Whitehorse beta?

[hrdwear]

Happy New Year to all!! I'm planning a climb on Whitehorse this month and thought I'd ask if any one had any beta on the mountain this time of year.

[admin]

There's been a few threads on whitehorse in the past, try looking in the North Cascades forum, or search for Whitehorse

here's one thread:http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000223

I can't remember what month it was when Jon and I were up there last, but while hiking up the gully to lone tree pass, i think thats what it is called, we heard a ton of slides rippin down the hill above us.

anyhow, thats what i've got, it ain't much

[mattp]

In the winter or spring, the direct route up Snow Gulch is the way to go. Almost the entire climb is on avalanche slopes, however, and the snow is slow to consolidate after a new snowfall because it is north facing. It is a big climb with a lot of elevation gain, but although crampons might come in handy, there is very little, if any, technical difficulty and other than perhaps a half rope or maybe a snow picket, most parties will not want any climbing gear. In the right conditions you might ski all the way from the summit to within few hundred yards of your car.

To reach the route, head up "Mine Road" out behind the Texaco station five miles west of Darrington, and when you find yourself in someone's front yard, turn left and then take another left fork shortly beyond. The road will climb a steep hill on a rough roadbed and pass the Lone Tree Pass trailhead on the left. From the end of the road, it is no more than a few hundred yards to the bottom of the gulch at about 1,000 feet.

Snow Gulch leads directly to the Whitehorse Glacier (its called So-Bahli-Ahli on the USGS map but I've never heard anybody but the gub-mint call it this). The bottom of the gulch is almost always filled with avalanche debris, and after about a thousand feet it is usually easiest to head right around a cliff (bushes and some small rockbands relatively quickly lead to more open slopes). From 2,500 feet to 5,700 feet, the route climbs through mostly open, rolling terrain, beneath cliffs on the right. Beyond the highest bushes, you may notice where you get onto the glacier because there are often some small crevasses and a few seracs visible, even with a heavy snowpack. At about 5800 feet the easiest route will take you up some steep slopes and onto the rib that separates Snow Gulch from the basin to the east (Sill Basin?), and another short, steep, terrain roll will take you onto the upper portion of the Whitehorse Glacier. Gentle slopes lead up and left to the summit. The last pitch may be technical, with a short steep bit of snow climbing leading to a moat and 30-40 feet of rock or rime ice to the summit.

You could camp in the basin above the lower rock cliffs, and there is usually water available, but the climb can be done in a day.

[Alpine_Tom]

I second MattP's recommendation: the Lone Tree Pass route is just wanderin' thru the trees for most of the way. The Whitehorse Glacier route is far more aesthetic. You do pay for it with an hour or so of pretty stiff bushwhacking at the start of the climb, though.Last time I was up there, I went up the Glacier and down via Lone Tree Pass, and there was lots more evidence of slides on the descent than the ascent.It is a big climb though; get started at dawn to avoid a descent through that bushwhacking in the dark.

[ 01-02-2002: Message edited by: Alpine Tom ]