White Salmon Glacier Approach

[Colin]

Has anyone ever had much luck traversing straight to the base of the White Salmon Glacier (the one on Shuksan, that is) from the base of the ski area? I know that one can drop down in the valley somewhat, and then climb back up, but perhaps this early in the season it wouldn't be too bad to traverse straight over. Anyone done it this way?

[AlpineK]

I've followed a cat track from the White Salmon base to a chair (the eastern-most chair). From there we traversed and descended a little. We crossed a couple slide chutes and ended up in the basin under the WS glacier.

 

It was pretty easy on skis.

[mattp]

Alpine K has it right. Head fifty yards uphill from the White Salmon base and follow the cat track through the woods to the left. Where it ends, a bit below a chair lift, you just keep going straight ahead, dropping slightly, and you'll cross a couple of chutes before encountering the avalache debris piles in the basin below Shuksan Arm. Then you'll climb a short headwall to reach the basin below the White Salmon. At this time of year, there is usually an open water supply just as you reach that higher basin.