The Mountaineers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In recent years, many climbers have noticed and complained, with bitterness touched by sadness, about the myriad of fluttering flags found along many, many routes in the North Cascades. Close Read the leader's notes and understand the trip, Prerequisites, Leader's Permission Required, Mentored lead for Frank Chai. This offering is a perfect graduation from mountaineering into alpinism and offers stunning views of the Puget Sound. The low-impact principles of Leave No Trace are important no matter what activity you are engaged in, but in the alpine and in popular climbing areas, some practices become critical to the ecological health of the area. Do talk about waste disposal options and plans with your group. Climb easy snow and rock, then climb 150 ft up a slope of steep snow or ice (Winnie's Slide, incorrectly labeled on the map), and cross through the ridge onto the Upper Curtis Glacier. Day 2. The Guide Hut offers a selection of retail items, Northwest Alpine Guides logo wear, and a selection of climbing equipment. Sedro Woolley, WA 98284, Office Hours Transportation between the meeting location and the trailhead is not included in the price of the trip. Shuksan, which is generally regarded as the Sulphide Glacier route. Snack and lunch food for the descent to trailhead. The difficulties of the climb include glacier travel, Hell's Highway, Winnie's Slide, 3rd to 4th class scrambling on the Fisher Chimneys and summit pyramid. Dont toss it in a crevasseglaciers of the Pacific Northwest are relatively thin and it melts out quickly. Shuksans Fisher Chimneys Route and summit pyramid. Shuksan. All programs are subject to the Mountain Bureau LLC Terms & Conditions, MOUNTAIN BUREAU LLC 1752 Northwest Market Street Box 414, Seattle, Washington, United States +1.6-one-9.432.546-two contact@mountainbureau.com. Considering Rob and Joe had spent over 13 hours doing a very large list of firsts on a tough mountaineering route, I knew that trying to force everyone to solo downclimb the entire chimney section wasnt going to be a great idea. Give us a call to check on current availability (541)312-9242. Please read our Goals & Fitness guide for strategies to help you train for your climb. Climbing and wilderness rangers are on hand to provide advice, answer questions, or assist in trip planning. Sedro-Woolley, If there is a trail, use iteven if it means taking the 37 switchbacks instead of heading straight to your climb. We reached the bottom of the final class 4 section around 7:30pm, a solid 16 hours since we set off that morning. Turn left onto F & S Grade Road, The NWAG Guide Hut is the first building on your left, Take I-5 South towards Burlington to Cook Road in Skagit County. We did our best to keep our bags dry as we packed up and hit the trail by around 8am to tackle the chimneys. Unfortunately, we were a good 15 minutes into it before I realized this, so we continued to route find our way up to the chimneys entrance on what was probably a less efficient path. Shuksan is one of the most photographed mountains in the world. Read our Four-Legged Stool blog post for tips on finding the right adventure for you. A view from Lake Ann approach trail 2. Led by guides Zeb Blais and Brandon Seymore, the climb went smoothly with fit climbers, excellent weather and great route conditions. This will help reduce smells and animal visits to your camp. There are a few extremely popular routes on Mt. If you have never rock climbed before, we strongly recommend that you participate in one of our rock climbing courses before climbing the Fisher Chimneys: Intro to Alpine Rock Climbing Consider the experience of your party and ensure you have adequately experienced climbers to supervise/assist lessexperienced climbers throughthe bottlenecks and rockfall hazards presented on this climb. This gully system is called Fisher Chimneys and contains sections of small gullies (chimneys) to climb up. Drive I-5 to Bellingham. Turn left onto F & S Grade Road, From State Highway 20 East, at the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto Cook Road (after the Walgreens), Follow Cook Road to Borseth Road in Sedro-Woolley, 7 min (4.3 mi) I hadnt seen pictures of either bivy site before the trip, and I was very pleasantly surprised to find a gorgeous site sitting alongside the seracs of the Upper Curtis glacier with incredible views of Mt. Or, walk-up permits can be obtained for free from any park ranger station in-person just before your climb, if sites are available, on a last-minute basis. Mount Shuksan: Location: USA-Washington: Elevation: 9131 ft / 2783 m: Ascent Trip Report 4 of us attempted Mount Shuksan via the Fisher Chimneys. I was close to just planning a repeat of the alpine rock weekend in Mazama. We begin our approach to high camp at a trailhead near Artist Point and the Mount Baker Ski Area, then hike through . Mount Shuksan has become the iconic face of the rugged North Cascades of Washingon, with its picturesque north face a ubiquitous presence on calendars and souveniers. Joe heading up to the base of Winnie's Slide, Practicing running belays using pickets on Winnie's Slide, The Upper Curtis glacier comes into view nearing the higher bivy site. Our summit day starts early with a pre-dawn alpine start. Shuksan epitomizes the jagged alpine peak Continue Reading Summit day begins with a pre-dawn start and a climb up Winnie's Slide on moderate snow and ice. Fisher Chimneys: Main Peak: 115: 4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b AI1 Mod. Take I-5 North towards Burlington to Cook Road in Skagit County. This is a strenuous route that requires climbing technical terrain carrying an overnight pack. It didnt take long, and we arrived at the entrance of the chimney itself. The Mountain Bureau will never share or sell your information. A two-day ascent of Mount Shuksan (9,131') via the Fisher Chimneys on August 16, 2020. There are a couple down trees on the trail in the forest. Shuksan Fisher Chimneys Climb. One of the other group members (Rob) was available for this weekend, making it a party of 3. The Sulphide Glacier, the Fisher Chimneys, and the North Face are all commonly climbed, and regularly guided. Shuksan. Hiking Time: 6 hours, Accommodations: Tented Camp Date changes are subject to availability and apply only to the current climbing season. Mt. Glacier navigation was straightforward, a couple obvious turns required on the Upper Curtis but nothing we couldn't see from a very safe distance. Top of chimney to Summit: No exposed steep ice but some adjacent patches starting to show. Rated class 4, you will be in near-vertical scrambling circumstances. Baker and Fisher Chimneys on Mt. Tail end of the milky way over Mt. This non-volcanic North Cascades Peak offers access to a wide span of glaciated and rock terrain for climbing. June 28-29. I might start keeping at least a few sheets of 'write in the rain' paper on me for future climbs. Meal schedule: (B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner. I had us pack 2 ropes, a 60m 9.5 and a 50m 8.9, for redundancy and in hopes that we would be able to link some rappels on the way down for efficiency. June 26-27. We rappel our route and descend to high camp. A mixed glacier and 4th class rock climb/scramble, a bit more challenging than the Sulphide Glacier route, and joining the Sulphide route on the summit pyramid. This put my summit time goal 9am. Here are a few details of our successful summit climb of Mount Shuksan Fisher Chimneys. Rob taking in the elevation gained so far, looking down at the Lower Curtis glacier. Variations are possible, and even likely, in the chimneys. The Fisher Chimneys portion of the climb ascend the imposing West face of the mountain, skirting the . Mt. We recommend Signature Travel Insurance. From the summit, we enjoy views of the glaciers beneath us on Shuksans north face, and the serrated peaks of the North Cascades. Payments Policy. Descend along the northwest edge of the Upper Curtis Glacier until you can cross to the White Salmon at about 7050 ft. Descend a short steep slope at the top of the White Salmon then keep left, following below the crest of Shuksan Arm on easy rock and snow for a short distance until you come to place where you can cross to the south side of the ridge. Climbing Time: 7-9 hours. If I would have known, I would have brough a new one. Vertical Gain Hiking: 3,500 feet If there is no trail or designated camp, always look for rock, snow, or bare ground to travel or pitch camp. Many areas of the park are remote and seldom visited, with few or no current conditions reports. The ridge was fun, had exciting but not intimidating exposure on both sides, and the rock was solid enough. After a short time, we began the descent. From June 1 to November 15, allowed hard-sided food canisters are required for camping below the vegetation line in Boston Basin, Eldorado, and Sulphide Glacier cross-country zones. Shuksan via Shannon Ridge or Lake Ann, and many other climbs). I decided to go with a pre-rigged rappel with clove hitches between each climber on the anchor to make it as stress free as possible. Engineering. Johannesburg Mountain in the background during an ascent of the Torment-Forbidden-Traverse Photo: Mark Allen. Certainly, there are loose pieces here and there, but most of the true class 4 sections had fantastic holds and in-between there were minimal patches of unstable dirt/kitty litter/rubble. Our instructors are highly skilled professional guides who have been selected based on their technical proficiency, proven safety records, careful judgment, patience, and supportive teaching styles. Permits are mandatory any time you plan to spend the night, whether in a tent or at a bivy site. Note: Women may want to bring an extra sports bra in case one becomes wet. WA Northwest Alpine Guides will instruct you how to climb safely and successfully. The mountains feature steep rugged glacially sculpted rocky mountain peaks with the most expansive glacial system in the contiguous United States. Day 2 . Rockfall is a concern in the chimneys. Location: Mount ShuksanRatio: 2:1 climber to guide (max. Distance: 13.7 mi. At the top of Hells Highway, we put the crampons on evaluated the slope. I ran into the bathroom. Shadows cast, I presume, by the Mox-Spickard-Redoubt mountain cluster blocking sunrise against a high-altitude haze as we moved up the Sulphide glacier. The Mountaineers teaches skills and leads outdoor activities for all ages and levels in the Pacific Northwest. Log in and send us For more information on food storage requirements see this page. This initially caused some delays waiting for them on the first couple pitches, however by the last pitch they were fully ahead, and we were our own limiting factor. A couple parties came through the upper Bivy, including some climbing rangers who did their usual permit checks. Almost at the Summit Pyramid. Draped in glaciers and capped with a beautiful, 3-sided summit pyramid, it more than lives up to its name. Video Resource: What to Expect the Morning of the Climb. The summit register was in terrible condition, full of scraps of loose paper, we had to just squeeze our names into a space in-between the other entries. Dates & Prices. Burlington, WA 98233, La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Burlington Thus far we hadnt seen anyone this day, until we finally ran into some people downclimbing near the top of the chimney. SE Ridge was clear of snow all the way to the summit, decent enough rock, no slings or anchors on the ridge proper. But the reality is that there are several more interesting lines and variations on the peak. Also remember that in this wilderness park the vegetation is protected: cutting, limbing, or destroying vegetation is illegal and can result in a serious citation. When preparing meals, please do not bring food items that require extensive cooking or other preparation. Route and glacier conditions undergo significant changes during the course of a season. Click to read more about the Peaks of the North Cascadesin Washington State. We ate some snacks, enjoyed the expansive views of the North Cascades as the cloud layer was starting to break up and reveal the smaller peaks around us. Aug 3. Beginning at Austin Pass, the Lake Ann Trail enters the Mount Baker Wilderness as it switchbacks down into the headwaters of the Swift Creek Drainage. Climb 3rd and 4th class alpine rock up the spectacular Fisher Chimneys to the summit of Mount Shuksan. The Guide Hut offers a selection of mountaineering equipment and clothing for purchase and rent. To safely enjoy this climb, you must be able to meet these benchmark times while maintaining reserves of strength. permits. I got him on belay, had him remove the micro-traxion when he got to it, and then bring up Joe. Mount Shuksan's Fisher Chimneys is one of the very classic Cascadian alpine routes up the arguably most iconic peak in North Cascades National Park. Both the popularity and rockfall risk on this climb can create dangerous situations. With the second weekend rapidly approaching I had to figure out what our objective would be. The trail descends onto a ridge then turns right and enters a gully. ), Trailhead parking fees (Northwest Forest Pass), Waiver for pre-existing conditions (must be purchased within 14 days of trip deposit), Optional Cancel for Any Reason coverage (must be purchased within 14 days of trip deposit), Small personal first-aid kit with medications and blister kit. It was a huge relief to transition back to trekking poles and take off the helmets. Presume, by the Mox-Spickard-Redoubt mountain cluster blocking sunrise against a high-altitude haze as packed. 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