ROCK CLIMBING NEWS ITEM

Mount Saint Helens Reopens to Climbers

TUESDAY, 11 JULY 2006

Mount Saint Helens, the nation's most famous volcano will reopen to climbers in late July after being closed due to volcanic activity since Fall of 2004.

Monument Scientist Peter Frenzen said that the area is stable at the moment but the seismology will be continually monitored for nature is very unpredictable. An example of such unpredictability is the continuous rise and fall of new slabs of rock inside the crater, such as the recent collapse of the 300 feet fin just formed this May.

The US Forest Service will institute a new climbing permit and reservation system to coincide with Mount Saint Helens reopening to climbers.

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