This is not a conquest. It's a communion.
There's no better teacher for a young man crossing into himself.
Mt. St. Helens is one of the most alive mountains in the Pacific Northwest — a peak that carries within it the full story of destruction and return.
We are not taking boys to conquer it. We are taking them to be in conversation with it — with what it knows about breaking open, and what it knows about becoming again.
Two days. One summit. The kind of time that gets remembered.
Arrival at Climber's Bivouac We set up together, make dinner together, and sit around the fire. No screens. Just the mountain ahead and the night around us.
We rise. Headlamps on, we begin our ascent in the dark — a steep, sustained climb that asks everything of a young body and a young heart. Not technical. Just honest. The kind of hard that builds something real.
The summit. The caldera opens below us. The world is quiet and enormous.
Then we glissade down.
Rest, fire, food, story, and laughter. The kind of afternoon that gets remembered.
12–14
9 boys maximum
Brad Korpalski and an experienced adult co-guide
Food, permits, and the kind of adult presence that knows how to walk alongside a young man without getting in his way
Layers for cold and warm weather, sturdy soled shoes, headlamp, sleeping bag and pad, one garbage bag for the glissade. Tents sourced collectively.
Good general fitness — hiking, sport, active outdoor play — is suitable preparation. No technical climbing experience necessary.
Permits release May 1st. Registration secures your spot. If your preferred dates don't work once permits are confirmed, a full refund is available.
$388
per participant · group limited to 9 · first come, first served Write to Register
Reply by email to register or ask questions.
Payment via Venmo @Brad-Korpalski or Zelle reserves your place.
This climb is demanding and genuinely rewarding.
Brad is Wilderness First Aid certified and carries a full medical kit. He has completed this climb himself and has extensive experience leading adolescent boys in backcountry wilderness settings.
Weather on Mt. St. Helens can be unpredictable in June. In the event of unsafe conditions, we will make decisions prioritizing safety. Communication with families will be prompt if plans shift.
Questions welcome — reply to this email anytime. We want you to feel settled before your son steps onto the mountain.