New Hiking Trails, Campgrounds at Mount Saint Helens?

The Vancouver Columbian has an interesting story about Mount Saint Helens. Apparently the Forest Service is looking into …

the possibility of adding one or two campgrounds and two trails at Mount St. Helens, including a new climbing route on the north side of the volcano.

Read the rest here. The trail wouldn’t go to the summit, but would reach 6,500 feet on the rim and give a view into the crater. That sounds cool!

I’ve been thinking more and more about hiking up at Saint Helens. The trails on the south side are well known to me and in my book — Lava Canyon and Ape Canyon being the coolest ones — but the north side is less known to me, since it’s beyond the range of my book.

But when I see pictures like this, I ask myself, “Self, why aren’t we hiking at Mount Saint Helens?”

So, who’s got suggestions for up there? Where should I take myself hiking? Anybody want to go?

Both photos via the Washington Trails Association.