Gifford Pinchot National Forest- U.S. Forest Service

06/16/2026

Forest Road 99 to Windy Ridge is open!

Reminder:

✅ A portion of the parking area is closed for the Spirit Lake Outflow Project, and some surrounding trails are closed on weekdays. See more: http://fs.usda.gov/.../spirit-lake-infrastructure-project

✅The restrooms at Windy Ridge are currently closed and scheduled for replacement this summer.

✅ Forest Road 25 will be closed at Huffaker Bridge from Forest Road 2508 junction (milepost 7.53) to the Forest Road 26 junction (milepost 7.76).

✅ Don't forget your valid Recreation Pass or $5 day-use fee.

Forest Road 99 is officially open for the season! Before you all rush off to the Windy Ridge Interpretive Site, with its sweeping views of both the crater and Spirit Lake, take note of the following (and don't forget your valid Recreation Pass or $5 day-use fee):

⛔ Through the end of the day on Friday, June 19, there will be a full closure on Forest Road 25 from the Forest Road 2508 junction (milepost 7.53) to the Forest Road 26 junction (milepost 7.76). If you're traveling from Randle, WA, take FSR 23 to FSR 28 to FSR 76 back onto FSR 25 near Iron Creek Campground.

🚻 The restrooms at Windy Ridge are currently closed (scheduled for replacement this summer), but restrooms are available nearby at Smith Creek Picnic Area and Viewpoint.

🚧 A portion of the parking area is currently reserved for the Spirit Lake Outflow Project, and some trails are closed on weekdays. See the US Forest Service alert for full details: fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot/alerts/spirit-lake-infrastructure-project-trail-closures.

Photo courtesy of Saya Heinonen.

06/12/2026

With warmer temperatures expected this weekend remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day and bring extra water with you on the trail. Be prepared to protect yourself from the sun and high temperatures with sunscreen, long sleeves, a wide brim hat, and sunglasses. Know your route before heading out and let others know where you will be recreating.

Check your local weather before heading out: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?zoneid=WAZ208

For more information about the Gifford Pinchot National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot

06/11/2026

06/11/2026

🌡️ Extreme Heat Watches have been issued from Sunday, June 14th through Tuesday, June 16th for the Portland-Vancouver Metro Area, Central Willamette Valley, Lower Columbia River Valley, and Western Columbia River Gorge.

Now is the time to prepare for hot temperatures!

🧢 Have sunscreen & light-colored, loose-fitted clothing
🥵 Avoid strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day if possible
💨 Find locations with air conditioning
⚠️ Beware of cold water shock: wear personal flotation devices when swimming in local rivers and lakes

06/10/2026

Join us tomorrow at the Packwood Community Hall for an evening of discussion about wildfire resilience in our community!

Gifford Pinchot National Forest- U.S. Forest Service
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
Lewis County Emergency Management

06/09/2026

❗UPDATE: Forest Road 25 closure is rescheduled to 6/14 - 6/19.

Forest Road 25 will be closed from Mile Post 7.53 (junction with Forest Road 2508) to Mile Post 7.76 (junction with Forest Road 26). This section of road will be closed starting at 12pm on Sunday 6/14 through Friday 6/19 for paving and guardrail installation.

Expect 30-min delays and flaggers on site while road crews complete striping work on the day before and after the closure.

06/06/2026

❗UPDATE: Forest Road 25 closure is postponed

Due to the large amount of expected rainfall coming to the area road repairs on Forest Road 25 have been postponed until further notice.

A new repair schedule will be shared once it becomes available.

For more information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/.../road-repairs-road-closures-2026

06/05/2026

Before you head out to climb a mountain REMEMBER:

✅ Carry the Ten Essentials
✅ Use mapping and satellite communication devices
✅ Plan your route and know your turnaround time
✅ Stay hydrated and maintain proper nutrition
✅ Sign the climber registration log
✅ Let friends or family know your itinerary and expected return time

Today we're recognizing the heroic work of the Volcano Rescue Team (VRT) ⛑️ who responded to MULTIPLE incidents on Mount St. Helens last week:

• Three separate rescues involved climbers who ended up off-route after following glissade chutes and required technical assistance.
• One medical evacuation was needed for a climber who suffered a lower extremity injury while on the climbing route.

Two incidents occurred within just an hour of each other but fortunately BOTH of these groups were equipped with emergency signaling devices, aiding coordination of the rescue missions. Thanks to the VRT, all climbers were safely located, evacuated, and returned home.

The VRT remind folks preparing for a climb to:

• Carry the Ten Essentials
• Use mapping and satellite communication devices
• Plan your route and know your turnaround time
• Stay hydrated and maintain proper nutrition
• Sign the climber registration log
• Let friends or family know your itinerary and expected return time

If you become lost or disoriented, stay where you are. Remaining in place greatly improves VRT's ability to locate and assist you quickly. Take a look at their list of Mount St. Helen's Climbing Essentials before you head out: volcanorescueteam.org/mount-st-helens.

With that in mind, here's what the 🌨️ FORECAST 🌨️ has in store:

Friday 6/5: Light rain and snow moving in by mid-day. Summit high of 26 F with 20 mph winds. Clouds and fog likely to make for low visibility throughout the day.

Saturday 6/6: Rain lower on the mountain transitioning to snow at higher elevations (current forecasts call for 2-10" of snow on the upper mountain). Summit high of 20 F with 20mph winds and wind chill in the single digits. Clouds and fog likely present throughout the day; expect ice on the upper mountain.

Sunday 6/7: Yesterday's storm is anticipated to abate and bring milder conditions, but it may leave the upper mountain icy/snow covered. A partly sunny day is forecast with a summit high around 38 F and winds under 20 mph. Winds may pick up in the evening increasing to 30 mph and fresh snow (possibly up to 6") is forecast late in the day.

Monday 6/9 into next week: Rain, snow, colder temperatures, fog, and windy conditions are projected from Monday into mid-week. With the potential for another 8" of snow by Tuesday morning.

Photo courtesy of MSHI Volunteer Andy Goodwin.

06/03/2026

National Trails Day® is just around the corner on Saturday, June 6 — have you found an event near you yet?

The newest addition to the GPNF's National Trails Day events will work on clearing a section of the Pacific Crest Trail near the historic Wind River Nursery.

Details and registration here: https://tinyurl.com/3xnae7z3

Check out other local events happening in your area: https://americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/find-an-event/

Consider using the Wild Spotter app to help find, map, and prevent invasive species while you volunteer and recreate on National Forest System lands: https://www.wildspotter.org/index.cfm

USFS Photo: by Matthew Tharp – Goat Rocks Wildernes

06/03/2026

Cave slime is living microbial community and is a critical part of a cave ecosystem.

Ever wondered why the walls of Ape Cave look sort of shimmery? ✨ It's cave slime! This living microbial community (a type of biofilm or bacterial mat) is a critical part of the cave ecosystem, supporting tiny organisms like fungus gnat larvae, which in turn provide a food source for grylloblatids, and so on up the chain.

Ape Cave may seem like a chilly, black, and barren lava tube, but it's actually home to a hidden world of weird and wonderful creatures.

🤓💡FUN FACT: Cave slime is of increasing interest to researchers in the search for extraterrestrial life as lava tubes are abundant on Mars! 🤯

Cave slime contains hub species; these have so many links to other organisms that if they were removed, it could cause ecological collapse.

YOU can help protect Ape Cave by:

• Keeping away from the walls and ceiling - touching kills cave slime.
• Leaving your pets at home.
• Not eating or drinking anything (except water) inside the cave.
• Practicing principles.
• Using the restrooms at the trailhead BEFORE you visit (Wait! We hear you. We're surprised we have to point this out too, but you honestly wouldn't believe some of the things that get 'left' in the cave... it's gross. Don't get caught short and be THAT person!)

👋 DO visit the Ape Headquarters (a small information station/store) or say hello to an MSHI Volunteer! They have a wealth of knowledge about visiting Ape Cave and are a great source for more fun facts.

Photos clockwise from top left: Fungus gnat larvae (Elise Murphy); grylloblatid (Elise Murphy); cave slime under UV light (Arin Greenwood).