Climbing Conditions - Eldorado Area

Eldorado Peak and some surrounding peaks

For conditions on other climbs, return to Planning a Climb.

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routes in the park complex are located in wilderness, but some are wilder than others, and there may be limited or outdated information.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.

 

August 25, 2019
Eldorado Conditions
The approach route is in normal condition. Look for the cairn on Cascade River Road for the most manageable creek crossing. Cross the creek on downed logs. Parties have reported bear sightings close to the boulder field. Please refrain from camping in Eldorado Basin and Hammered Ridge to preserve alpine vegetation. Follow cairns to drop into Roush Creek Basinand up to the toe of the Eldorado glacier. The lower Eldorado glacier is becoming more crevassed and is currently in its late season stage. Parties have been roping up for the approach to the East ridge bivy sites. At the East ridge bivy sites please store food properly as there have been increased rodent issues. The composting toilet is in great shape.

 

July 10, 2019
Eldorado / Inspiration Glacier / Austera Peak / Klawatti Glacier
Approach to Eldorado is in standard condition with patchy snow starting just below the ridge between Eldorado Creek and Rouse Creek Basins. Toilet at Eldorado is in good working condition. Please only TP and feces in the toilet. Many parties are going up the Eldorado glacier and East Ridge of Eldorado without any issues. Traversing the Klawatti Glacier and Inspiration Glacier to Austera Peak is in more or less typical condition for this time of year.

 

June 15, 2019
Starting from El Dorado trailhead, river can be forded about 15-20 feet from original log crossing. Use caution while fording! Crossing might be safer than "log jam" crossing down river. Ford is below knee height.

The toilet at the bivy site is melted out, please do not put trash in composting toilet.

 

Ridge between El Dorado and Boston Basin in early September.
D Veenhuizen

From June 1 to November 15, Interagency Grizzly Bear Commitee approved food canisters are required for camping below the vegetation line in Boston Basin , El Dorado , and Sulphide Glacier cross-country zones.

For old climbing conditions blog posts, check out the links below.

	Eldorado Creek Approach April 26, 2014
	Eldorado June 22 2014
	Eldorado Conditions July 6, 2014
	Eldorado Conditions July 22nd, 2014
	Eldorado Conditions Sept. 6, 2014
	Eldorado Conditions May 25, 2015
	Eldorado Conditions October 5, 2015
	Eldorado Approach Conditions- May 29, 2016
	Conditions- 7/17/16
	East Ridge- 9/16/16
2017	Dorado Needle-NW Ridge
	Sibley-Eldorado-Boston Basin Traverse
	Early Morning Spire