[TR] Shuksan - North Face 3/18/2006

[yesman]

Climb: Shuksan -North Face

 

Date of Climb: 3/18/2006

 

Trip Report:

Marek, Brian, James and I attempted the North Face of Shuksan 3/18-20. We followed the creek up into the White Salmon Valley on snowshoes and were camped at the White Salmon moraine by 5pm. The unconsolidated snow made for slow going and forshadowed the difficulties of the next day.

 

We were up and moving by 3:30a the next morning, gained the col at the base of the N. Face and began climbing as it was getting light. We belayed the first pitch, which was snow and ice. Above this pitch the snow got less consolidated and runninig belays took us to a 15' waterfall with an interesting cave underneath. We got a screw into the ice (our first legitimate piece in several ropelengths) and rounded the waterfall to climber's left onto steeper alpine ice.

 

With the snow getting deeper, under an intermittent breakable crust, we put the snowshoes back on and made very slow progress upward. We continued up through and around rock outcroppings, unable to place any pro in the deep, unconsolidated snow.

 

With 200' feet to go to the top of the Face, we considered pushing on through the night and traversing to the west of the pyramid for a descent of the White Salmon Glacier, but with darkness coming and the wind/spindrift picking up we opted for a descent of the climbing route. It was 6:30p.

 

We downclimbed the North Face in the dark, including two double rope raps off snow anchors. We were back to camp at 12:30a.

 

We were up early the next morning and to the car by 10:30a, followed shortly by a plundering of the convenience store in Glacier.

 

Great trip with a strong group!

 

Got some great pictures, I'll try and get them posted.

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

Pickets, screws, second tool

[Weekend_Climberz]

Good job guys!! I'm sorry I decided against going along, but at least it sounds like you had fun. Did you take any pictures of around the corner to the right

[catbirdseat]

Sounds like a really strong effort. Thanks for the report.

[RocNoggin]

thanks for posting the TR Mike and especially for dragging my ass up the NF!! I was just thinking about that day, 20 hours of climbing and only two liters of water, no wonders I was cramping so bad. :-(

 

I havent downloaded my pics yet. I wont be able to do that till I get home this weekend. I will try to get some of them posted here as well.

 

to anyone else who is thinking about this climb I would say as long as there is snow approach from the White Salmon lodge at the Mt Baker Ski Area! we came in from that snow park below the ski area and it sucked!! on the way out we went to the ski area and it was so much faster and easier. there was no way I wanted to retrace our approach route on the way out. Mike, did you guys follow our approach all he way out or make some changes?

 

really fun weekend, I am still so tired today, great climb! :-)

[sir_vent]

Nice job fellas! I was on the N face about a month ago and it was all snow, but I was on the left side of the face, did you guys do a more direct variation or something?

 

http://students.washington.edu/benlong/pictures/ShuksanNFace/DSCN1859.JPG

[fenderfour]

Went up there Saturday. We only had 1.5 days to climb and bailed after finding shitty conditions. Thigh deep snow with snowshoes on is no fun.

 

On a positive note - We have created a nice snowshoe track from the lower lodge to the start of the route (or so). Low-effort approach for the next party.

 

Strong effort fellas. The snow was tough.

[AJScott]

I musta just missed you guys on my way out. I made the ski tracks out there on the white salmon. I was hoping it had rained all the way up to winnies slide last week, i was so close to safer terrain. But being that I was solo, it was the right call to turn around when it got too deep. Went from four inches of dust on slush to thigh deep powder, o well. You guys were lucky you werent standing where you were when this happened a few hours prior...I might suggest a slight deviation to your approach

 

[Weekend_Climberz]

Did you take any pictures of around the corner to the right

 

Nice picture!! That looks like a nice climb

[fenderfour]

I musta just missed you guys on my way out. I made the ski tracks out there on the white salmon. I was hoping it had rained all the way up to winnies slide last week, i was so close to safer terrain. But being that I was solo, it was the right call to turn around when it got too deep. Went from four inches of dust on slush to thigh deep powder, o well. You guys were lucky you werent standing where you were when this happened a few hours prior...I might suggest a slight deviation to your approach

 

 

I'm not sure where that pic was taken exactly. It looks like the lower section just out of the basin. we stayed along the basin, then went straight up and to the left of the big hump at the end of the basin.

 

We didn't see much slide activity on the way in, but we saw a lot of little sloughs on the way out, mostly caused by trees dropping their load.

[AJScott]

That pic was taken from my skin track on the way up the White Salmon...i watched you guys while i was at the ski area, you walked right over that slide path. It was caused by a large piece of the hanging glacier breaking off...Ive spent three years working at mt baker, watching mt shuksan...and that hanging glacier has no rhyme or reason to when it will release shit. Best to avoid hanging out underneath it as much as one can. Atleast thats my opinion its obviously everyones own choice to decided what is safe and what is not, and im defintly not one to be preaching about whats safe! just since you mentioned that was a good trail to follow, I thought it to be a good idea to mention that your trail went right through a common slide path which could be avoided.