Cascades Condition Report

We’re off to a strong start this spring in the Cascades!

Our last two trips on the Muir Route of Mount Rainier have reached the summit, with teams reporting very favorable conditions on the upper mountain. Snow coverage remains excellent, with firm travel conditions during the early morning hours. Weather windows have been stable, making for smooth summit bids.

Over on Mount Baker, recent teams have summited both the Coleman-Deming and Easton Routes, with solid boot packs established and good travel across the glacier. Crevasse coverage is still strong, but guides are keeping a close eye on changing features as temperatures rise.

At this time, guides are recommending double boots for both Rainier and Baker due to lingering cold and variable snowpack conditions.

We’ll continue to post regular updates as more trips return and early season conditions evolve. Stay tuned!

Greeting fellow climbers,

It’s a busy week for climbing! With Senior Guide Ben Jones at the helm, our Everest team has been climbing strong and will be tagging the top of the world any day now. Ben is sharing progress from his 10th summit attempt on our cybercast. Two climbers will also be attempting Lhoste after Everest. Be sure to follow along and wish them the best!

In the Cascades, we’ve had teams spread far and wide from Tahoma to Kulshan to the North Cascades. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – May is a wonderful time to get out climbing! The days are growing longer and the seasonal snowpack is in fantastic shape, allowing for quick and smooth travel. Most trailheads are melting out quickly across the state, and we’re enjoying all that the month brings.

Tahoma (Mount Rainier)
While snow is melting quickly, the Paradise parking lot on Tahoma is is still fully snow covered and we measure over 8ft of snow at the snow stake. The route up to Camp Muir still follows the winter route around Pan Point. As it melts, our groups are making micro adjustments to prolong the route and continue to walk on snow (the most durable surface). Once on the Muir Snowfield the route to Camp Muir is direct with a well-established track. At Camp Muir the route over to the Ingraham Glacier has changed slightly over the past few days as Cathedral Gap is slowly melting out. Climbers can expect to walk on a mixture of volcanic rock and seasonal snow. Once on the Ingraham Glacier we now ascend the Disappointment Cleaver route as the Ingraham direct has had recent large icefall activity. Our trip today climbed to just over 13,500ft and reported great conditions for climbing. Guides noted the route is in good shape with a well-established climbing track on the route. Access to White River is scheduled to open this weekend, and our first Emmons climb of the year will enter the field next week!

North Cascades

This past week our teams climbed both sides of Kulshan (Mt Baker). Overall, guides have reported excellent route conditions and well established tracks to camps. Earlier this week we saw reports citing 6” of new snow fall at 6,000ft and more snow above. Our teams have been climbing both the Coleman-Deming route and the Easton route. On both routes, climbers are in double boots from the trailhead. At lower elevations, the seasonal snow is very soft and wet. In other parts of the North Cascades, our guides have been climbing and skiing in the Washington Pass region. They report good conditions for the time of year, and are still calling for  mountain boots to access the standard alpine rock routes.

Happy climbing!

Greeting fellow climbers,

We say this every year, but we can’t believe how quickly May flies by! This weekend has brought a mixture of unsettled weather to the Pacific Northwest with some groups experiencing stormy conditions while others climbed above the clouds and enjoyed plenty of sun.  Over the last week our teams have spread across the state from Washington Pass, to Baker, to Rainier. Here is an update of what our guides have reported on current field conditions.

Tahoma (Mount Rainier)
On Tahoma guides have continued to report excellent climbing conditions and a solid route. Our recent team was able to summit above the clouds and via the Ingraham Direct route. At this time, guides have reported few crevasse crossings and there are currently no ladders in place on the route. The route up to Camp Muir is fully snow covered right from the parking lot at Paradise and we expect it to stay snow covered for a while. Mt Rainier National Park plans to open the White River road around Memorial Day weekend for additional travel. See the NPS site for additional road updates.

North Cascades

Over the weekend our guides led trips on Mt Baker and in Washington Pass. On Mt Baker the team reported that the Coleman Deming route was in great shape, and they noted that cars can drive almost all the way to Heliotrope trailhead! On the Easton side (south side), the road is slowly melting out and climbers/skiers can expect to begin on foot about 1-1.5 miles to the summer trailhead. Traditionally, we tend to see the north side road melt out and open up several weeks before the southside road melts out. Both guided teams stated that the upper mountain had substantial snowpack on the glacier with very little crevasses open at this time. There is currently no running water at either camp, and guides are recommending double boots from the parking lot at this time.

Happy climbing!

Hello climbers,

In what feels like no time, we’ve finished our first two weeks of climbing in the Cascades. Climbers have been making the most of high pressure in Washington and making ascents of peaks all across the state from Tahoma to Koma Kulshan and everything in between. Up north, our first Denali teams of the season are arriving in Talkeetna and getting ready to head into the park. Check out our Denali Cybercast if you want to follow along.

Tahoma (Mount Rainier)
On Tahoma, guides are reporting excellent route conditions with teams reaching the summit each time weather is favorable.  The route up to Camp Muir is fully snow covered right from the parking lot at Paradise, with a snow depth of 123 inches! Above Camp Muir, the route follows the Ingraham Direct and there are no ladders in place on the mountain. Mt Rainier National Park plans to open the White River road around Memorial Day weekend for additional travel. See the NPS site for additional road updates.

Timed Entry for Mount Rainier National Park
On a related note, the NPS is reintroducing a Timed Entry Reservation System at the White River Entrance. These reservations will be needed from July 11 to September 1, and for any weekends/ holidays following until Sunrise closes in October. The reservation window for July opens May 16 on the rec.gov site and then June 6 for August dates.  Reservations can be made any time up to the evening prior at 7pm.  The September – October weekend reservations will be available the evening before, too.

For more information see:

• • https://go.nps.gov/MORATimedEntry
  • https://go.nps.gov/MORATimedEntryFAQs

North Cascades
We’ve already seen a number of trips head into the North cascades over the recent weeks, although Baker season won’t ramp up for a few more weeks. Guides report excellent climbing conditions on the Coleman Glacier, Easton Glacier, Shuksan, and in the North Cascades. The road on the north side of Mount Baker is clear almost all the way to the the trailhead. On the south side, we are able to drive up to 1.5 miles from the trailhead. Overall, there is still ample snow around tree-line with over 3m of snow at 5,000ft and no running water. With the ample seasonal snow on Mt Baker we are currently using snowshoes and double boots to access the mountain right from the trailhead. With the road to Washington Pass open early this year, many climbers have been taking advantage of it and there are numerous reports of excellent early season climbing!

We look forward to joining you on a rope team or seeing you in the mountains!

Hello Climbers,

Over the weekend, our teams reported excellent climbing conditions on the route above Camp Muir. The current route ascends via the Ingraham Direct, with a traverse around 12,700 feet leading out to Camp Comfort. From there, climbers are enjoying a direct line to the summit on moderate-angle snow. With cooler temps holding steady, guides have noted that cramponing conditions are outstanding— firm, supportive snow is making for efficient and enjoyable climbing. As of now, there are no ladders in place on the route.

On the east side of the mountain, we’re still awaiting access to the White River entrance, which is expected to open around Memorial Day weekend. We’ll continue to post updates as conditions evolve. Despite sunny skies, guides have reported that the upper mountain ‘feels cold’ and climbers should not underestimate the temperatures on the upper mountain. Follow the gear list and pack the right layers for the conditions!

Happy climbing!