June 3, 2004, Shuksan, Sulphide glacier
6/3/04
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
4035
7
I managed to get today off last minute, and Lofty was hankering to go, so we left Kirkland at 5AM and hit the trail just after 7:30. It was already rather warm. The hike up to the ridge always seems to go by quickly in the morning when I'm not totally awake yet, which somehow makes it seem all the more long at the end of the day.
We started hitting snowpatches shortly after getting in the woods on the ridge, and donned skis at about 4K. Up up up we trudged, on firm, consolidated, but not fully frozen snow. On the traverse beyond the notch, there is about 4" of newer snow on top of the consolidated snow. It did not slide on us as we headed up.
We passed a camp set up by Alpine Ascents International at the usual high camp location. We could see them up on the summit gully strung out in a long line. Up we trudged. The newer snow was more like 12+" on top of the consolidated base up higher on the glacier, and as we climbed there was a multi-inch crust that was sometimes collapsing just a teeny bit.
We passed the mountaineering class (they'd been up there for 5 days, one more to go) as they were heading down from a lunch break at the base of the summit pyramid. It was about 12:45, and we decided to forgo the summit proper, and instead just went to a high notch on the right skyline where we had our lunch and had bits of snow periodically fall on us as we ate.
We started down about 2. The run from the notch down to the top of Hell's Highway was fantastic. The snow was firm and carvable and fast (fast is nice for the mellow angle).
Lofty Above Hell's Highway
Then we got into more melted snow. The newer snow is well into corning up, though still not yet fully consolidated. We both found that with a little extra unweighting of our turns, we got a nice bouncy floating sensation, but it was work and we took lots of small breaks as we alternated between small drops, traverses, and flats. The second best line of the day was the nice continuous fall line from the high point just south of the high camp down to where we headed right on a high traverse back to the notch. Though the snow was rather soft, we were able to crank very consistent and bouncy turns. On the trip back to the notch, I went first and caused a few small sluffs on steeper slopes, but nothing significant and only in the snow below my track. A small party had just set up camp on the ridge just above the notch.
The snow below the notch was still quite firm, but just soft enough to make it easy to ski the bumpy runneled snow. We did not encounter any pollen problems so we kept moving pretty fast down to about 3.8K where we took of skis and traversed right a bit through the woods to find the climbers trail. After perhaps 90 toe-mashing minutes hiking in our plastic boots, we reached the car at a little before 5, plenty of time to spare to get home and enjoy a warm and wonderful evening with our respective families.
I'd expected the new snow to be a bit more garish, but was quite pleasantly surprised at how well it skied. I guess fat shaped skis helped a bit too. One more nice day before the weather sets in again...
We started hitting snowpatches shortly after getting in the woods on the ridge, and donned skis at about 4K. Up up up we trudged, on firm, consolidated, but not fully frozen snow. On the traverse beyond the notch, there is about 4" of newer snow on top of the consolidated snow. It did not slide on us as we headed up.
We passed a camp set up by Alpine Ascents International at the usual high camp location. We could see them up on the summit gully strung out in a long line. Up we trudged. The newer snow was more like 12+" on top of the consolidated base up higher on the glacier, and as we climbed there was a multi-inch crust that was sometimes collapsing just a teeny bit.
We passed the mountaineering class (they'd been up there for 5 days, one more to go) as they were heading down from a lunch break at the base of the summit pyramid. It was about 12:45, and we decided to forgo the summit proper, and instead just went to a high notch on the right skyline where we had our lunch and had bits of snow periodically fall on us as we ate.
We started down about 2. The run from the notch down to the top of Hell's Highway was fantastic. The snow was firm and carvable and fast (fast is nice for the mellow angle).
Lofty Above Hell's Highway
Then we got into more melted snow. The newer snow is well into corning up, though still not yet fully consolidated. We both found that with a little extra unweighting of our turns, we got a nice bouncy floating sensation, but it was work and we took lots of small breaks as we alternated between small drops, traverses, and flats. The second best line of the day was the nice continuous fall line from the high point just south of the high camp down to where we headed right on a high traverse back to the notch. Though the snow was rather soft, we were able to crank very consistent and bouncy turns. On the trip back to the notch, I went first and caused a few small sluffs on steeper slopes, but nothing significant and only in the snow below my track. A small party had just set up camp on the ridge just above the notch.
The snow below the notch was still quite firm, but just soft enough to make it easy to ski the bumpy runneled snow. We did not encounter any pollen problems so we kept moving pretty fast down to about 3.8K where we took of skis and traversed right a bit through the woods to find the climbers trail. After perhaps 90 toe-mashing minutes hiking in our plastic boots, we reached the car at a little before 5, plenty of time to spare to get home and enjoy a warm and wonderful evening with our respective families.
I'd expected the new snow to be a bit more garish, but was quite pleasantly surprised at how well it skied. I guess fat shaped skis helped a bit too. One more nice day before the weather sets in again...
Hi Jim Oker.
Nice Report. Way to utilize the weather window.
Have you ever circumnavigated the summit pyramid?
It looks as though it would not be too technical from the
photos I've seen. Am I wrong?
Nice Report. Way to utilize the weather window.
Have you ever circumnavigated the summit pyramid?
It looks as though it would not be too technical from the
photos I've seen. Am I wrong?
I've not done it, but one guy I spoke with who had said it was not too technical, though there are certainly more crevasse issues than on the Sulphide route (e.g. he felt it made sense to ski roped for at least part), and there's a steep pitch or two as well. He also said it is a day unto itself so he didn't think it made sense as a day trip - better to camp up on the Sulphide and head for the loop the next morning.
It has always looked like a cool route from the various angles I've looked at it from, but I'm more prone to day trips...
The weather window was indeed great. I'm betting that a slightly earlier start today would have yielded even better snow conditions thanks to one extra day of consolidation, but it is hard to complain with what we got. Gotta love full-on spring conditions with only a teeny bit of runneled snow at this time of year.
It has always looked like a cool route from the various angles I've looked at it from, but I'm more prone to day trips...
The weather window was indeed great. I'm betting that a slightly earlier start today would have yielded even better snow conditions thanks to one extra day of consolidation, but it is hard to complain with what we got. Gotta love full-on spring conditions with only a teeny bit of runneled snow at this time of year.
Great break dancing!
We are thinking of a Sulphide-Hell's Highway-White Salmon traverse if I can grab a weather break. How did Hell's Highway look as a ski route to you on your way past?
We are thinking of a Sulphide-Hell's Highway-White Salmon traverse if I can grab a weather break. How did Hell's Highway look as a ski route to you on your way past?
I'm very envious of your weather. We'd planned to climb Nooksack Tower via the White Salmon and a traverse of the Sulphide on Memorial Day after participating in the Ski to Sea race. Instead, we headed home after sitting in the lodge watching the rain pour down for two hours with the cloud level below 6000.
Tim - I have to admit that for the first time ever, I didn't take a good long look down Hell's Highway, which I regretted later because it is such a cool view. I just didn't step up to the edge, so I didn't see much more than you see in the photo, other than the not-too-large lip that's uphill of the col. If the coverage there is comparable to the coverage we found elsewhere, it should be fine based on past years' looks down HH.
Looks like a cool traverse - how tough a ski is the White Salmon? Extreme, or just skilled expert?
Chris - given what weekends have been tending toward, when Lofty asked if I could get the day off, I jumped. Here's hoping we see some weather like yesterday and today next weekend if not this...
Looks like a cool traverse - how tough a ski is the White Salmon? Extreme, or just skilled expert?
Chris - given what weekends have been tending toward, when Lofty asked if I could get the day off, I jumped. Here's hoping we see some weather like yesterday and today next weekend if not this...
Jim- skiing the White Salmon is no big thing.
maybe 40 degrees at the most. The thing is, though, the bottom is at a pretty low elevation. This traverse really should be done earlier in the year. But, looking at it from the ski area, as long as you stay skier's left and avoid getting under the hanging glacier at the bottom, it is still skiable to White Salmon Creek.
maybe 40 degrees at the most. The thing is, though, the bottom is at a pretty low elevation. This traverse really should be done earlier in the year. But, looking at it from the ski area, as long as you stay skier's left and avoid getting under the hanging glacier at the bottom, it is still skiable to White Salmon Creek.
I skied around Shuksan about 12 years ago or so. We came up the Sulphide and skied counter clockwise. I don't remember the details but it wasn't overly technical. I remember Hell's HIghway being very straightforward - much easier than when I had did it in October.
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