Mount St. Helens climbing permits on sale Feb. 1

The 2018 Mount St. Helens climbing permits go on sale at 9 a.m. Feb. 1.

Permits are required from April 1 to Oct. 31. Permits also are required for anyone traveling above 4,800 feet year-round.

They cost $22 and can be purchased through the Mount St. Helens Institute’s website, www.mshinstitute.org.

From April 1 until May 15, 500 daily permits are available. From May 16 through Oct. 31, 100 daily permits are available.

Some changes have been made to the purchase system this year.

About 10 percent of all permits between May 16 and Oct. 31 won’t be released until the last day of the previous month. The change is meant to make permits available later in the year.

Also, to improve climber safety, permittees will need to register the names of all the climbers in their parties before they go.