Mt. Shuksan Trip

By Sam Fox

   For a great alpine experience, Mount Shuksan is a good choice for
novice and advanced alpinists who want to experience the North Cascades
of Washington.  Called the Alps of North American, the entire North
Cascade range offers pristine snow and rock routes in a relatively
remote setting.  Though the Cascades are no longer a hidden gem, it is
still quite easy to feel like one is miles away from the nearest
person.  Mount Shuksan is located approximately due east of Mt. Baker,
and at just over 9,000 feet, offers one of the best glacier/rock climbs
in the entire Cascade range.  In mid-September I embarked with two
friends to make an attempt on the Sulphide Glacier route, the easiest
route to the summit of Shuksan.

   We arrived at the trailhead in the wee hours after leaving Seattle
later then anticipated and immediately set up camp.  We were excited to
see only one other car in the parking lot, and with the weather
forecast predicting a possibility of rain/snow on the mountain, we felt
confident that we would not see many other parties.  We woke the next
morning to grey skies and light showers, which would continue
sporadically through the day.  Climbing quickly out of the lower
montane and into the upper reaches of the upper montane forest we
passed old Douglas Firs, various Spruces, and the occasional Alder.
After approximately 3,000 feet of elevation gain we passed the last
trees and entered the alpine proper.  Visibility was limited, but as we
climbed the ridge towards the base of the Sulphide glacier, one could
sense the immense views to the east, south, and west that were lurking
behind the clouds.  Another 2,000 feet and we arrived at the rolling
slabs beneath the glacier and set up our bivy for the night on a ledge
no larger then your average dining room table.  We cooked a quick and
easy dinner of soup and geared up for the next days glacier and rock
routes.  We planned to go light, with 3 pickets, one rope, and the
usual crevasse rescue equipment.  The weather started to turn for the
worst after dinner with visibility dropping to just a few feet and a
hard rain/sleet combo coming in sideways.  Nevertheless we were still
hopeful that the clouds would lift and we would have an opportunity to
push for the summit.  After setting the alarm for 3 am, we quickly
climbed into our warm bags to catch some shuteye.

   I awoke at 3 and (being the one elected to sleep in the vestibule of
my 2 man Sierra Designs tent) quickly popped my head out of the fly to
a crystal clear sky, light winds, and cold temperatures.  Perfect c
limbing weather.  We moved a little slowly out of camp and did not get
fully roped up until 4 am.  The cold weather was exhilarating but also
somewhat of a surprise as we were all dressed for late summer
conditions.  Regardless, moving quickly up the glacier warmed us and I
was soon sweating as I picked our route up the crevasse fields.  The
sun was rising as we passed the bergshrund and the final summit pyramid
loomed before us in the early morning light.  We reached the base of
the final rock pitch at approximately 7:30 am and proceeded to unrope,
electing to solo the final three hundred feet of beautiful
metamorphosed rock.  Halfway up the rock pitch all three of us were
second guessing our decision to leave the rope as we discovered that
there were definitely some fifth class moves with impressive exposure
beneath us.  However, I was feeling comfortable and continued to climb
upwards, eventually reaching the last forty feet of  rock beneath the
summit.  This was definitely the crux of the climb, a near vertical
corner system with small hand and feet features.  Without letting
myself stop to think I plugged on and was soon standing on top.

   An hour of relaxation on top with snacks and mate and it was time to
descend the 7,000 feet back to the car.  Downclimbing the rock route
proved easier then we had thought, with rock fall the only real
immediate danger we felt.  Retracing our route up the glacier we
arrived back at the bivy sight at 11:30 am, with another 5,000 feet
left to descend.  I?ll spare the details of the descent, though I will
say that the knees, back, and quads were burning for the next couple of
days.  Back in the parking lot we cracked some celebratory Sierra
Nevada Pale Ales and packed the car for the long drive back to PDX.
Tired and satisfied we pulled out of the parking lot highlighting
certain moments of the climb and already planning our next trip to the
beautiful snow and rock routes of the North Cascades.