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North Cascades National Park Service ComplexMt Redoubt in early light and mist
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North Cascades National Park Service Complex
Climbing Conditions - Other Northern Peaks

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routes in the park complex are located in wilderness, but some are wilder than others, and there may be limited or outdated information.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 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
Spickard Road to TH has been improved- you can park closer to side road (TH) by 1/4 mile. Trail through forest has even more trees down this year, but easy to follow trail. Ouzal Lake is snow free for camping. Silver glacier good for climbing. 6/28/07 Visitor
Email an updated report for any routes or peaks north of State Route 20 (and not specified above).

Great Horned Owl  

Did You Know?
Owl's eyes are fixed in place because their large size provides no room for muscle. To compensate for this, it can turn its head in almost any direction and angle, including the ability to rotate its head nearly 280 degrees. By comparison, people can only turn their heads a mere 90 degrees!

Last Updated: June 28, 2009 at 14:33 EST