Beta on Clark Mountain / Walrus Glacier

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Has anyone been up to Clark Mountain recently? Is the Walrus Glacier still in shape, or have the crevasses melted out a lot due to the low snow pack?

[ncascademtns]

I was up there a month ago and we had no trouble going up the Walrus Glacier. We summited pretty much in a whiteout so we could not see most of the glacier but it was more than do-able.

[SPS]

I was up there last weekend (7/9, 7/10). From Boulder Pass, the route leading up to the notch is aobut 50% snow free. Once of the glacier, the route description says stay left of the large crevasse. It looked to us like that crevasse went all the way across the glacier although you may be able to pick your way through it although you will cross bridges. We went right toward the false summit. Required going down through some fallen bridges and short (5 feet) ice sections but was doable. That said, I imagine that particular route will be gone in a couple weeks. Once in the flat spot by the false summit, the route description says go south over a ridge and traverse to gully to true summit. I'm assuming that in a normal snow year this would be on snow. This year it's on crappy rock. Two options we could see. 1) Climb up some crappy rock to the false summit and hope there is a route over to the true summit. 2) Drop down 200-300 feet on snow and then go up one of several snow gullies to get back toward the summit block. Overall, it's doable but the Walrus glacier will require route finding.

 

Sean

starbucker@backpacker.com