shuskan...

[DPS]

I would sure as heck rather descend the FC in poor visability rather than the Sulphide. If you are at all concerned, bring wands for the glacier. Once you are in the chimneys, its kind of hard to get lost. Just follow the trail.

 

A one day ascent is very reasonable for moderately in shape climbers.

[Alex]

beg to differ on that

 

FC in a day car to car is a very long day for even in-shape climbers

 

still a good day though, no need to lug in bivy gear

[Dru]

remember we are down to 12 hours of daylight, plan accordingly.

[AA]

Anyone done Shuksan via Fisher Chimneys or Sulphide within last couple weeks? Three weekend warriors going up fc and down the sulphide (leaving 2 cars of course) this weekend... comments/suggestions much appreciated....

[DPS]

Mt Shuksan is typically a good late season choice. My advice:

 

1. Find the correct start to the chimneys. I think there is beta somewhere on this. Use the search function

 

2. Bivi on top of the chimneys, there is a beautiful site just below Winnie's Slide.

 

3. Descend the Fisher Chimneys. It is not difficult. Really.

[AA]

my concerns are the weather forecast/changes... not too excited about descending the chimneys in the rain/snow...

is it doable in one day for 3 moderately in-shape weekend warriors? i understand this is a relative question... tia

[bobinc]

One issue to consider is the presence of a 'shrund at the bottom of Hell's Highway. If there is a shrund, it will obviously take longer to deal with it, whether you climb through it or around it on the slabs to the right

 

If you camp at Lake Ann and get an early start, should be no problem to get down at a reasonable time, even if there is the 'shrund to deal with.

[Norman_Clyde]

The five miles to Austin Pass from Lake Ann will feel mighty long to you. I haven't done the Sulphide but I bet it's easier to stay on route descending the Chimneys. Finding the start is probably the only tricky part. The illustration in Beckey, which I thought beforehand showed the whole chimney system, actually shows only the very start as seen from half a mile beyond Lake Ann. Once you get that far it should be straightforward. I'm all for doing such climbs in a day, but you'd be in the dark a good amount of the time, so be prepared, although hiking out from Lake Ann at night is no big deal.

[mattp]

I once climbed and skied the Sulfide route in fog in the month of September, and we even kept our skis on for the short icy section where all the cravasses were, on that terrain roll between 6600 and 7400 feet. I'm not suggesting that was a good idea because it is not completely trival, but we were into this thing about skiing every month of the year and we became pretty glib about Cascade glaciers. However, the route is not that bad nor is it hard to find if you know a little bit about navigation. On the descent, you will be following your tracks and I would expect most of it to have a snow surface rather than ice, so you will see your footprints. Also, the route does not deviate far from the crest of what might be called the south or southwest ridge, so any time you had doubts about where you were you could head right in search of a terrain feature that should get you back on track. Then, if you find yourself blocked by a crevasse or something, you'd only need head back left until you were able to cross it, then head back right again to once again locate a terrain feature on or near the crest of the south/southwest ridge.

 

I've never been up or down the Fischer Chimney's so I can't make a direct comparison, but I've been to Lake Anne and I've climbed and descended the White Salmon a couple of times and I would guess the Sulphide would make an easier day trip.

 

[ 09-16-2002, 03:36 PM: Message edited by: mattp ]

[DPS]

quote:

---

FC in a day car to car is a very long day for even in-shape climbers

---

I suppose it all depends on what one considers 'reasonable' 'in-shape' and 'long day'.

[Cpt.Caveman]

You guys are all wankers! I am going to send the Fisher Chimneys with roller skates on then descend via the North Face in one day. I am going in this good weather window we have, tomorrow morning for any takers interested. As long as I got my horsecock I can bivy if necessary. I'll be the one in speedos on the summit

[Alpine_Tom]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Norman Clyde:

The five miles to Austin Pass from Lake Ann will feel mighty long to you. I haven't done the Sulphide but I bet it's easier to stay on route descending the Chimneys. Finding the start is probably the only tricky part.

---

Finding the start of the chimneys is indeed the tricky part. Even with Becky's book, and someone up there to point it out, I had a hard time finding it. I have a photo with the line drawn in I can e-mail you if you want. Can't say how much it'll help, though.

 

And on the descent, you can indeed get "off route." (There actually several trails winding up through there.) I managed heading to somehow end up on a blank (to me) rock face, looking at a bolt at eye level, with a beautiful trail 20 feet below me. I managed to squirm across the face in my boots and scramble down, but I sure would have liked having a short rappel rope in my pack.

 

Whether you attempt it in a day (I did, but in June) or overnight, don't try to descend the chimneys in the dark.

[turn_one]

was on the fishers route sunday. camp high, right below winnies slide, this will allow some extra time for the interesting glacier navigation, theres big bergs all over at the base of hells. i made the mistake of camping at lake ann, started early and got off route at the base of the rock pitch in the dark, took up some time, spent too long on the lower glacier trying to find a good path to hells, had weather issues,etc. stay on route and get a early enough start and it should be fairly straight forward,,,enjoy.

[Skisports]

SO how was your HC Cavey. did you get a good summit pick in your speedos ?

[AA]

Thanks for all of the advice guys! Although we didn't end up doing it- went to Wa Pass instead

[JasonG]

bringing this to the top. Anybody been on the NF recently? Moat or 'schrund problems?? Thanks for any info . . .

[mrefranklin]

Heinrich,

 

We were out taking a peek at the North Face this weekend. There is currently about a 12 ft ice block entry just to get onto the route. The "snow" was about as close to ice as you can get without being water ice and the schrund up higher looks pretty big (30+ feet). We felt we were in a bit over our heads considering our group's lack of ice lead experience. We'd all climbed ice that steep before, but never for that long. We met a fellow up ther looking to solo it. Nice guy who climbed it 2 years ago and worked as a guide. He backed off too. He probably would have gunned it if he had a partner, though. For a good ice crew it looks like heaven.

 

Hope that that helps.

 

Eric

 

P.S. Watch for the hornets on the way up. We dislodged hornet nests about 4 or 5 times and I took about 8 stings. Yowzah!