How Did I Even Get Into ThIs?

These are the exact words I asked myself when sitting on the last rocky spot without much snow on it, before entering the final fourth of the summit. “How did I even get into this?”, “Am I insane?”. Two questions I asked myself. 2 days prior to being in this situation, I had decided take on this journey instead of backpacking through Goats Rock Wilderness. Realizing I was already going to be somewhat in the area of St. Helens, I realized I might as well camp one night at the base and then summit the mountain so I can kill two birds with one stone. I’ll still be able to camp, which was my plan for the past week, but now I’ll be able to attempt to summit St. Helens as well.

My entire thought process leading up to the summit made it seem like it was going to be a piece of cake. I’m not sure if the people I watched on Youtube ware just unfazed by anything, but this trek was no where near a piece a cake, and quite frankly, the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life up until this point (April 23, 2025).