GMU 522 - Loo-wit, Washington

Dramatic volcanic landscape centered on Mt. St. Helens (summit ~8,365 ft) with the crater breach open to the north. The unit spans the blast zone from barren Pumice Plain at ~2,500-3,500 ft elevation to the North Fork Toutle River valley at ~1,000-1,500 ft. Key terrain features include the Pumice Plain directly north of the crater, Johnston Ridge, Coldwater Lake, Spirit Lake basin, and the debris-avalanche hummock field along the North Fork Toutle mudflow corridor. The Mudflow unit (2,861 acres) occupies the valley floor west of the monument; terrain is mostly flat to rolling with steep hills formed by 1980 avalanche debris. Upper monument areas (Pumice Plain, Upper Smith Creek, Mount Whittier) are roadless and require strenuous backcountry effort.

Approximately 95% public land: ~78% USFS (Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Gifford Pinchot NF Cowlitz Valley Ranger District) and ~17% DNR and WDFW. The remaining ~5% is Weyerhaeuser industrial forestland. Monument access policies heavily restrict motorized use — hunters must follow the Gifford Pinchot MVUM. Primary road access: State Route 504 (Spirit Lake Memorial Highway) forms the northern boundary; USFS Road 26 and Road 99 (Windy Ridge Road) access the east/south sides; DNR Road 3000 accesses the south. The North Fork Toutle River runs at high velocity and is dangerous to cross. The Mudflow unit has no public driving routes onto it — park at SR 504 pull-outs. Backcountry hunt areas are roadless; kills must be packed out by non-motorized means with no wheeled devices or domestic animals. An off-trail USFS permit is required when scouting or hunting the Pumice Plain. Mudflow unit closes to all public access December 1 through April 30.

Vegetative recovery from the 1980 eruption defines the ecology. The Pumice Plain remains largely barren with pioneering lupine, sedge, and scattered conifer seedlings. The blast zone periphery supports dense alder and willow galleries (20-25 ft) along stream corridors, with silver fir, western hemlock, and mountain hemlock on north-facing slopes. Outside the monument, salvage-logged areas were replanted in dense Douglas-fir. The Mudflow unit features open meadow-like habitat with scattered trees, shrubs, and seasonal ponds — prime elk winter range improved by WDFW through erosion control and vegetation plantings. Elk forage quality in the blast zone is limited, leaving the herd with minimal fat reserves heading into winter.

Elk returned to the blast zone almost immediately after the 1980 eruption and have driven vegetation recovery — hoof action breaks ash crust to expose mineral soil for germination. Approximately 75 resident elk use the Mudflow unit year-round but scatter when disturbed. The Mt. St. Helens elk herd (MSH) uses all of GMU 522 and adjacent GMUs 520, 524, and 556 seasonally. Rut activity begins as early as the first week of September. Elk move down to the North Fork Toutle valley and Mudflow unit for winter range. Monument interior areas support elk during summer and fall but animals are dispersed across open volcanic terrain. Treponeme-Associated Hoof Disease (TAHD) is prevalent in the MSH herd; WDFW incentivizes hunters to harvest limping elk.

GMU 522 is closed to all general hunting — only elk (special permit) and mountain goat (special permit) may be taken; deer hunting is entirely closed. All hunters must wear hunter orange/blaze pink regardless of weapon type. Non-motorized, non-hoofstock kill removal is required in all monument elk areas. Up to 3 non-hunting helpers allowed. Disabled hunters with special permits may use motorized access on the Mudflow unit with a gate combination. The MSH elk herd is currently below management objectives; WDFW has reduced antlerless opportunity in recent years. The draw is a pure random draw with no preference points. HuntScore rates ease of drawing at 16/100 (very difficult); statewide WA elk draw averages ~7.6% but these micro-quota areas are far more competitive. Mountain goat population estimated at 335 animals (2025); 2 tags per hunt area per year issued since 2023.