YocumRidge Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) Trip: Mt. Shuksan - Fisher Chimneys/Southeast rib extravaganza Date: 7/18/2009 Trip Report: I have always been attracted by the rugged beauty of Mt. Shuksan, so a plan of attack was devised between Dinamyte, Robert York and myself to climb Mt. Shuksan via Fisher Chimneys/Southeast rib variation in a day and half. Our drive from PDX to the Austin Pass trailhead took us 6 hours and so we hit the trail at about 1 p.m. on Saturday 07/18/2009. The approach is currently in a good shape with snowfields en route to the lake Ann where we met with another team member - Brian Lavin from CO - who was bivying at the lake for a couple of days. He provided us with beta on the route finding to the base of what is supposed to be Fisher Chimneys but was not very enthusiastic to join us to climb FC with full packs on. And the full packs mean full packs, i.e. stuffed with a rope, pickets, tools, crampons and a rock pro. The three of us did head to and up the Chimneys to realize a little too late that the route is NOT pack/3 feet picket friendly at all and even more so on a way down. Oh well, too late to change our minds. In my humble opinion, the Chimneys stand as a crux of the whole climb! After topping out the Chimneys at 7 p.m., we headed across the snow and the boulder fields to the base of the Winnie’s Slide where we set up the camp. Dinamyte at the camp Dinamyte’s alarm went off at 5 a.m. and at 5.30 a.m. we reunited with Brian Lavin who made his way up the Chimneys in the morning. We all traversed the Winnie’s slide to the steep moat/rock section and crawled across the moat on the Upper Curtis glacier (not the most efficient way). The best way turned out to be to continue scrambling up this rock section until arriving at a cairn that marks the best place to cross the moat onto the Upper Curtis Glacier. Traveling up the Upper Curtis glacier was uneventful except a few end runs of the crevasses before reaching the Hourglass and the Hell’s highway which were both crevassed as well. Ascending the Upper Curtis glacier Hourglass The Hell’s highway crux pitch was sweet, steep and short and did not call for the extra pro we brought. One axe in Piolet ancre and front pointing were all we used on the firm snow of the pitch. Brian topping out the Hell's highway We topped out, and then merged with the masses slogging up the Sulphide glacier. Our plan was to climb the Southeast rib of the Summit Pyramid. By the time we reached its base, we realized too late that all the rock pro for simul climbing ended up in the Brian’s pack whose preference was to take the main gully up to the summit. To make the plan work, Robert York pretty much soloed the route with one or two rock anchors along the way. Myself and Dinamyte followed. About half way up, I traversed eastwards to complete a 5.8 variation (the overhanging roof) which was fun and unexpected for the otherwise low class 5 route. We had the summit to ourselves before starting rapping down the main gully. Dinamyte on the summit Robert York and myself on the summit Summit views Wearing rock shoes and getting entangled in the moats was not fun though. We had another shoes/boots change at the base and headed down the Sulphide glacier. A few minutes later, my crampon hit the strap of the other one causing my face down fall and excruciating pain in my left knee. For the moment I was debating whether I had a torn ligament or just a sprain. After lying in the snow for 30 min, I managed to get up and slowly cross the glacier. Dinamyte and Robert York were very accommodating and trying to cheep me up. The knee was swollen and did not bend much so I had to use my second ice tool for downclimbing the Hell’s Highway pitch. Anyhow, each of us brought the second tool so we might have as well used them. Downclimbing the Hell's Highway Hell's Highway amphitheatre Thanks to my injury, we lost considerable time trying to get back to the camp that we reached at around 8 p.m. It became clear that we had to spend one more night on the mountain before heading back to the car. Heading down the Chimneys the next day (Monday) was extremely slow before we had to negotiate a few dodgy class 4 sections/moats on the approach back and so we were back to the car at around 5 p.m. Dinamyte was a great partner, and very understanding of the situation, who made us laugh all the time and graciously provided us with water every half hour on our way back when I was simply hurting of a thought to refill my camelbak! Jon, go ahead and pitch in with whatever I missed. NB on the approach to the base of the Chimneys: Do not take the trail down to the Lower Curtis glacier but get on the gully that veers up and right off the main trail after crossing the first talus field. The good navigation points are a sketchy 50 degree snowfield to traverse to get to an equally sketchy moat linked to a loose class 4 step up to an awkward rap station off the tree. Then continue to a knoll with 2 superb bivy sites (would have been ideal for us), traverse another talus followed by a snowfield and a moat to get to the base of the so-called “Boulder” (currently wanded). The gully begins to the right off “The Boulder” and one could spot a 20 foot, brown perlon rap sling we set up 80 feet up off the base. Watch out for the loose and airy class 4 sections! Gear Notes: Axes, crampons, rope, webbing, rock pro (not used), pickets (not used), second tools (optional) Approach Notes: Rugged with unwanted surprises Edited July 27, 2009 by mitochondria100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinomyte Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Great TR and photos. My few notes/additions: 1.) There is only a skiff of snow in the Chimneys, and it is easily avoided. 2.) I counted 5 rap stations in the Chimneys, plus the one that we built, so most of the sketchy downclimbing may be avoided. 3.) "The boulder" marking the entrance to the Chimney route that I believe is referred to in Beckey is actually spraypainted with an arrow. 4.) Skeeters at the TH and at Lake Ann are big and junky! Camping above the Chimneys avoided that, but you do pay the price! 5.) There's a really nice photo on Summitpost with the entrance to Chimneys drawn in - very helpful. 6.) This was a very nice alternative to the standard glacier slog. 7.) I heard "ROCK" no less than a half-dozen times as we were ascending the rib, and although I am not a rock guy it was preferable to the gully. 8.) Burgers and beers at Skagit brewpub were very good!! 9.) A climb is always more fun when you're with fun partners. Thanks for the climb guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goatboy Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 The beta below is very helpful - we ended up dropping down to the Curtis stupidly and having to climb a huge scree slope 1000 feet or whatever it was to get back on route. NB on the approach to the base of the Chimneys: Do not take the trail down to the Lower Curtis glacier but get on the gully that veers up and right off the main trail after crossing the first talus field. The good navigation points are a sketchy 50 degree snowfield to traverse to get to an equally sketchy moat linked to a loose class 4 step up to an awkward rap station off the tree. Then continue to a knoll with 2 superb bivy sites (would have been ideal for us), traverse another talus followed by a snowfield and a moat to get to the base of the so-called “Boulder” (currently wanded). The gully begins to the right off “The Boulder” and one could spot a 20 foot, brown perlon rap sling we set up 80 feet up off the base. Watch out for the loose and airy class 4 sections! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YocumRidge Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 The beta below is very helpful - we ended up dropping down to the Curtis stupidly and having to climb a huge scree slope 1000 feet or whatever it was to get back on route. That would be a pain! We saw that drop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXX Posted August 26, 2009 Share Posted August 26, 2009 Nice work, i wish i could have come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillH1 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Excellent trip report. Congrats on your climb. After spending 5 days playing around in Boston Basin, my partner and I ended our visit to the by hiking in to Lake Ann to take a look at Shuksan. Awesome! I gotta climb it. Anybody know what the Fisher chimneys might be like in October? I'm back home on the east coast, but would love to return to the Cascades and try Shuksan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinomyte Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 The Chimneys would be fine. Winnie's slide and Hell's Highway might be impossible (impassible?). Check this out: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/899529/TR_Mt_Shuksan_Fischer_Chimneys#Post899529 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillH1 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I see. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YocumRidge Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 Nice work, i wish i could have come! Touray, You had your chances but remember your comment about "10 years" on FB, right? A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slogon Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 We were up there just a day or two before you, may have passed on the way out. That bivy spot by Winnie's Slide has some sweet views. The chimneys do get your attention though, esp. with a full pack. This was one of my more satisfying climbs, maybe because of my B'ham years spent staring at Shuksan while skiing at Baker. Glad you were able to hobble out OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YocumRidge Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 We were up there just a day or two before you, may have passed on the way out. That bivy spot by Winnie's Slide has some sweet views. The chimneys do get your attention though, esp. with a full pack. This was one of my more satisfying climbs, maybe because of my B'ham years spent staring at Shuksan while skiing at Baker. Glad you were able to hobble out OK. Did you guys get the pics of you Jon took with his camera? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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