and Willamette rivers and on Tillamook Bay.
