Sahale + Sharkfin advice

[alpine et]

My goal for the weekend is a double of Sahale and Sharkfin Tower. There are a few trip reports pulled up from google, but was wondering if folks around here had advice as to order. My thought is to go up Sahale Arm via Cascade Pass and set up camp at 7000', run up and do Sahale on the first day. Then the second day traverse over to Sharkfin Tower, climb there, then descend down towards Diamond Mine.

 

Thoughts? Only portion I'm hesitant about is having to drop down pretty far on the glacier on the traverse in order to avoid walking right above any crevasses, but it still seems doable.

 

thanks,

Erik

[KaskadskyjKozak]

My goal for the weekend is a double of Sahale and Sharkfin Tower. There are a few trip reports pulled up from google, but was wondering if folks around here had advice as to order. My thought is to go up Sahale Arm via Cascade Pass and set up camp at 7000', run up and do Sahale on the first day. Then the second day traverse over to Sharkfin Tower, climb there, then descend down towards Diamond Mine.

 

Thoughts? Only portion I'm hesitant about is having to drop down pretty far on the glacier on the traverse in order to avoid walking right above any crevasses, but it still seems doable.

 

thanks,

Erik

 

I have done this combo in reverse - hike up to a good camping spot around 6500 feet in Boston Basin, drop gear, climb Sharfin, sleep. Get up the next day, tag Sahale, and return to camp and hike out. This requires the coveted Boston Basin permit however.

[kurthicks]

Or you could go up Sharkfin on day 1, bivy at the top of the Quien Sabe Glacier that night (might be in Boston Basin permit zone though), then carry over Sahale and come down Sahale Arm to Cascade Pass.

 

you can get permits the day before, so if you've got time to drive to Marblemount beforehand that can really help.

 

The snow gully on Sharkfin is a bit funky now getting off the glacier. expect slabby rock climbing that is running with water. we went to the left of the perched snow block a couple days ago. It's only cruxy for about 100' before more-or-less continuous snow leads to the base of the route.

[Know_Fear]

I sort of did the reverse last weekend - up Quien Sabe. I think that's the way to go. Glacier in great shape this year. Short, down hill walk from road end to Forbidden trail head.

 

P.S. Bivi permit is a pain in the ass - all gone by Thursday due to the hordes on W. R. Forbidden. Show up early!

[Phil K]

I did the same thing years ago. Late June as I recall. Permits NA for Boston Basin, but we were able to camp on Sahale arm and traverse over for the Sharkfin climb. I don't remember there being much difficulty; some snowfields to traverse, not too exposed, but no place to screw up either. Depending on current snow conditions there could be lots of talus walking. It's a fairly long way across Boston Basin to Sharkfin, but it doesn't seem we lost that much elevation once we got off Sahale arm.

[alpine et]

Great- thanks for the advice everyone. We're actually teaming up with some folks who are in the pickets all week, so they finagled their way into obtaining permits for Saturday night for Sahale Glacier camp almost a week in advance. Perhaps a slightly unethical way to obtain permits... but... I'm pretty happy to have them in hand! I think we'll be planning to do Sahale arm up towards camp, hitting Sahale that afternoon. Then traversing all the way over to Sharkfin the next day before heading out via Diamond Mine.