Plan for Sahale is out...what else?

[jstluise]

Was planning on heading up to Sahale this Saturday, but road closures changed that plan.

 

Can anyone recommend something similar to Sahale (class 3-4 at the most) that can be done in a full day? We were planning on getting the drive out of the way on Friday after work so we would have a good start and pretty much all day to complete the climb.

 

We haven't ventured up into the N. Cascades except for Baker, so here I am

 

[Bronco]

Do you know where the Cascade River Road is closed? If it's open to Boston Basin Trail head it's only about a mile short of the Cascade Pass Trail head and a pretty easy walk.

[jstluise]

Do you know where the Cascade River Road is closed? If it's open to Boston Basin Trail head it's only about a mile short of the Cascade Pass Trail head and a pretty easy walk.

 

If I understand correctly, it said it was closed at the park boundary. I'm assuming that means at the very beginning of the road?

 

http://www.nps.gov/noca/parknews/cascade-river-road-wash-out.htm

[DPS]

Closed at MP 18 is what I read. That would add about 8-10 miles or so round trip. Sulphide Glacier on Mt Shuksan would be a great alternative. Black Peak would be another one to look at.

[jstluise]

Black Peak would be out, too, because of the Highway 20 closure...but I'll add it to the list! I'll check out Sulphide Glacier! Thanks!

[KaskadskyjKozak]

 

Call the Marblemount RS. I talked to them and they indicated you'd be able to get to the Eldorado TH by today. If that's the case, it is a 2.5 mile hike to the Boston Basin TH from there, and a little farther to Cascade Pass.

[jstluise]

Call the Marblemount RS. I talked to them and they indicated you'd be able to get to the Eldorado TH by today. If that's the case, it is a 2.5 mile hike to the Boston Basin TH from there, and a little farther to Cascade Pass.

 

Awesome! Thanks! Maybe I'll give them a call in a couple days for another report (if the website doesn't change). But, now you have me looking at Eldorado as an option.

[genepires]

if you can drive to eldorado TH, climb eldorado!

 

how about getting up on mt baker?

[JasonG]

Sloan should be in good shape as well.

[kurthicks]

Colchuck? North Twin Sister? NE Buttress of Chair Peak? West Ridge of Cutthroat?

[jstluise]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I think we are going to shoot for Shuksan (Sulphide Glacier) on Saturday, with Eldorado being our second choice. One thing I am concerned about is the approach to Sulphide, as it seems like there may be some route-finding issues, especially when we take off from the car in the dark. Any beta on this?

 

From the most recent Cascade River Road report, you can get to the Eldorado trailhead. We'll save Sahale for when the road opens back up, since there are many other options for us. And I'm adding all the other suggestions to my list!

[DPS]

I've only done the Sulphide once, years ago, but I don't recall any especially difficult route finding issues. I do recall it was not a long day, 7 hours car to car moving leisurely.

[jstluise]

I've only done the Sulphide once, years ago, but I don't recall any especially difficult route finding issues. I do recall it was not a long day, 7 hours car to car moving leisurely.

 

Well that is good to know, thanks. I mapped it out best I could and it seems like it would only be about 12-13 miles roundtrip, but a trip report over at summit posts mentioned it was 15 miles and took them 16 hours...maybe they were just slow. (http://www.summitpost.org/shuksan-in-a-day/734236)

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I've only done the Sulphide once, years ago, but I don't recall any especially difficult route finding issues. I do recall it was not a long day, 7 hours car to car moving leisurely.

 

Well that is good to know, thanks. I mapped it out best I could and it seems like it would only be about 12-13 miles roundtrip, but a trip report over at summit posts mentioned it was 15 miles and took them 16 hours...maybe they were just slow. (http://www.summitpost.org/shuksan-in-a-day/734236)

 

the first few miles of trail follows an old forest road. that will probably burn an hour

 

then there is a pretty good trail up to the ridge that you break out on. This part gets muddy and eroded with roots, but I don't remember it being hard at all to follow, but we did it in daylight. Unless you are starting before 4 am, I think you'd be in some amount of daylight by the time you are on this part of the approach

 

 

[jstluise]

the first few miles of trail follows an old forest road. that will probably burn an hour

 

then there is a pretty good trail up to the ridge that you break out on. This part gets muddy and eroded with roots, but I don't remember it being hard at all to follow, but we did it in daylight. Unless you are starting before 4 am, I think you'd be in some amount of daylight by the time you are on this part of the approach

 

Sounds like we shouldn't have any problems. We'll have some daylight by the time we get up to that point, like you say. Do you recall how many hours your climb was?

[JasonG]

seven hours car to car is fast for the Sulphide, assuming you rope up on the glacier. I would plan on 10-12. Although it goes at low-mid fifth, I would highly recommend the SE ridge finish to the summit pyramid.

[dougd]

seven hours car to car is fast for the Sulphide, assuming you rope up on the glacier. I would plan on 10-12. Although it goes at low-mid fifth, I would highly recommend the SE ridge finish to the summit pyramid.

 

+1

 

I know a broken down old man that did a car to car on Shuksan a couple years ago in 13 hrs. He thought the mileage was closer to 18 tho...

 

Good luck,

 

d

[DPS]

I did not rope up, I was by my lonesome.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

the first few miles of trail follows an old forest road. that will probably burn an hour

 

then there is a pretty good trail up to the ridge that you break out on. This part gets muddy and eroded with roots, but I don't remember it being hard at all to follow, but we did it in daylight. Unless you are starting before 4 am, I think you'd be in some amount of daylight by the time you are on this part of the approach

 

Sounds like we shouldn't have any problems. We'll have some daylight by the time we get up to that point, like you say. Do you recall how many hours your climb was?

 

We did it in two days. If you plan C2C you probably could do it in 12, maybe a bit more.

[jstluise]

I would highly recommend the SE ridge finish to the summit pyramid.

 

As opposed to going up the central gully? I think I would feel more comfortable staying in the gully, but I guess we can take a look when we get up there.

 

I did not rope up, I was by my lonesome.

 

How did you finish the pyramid, DPS? And did you bring a rope to rap off, or just downclimb?

 

 

Thanks everyone, good beta here.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I would highly recommend the SE ridge finish to the summit pyramid.

 

As opposed to going up the central gully? I think I would feel more comfortable staying in the gully, but I guess we can take a look when we get up there.

 

I did not rope up, I was by my lonesome.

 

How did you finish the pyramid, DPS? And did you bring a rope to rap off, or just downclimb?

 

 

Thanks everyone, good beta here.

 

I climbed the summit pyramid twice via the gully and I did it unroped up and down. The biggest risk in there is rockfall from other people.

[mtn.climber]

We climbed the pyramid unroped pretty easily last month. Found an easy route up w good handholds climbers left of the central gully.

The climb up to Shannon Ridge starts on an old road, but the trail deteriorates quickly after the road ends. But if we could follow the route, I'm sure you'll be able to also.

It took us 5 hours to reach the high camp area on the Sulphide at a pretty relaxed pace.

[rob]

 

I climbed the summit pyramid twice via the gully and I did it unroped up and down. The biggest risk in there is rockfall from other people.

 

+1, and a lot of that rockfall is caused by other people who decided they needed to be roped-up there

[Water]

 

I climbed the summit pyramid twice via the gully and I did it unroped up and down. The biggest risk in there is rockfall from other people.

 

+1, and a lot of that rockfall is caused by other people who decided they needed to be roped-up there

 

I guess I'll 3rd that.. the downclimb was not bad, there is good holds and ledges and such but the people with ropes and the ropes themselves seemed to cause the most issue.

[jstluise]

Well, with all this talk about the summit pyramid, I think we'll just leave the rope and glacier gear at home and go super-light. I'm not really concerned about running the glacier unroped this time of year.