Price Glacier

[RCLee]

coming down from the Great White North (Calgary) in a couple weeks- one possible objective being the Price Glacier on Shuksan. Is this route still reasonably intact, or has it suffered in recent years? Any approach issues? Thanks--

[JoshK]

Most will tell you it has suffered but it's still climbed (and skied) and would consider it a worthwhile objective. It is most likely going to be more crevassed than it was 50 years ago almost mostly all snow considering the large snow year.

[layton]

it has suffered big time, so get on it EARLY.

It's unbelievable beautiful back there, but the route itself looks kinda stoooopid.

[tytyler]

I was on the N Face of Shuksan the other day. I'm sure the conditions were similar on the Price. I'd say a good amount of snow coverage down low and more breaks up high. Here's a picture at a portion of the Price from the N Face route. There's also a few of Price Lake, might help <failed image tag removed by Off White to return thread to normal width. The image location needs to end in .jpg>

Edited June 14, 2006 by Off_White

[RCLee]

thanks-- but why "stoooopid"-- I did it about 15 years ago and thought it was great.

[layton]

because of the objective danger vs. slog factor.

maybe if you got it in heavy snow cover and good neve at the same time, it would be ok, but I remember there being some aweseome looking hangers regardless of snow

[layton]

Price 7/20/05

[G-spotter]

I'd hit that.

[RCLee]

photo looks great- even for late season. As I recall we were off the thing before the sun hit it. And I'm used to the Canadian Rockies, where a whole different standard of objective danger exists. . .anyway- thanks- if we end up doing it will post TR.

[jay_jay]

I'm making a July 4th attempt. Please send beta if ya got it. I'll send a quick TR when back.

[layton]

the log crossing is UPstream where the turn-off trail meets the river. When you cross the wilderness boundary/old growth area, keep your eyes PEELED for the climbers trail.

 

After you grind uphill, DON'T go down to the lake, cutup hill and traverse the ridge around.

 

Bring a camera.

[ivan]

percocet for the uphill or downhill or both is also indicated

[Choada_Boy]

When you get out of the woods, you'll slog up the lateral moraine for about a mile or so. You'll get to a spot near a big dip in the moraine where you can either wrap around a hill on it's right or head up left through some light but steep forest/scrub. Go left, it'll get you up top to the ridge morer easily. We built a big ole cairn...

[ivan]

enjoy the beautiful white granite coursing w/ meltwater and the luxuriant green moss just before reaching the glacier - it intensly reminded me of scenes from "lord of the rings"

 

awesome place - made me really want to go climb slesse next

[RCLee]

I'm making a July 4th attempt. Please send beta if ya got it. I'll send a quick TR when back.

 

If we do it- it will be before then. May not have (or want) access to Web, but good advice is to not follow our tracks. . . Regardless, good luck.

 

BTW on Layton's photo there looks like a "direct" route to the summit pyramid via a snow slope to the right of the upper part of the glacier- anybody know if this "goes"?

[John_Scurlock]

BTW on Layton's photo there looks like a "direct" route to the summit pyramid via a snow slope to the right of the upper part of the glacier- anybody know if this "goes"?

 

It isn't a direct rt to the summit pyramid. See these:

http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/57356280 (R side of image, to the R of NT) and

http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/57356281 (R foreground).

Others who have actually travelled this area on foot can give the advisability of it.

[G-spotter]

It isn't a direct summit route,but is in the Beckey guide though, as the NE face or something.

[RCLee]

yes- sorry- just found my old Beckey- my interest related to this being an alternative route to the summit plateau(not the pyramid) if the scrund on the final bit happened to be impassable-- Beckey indeed mentions this.

[skykilo]

That slope should go without a problem. You'll have to deal with a cornice near the top though, unless it's fallen, but I doubt it has. The NE Chute from the N Shoulder is a spectacular ski descent; there's no way to get too much of that Price Glacier scenery.

[RCLee]

thanks-- yeah, that's what I miss the most about my 10 years in the Northwest-- the outrageous skiing (along with devil's club, flies, rain, Mountaineers, pistol-toting rangers, etc.- NOT). The range truly is a paradise of turns. I'm too terrified of avalanche hazard in the Rockies to do much skiing these days, plus there's too much ice climbing to be done. . .

[Madcap]

We climbed the Price Glacier last weekend. Great shape, no cornice issues, no problem with the rock bypass of the 'schrund. Very enjoyable route. Expect one of my partners will be doing a full-blown report when we get the photos, but thought I'd post this note in case some of you were considering whether to give it go this weekend.