The Perfect Winter Adventure – Marble Mountain Sno-Park
Location: Near Cougar, WA
Features: Winter Climbing, Skiing, Snowmobiling
Pass Required: Climbing Permit Above 4,800 feet, Sno-Park Permit
Adventure Report
Winter route to the summit of Mount St. Helens
Over 70 km of groomed and ungroomed ski trails
Over 25 miles of snowmobile trails
If you are looking for a great place to take in the stunning winter scenery of the Evergreen State, you can't do much better than the Marble Mountain Sno-Park. Located near Cougar, WA, in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Marble Mountain Sno-Park marks the starting point of the Worm Flows Climbing route which is one of the most popular winter routes to the summit of the ever magnificent Mount St. Helens. In addition, this Sno-Park offers access to over 70 km of groomed and un-groomed ski trails. However, during the winter months the area is perhaps best known for its fantastic snowmobiling opportunities, offering more than 25 miles of groomed snowmobile trails just waiting to be explored.
The Worm Flows climbing route is considered the primary path to the summit of Mount St. Helens in the winter months. While this climb is not considered to be highly technical, it is highly recommended that climbers come well equipped with ice axe, crampons, snow shoes, and a knowledge of avalanche risk awareness. However, if you are an experienced hiker this route offers a great non-technical summit experience to brush up on mountaineering skills.
The bread and butter in the area is the snowmobiling. Taking the groomed snowmobile road out of Marble Mountain Sno-Park toward Lahar, you can make your way out to the Plains of Abraham, a flat, open expanse that wraps around the east side of Mount St. Helens. It is the perfect playground to let loose and explore the area from the back of a snowmobile. The whole area offers stunning, unimpeded views of the mountain and the surrounding area. The flat expanses that rub up against the slopes of Mount St. Helens make for either a leisurely ride or a thrilling adventure depending on what you might be in the mood for.
After December 1, a Washington State Sno-Park Permit is required to park and ride at Marble Mountain. Be sure to pick one up before you get there, as permits are not issued on site.
For those who like to snowmobile, Washington Hometown is in the process of releasing the 2019-2020 update to Snow NW, an app with all of the snowmobile trails, trail access, and recreation lands open to snowmobiles in Washington, Priest Lake, Idaho, and Umatilla, Oregon. The latest version will be in the Apple and Google Play stores by early next week at the latest. The updated version of the app will be completely free to users, including offline map downloads, thanks to the support of our sponsoring businesses. Make sure to stop in for a meal, a drink, or a place to stay and let them know you saw them on Snow NW. Download the app here!
