Closed Roads and Winter Routes???

[thatcher]

I'm thinking about doing some winter climbs in the cascades such as eldorado, shuksan, baker, adams, hood.

 

1.What is the status of the approach roads to these mountains during the winter?

 

2.for the closed roads, when does the snow usually melt in the spring? (especially baker)

 

3.what are some good, reasonably safe routes in the winter on these mountains?

 

all the climbing guides I have only talk about summer climbs and I know very few people that have experience in winter.

 

Anything anyone can tell me would be much appreciated.

 

thanks.

[ivan]

of those all, hood is by far the easiest to climb in winter (it's best season anyway) - you can drive to the timberline ski lodge and ski area at 6K ft on regularly plowed roads - from there you can access stupid easy "climbs" like the standard s side route or luetholds coulior, or do more interesting stuff like the reid or sandy glacier headwalls. bring skiis, if that's your thing.

[DPS]

There are some areas that are popular for winter mountaineering due to reasonable access and good climbing routes. Look into Colchuck Lake (Dragontail and Colchuck Peaks), Snoqualmie Pass (Chair Peak and The Tooth), and the Tatoosh Range (Pinnacle Peak, Lane Peak, and The Castle) for starters.

[chris]

Eldorado - road is gated right at the Eldorado TH. In today's conditions, I'd want to have a high-clearance 4WD do go up the Cascade River Road.

Shuksan - very possible in the right avy conditions - I've been looking at it for a possible ski-mountaineering trip this winter or early spring.

Baker - the Glacier Creek Road is usually closed long before the Heliotrope Ridge TH. But if you get there early in the morning with a six-pack, you may be able to bribe a sled-head to give you a lift.

[RocNoggin]

hey mtnfreak,

 

I was thinking about a winter attempt, climb and ski, on either Shuksan or Baker right before Christmas. we have a bunch of family coming up from CA to stay at the family condo in Snowater/Glacier so I will be spending close to two weeks up there and I cant ski the resort for that long, I need some BC climbing and skiing. if you, or anyone else for that matter, are interested let me know.

[Alex]

1.What is the status of the approach roads to these mountains during the winter?

 

The Cascade River road (Eldorado) stays open as long as it doesnt snow in the valley. If it does snow you are usually SOL. The road to Mt Baker Ski area (Shuksan) stays open all winter. The road to Heliotrope Ridge (Baker) closes and does not reopen until April/Mayish, however if you are an enterprising and fit ski mountaineer, you can approach Baker the long way from Mt Baker ski area and Table Mountain. Mt Adams in winter...good luck! The road to Timberline (Mt Hood) stays open all winter. As someone else mentioned, Mt Hood is by far the easiest winter access peak (besides Rainier, I guess) and is routinely climbed in an easy day during decent weather during the winter.

 

3.what are some good, reasonably safe routes in the winter on these mountains? all the climbing guides I have only talk about summer climbs and I know very few people that have experience in winter.

 

The specific route wont matter so much as your own experience level. I am taking a wild guess that you have not climbed these peaks in the summer season, or you would be more familiar with them and not have to ask such questions. With that in mind I would recommend you be highly conservative in what you try here in the winter. These mountains are big, all the peaks you list have extensive travel through avalanche country and above treeline, and have typically terrible weather in the winter. Your best bet is to do the South Side of Mt Hood, Hogsback, as your first trainging route, and then perhaps do some of the suggestions that danielpatricksmith made, before trying some of the largest peaks in winter.

[genepires]

I agree with what Alex said above. I would recomment that you try some "small" peaks in the winter to find out much the winter can add to the overall experience. Small peaks become pretty challenging. So here are a few peaks to try before getting on bigger things.

 

day trips

Sauk mtn on hwy 20 near concrete. good drving access.

mazama dome and mt herman near the Baker ski area.

church peak off the mt baker hwy

one of the tatoosh range peaks (in MRNP)

snoq. peak via a walk up

the "descent" route of chair peak

pilchuck

 

overnight probably

twin sisters (w ridge of north twin rocks)

colchuck glacier route

got to be some good stuff of the mtn loop hwy. (1 and 2 day)

whitechuck peak

and on and on. just look at the beckey guide for anything that seems tiny and you will guaranteed a good time.

 

Dallas Kloke made a winter alpine guidebook years ago that included all the "smaller" peaks around that wouldn't be considered in summer but are challenging in the winter. Maybe one could convince him to print out a few more copies.

 

I have a copy of kloke guide so feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

gene

[genepires]

yeah it is closed but the road is usually well packed down, relatively short and typicaly for roads, pretty flat. So a winter day trip is reasonable.

[JoshK]

The road is closed, but you can get there by skiing down through the flats from Paradise, and over to the Reflections lake area. Getting to the Tatoosh from Paradise is definitely easier than getting to most peaks in the winter.

[thatcher]

The specific route wont matter so much as your own experience level. I am taking a wild guess that you have not climbed these peaks in the summer season, or you would be more familiar with them and not have to ask such questions.

 

oh come on now. ive done rainier 3 times, baker, hood, adams, st. helens, and shasta 1 time. all of these were summer climbs except shasta. I am really not familiar with winter. My only winter experience was shasta. winter can make a big difference in routes, no matter what experiences. there is a route up a gulch that has severe avy danger in the winter. so we climb the ridge to avoid it. in the summer, the ridge is much more difficult because of lack of snow and the gulch is the standard route. thats why i ask these questions. i dont want to attempt a route that is just fine in summer, but more dangerous than other routes in the summer.

[chris]

The road is closed, but you can get there by skiing down through the flats from Paradise, and over to the Reflections lake area. Getting to the Tatoosh from Paradise is definitely easier than getting to most peaks in the winter.

Its quicker and easier to park at Narada Falls and sking up the obivous open field to the road, turn right, and follow it out. Usually there's a good skin track kicked in from Reflection Lake up to Castle-Pinacle Col, and great skiing to be had...