June 22, 2011, Mt. Shuksan Sulphide corn till Aug!
6/22/11
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
2030
0
Just a quick update for those interested in still skiing into August...
As of July 22nd, there was great corn still to be had all the way from the headwall of the summit pyramid on Shuksan. We left from the trailhead at 6 p.m. (take the road across from the Shannon Creek campground on Baker Lake). Camped up on Shannon ridge. Some other climbers woke us up at 3:00 a.m. and another group at 5:00, a bit annoying but hard to blame people for talking while walking I guess. We left camp at 6:00 a.m. and got the summit block by 10:30 or so. One of our team cramponed most of the way up the summit pyramid but turned back due to rotten snow. Other groups with either more rope or more guts scrambled up the rock. Conditions great for those equipped for low 5th class rock climbing, but not really very safe for snow travel in the upper reaches. While our guy soloed, the other two of us did laps in some of the most perfect corn I've ever skied. By the time we were heading down, it was pretty soft and sun cupped in the lower reaches, so it may be time to hang up the skis for the summer. But the upper 1000 ft or so was so good I could see doing it again -- should be good for a few more weeks I think, and by then, winter may be back!
I'll add photos when I get a chance.
As of July 22nd, there was great corn still to be had all the way from the headwall of the summit pyramid on Shuksan. We left from the trailhead at 6 p.m. (take the road across from the Shannon Creek campground on Baker Lake). Camped up on Shannon ridge. Some other climbers woke us up at 3:00 a.m. and another group at 5:00, a bit annoying but hard to blame people for talking while walking I guess. We left camp at 6:00 a.m. and got the summit block by 10:30 or so. One of our team cramponed most of the way up the summit pyramid but turned back due to rotten snow. Other groups with either more rope or more guts scrambled up the rock. Conditions great for those equipped for low 5th class rock climbing, but not really very safe for snow travel in the upper reaches. While our guy soloed, the other two of us did laps in some of the most perfect corn I've ever skied. By the time we were heading down, it was pretty soft and sun cupped in the lower reaches, so it may be time to hang up the skis for the summer. But the upper 1000 ft or so was so good I could see doing it again -- should be good for a few more weeks I think, and by then, winter may be back!
I'll add photos when I get a chance.
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