Hello climbers,
Conditions continue to stay phenomenal around the mountains in Washington. Smoke forecasts look really good throughout the rest of the week and into weekend. We are starting to see some mid to late August weather patterns start to creep in, with blip of cooler temperatures and light precipitation working its way into the mountains this weekend. It should be short lived and nothing big enough to disrupt climbing plans. Following the weekend it’s back to summer for early next week with clear skies and higher freezing levels.
Mount Rainier (Tahoma)
The standard climbing route on Mount Rainier is in very good shape, offering a solid mix of straightforward travel and late-season changes. A healthy lingering snowpack makes the trek up the Muir Snowfield pleasant and smooth, though as you push past to the Cowlitz Glacier, you will notice cracks opening up, even as a direct line to Cathedral Gap holds strong. Expect increasing dirt and rock on the approach to Ingraham Flats as the melt-out continues. Right above high camp, climbers will encounter a ladder crossing equipped with handline, followed by another handline through the loose scree to speed up access to Disappointment Cleaver. Once you clear the cleaver, a direct and well-established track awaits taking climbers all the way to the summit.
Mount Baker (Koma Kulshan)
Conditions on Mount Baker remain stable and favorable, much to the delight of guides who report that the Easton Glacier is climbing exceptionally well for this late in the season. The standard route via the Easton remains straightforward with minimal crevasses, though a crack around 9,400 feet is widening and currently requires a step-over. Higher up, a strong lingering snowpack on the Roman Headwall provides smooth travel conditions along a well-established track, while a few teams venturing onto the Squak Glacier are also finding great seasonal climbing.
Across the Cascades
In other parts of the Cascades, it has been fairly quiet with no major updates. Our groups made the tough approach into in the Eldorado Peak area and were rewarded with good glacier travel conditions and were able to enjoy some remote alpine climbing on various peaks in the zone. Another trip also went up to Vesper Peak to avoid poor air quality around Washington Pass. They had clean air and good rock while climbing True Grit and Mile High Club.
See you in the mountains!
