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:
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!
