Climbing Conditions

North Cascades National Park offers a lifetime of mountaineering objectives.

Winnie Hsieh

 

June 21, 2024

Although the snowpack is lower than average years, snow at higher elevations is taking its time to melt due to the cooler temperature and new precipitation in May and June. The snowline is hovering around 5000 ft. in elevation on north-facing slopes and much higher for south-facing slopes.

Many climbs in the North Cascades involve several skillsets and the most difficult aspect is usually the transition from rock to snow and vice versa. Early season and late season present different challenges. Many routes can have multiple ascent/descent options that go in and out of shape depending on the time of year. Know your options, research them in advance, try to get recent beta and adapt in the field based on what you see. Just because you see footprints going one way, does not mean you should blindly follow them: Is that snow bridge no longer supported? Is that moat too big? Has there been significant rockfall in the couloir? Maintain your situation awareness and budget plenty of time for your climb - things almost always take longer than most parties expect.

Be sure to check the weather forecast, trail conditions, and closures beforehand. As always, leave a detailed itinerary with a friend or family member, including the date and time you plan to exit the backcountry.

 

Helpful Links

• Planning a Climb
• Road Conditions
• Trail Conditions
• Fire Closures
• Food Storage Requirement
• Backcountry Permit

Closures and Notices

Stay up-to-date with road, trail, and camp closures related to wildfire and seasonal winter closures using the helpful links provided. Understand the rules and regulations, including food storage requirements at each camp or cross-country zone, prior to your visit. You can find the backcountry permit process and regulations on the backcountry permit page. ALL overnight trips in the park require a backcountry permit.

Note: Overnight camping at trailheads in the National Park is prohibited. This includes the Eldorado, Boston Basin, and Cascade Pass trailheads.

 

Current and General Climbing Conditions

Climbing conditions are reported by climbing rangers, and updated as frequently as possible.

Mount Shuksan

A detailed climbing blog and composting toilet location on Sulphide Glacier can be found here: 

Climbing Conditions - Mt. Shuksan

Route	Reported Conditions
Fisher Chimney	6/29- Highway 542 is open all the way to Artist Point.  6/19 -The trail to Lake Anne and the Chimneys is still mostly covered in snow. Groups have reported slow postholing to the base of the Chimneys. The Chimneys received 30-40 cm (12-18 in) of new snow over the weekend of June 14-16, and reports were of challenging conditions to dig through snow to access some of the rock.
Sulphide Glacier	6/19 - The road to Shannon Ridge trailhead has one washout passable to SUVs.  The trail is generally in good shape, with continuous snow starting at ~4400'.  Climbers should expect deep postholing in slushy snow, and be alert for avalanche conditions and overhead hazards such as snow falling from cliffs and cornice failure.    There is no running water above the early trail switchbacks.  Neither bivy area has dry sites, running water, or excavated toilets. 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 with snow – the central gully route appears to be entirely snow, while the SE Rib would be a 70/30 snow/rock mix.

Eldorado Area

A detailed climbing blog and composting toilet location on Eldorado can be found here: 

Climbing Conditions - Eldorado Area

Route	Reported Conditions
Eldorado Peak - East Ridge	6/16 - There are multiple options for crossing the creek this season. Many groups have had good luck at lower flows finding a log or logs downstream of the parking area. Other groups have waded across the creek near the parking area or just upstream of the parking area. Snow line starts above the boulder field at about 5200'. The snowline is abrupt, transitioning from no snow in the boulders to deep snow through the waterfalls and above treeline. The descent into Roush Creek basin is a mixture of snow and dirt/rock, but the snow is melting fast. With the melt, moat holes are forming below the descent gulley. The rock slabs below the Eldorado Glacier are snow covered, but glide cracks are forming on many of the steeper rollovers. Avalanches and rockfall have been a concern coming off the ridge that extends south off the Eggplant. The Eldorado Glacier and East Ridge are snow covered with minimal crevasses showing, but this will change quickly with warming temperatures, especially if there is no freeze overnight. There is no running water at the Bivy Sites, and the toilet is buried in snow.
Dorado Needle

Boston Basin Area (Forbidden Peak, Sharkfin, Sahale via Quien Sabe)

A detailed climbing blog and composting toilet location at Boston Basin can be found here: 

Climbing Conditions - Boston Basin Area

Route	Reported Conditions
Boston Basin Approach	6/23: The gate at Eldorado is locked, so visitors should expect an additional 2.5 miles and 1400' of elevation on the road in order to get to Boston Basin.   The snow line in Boston Basin is roughly 5500'. Above this elevation there is a lot of snow compared to the previous few years.   The lower bivy site is still covered in snow, so visitors should expect to camp on snow, but the composting toilet is fully melted out. The upper bivy is still fully covered in feet of snow and the toilet is completely buried.
Forbidden Peak - West Ridge	6/23: Both the Cat Scratch Gullies and the West Ridge Couloir require steep snow travel to get to the base. The West Ridge Couloir is still full of snow and many teams are using this to gain the West Ridge. The Cat Scratch Gullies have some snow on rock. The West Ridge Route is mainly snow free.
Forbidden Peak - East Ridge	No recent report
Sahale via Quien Sabe Glacier	6/23: Below the elevation of the glacier there are many glide cracks and holes melting out as the warm days and above freezing overnight temps move the snowpack towards a summertime snowpack. The Quien Sabe Glacier is covered in snow and has a few options for route choice. The crevasses are mainly covered by deep snow and snow bridges. Most teams are reporting slow travel conditions with deep post-holing in wet snow. The summit ridge is fully covered in snow, with massive overhanging cornices hanging off the east side of the ridge. It is possible to summit without climbing rock at all at this time, which is unusual for this time of year
Sharkfin	6/23: The approach to Sharkfin is snowy and teams are reporting slow travel in deep wet snow. The normal approach gulley is still mostly snowy, with a moat forming at the bottom and some exposed rock in the gulley. The rock pitches are snow-free.
Torment-Forbidden Traverse	No recent report

Northern Pickets

Southern Pickets

Mount Triumph

Colonial/Snowfield Area

 

Route	Reported Condition
Pyramid Lake Approach	6/9 - Snowline started around 5000'. Many slide debris on the traverse under Pyramid Peak. Popular camps near Colonial and at Neve Col (~6870') still under snow. Running water can be found on a warm day at Neve Col.
Neve Glacier	6/9 - Minimal crevasse visible

Other Areas