Summer keeps on rolling and climbing in the Cascades is still going strong. Forecasts for the next week look promising. There will be a slight dip in the freezing levels over the weekend which should help keep things nice and cool higher up in the mountains. There’s also a slight change of picking up some precipitation associated with some afternoon thunderstorms- but we don’t anticipate a big impact to our climbing plans. Moving into the early part of next week, climbers should expect mostly sunny skies and normal seasonal temperatures. In the upper mountains, smoke has continued to hold off, and hasn’t impacted climbing operations at upper elevations.
Mount Rainier (Tahoma)
The standard climbing route on Rainier has continued to stay in very good shape. With solid snowpack on the Muir Snowfield, travel has been pleasant and straightforward leading up to Camp Muir. Above Muir, cracks are opening up on the Cowlitz Glacier, but travel remains direct to Cathedral Gap. As snow continues to melt, expect more dirt and rock walking on the approach to Ingraham Flats. A ladder crossing awaits climbers directly above high camp, and a handline was recently installed to help climbers move across the ladder span. Access to the Cleaver is sped up by another handline install in the loose scree. This helps climbers move more efficiently through the area. Above the cleaver, a direct, well-established route is still taking climbers to the summit.
Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan)
Not much has changed on Mount Baker, which is a good thing, as guides continue to report how well the Easton Glacier is climbing at this time of year. The climbing up the Easton Glacier is still relatively straightforward, and minimal crevasses have opened up on the standard route. A crack around 9,400’ is gradually widening, but is still possible to step over. A good snowpack on the Roman Headwall is keeping the steepest part of the climb in smooth travel conditions, and there is a well-established climbing path. A few groups have also gone up the Squak Glacier recently and also experienced great climbing conditions!
Across the Cascades
The trend of good climbing continues throughout most of the Cascades. Recent climbers on the Shuksan ascended the Fisher Chimneys route and reported very good, solid glacier travel. On the other side of Shuksan, the Sulphide Glacier hasn’t changed much in the last week. A few open cracks on the glacier are easily crossable on the way to the summit pyramid.
