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Mt. Shuksan, Sulphide 6-01-02


PackOnMyBack

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This was my fourth attempt on Mt. Shuksan (my wife’s 3rd), and my 2nd try via the Sulphide, so I thought I’d try something different. I’d heard that this was a good car-to-car route so I figured we’d give it a shot.

We left the car at 1 a.m. It took us 15 minutes to reach the trailhead, the road had melted out quite a bit between there and the car. The old logging road/trail was considerably snow free for the first ¾ mile but then snow became constant. The trail was faint through the woods but really obvious once on Shannon ridge. We hit the col before daylight and spotted only one tent. We cramponed up here for the traverse below the slabs, the snow to that point had been mostly firm and was getting more so. The traverse to the glacier was uneventful and we packed up our headlamps at about 4 a.m. when we reached 6400’. We ascended the west side of the Sulphide and had perfect cramponing conditions, as well as excellent views of Mt. Baker. We didn’t see one open slot all the way to the base of the pyramid, which we reached at 6:30. After a break we traversed up below the S ridge of the pyramid and then climbed out into the central gully leading up the face.

Although the face had seemed intimidating from a distance, from the based it seemed less so. All that changed when we were about 150’ up. The snow was extremely hard and mixed with quite a bit of firn. We ended up frontpointing a lot of it and we would not have refused a second tool, or a belay. Without either, we hit the summit at 7:15 with excellent views and just a slight wind. [Cool]

There had been some high overcast most of the morning and that had kept the snow firm for our ascent as well as our descent. Once we descended the pyramid, again a lot of front pointing, the overcast was lifting and the snow was softening. By 9 a.m. I was sinking up to my calves and was glad to be moving off the glacier. We passed only two other parties of two going up the glacier. The snow on the ridge had gotten really soft and once in the woods we stopped for breakfast. As we packed up, a party of 2 passed us going up and mentioned the hoard coming up from below. We passed 43 other climbers coming up (YES, FORTY THREE [Eek!] ). Having answered 20 questions about the route (and ignored another 40) we found the trail through the woods had been wanded, lest we miss the 43 sets of bootprints in the snow.

We hit the car at 12:20 and were super glad to not have been on the mountain with the hoards that night and even more glad not to have had to witness the craziness that was sure to take place on the pyramid Sun. morning.

This turned out to be an excellent car-to-car climb. I would not have gotten on the face of the pyramid with more than a couple of other climbers on it, even then only if I knew their skills. This is not the place to have to deal with crowds or beginners. Having had the summit to ourselves, we didn’t have to deal with either.

 

[ 06-05-2002, 11:06 AM: Message edited by: PackOnMyBack ]

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quote:

Originally posted by boonecounty:

Congratulations, good TR. Hope you went to someplace and pigged out and then passed out afterwards. Isn't it the coolest feeling when you are heading down successful and others are trudging up?

There's nothing better, especially since we had PERFECT conditions and the entire route and summit to ourselves! Oh yea, except maybe the faces on the mounties [geek] when they found out that we had left the car THAT morning!

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Hey PMB,

The wife and I ran into you just as you were clearing the old growth, asked you about beta on the route. AGREE that this is NOT a route to be on with a plethora of people! Hey, I certainly don't have problems with butt loads (sorta) of people or classes being run on mountains (as we all have to learn and can share) but when vast numbers clog up *A* route (the MAIN route) preventing it for everyone else to enjoy, and increasing the chances for major "CF" situation .. that's a BAD call!

Take people to the snow domes of the Cascades, where people can spread out, pass one another in grace!

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PackOnMyBack:

 

Yes we were very impressed that you had left the car that morning! [Moon]

 

We were well aware that the trip is doable in one day.

 

Please note is that it was the Boealps that wore their helmets all the way from the cars, not the Mounties! [Razz]

 

[ 06-05-2002, 09:36 AM: Message edited by: paultkuhn ]

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Steve and Paul,

I have amended my trip report to clear up any misunderstandings. We were given erroneous information by other climbers and the ranger we met on the trail that day. I hope you all had a good time on the mountain, as we did, and wish you continued success in your endeavors. [big Grin]

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