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Trip Report    

Basic Alpine Climb - Mount Shuksan/Sulphide Glacier

Route in excellent condition. All climbers summited.

  • Road suitable for all vehicles
  • Trail in good condition. Encountered snow at 3,900 ft. Proceeded to the high camp at 6,500 ft. Encountered only one other group on the route and none on the summit day (benefit of a midweek climb!). The snow was in excellent condition. Great step-kicking all the way up the snow finger to ten feet below the summit. The transition from snow to rock at the top presented a bit of a challenge for basic-level climbers. In retrospect, a hand-line would have aided the confidence of the basic climbers at this juncture. We rapped off of the summit (single 50-meter rope) to bypass this challenge on the way down, and then down-climbed the snow finger. Great climb!

Obtained a backcountry permit at the Sedro Woolley Ranger Station when it opened at 8am. Departed trailhead at 10am. Arrived at high camp (6,500 feet) at 3pm. Departed camp at 4am on the summit day. Used wands to mark the glacier route, which was helpful on the return due to deteriorating weather. All climbers summited, the first arriving at 6:30am. Departed summit via single rope rappel, the last one departing at 7:30am. Returned to camp at 10am. Departed camp at noon. Arrived at cars at 3pm. Good group with mixed levels of ability. Great climb!