What should I climb?

[PVD]

 

I'll be driving up from Portland to spend about 10-12 days in the North Cascades sometime in late July or early August (7-week break from work) to do some climbing and backpacking. I have alot of ideas, but thought I'd tap into the knowledge of CC members for advice. I'll be solo, so I'd like to avoid crevassed glaciers and anything really exposed (no 5th class or extended 4th terrain).

I've taken a couple of classes, and have been climbing for a couple of years. I've done many of the easy volcano routes (Hood hogsback, Adams, etc.) as well as about 20 Class 3/snow/easy glacier routes in the Olympics and Washington cascades.

My tentative list of possibilities includes: Mt. Maude/7-Fingered Jack; Buck/Fortress Mts.; Snowking Mt.; Black Pk.; Mt. Daniel; Cashmere Mt.; and Del Campo/Gothic Pks. I'm also wondering whether Sahale Peak and Mt. Shuksan-sulphide glacier are reasonable solo trips for someone with my experience.

Any advice on these or other climbs and how to make best use of my time up there would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[slothrop]

Sahale is a very reasonable solo trip. A little class 4 at the top. Dunno about Sulphide Gl, never been there.

 

You could traverse Daniel and Hinman, then scramble around on the Middle Fork peaks. That could take up your whole trip.

[rock-ice]

You could traverse Daniel and Hinman, then scramble around on the Middle Fork peaks. That could take up your whole trip.

 

That would be a very cool trip. The 'glaciers' on daniel are very mild and all of the middle fork snoqualmie river peaks are 4 class or less (most). I think this would be a nice well rounded trip. You wouldn't see a lot of people the second half either.

 

I did the Buck Creek Traverse last summer and it was very cool. Be aware though neither of these trips are on amazing rock (i.e. choss). There are awsome views of glacier peak on the second trip, and a small likely hood of bad weather.

 

Sure wish I had a week to climb...

[Alex]

You could take a couple days and hike into Kool Aid Lake, near Cascade Pass, and do Hurry Up and Magic via their fairly mellow southern sides. Sahale via Sahale Arm on the same trip would be fine too.

 

Maude via its 'decent route' from Leroy Basin might be a nice high summit, but I suspect it will be pretty dry and not that great if you miss the wildflowers, for which Leroy Basin is really awesome. I was there in June one year and it was the perfect time. Maude and 7-fingered Jack are kind of grinds in the heat.

 

One thing you have not mentioned which I would consider is a really cool rambling traverse of the entire Stuart Range. You could start from Ingalls Lake, take a day hike to top of Stuart and down, continue over Goat Pass down to Colchuck, tag Colchuck and continue over Aasgard Pass, and spend a few really nice days in the Enchantments doing Dragontail, Little Annapurna, and just rambling up there at those lakes.

[slothrop]

Ya need a permit for the Enchantments, tho.

[PVD]

That sounds like a cool trip, slothrop. Did an online search for reports on the Hinman-Daniels traverse and found a route description. Sounds like the glacier on Hinman is gone or pretty tame?

I've climbed in the National Park and Monte Cristo region, but haven't made it to the Alpine Lakes yet. Everything I read implies the area gets pretty crowded. I might do Colchuck as a day trip to avoid the permit hassle. I wanted to do it in April this year, but no snow...then no time.

[PVD]

You could take a couple days and hike into Kool Aid Lake, near Cascade Pass, and do Hurry Up and Magic via their fairly mellow southern sides. Sahale via Sahale Arm on the same trip would be fine too.

 

I hadn't considered Hurry Up and Magic, though I've read route descriptions in CAG. I imagine these climbs would be less crowded than Sahale, but offer similar views of that awesome area. When you say fairly mellow, you mean what...class 3 with some steep snow?

[Alex]

There are good route descriptions in CAG for these routes ... just look it up!

[Skeezix]

Sulphide on Shuksan is not a good choice for a solo trip. For someone new to the area, climbing Sahale will provide maximum view potential...

[PVD]

Sulphide on Shuksan is not a good choice for a solo trip. For someone new to the area, climbing Sahale will provide maximum view potential...

 

Thanks, yeah, I figured Shuksan solo was a stretch. I was just awestruck by that mountain when I climbed Ruth Mt. and Tomyhoi Pk. last July. Then I read a couple of online reports of solo trips on the sulphide and thought it might be feasible.

I hiked up to cascade pass on my trip last summer, but didn't climb anything. The views of surrounding peaks were pretty obscured by forest fire smoke. Hopefully that won't be the case this year.

[Dustin_B]

Ya need a permit for the Enchantments, tho.

 

I don't think you do if you start from the Ingalls side

[slothrop]

You can start from wherever you want, but if you camp in the Enchantments, you need a permit. I figure if you've got so many days, you might as well camp out and soak it all up. The rangers are bound to run into you if you're up there for X days in a tent.

 

For day trips to the Enchantments, you just need to fill out a permit, but there's no limit or fee, if I remember correctly.

[Alex]

The rangers are bound to run into you if you're up there for X days in a tent.

 

Go midweek.

[Skeezix]

You could solo up the Sulphide if you stayed left going up, but it is a glacier... And the summit pyramid is mildly daunting as a scramble. Sahale has a glacier too, but it is regularly crossed unroped. You didn't hear that from me, though.

[Blake]

Sahale has a glacier too, but it is regularly crossed unroped. You didn't hear that from me, though.

You could quote me on it though I've actual soloed it in the same company is a ranger, and the cascade pass ranger last summer soloed it at least once, so even "offical" folks don't oppose doing it alone. I think downclimbing the rock at the top would be the most dangerous, not the glacier.