Basic Alpine Climb - Mount Shuksan/Fisher Chimneys

Leader's notes Follow a trail toward the lower Curtis Glacier. It switchbacks, crosses two gullys, and becomes obscure just before the entrance of the first chimney. Find a clear trail through the chimneys, ~1,000' of class 3-4 scrambling. Ascend the first chimney for about 200'. Below a difficult step exit right and continue up ridge. Traverse right across a heather slope, and out onto a small ridge (dry bivy site). Traverse across a large talus field, gaining about 100', to a gully on the far side. Climb the gully past two class 3-4 steps and short traverses and up a longer, straight section. Traverse for about 70', then turn left up a side gully 100' to where the route tops out on the ridge. Climb easy snow and rock, then climb 150' 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. Ascend/traverse the glacier, working left around crevasses. Turn right (S) and make a descending traverse toward Hell's Highway (incorrectly labeled "The Hourglass" on the map). Ascend Hell's Highway then the Sulphide to the base of the summit pyramid, which can be climbed by the right skyline or by a gully up the center (exposed class 4, 600'). Watch for rockfall in Chimneys. Requires good physical condition and endurance. Popularity of this climb can create problems, especially in final chimney. Consider a smaller party size - 6 is recommended - and a midweek attempt to avoid bottlenecks and rockfall. A higher camp is feasible below the chimneys at approximately 5600'. Variations possible, even likely, in chimneys.

Meeting place and time 5:00 AM at TH