Hi all,

I'm from New Zealand and will be in Oregon and/or Washington for 3-4 weeks from Mid August to Mid September. I'd love to do some hiking and mountaineering in the beautiful looking Cascades but would like some advice...

Trips that I've been looking into include Rainer (of course!), Eldorado Peak, Shuksan, Mt. St. Helens, the Ptarmigan Traverse and maybe a section of the PCT or Copper Ridge trail. I obviously won't be able to fit all those in! So I've got a few questions:

Which would you guys recommend? To give me a flavour of the area... Will Rainier be just a crazy busy mess or is it still well worth it? I'm not used to climbing crowded mountains back here in NZ so it could be a fun cultural experience or maybe I'd just hate it... The Ptarmigan Traverse looks really fun, would you guys rate that over doing something like Shuksan?

How stable is the weather generally at that time of year? I gather it's similar to NZ, wet with a lot of storms even in summer, or am I likely to get long stretches of good weather? Just wondering how ambitious I can be...

For trips like the ones mentioned above would 3/4 shank boots (I have La Sportiva Trangos) be ok or would I be crazy to not take my full shanks? It'd be nice to just take 3/4 shanks so I can use them for hiking. Back home for similar elevations and steepness I'd probably take 3/4 shanks (except maybe Rainier's a bit cold) but I don't really have a feel for how cold it'll be in the PNW comparatively.

Finally a bit about me so you can gauge things better. I've been mountaineering for a couple of years and have done a lot of moderate routes here in NZ but none overseas. I'm not completely sure how the alpine grades compare but I've done a lot of routes up to NZ 2+ but not really higher, so I'm thinking about PD to AD level. I've done a lot of rugged off-trail hiking in NZ and in Colorado. I will possibly have a friend with me who's a better rock climber but not done as much mountaineering, otherwise I'll be looking for partners or soloing.

Any thoughts are much appreciated.
Cheers!
Tom

Hi Tom,

An extremely well traveled climber I worked with in Seattle once described climbing in New Zealand as traveling half way around the world to climb in the Washington Cascades. I think you will be right at home.

Weather in mid August - mid September is typically extremely stable with long stretches of excellent weather with warm to hot days (80s Fahrenheit in Seattle) and cooling nights. Typically May and June are considered 'volcano season'. By mid August many routes on Mt. Rainier will be impassable due to exposed rock, which on Rainier is like stacks of un-mortared bricks. Without the ice holding it together many routes are exposed to significant risk of rock fall. I would, therefore, not recommend Rainier for your trip. Besides, it is a zoo, it is expensive, there is a lot of red tape, and all of the interesting routes will be out of shape.

If you want to climb a big, glaciated stratovolcano, I would recommend Mt. Baker. It is 90 minutes north and 90 minutes east of Seattle. About the same distance as the south side of Rainier from Seattle. It has the highest recorded snowfall in the world. About 3,700 feet lower than Rainier, it still offers big glaciers and a more wilderness experience and far less expense, red tape, and hassle. Many of the routes remain in good condition into August and early September. Park Glacier Headwall will be approachable (Mt Baker HWY remains closed for the last few miles until August) and offers a really interesting route, some moderately steep ice climbing, and THE MOST AMAZING campsite in the Cascades.

Mt Shuksan is an absolute icon. I have climbed and skied it 8 times, by every compass point and by half a dozen routes. Fisher Chimneys is in good shape that time of year and is one of my favorite routes. It offers interesting route finding and moderate rock and ice climbing. And, if you climb one of the northern routes on Baker (Coleman-Deming Glacier, North Ridge, Coleman Headwall, Park Glacier Headwall), the trailhead to Fisher Chimneys is a short drive farther on the Mt. Baker HWY.

I've done the four most northern peaks of the Ptarmigan Traverse, so I am not an expert on the entire traverse, but what I have done and seen is really amazing scenery, challenging route finding and travel, and some good peaks, many that are not particularly noteworthy mountaineering challenges, but that is not he point of the PT.

As for footwear, IF you are not doing Rainier, summer weight mountaineering boots are perfect. My feet are wide so my choice is Scarpa Charmoz. LS Trangos are nearly identical and would be ideal for everything other than Rainier.

I would caution against soloing on the bigger glaciers (Mt Baker and Rainier mainly), because crevasses are a serious issue.

Have fun and welcome!

Thanks for the great reply ExcitableBoy, I'm looking forward to this trip! Glad to hear the weather is likely to be decent.

Thanks for the heads up about Rainier, Mt. Baker sounds like a great alternative and that part of the Cascades seems particularly scenic. Would you consider it worth bringing two ice axes for routes like Park Glacier Headwall and Shuksan? Back here I usually take two axes on most trips just so it's easy to solo most steepish snow.

Would soloing be feasible and not too dodgy on smaller glaciers such as those on Shuksan and the Ptarmigan Traverse?

One more question... Is hitch-hiking and/or public transport at all feasible for travelling around Washington and getting to trailheads? I know in NZ it would be a pain to get to most without a car, but it would be nice to not have to hire one seeing as I plan on being in the hills most of the time.

Sorry for all the questions, and thank you again!

Tommy,

As another long time Washingtonian, I can chime in a little. EB's statement above regarding the similarities with the southern Alps and the Cascades is spot on. I made my first trip to NZ this past January and felt like I never left my home state of WA!

Everything else EB mentions is great advice...but I can add a few things. You ask about soloing some of the smaller glaciers, which you can certainly do in late Aug/Sept as most of the crevasses will be open. I do this quite often actually, I just wouldn't do it on Baker or Rainier, or even Shuksan, unless you're doing the standard Sulphide, or Fisher Chimneys routes which would probably be ok. I would bring two tool for some of the routes you describe. You shouldn't need two tools for a route like the Fisher Chimneys though...just good boots and crampons and a mountaineering axe should suffice there.

Soloing the Ptarmigan traverse shouldn't be an issue either...just know how to read, understand and travel across glaciers (which I assume you know). The Middle Cascade Glacier on the north side of the Spider/Formidable Col will be the biggest glacier you'd deal with. Since this was a very wet winter, there shouldn't be too much bare ice to deal with this summer. The PT is incredible! I'd recommend climbing Dome Peak, Mount Formidable, and Spire Point if you have time for some peaks along the way! Spire Point is low 5th class and not as easy to solo (rappel will probably be prudent).

Another excellent traverse is the Inspiration Traverse where you can climb Eldorado Peak, Klawatti Peak, Dorado Needle, Austera Peak, and Primus Peak. But this has bigger glaciers, and more overall difficulties where soloing wouldn't be as wise, but I think it's a better traverse than the PT. You can see my report of the Inspiration Traverse here:

http://www.lemkeclimbs.com/inspiration-traverse.html

I'd also recommend hitting up the Olympics if you have the chance. Mount Olympus is a beautiful climb with a long rain forest approach, although typically large crevasses block the routes after early August.

If you are really in for a crazy adventure, go to the Pickets! -->http://www.summitpost.org/picket-range/171088
I made a one of a kind Pickets Traverse last summer...http://www.lemkeclimbs.com/full-pickets-traverse.html

Regarding transportation, hitchhiking is possible, but you'd wait a long time if you're in the city. Best to take one of the buses to the foothill towns like Darrington, Granite Falls or one of the more rare buses to Marblemount. All those small foothill towns you will have a better time hitching.

Depending on exactly when you will be in WA, I may be down to join up with you. I make an annual pilgrimage back to the Cascades and go climbing in my homeland.
Fee free to ask me anything you want about the PNW...

Cheers!

-Matt

Jeebus Matt, suggesting he solo the Picket Range? Are you trying to get Tom to hate Washington? Seriously, the Picket Range is amazing, but is perhaps some of the most wild, rugged, and inaccessible mountain terrain in the contiguous U.S. An injury while soloing could be very, very bad news. If Matt is offering to partner with you, well then I would take him up on the offer. I've been meaning to climb with him, but a serious illness I am struggling with keeps me in the armchair and out of the mountains for the time being.

Good suggestions really, and this may not be an issue having had so much snowfall early season, but when a friend and Josh Lewis and I climbed Fisher Chimney's in mid September 2013 we found second tools to be very useful due to giant crevasses we were forced to climb into and then out of. But that was the first time in many ascents and descents of the route that we needed a second tool. I will second Matt that Fisher Chimneys should be melted out enough that soloing on the glaciers should be fine. The biggest issue is finding the correct chimney, otherwise you may end up discovering an interesting variation. I've climbed up it four times and only twice found the proper chimney, which is basically a steep trail. The other two times we were forced to climb 5th class rock. Not a bad experience, but not the easy path. And remember, when you find fixed gear with a carabiner, it doesn't necessarily mean you are on route, just that someone retreated from that spot.

Haha oh no not soloing the Pickets...sorry if that wasnt clear! I just threw it out there in case he manages to find a partner for that. I want to do a full southern picket traverse from East mac to Degenhardt this summer, on/very near the ridge crest the entire way. Maybe we could join up for that?

Thanks for all the helpful advice and ideas. Matt those trips look amazing! I love your photos. I see you have a Big Agnes tent that looks pretty similar to my REI Quarter Dome. Do you find that fine over there in summer, i.e. winds not too much of an issue?

Glad to hear you made it over here. I hope you had some decent weather, it was a grim summer weather wise. I'd love to partner up Matt if our timing works out. I should be free from about the 22nd-ish August (but have to make my way up from Portland) until the 15th September.

I'll look into Mt. Olympus, it looks beautiful though maybe more logistically challenging. I still don't have a great handle on the geography of the area, is there a good online topomap website that you locals use? It's a bit tedious having to get the individual USGS ones. Ideally something similar to this website that I use over here: www.topomap.co.nz

Mostly we use derivatives of Google Maps. My friend Josh has a website (linked below) where you can generate your own topo maps by zooming in on the home page and then pan the mouse over the Create tab, then click wide topo or tall topo. You can also just use the home map to pan around and familiarize yourself with the geography.
https://trailtopo.com/#47.642950,-120.952454/7z/terrain

The National Geographic Trails Illustrated series waterproof folding maps are a thing of beauty for trip planning and even provides some good detail (linked below). You can buy some of the ones for WA state such as the North Cascades, or the Olympics one. Glacier Peak Wilderness and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness both have one too.
http://www.natgeomaps.com/trail-maps/trails-illustrated-maps/washington

That NZ map you linked is really cool! I will have to spend some time to look at that in detail. Unfortunately we had one day of really good weather in the mountains for the whole 3 weeks we were there and didn't really climb anything. Did some good hikes though!

I may be able to snag another week in September...I already have 6 weeks off work this summer but I might be able to take another off. Lets keep in touch.

I used to have the REI Half Dome tent, but the big agnes tent I have now is both roomier, fits 2 people and half the weight! I love that thing!

My Email is mlemke100@gmail.com feel free to send me a message if you want.
Cheers!

Hi Matt sorry it's such a delay but it's taken me a while to sort out my plans. I sent you an email. I'm gonna be free for the last week of August and keen to get into the hills, let me know if you're going to be around then!