Crevasse finder!

[KevinGlover]

Hey folks,

 

I need a little help from people who are more familiar with the PNW than I am. I'm located in Spokane, WA and I have a buddy that I'm trying to find the closest glacier (with crevasses) to me.

 

Do y'all have any tips? I understand that Washington Pass might be a good option, but if you guys have anything better I'd love to hear it. Canada's not an option - my passport is in storage in Nevada.

 

 

It'd be stellar to hear your ideas!

 

Kevin

[mthorman]

There definitely are glaciers and crevasses in the North Cascades but not much on WA pass itself. You might find something no the north side of Silver Star? If you keep driving west there are plenty that you can hike from the North Cascades Hwy. Probably be a 4 ½ hr drive to begin your hike.

 

Other places to look would be the Stuart Range. There are a few glaciers tucked in that range which is a little closer drive to Spokane 3 ½ hr drive. Nothing near the road but the area is beautiful.

 

If you really want crevasses though I would just go to Rainier. It is only a little over a 4 hour drive to the White River side and there are plenty of glaciers up there.

 

If you want to see specific locations of glaciers in the North Cascade range I would recommend looking at Caltopo.com Really good topo maps that have glaciers marked of them too. Good luck!

[Fairweather]

You didn't say how far you are willing to hike, but I agree with the above--Mount Rainier has probably the closest/easiest access glaciers with the shortest drive&hike combo time from Spokane. Mount Adams might be in the running as well if you're holding off until next summer--Mazama Glacier or the lower portion of Adams Glacier. Eliot Glacier on Mount Hood might even be an option. North Cascades Glaciers will probably require some solid hiking time in addition to the long drive.

[KevinGlover]

Hey guys,

 

Thanks for both of your comments. I might just shoot for Rainier then.

 

I'm trying to make it a quick trip - I'm not from here and I only have a season of climbing in the PNW under my belt. I just got a new crevasse rescue system and I was pretty keen to get some practice with it before actually taking it on a trip.

 

Maybe I'll shoot for Rainier - I have a friend who rappels down into the larger crevasses and scavenges for fallen gear.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Kevin

[Pete_H]

As a matter of pure trivia, I would think the Douglas Glacier near Black Peak is the closest glacier to a road in the N Cascades. Any other ideas?

 

Also, I recently read that the Carbon Glacier on Rainier is the lowest elevation glacier in the lower 48, but I always thought Whitehorse Glacier was.

[GerritD]

Rainier is surely your best bet. You can easily access the glaciers whereas if you went to the Stuart range or the north cascades you would likely have a longer or more difficult hike.

 

A guide once told me when he was younger and guiding regularly on Rainier he would wait for windstorms to blast through camp Muir and rappel into the crevasses nearby to collect free loot which he could sell to keep his dirtbag lifestyle going.

 

He said he had actually retrieved a tent that had 2x sleeping bags, pads, packs, the works, inside and offered it to it's rightful owner who enthusiastically declined to every consider climbing again after waiting out the storm terrified in the Muir Hut.

[Off_White]

Pete, isn't the Douglas Glacier on Mt Logan's east side, hence the Douglas-Banded col between that glacier and the Banded Glacier below Mongo Ridge? That can't be the closest, how do you figure the approach, either all the way up to the ridge at the head of N Fk Bridge Creek, or over Easy Pass, down Fischer Creek, & off trail up the valley below the Douglas?

 

 

And for factoids, I believe the ice under the N Face of Big 4 is the lowest permanent ice in the Cascades, even if it doesn't qualify as a glacier.

[Pete_H]

Dammit Off, you made me look it up; and you are right. It's the Lewis Glacier I was thinking of, which is just west of Maple Pass between Corteo and Black.

[mattp]

The Lyell Glacier might be closer to the road than the Lewis, but in any event I would suggest someone looking for easily accessible crevasses for crevasse rescue practice in the Washington Cascades go to the Nisqually Glacier at Rainier or the Coleman Glacier on Baker.

 

[KevinGlover]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your advice. I don't really have the money to fill up the gas tank this weekend, but I've been meaning to get out with a buddy of mine to teach him before the snow comes down.

 

 

Thanks for being so helpful!

 

Kevin

[Pete_H]

Probably not the best weekend to be up on Rainier anyway. Might want to wait for a forecast with a little bit better visibility