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NPS 
NPS/F. Preston Fisher Chimneys The Fisher Chimneys are in challenging late season conditions but still worth the effort during spells of good weather. Expect blue ice on Winnie's Slide for a pitch, and some steep snow and ice on Hell's Highway for more than a pitch. The summit pyramid is dry rock, but on shaded slopes there was remnant snow from last week's precipitation. If you are headed up after a weather event, expect new snow and ice at any and all elevations, as fall is here. 
T. Denison/NPS Sulphide Glacier The trail is entirely snow-free to the lower bivy area which has plentiful running water. The upper bivy area may have water in the afternoon but is unlikely to in the morning. There is much exposed rock and ice above the upper bivy area, and the route will almost certainly require travel on ice. The route currently crosses several open, visible crevasses before reaching the top of Hell's Highway. After this the route travels through a very crevassed area and uses several snow bridges, but some parties have rerouted to climber's right to avoid this area. There is no running water reported at the base of the summit pyramid. Please be aware that the toilet at the lower bivy is closed at this time. Plan on using blue bags for your climb. 
NPS/B. Bracken Sulphide Glacier The Sulphide Glacier is getting tricky as late season conditions warrant navigation around crevasses, walking on exposed glacier ice, and numerous managment styles. Please be aware that the toilet at the lower bivy is unusable at this time. Plan on using blue bags for your climb. 
NPS/J.Shields Fisher Chimneys The route is in good condition given this point in the season. No snow travel required until just above the chimneys. The lower camp below the chimneys has multiple dry bivy sites, but rangers were unable to find a water source nearby. Many dry bivy sites available below and above Winnie’s slide, both areas with a running water source. Winnie’s slide is steep snow with bucket steps. This section can quickly change to ice around this time of the year – make sure to have a plan to safely descend. Hell’s Highway starts off with glacier ice and transitions to steep snow midway. Please do not leave or rely on fixed pickets for pitching out this section. Large crevasses on the Upper Curtis and Sulphide Glaciers are opening up. The current boot pack travels on some weak snow bridges - be cautious of these suspect bridges especially during afternoon travel and with warming events. This route does require challenging glacier navigation. Rangers advise climbers to continually assess the terrain & conditions as the current boot pack may not be the safest route. 
NPS/J.Shields Sulphide Glacier Shuksan’s still looking fine. Almost no snow travel from the Shannon Ridge TH to the lower bivy sites. Rangers have been working hard on the lower composting toilet and it is still useable. Please only put solid human waste and toilet paper in the composter as any liquids will slow down the composting process. There are still multiple running water sources and dry bivy sites. If unable to find a dry bivy site, please camp on snow instead of creating more sites/wind walls. The upper bivy still has a running water source in the gully and the composting toilet is open. Expect to camp on snow – do not create new sites on the vegetation. There was a distinct boot pack on the Sulphide glacier leading from the bivy sites to the base of summit pyramid. The glacier is still in good shape with two crevasses that were avoided with the existing boot pack. Keep in mind that crevasses open up throughout the season and be aware of unsupportable snow bridges. The Center Gully still has one large snow patch which multiple parties were able to avoid on the ascent/descent. Due to multiple fire closures in the park, Shuksan has seen an influx of visitation. Many climbing parties have been ascending & descending summit pyramid at the same time with reports of rock fall. Consider climbing very early or later in the day to avoid traffic on the route. Also consider the rap anchors climber’s left of Center Gully to avoid descending onto other climbers (60m rope works for those existing anchors). 
T. Denison/NPS Sulphide Glacier Shuksan’s in fine form. The approach from Shannon Ridge TH is snow-free until just beyond the Notch. Getting to the lower bivy sites is a combination of traversing snow and rock. The lower bivy area has many dry bivy sites with multiple running water sources just below these sites. The composting toilet is accessible but is getting full. Climbers can still use the toilet, but please bring blue bags/wag bags in case it becomes completely full! If possible, please consider camping at the upper bivy area. The upper bivy area has 1 dry site (expect to camp on snow), a running water source in the gully, and the composting toilet is in great condition. Crevasses are becoming visible in the usual areas of the Sulphide Glacier route (above the first steep slope at ~7300', and just above Hell's Highway at ~7900') and the bootpack passes between them – climbers should consider snow bridge depth and snow consistency. The SE Rib itself is completely snow-free but a steep snow pitch must be climbed to access the Rib. The Central Gully has a large lingering patch of snow in the middle that can mostly be avoided; carrying snow gear to the summit for use on the descent may be useful. Using great rap anchors climber’s left of Center Gully avoids descending directly in fall line with ascending parties (60m rope works for all existing anchors). Rangers climbed the NE Ridge route of the summit pyramid and found it straightforward to descend onto the Crystal Glacier and attain the ridge; there are a few small crevasses to avoid. The rock was very loose 4th-class until the last 200ft of the climb, which presents a solid, clean face of low 5th-class leading almost to the summit. 
Fisher Chimneys Fisher Chimneys: The Chimneys are snow free, with a large moat guarding the first section. Do not rely on the most traveled path across the snow here, as the moats can change significantly each day. There are a multitude of dry tent sites above and below Winnie's slide. Water is available at the upper bivy sites, and about 100' below the lower bivys.
July 3, 2024 Fisher Chimneys Fisher Chimneys: The approach from the Lake Ann TH is a wet one – requiring much walking on slushy snow and flooded trail. The two transitions from flat snow field into the scrambling sections of the Chinneys are currently easy but very soon will form moats with precarious snowbridges. Once in the Chimneys proper all snow can be avoided by staying climber's left and opting for more 4th-class scrambling. There is steep strip of snow in the uppermost Chimney which is hollow underneath and hangs over a deep trench; this snow ramp is becoming discontinuous and there is bootpack evidence of a section having collapsed under a climber's weight – this snow section presents a serious hazard and should be approached cautiously and again can be avoided if preferred. There are two campsites suitable for 2-person tents melted out at the bivy area below Winnie's slide, but there is no running water available here. Water is available just above Winnie's Slide. Rangers found and packed out three blue bags of human waste left within ten feet of campsites, all chewed by rodents who then may run around on subsequent groups' food and equipment. This is absolutely unacceptable and disrespectful to the climbing community – all waste must be responsibly packed out. Some crevasses are becoming visible in the Upper Curtis and Sulphide Glaciers but are easily avoided. Hell's Highway has no exposed ice and a smooth top-out. The snow on 7/01 worsened to terrible slushy knee-deep postholing consistency above Hell's Highway but this should improve with warmer weather and clear nights. The Central Gully route appears to be entirely a snow climb still, but the SE Rib is getting close to a rock route – unfortunately rangers had very poor visibility on 7/01 and could not get an updated photo. 
T. Denison/NPS Sulphide Glacier Good news! The snow approaching and on Sulphide Glacier is condensing into a bootable summer consistency. In early afternoon in the sun near the bivy areas boot penetration was around 6". Patchy snow begins at ~4500' and continuous snow suitable for skiiing starts on Shannon Ridge at ~4800. No crevasses were visible looking up the route from the bivy areas, but rangers did not have time to proceed higher. Visitors reported some visibly opening but easily avoided. The summit pyramid appears to be melting quickly – the Central Gully route looks to be all snow still but the SE Rib may be approaching a rock climb. 
T. Denison/NPS Sulphide Glacier Sulphide Glacier: The road to Shannon Ridge TH has one washout passable to SUVs and maybe sedans. The trail is in generally fine shape with most downed trees cut; continuous snow starts at ~4400' from/to which skiing is possible. Snow up there is generally very slushy and not consolidated into summer snowpack yet. Even after refreezing overnight it will warm quickly – climbers should expect deep postholing and be alert for avalanche conditions and overhead hazards such as snow falling from cliffs and cornices failing. Expect no running water above the early trail switchbacks. Neither bivy area has dry sites, running water, or excavated toilets (probing at the coordinates of the lower toilet found a snow depth of 3.5 meters, so...gonna be a while). Climbers should be equipped for self-contained winter camping including packing out waste. Note that there is no longer a blue-bag dispenser at the trailhead. No crevasses are currently visible on the Sulphide route but the slushy snow makes for potentially weak snowbridges, and recent snow has covered cracks that had already begun opening. The summit pyramid is plastered – the central gully route appears to be entirely snow, while the SE Rib would be a 70/30 snow/rock mix. 
NPS/J.Shields Sulphide Glacier Route Climbing rangers are back at it, and no better way to kick off the season than a Shuksan ski patrol! Still lots of snow, with continuous snow coverage starting at ~4,000ft elevation (within the blow-down section of the approach trail). The temperatures certainly got warm out there and will continually stay high throughout the weekend. Watch out for wet avalanches & cornices as the shed cycle begins. We witnessed several avalanches and point releases in the afternoon. An area of concern on the standard approach is the traverse coming from "the notch" to the lower bivy sites - lots of residual snow above ready to slide with steep cliff sections below. Toilets are still buried underneath snow, bring your blue bags/wag bags for human waste. Upper and lower bivy sites are completly covered with snow as well. Expect to melt water. The road to Shannon Ridge trailhead is driveable, there is one creek wash-out ~1 mile from the trailhead that would be tricky for low-clearance vehicles. 
NPS/A.Brun Sulphide Glacier Route The route is becoming more challenging in these late season conditions as the glacier continually melts out. As previously mentioned, teams should be prepared for steeper exposed glacial ice and crevasse hazard management from the lower bivy sites to base of the summit pyramid. Plan for more time navigating this terrain. Also, understand that the route up may not be the safest option down as conditions change throughout the day. There have been multiple reports of snow bridges collapsing and parties turning around due to the nature of the glacier. Both the lower and upper bivy sites offer snow-free sites and multiple water sources. There are many sites that have been built at the lower bivy sites, please use the pre-existing impacted sites and do not create new ones. 
Photo by NPS/Preston Fisher Chimneys Route As with other trails and climbs in the North Cascades, expect late season conditions on the Fisher Chimneys Route. Late season brings out the day hikers, so remember, the trail to Lake Ann is a popular day hike, the parking lot is small, and a Northwest Forest Parking Pass is required. Plan accordingly. There are a couple water sources between the trailhead and the NPS boundary sign, but the next reliable water source is likely above Winnie's Slide at the upper bivy site. On hot afternoons there may be a trickle of running water below Winnie's Slide, but this source is not reliable as overnight temperatures are starting to drop with Autumn approaching. The consensus among climbers on the Fisher Chimneys was that full shank boots and 2 ice tools was the way to go as Winnie's Slide and Hell's Highway are steep and icy right now. Both can be protected with a combination of ice screws as well as pickets, so having a few of each makes a lot of sense. As you are climbing, remember that what goes up must come down, so have a decent strategy for getting yourself and your team back down. As with the Sulphide where the routes join, the Upper Curtis Glacier is broken up and requires good glacier navigation skills. The route may involve transitions from ice to snow and back to ice, and tracks may lead you to a dead end or a weak snow bridge. 
Sulphide Glacier Route Shout out to the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest trail crew for the beautification work they did on the Shannon Ridge Trail! The trail is currently in great shape after the winter blow down was removed. If you see a USFS employee be sure to say thank you. The Sulphide Glacier route is in challenging late season conditions. Teams should be prepared for exposed glacial ice and crevasse hazard management from the bottom of the glacier to base of the summit pyramid. Because of hot temps over the last weeks, the glacier is changing quickly and a set of footprints or a gpx track from a couple days ago might lead to trouble in the form of weak snow bridges or a dead end route. Additional caution getting from the snow onto the rock at the base of the summit pyramid, as the moat is growing and changing quickly. Freezing temps dropped to 6500’ on August 19, 2023, but haze from the wildfires moved in as well. The smoke was noticeable in both the smell and in the visibility, but it didn’t stop teams from going up to the summit. The freezing temps surely helped strengthen snow bridges, although this might be a temporary situation if freezing levels rise. Both the Lower and the Upper Bivy Sites are snow free and in good shape. The lower sites have free-flowing water all day, but the upper sites did not have water when we visited in mid-morning. If we may provide a couple reminders: -Please travel and camp on durable surfaces- do not trample or camp on vegetation, but find a rocky site for your tent or bivy. -NO TRASH IN THE TOILETS!! This includes wag bags and blue bags. 
NPS/ABrun July 20th, 2023 The USFS completed clearing the Shannon Ridge trail of trees over the trail on July 19 and the trail is in good shape. Climbers should expect to encounter crevasses on the Sulphide Glacier Route. At approximately 7,900 feet elevation we encountered multiple small crevasses and small patches of bare ice; simple route-finding was required to navigate through these crevasses. Additional crevasses were observed above this point as well but were easy to negotiate. The transition from snow to access the central gully rock was straightforward. There is one small patch of snow remaining in the central gully on the summit pyramid. Otherwise, the route up and down the central gully is dry. Please inspect the rappel stations in the central gully before using them. 
NPS/J. Shields Sulphide Glacier and Summit Pyramid Travel on the Sulphide Glacier from Hell's Highway to the SE Ridge of the summit pyramid was direct with no crevasse navigation or snow bridge crossings. Transition from snow to rock below SE ridge consisted of a clean intersect from supportable snow to loose rock just below the ridge. SE ridge was dry to the summit. Descent of the Central Gully was mostly dry with one large snowpatch remaining ~3/4's of the way down the gully. Several rappel stations found on descent. Be sure to inspect these stations thoroughly before weighting them. Central Gully consists of large blocks of loose rock. Be mindful when descending above climbing party's and when pulling your rope from rappel stations. Transition from Central Gully back onto snow consisted of several weak snow bridges that could easily be punched through. Use caution and inspect snow before commiting to transition. 
NPS/J. Shields Fisher Chimney's Approach from Lake Ann TH involved some snow travel, particularly on the final ascent up to Lake Ann. Patches of snow encountered on traverse from Lake Ann to the base of the Chimney's with significant amount of postholing. Moats are developing at the snow/rock intersect as you begin the initial scramble up the lower and upper chimney. Some large patches of snow remain in the chimneys proper, but can be avoided. Multiple water sources are available on your way up, but the bivy below Winnie's slide does not currently have a good water source. If planning to bivy there, make sure to fill up before gaining to snow field above the Chimneys and traversing over. Bivy spots above Winnie's slide contain a great water source from runoff of the Upper Curtis Glacier. Human waste bags were found at the bivy below Winnie's slide. Please remember to pack out your trash and waste and make an effort to keep this area clean as it sees a lot of traffic. 
T. Denison/NPS June 24, 2023Sulphide Glacier The road is driveable to the trailhead but still has several washout trenches (this time a Corolla was seen at the trailhead.) The blowdown section between 4000' and 4300' is much easier to navigate now that the snow has receded to about ~4900', on the ridge below the notch. The Lower Bivy toilet is snow free and in great shape, and there are a handfull of small snow free spots for 1-2 person tents- maybe 2 spots for larger tents. Plan on camping on snow at the Lower Bivy, unless you are one of the first groups to claim a dry site. The Upper Bivy is still under snow and the toilet is very buried at this time. The Sulphide Glacier route is in great shape with lots of snow covering crevasses and making for easy travel, and the summit pyramid is snow free. 
NPS /J.Shields Fisher Chimneys The Fisher Chimneys is a popular route right now and is in good condition. The chimneys are completely snow free until ~6,600ft (above the white salmon glacier) and the approach from Lake Ann travels through only a couple small snow patches. The bivy sites below Winnie's Slide are melted out with a small water source just below Winnie's Slide that ran consistently throughout the day. There are a couple bivy sites just above Winnie's slide with a larger water source. Crevasses are opening up on the Curtis Glacier but travel is generally straight forward to Hell's Highway. Hell's Highway does have some visible crevasses on climber's left, most parties seem to climb the shorter steep pitch on the right and ascend the ridge to the Sulphide Glacier. Both Winnie's Slide and Hell's Highway are still steep snow travel (not yet hard ice). Most climbing parties used 2 ice tools to descend these sections. 
NPS/J.Shields Getting onto both the SE Ridge and gully of the pyramid is straight forward. The SE Ridge is completely snow free. The gully has a large patch of snow down low and one near the top that can be avoided. There is a lot of rappel stations set up in the gully for descending. Descending the gully with a 60m rope took most teams about 3 rappels with a combination of down climbing. 
NPS/J.Shields Sulphide Glacier Snowpack continues to be higher than average for this time of year. Snow travel on Shannon Ridge Trail starts at ~4,200ft elevation and with continuous snow cover at ~4,600ft. Both the lower and upper bivy site toilets have been dug out. The lower bivy site toilet is currently at its capacity, so please try to use blue bags and the upper bivy toilet instead. Do not leave human waste on the snow – rangers had to clean up a lot of surface poop. There is a running water source at both the lower and upper bivy sites. A couple lower bivy sites have melted out, but still plan to camp on snow. A shovel can still be essential to build a platform for snow camping. As a reminder, food canisters or ursacks are required for camping below the vegetation line (~5,800ft), which includes “the notch” below the lower bivy site. There are subtle signs of crevasses on Sulphide Glacier approaching Summit Pyramid. Summit Pyramid itself is dynamic and snow is quickly melting off. The SE Ridge is snow free but there’s still snow hanging in the gully. Moats are starting to develop and will become a transitioning obstacle in the near future. 
NPS K.Vollinger The road to the trailhead has been repaired! Most vehicles can drive to the parking area, but two stream gullies must be crossed and require some clearance (we saw one sedan managed to make it to the parking lot). Shannon Ridge trail has continuous snow coverage shortly after 4000 feet. There is running water currently near the lower bivy site. Both toilets are still buried under heaps of snow. Expect to camp on snow; at least one shovel can be an essential tool in the alpine. There are no crevasses visible on the climbing route proper at the moment. On the steeper slopes to climber's right of the standard route above the bivies, there are subtle signs of crevasses (long trenches). The rangers only went to about 7700 feet on the glacier, but the snow to that point was very supportable and consolidated for easier travel on snow. The summit pyramid is covered in snow still, and rock patches are slowly melting out. However, expect steep snow climbing to be all or the bulk of the route for a while. A guided party that climbed the route straight up the middle of the face early on 6/27 (middle of the first "heatwave'), reported that even with clear skies that night the route barely set up. It was breakable crust most of the way up the summit pyramid, making the route only doable by staying in the center runnel to the summit. They were able to move out of the trench only in the last section to the summit when it became firm neve for better front pointing. Being in the trench exposes climbers to terrain trap hazard as it funnels rock and snow/ice fall. The snow will likely be more supportive for front pointing with cooler, clear nights; but be concerned for overhead hazard if things have not set up overnight or when the face moves into the sun. Currently that face starts moving into the sun around 8:15 am. 
NPS/B. Muller June 5, 2022 Keep in mind that “above average snowpack” can be misleading if just looking at a percentage. Thunder basin snotel site, for example, is well above average for this date (currently 1500%), and the site currently has 20” of snow on the ground. Easy Pass is also above average at 130% snowpack but is recording 130” or over 10 feet. This amount of snow may sound great to some people and not as great to others. For skiers and riders, it is great to be able to utilize the flotation provided by backcountry gear. For climbers, it might mean more challenging approaches, snow on route, and lots of post-holing. Consider bringing snowshoes depending on the objective. For overnight visitors it might mean melting snow for water if the creeks are still far below the surface of the snow. One thing that backcountry rangers have noticed in recent weeks is that the snow is wet and heavy and not freezing overnight. This seems to be true at fairly high elevations, and for different areas including Rainy Pass, Cascade Pass, and Hannegan Pass. The slushy conditions have made for slow travel, at times adding about 25-50% extra time if not more. This has been true for skiers and riders, and especially true for climbers without any flotation. Along with snow considerations, the amount of snowmelt and rain have increased the flows in the rivers, and this could continue for weeks to come as the weather warms up. Even small creeks might not be crossable at some flows, and the timeline for high flows might look different this year than in years prior. It is important to look into current conditions and plan your trip based on what you might encounter this year rather than assuming that it will be similar to what you saw last year at the same time. This includes many considerations, from travel times if the road is still impassable due to snow, to travel speed on snow versus on a trail, and whether or not a creek will be crossable. It might also include planning for a colder environment if you will be camping on snow, requiring more warm layers and more fuel if you are melting snow for water. Remember, plan accordingly in order to have a fun and safe trip. |
Last updated: September 17, 2024