North Cascades National Park Complex - Climbing Conditions - Other Northern Peaks (U.S. National Park Service)

This page provides climbers with the latest conditions for peaks and routes north of State Route 20, including Blum, the Chilliwack Group, Jack, etc. (except climbs of Triumph, Shuksan, or in the Pickets). For conditions on climbs other than those listed here, 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routes in the park complex are located in wilderness, but some are wilder than others, and there may be limited or outdated information.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.

Other Routes and Peaks North of State Route 20

Peak / Route	Conditions Report	Date	Author
Mt. Spickard / Depot Creek	High water volume in Depot Creek, dangerous conditions crossing Depot Creek below waterfall. Soft, deep snow on approach with some avalanche activity evident. Turned back, did not summit.	7/10/10	Climber
Ruth Mtn	Heavy snowpack from Hannegan Camp up. The preferred access to Ruth Mtn is around the east side of the ridge from Hannegan Pass - the west side involves traversing several steep heather and rock steps, as well as ascending steep, firm snow slopes (crampons recommended). The route from the saddle to Ruth Mtn is straight-forward and snow-covered. There is still excellant skiing, especially for July!	7/5/10	Ranger
Mt. Spickard	Route into Depot Creek recently logged (not legal, a sad destruction of wilderness resources). The rest of the route is mostly unchanged to the basin below the north face of Mt. Redoubt. Good snow free camping on moraines near Ouzel Lake (take blue bags!). The gully from Ouzel to Silver Glacier is partly snow-filled. Silver Glacier has some open crevasses that can easily be end-run at this point. Hard firn and ice exposed on the glacier - you'll want crampons! Route up Spickard looks in good shape but did not summit.	6/26/09	Ranger
Mt. Redoubt via Silver Creek; out via Big Beaver	Silver Creek super brushy, most snow is melted exposing lots of talus. Silver Glacier in good shape. Redoubt Glacier mostly snow covered, some thin bridges. Pass Lake frozen.	8/16/08	Visitor
Nooksack Cirque	Nooksack river is impossible to ford but 0.1 mile downstream of the end of the trail there are 3 down trees that can be used to cross. Thick brush slows progress on the far shore.	7/15/07	Ranger

Email an updated report for any routes or peaks north of State Route 20 (and not specified above).

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