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!
