LAS

[cascadesdj]

Last week my wife and I did the drive over the NC highway, and took two hikes along the way. I was amazed at the lack of snowfields, the large brown mountains, etc. I've been hiking/climbing for 40 years in the range, and it seems to me most of the late summer snowfields have disappeared and the glaciers are becomming sad remnants of their former robust glory. In fact, Lake Ann (the Shuksan basecanp one) used to be in a cup of snowfields late into the summer, and last week was in a dirty barren bowl. The lake looked like it might even drop below its outlet level and turn scuzzy.

 

I did the Ptarmigan Traverse in 1996 and 2002. Getting on the Middle Cascade Glacier in 96 was a matter of following the trail right onto it, but in 02 we had to scramble up a couple of hundred vertical just to get to the toe of that side of the glacier!

 

Have we reached the stage where permanent snowfields in our beloved Cascades are a thing of the past, and glaciers themselves are soon to be a memory? Are you other long-time mountain travellers noticing a big difference?

[G-spotter]

You might not have noticed there was a record heat wave combined with one of the driest Julys on record. Hmm?

[cascadesdj]

True, but that does not explain the aforementioned Ptarmigan Traverse observations. I think there's a real trend here. It's implications for mountaineering could be profound.

[G-spotter]

Drawing inferences from extreme events is problematic. If, on the other hand, you're just waking up to the thought that climate change might affect local mountaineering, then hey, how was that 20 years sleep, Rip?

[cascadesdj]

No, I'm not just realizing climate change is happenng. In fact, for 15 years now I've been driving cars that get 40+ mpg for that exact reason, among others. I just wanted to start a discussion about climbers' observations about this issue. Of course, there will be a myriad of other effects, many far more earthshaking than those on mountaineers--sea level rise, lack of late-summer irrigation water, fires, spruce budworm blooms, ocean acidification, on and on. given that this is climber's site, I brought the subject up vis a vis its implications on NW mountains.

[Hugh Conway]

there'll be less snow and ice

[G-spotter]

The Sierras don't have much snow or ice but they do have good climbing.

[rocketparrotlet]

Presentation I did on this a while back:

 

http://cascadehikers.topicboards.com/north-cascades-f5/north-cascades-glacier-project-t81.htm

 

-Mark

[cascadesdj]

That was a good, albiet diaturbing, link. Good work. Thanks.

[mountainsloth]

its sad. climate change sucks on so many levels. but i like to think of myself as an optimist... the approaches will eventually be easier, and the rock routes will be longer!

[Ponderosa]

It explains our forebears' thought the grass would be greener in the future.