Home > Trip Reports > September 20, 2003, Sulphide Glacier

September 20, 2003, Sulphide Glacier

9/20/03
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Posted by wickstad on 9/21/03 8:04pm
Technically this was the first trip of our 03/04 season.
Snow that fell several days before our trip was still hanging around as more of a novelty than something to ski.

Without a NW Forest pass folks can park a couple hundred yards further down the road (with Joe Pesci.)  Trail #742 Shannon Ridge starts as an abandoned logging road that is overgrown.  Scarred tree branches hanging over the trail testify to  countless skiers that were hoping to skip their morning shower.

The pinky toe of the Sulphide Glacier is reached after four to five hours of hiking.  Stay to climber's right here to avoid a crevasse or two.  

Questionable visibility led us to turn around where the climber's trail begins to thread through some crevasses.
This luckily turns out to be at the top of a perfect 300' ski run.  The new snow was a novelty but the old firn was as smooth.  After another 200' or so run down to our hiking boots we were very satisfied.


"After another 200' or so run down to our hiking boots we were very satisfied. "


Wow - 500 ft after all that hiking - you're easily satisfied! I always feel like it was a lot of hiking versus skiing even when we get to ski all the way from the base of the summit gully down to the woods near the top of the clearcut. Way to have a positive outlook!! If you haven't done so before, try this tour again in June...

It's been on my list to get up there and do a recon for some time.  The recon was last weekend.  It took me a whole week to go back and ski it.  You better believe I'm going back when there is more snow.  Even sitting here at work I'm still feeling the deep satisfaction I felt after that run.


Just wait until you get 4K+ on hopefully firm, smooth spring snow! And the views over the N. Cascades on a nice day!! And the sight of all the mountaineering classes heading up to learn to climb roped and snow camp (OK, I bet you can skip the last part...).

Nice job, wickstad.  A noteworthy effort for the conditions we're in.

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september-20-2003-sulphide-glacier
wickstad
2003-09-22 03:04:57