North Cascades National Park Service Complex - Climbing Conditions - Cascade Pass Area (U.S. National Park Service)

Erik Siehl

Climbers negotiate steep snow on the north face of Buckner.

This page provides climbers with the latest conditions for peaks in the greater Cascade Pass area, including Sahale via Sahale Arm, Buckner, Johannesburg, and the Ptarmigan Traverse. For conditions on other climbs, return to Planning a Climb.

Condition reports come from climbing and wilderness rangers, the voluntary climbing register, and other climbers. To make a climbing report, please email the Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount. Please include the route, snow level, any hazards encountered (or not), peak(s) attempted, and whether your party successfully summitted.

All of the climbing routes in the park complex are located in wilderness, but some are wilder than others, and there may be limited or outdated information. Use these reports as a baseline, but plan for changing conditions and a true adventure. On many routes, the discovery, physical stress, and route-finding challenges are half the fun.

Cascade Pass Area Routes: Buckner, Sahale via Sahale Glacier, Johannesburg, Ptarmigan Traverse, etc.

Peak / Route	Conditions Report	Date	Author
Sahale via Sahale Glacier	Solid snow from camp to base of summit pyramid (~100' below summit). Glacier is solid and in great condition. No bergschrund at the top.	7/4/09	Visitor
Buckner / N Face	In good condition. Bergschrund by-passed on climber's left.	7/3/09	Climber
Ptarmigan Traverse	Kool-aid Lake still frozen. Snow on Red Ledges makes for tricky crossing. Ylang-Ylang Lakes melted out, travel is on snow before lake. Le Conte Glacier in good condition. Lizard Pass has large cornice, had to frontpoint down it. White Rocks Lake still frozen, 2 tentpads melted out. Dana Glacier in good condition. Tricky col around Spider Mtn, best to stay left. Cub Lake still frozen.	7/2/09	Visitor
Sahale via Sahale Glacier	Sahale Glacier campsites are all snowfree. Sahale Glacier is in good shape with only one visible crack around a rock on the climbers right side of the glacier. East face of final summit pyramid is snow-covered with a moat/glide crack at the top- consider protecting this steep exposed section of the climb. Several inches of new snow above the camp level.	6/20/09	Ranger

Email an updated report for any routes or peaks in this area: Buckner, Sahale via Sahale Glacier, Johannesburg, Ptarmigan Traverse, etc.