Basic Glacier Climb - Green Glacier - Twin Sisters Range

We arrived at the Elbow Lake trailhead just after 0600 and our group discussed the plan and distribute group gear. At 0645 we departed and made our way out the valley. The initial crossing of the middle fork of the Nooksack is easy with a large log across and hand lines. Our group moved efficiently over trail and then climbers trail, getting to the Green Creek crossing in about two hours. We waded across, some people changed footwear for the off trail terrain ahead of us. At this point the group ascended scree and talus to the upper basin, arriving there at approximately 0945. We took a long break, filtered water and ate snacks. It was a gorgeous day with bright blue skies above, and beautiful terrain all around. From here we traveled up into the scrambling portion of the climb, making our way over rolling rock slabs of grippy dunite.

At 1120 we stopped for a break at the toe of the Green Glacier.

1145 we departed on rope teams onto the Green Glacier and towards our objective for the day, Cinderella Peak. 

1315 we arrived at the low notch on the ridge of Cinderella Peak and transitioned from glacier to rock mode. Michael and Jason were a team, Kate and I were a team, and Alicia and Doug paired up. Alicia and Doug went for the west ridge of Cinderella while the rest of us climbed the north face. This was Kate and Michael’s final climb to graduate so there was a lot of excitement for the day. Everyone met at the top and prepared to rappel the north face which was easily done with a double rope rappel, which put us onto a steep snow panel above the glacier. Half of us glissaded down the brief, steep section and it was speedy! 
we backtracked our route, more or less, finding ourselves back at the car at roughly 2045, a mere 14 hours after we had left. 

As mountaineering goes, the fun doesn’t always end at the trailhead. One car from our group got a flat on the drive out. Naturally, the team pulled together to change the flat.