This page provides climbers with the latest conditions for Mt. Shuksan, northern and southern approaches.  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routes in the park complex are located in wilderness, but some are wilder than others, and there may be limited or outdated information.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.

Mt. Shuksan (via Sulphide Glacier)

Conditions Report		Date	Author
Route is still in relatively good shape despite late season conditions.  There are a few narrow "balance beam" type snow bridges that should remain for the fall.  Quite a bit of new snow on the upper glacier above 7000 feet.  New snow patches on the summit pyramid make for some wet rock at the bottom of the pyramid, but not a hinderance.		9/12	Ranger
Sulphide Glacier has many crevasses showing, including some small crevasses between the low camp and the high camp (these are easily navigable). Central gully on summit pyramid completely melted out/		8/20/09	Ranger
Shannon Ridge Trail and climbers' route in good condition to the notch. Camping at the notch is leaving large impacts, and no toilets are available. Try to reach one of the glacier camps if possible. Plenty of open crevasses and exposed ice on Sulphide Glacier. Rope up for safety on the glacier. Upper and lower composting toilets melted out. Remember to pack out trash and all excess food.		8/9/09	Ranger
No big crevasses. Summit pyramid has only one small patch of snow.		7/25/09	Climber
Solid snow. Two small crevasse crossings. Some snow in gully.		7/19/09	Climber
Well-cleared trail first mile. Snow melting, making the upper chute slippery. Route in good shape, rope helpful for way down pinnacle.		7/17/09	Climber
Trail snow free until Shannon Ridge is gained, then about 50% snow covered to notch. Some bivy sites melted out at notch, but blue bags are required here. Composting toilets are melted out at both low and high camps - ask a ranger for detailed instructions on how to find them. Sulphide Glacier in good shape - larger crevasses starting to show. Some snow in gully on summit pyramid; will be a mix of snow and rock on standard route.		7/12/09	Ranger
Snow on ridge. Snow & ice in summit gully,but do-able. Free climb up, one rap on way down.		7/12/09	Climber
Shannon Ridge Trail is well brushed and well maintained until entering the upper forest, where route finding skills are required. Patchy snow begins at 4000', become continuous at 4500'. Snow is solid along the ridge and on Sulphide Glacier. Crevasses on route to the summit pyramid are all filled in. Patchy snow on summit pyramid and in the gully, though still plenty of exposed loose rock in the gully. Lower bivy sites and composter are clear of snow and usable. Upepr bivy sites and composter are all under snow.		7/5/09	Ranger
Trail was muddy but good, still snow on Shannon Ridge, Sulphide Glacier has many small cracks but few large crevasses. Sulphide route to summit was good. New snow @ ~ 6 - 6500		6/23/09	Climber
Trail is snow free to about 4400'. All snow-covered from Shannon Ridge. Glacier is in great shape and summit pyramid still has a thin ribbon of snow up couloir.		6/22/09	Climber
Soft snow, expect to posthole. Excellent skiing on Sulphide and Shannon Ridge. Sulphide still closed (no crevasses). Summit pyramid easy route in snow/ice - kicked steps.		5/31/09	Climber
Shannon Ridge trail is clear of snow for first 1-2 miles. Switchbacks still snow-covered but melting fast. Tough scramble up to the ridge. Still a lot of avalanche activity between 5600' and 6200'. Warm night made for very slushy conditions, even at 3am.		5/29/09	Visitor
First mile of Shannon Ridge trail is snowfree, then solid snowpack. Route-finding is tricky through the trees - map and compass or GPS recommended. Approach to Shuksan straight-forward. Entire route, all bivy sites, and all compost toilets still under snow - climbers should bring blue bags. Snowpack is sloppy and unstable. Current route crosses two large slide paths and a dangerous avy slope between 5600' and 6200' levels. Climbers are advised to cross these slopes quickly and preferably before noon. Sulphide Glacier is still snow-covered with no exposed crevasses along the route. Summit pyramid also has good snow cover, although snow in the couloir has been very soft and unconsolidated after about noon. Climbers should also be advised to expect rock/ice fall and to wear their helmets.		5/25/09	Ranger

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Mt. Shuksan (northern approaches)

Conditions Report	Date	Author
North Face Shuksan -- large rockfall and glacier is gone.	9/27	Climber
Fisher Chimneys -- Chimneys are in good condition.  Winnie's slide is 1 pitch of glacier ice, ~40 degree slope, used 3 ice screws for protection.  Upper Curtis glacier is navigable by weaving around crevasses, also short section of steep-ish snow, to base of Hell's Highway.  We found a thin firn/ice bridge at lower Hell's Highway to then climb a 30-40 degree firn slope.  upper Hell's Highway in good shape.	9/12	Ranger
Fisher Chimneys in good shape. Winnie's Slide very icy, steep and exposed. Bring screws.	8/18/09	Climber
Price Glacier is in late season conditions--hard climbing!	8/17/09	Climber
Winnie's Slide is getting icier. Chimneys are snow free. No crevasse problems en route to summit pyramid.	7/31/09	Climber
No snow in chimneys. Winnie's slide still all snow. A few minor crevasses on upper Curtis. Hells Highway still snow with blue/gray ice. Summit pyramid gully is snowfree. One person in another party hit on head in rockslide near summit. Curtis glacier is melting huge chunks.	7/26/09	Climber
Fisher Chimneys via Lake Ann Route is in great condition. Chimneys are dry and glaciers showing a few crevasses but very straightforward navigation. Toilet at Lake Ann is by outlet stream.	7/19/09	Climber
Fisher Chimneys via Lake Ann Creek Crossings fine. Short patch of snow in forest just past Swift Creek, then patchy snow to just below saddle. A few melted out sites, Lake Ann mostly frozen. Chimneys almost snow free. Glacier in good condition for now. Summit Pyramid has a few patches of snow.	7/18/09	Climber
Fisher Chimneys--From ski resort down through valley is 90% snow free. Climbing out of valley to Lake Ann is 95% snow. Lake Ann still frozen over. Almost no snow in the chimneys. Route in chimneys is pretty apparent if you start at the right place. Upper Curtis Glacier and Hell's Highway in great shape with virtually all crevasses still filled in. Summit pyramid central couloir still with snow, but was soft. Most climbers were going up rock just to climber's left of snow.	7/4/09	Climber
Fisher Chimneys-Advanced snow and ice skills recommended. Snow in chimneys. Route finding required to reach Lake Ann. Trail only 25% snow free. Creek crossing is tough. Entire valley bottom still snow covered. Postholing in valley bottom.	6/28/09	Climber
Nooksack Tower - Very good, no problem keeping on or close to trail to campsite at 5800 feet on ridge. 3 inches new snow, slowed party down.	6/28/09	Climber
North Face - Excellent firm snow. Minimal crevasse hazard. Rather brushy camped on rock at 5500 feet at base of route. Water 300 feet below.	6/27/09	Climber
Fisher Chimneys - Lake Ann trail mostly snow covered, not easy to follow. Fisher Chimneys are mostly melted out, snow crossings in between chimneys. Glacier in great shape, crevasses still filled in. Summit Pyramid still has thin ribbon of snow in couloir, but melting fast.	6/17/09	Climber

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