Climbing Conditions

North Cascades National Park offers a lifetime of mountaineering objectives.

Winnie Hsieh

 

September 2025, and beyond...

Wildfire smoke has caused air quality concerns, only to blow away for the time being. Thunderstorms and rain show up in the forecasts but without enough confidence to plan around. Days are getting shorter, and mornings foggier. Glaciers are blue ice and cracked up. Moats are big and might thwart climbing plans on higher peaks. No, the world is not conspiring against you, it is just September. It is proving hard to make a plan in the alpine and stick to it right now. For the time being, looking at hourly forecasts seems to be a better bet than any sort of long-term forecast.

On top of all this, ranger stations are going to shut their doors for the winter in the next few weeks. Front-country campgrounds are shifting to fall and winter operations, and the backcountry permit process looks different after October 11th when the Wilderness Information Center closes. Please check for up-to-date information for the services you are hoping to utilize, and know that backcountry permits are required all year long.

Be sure to check the weather forecast, trail conditions, and closures beforehand. As always, leave a detailed itinerary with a friend or family member, including the date and time you plan to exit the backcountry.

 

Helpful Links

• Planning a Climb
• Road Conditions
• Trail Conditions
• Fire Closures
• Food Storage Requirement
• Backcountry Permit

Closures and Notices

Stay up-to-date with road, trail, and camp closures related to wildfire and seasonal winter closures using the helpful links provided. Understand the rules and regulations, including food storage requirements at each camp or cross-country zone, prior to your visit. You can find the backcountry permit process and regulations on the backcountry permit page. ALL overnight trips in the park require a backcountry permit.

Note:

• Overnight camping at trailheads in the national park is prohibited. This includes the Eldorado, Boston Basin, and Cascade Pass trailheads.

 

Current and General Climbing Conditions

Climbing conditions are reported by climbing rangers, and updated as frequently as possible.

Mount Shuksan

A detailed climbing blog and composting toilet location on Sulphide Glacier can be found here: 

Climbing Conditions - Mt. Shuksan

Route	Reported Conditions
Fisher Chimney	8/23- Fisher Chimneys are snow free. The water below Winnie's Slide might require a picket-spigot to fill water bottles.  8/23- Winnie's Slide is a snow climb. Hell's Highway is Icy n' Spicy.
Sulphide Glacier	8/23 - Both composting toilets have been dug out and are open for use. 8/23 - The road is drivable but has lots of potholes. The trail is snow free to just before the lower bivy.

Eldorado Area

A detailed climbing blog and composting toilet location on Eldorado can be found here: 

Climbing Conditions - Eldorado Area

Route	Reported Conditions
Eldorado Peak - East Ridge	6/27-Cascade River road is open all the way to the Cascade Pass Trailhead. 5/8 - The snowline is moving up towards the top of the boulderfield.
Dorado Needle	5/8 - No recent report.

Boston Basin Area (Forbidden Peak, Sharkfin, Sahale via Quien Sabe)

A detailed climbing blog and composting toilet location at Boston Basin can be found here: 

Climbing Conditions - Boston Basin Area

Route	Reported Conditions
Boston Basin Approach	6/30- Both the upper and lower bivy composters are melted out. Lower bivy sites all melted out, none of the upper bivy sites are melted out.  The West Ridge couloir appears to be a snow climb still, though unsure if the snow is continuous. Cat scratch gullies appeared snow free with some lingering snow at the base and directly above. The three ridge routes on Forbidden appear to be snow free as well.  6/27-Cascade River road is open all the way to the Cascade Pass trailhead. Boston Basin cross country zone and approach trail are open, but bears are still active in the area. Be diligent about storing your food properly to avoid issues with wildlife.
Forbidden Peak - West Ridge	6/27-Cascade River road is open all the way to the Cascade Pass trailhead.
Forbidden Peak - East Ridge	5/8 - No recent report.
Sahale via Quien Sabe Glacier	6/27-Cascade River road is open all the way to the Cascade Pass trailhead.
Sharkfin	5/8 - No recent report.
Torment-Forbidden Traverse	5/8 - No recent report.

Northern Pickets

Hannegan Pass Trailhead
8/12 - The road is drivable to the trailhead, big thanks to the USFS for fixing the trailhead! The trail to Hannegan Pass is dry, with a few water sources up until Hannegan Camp. 

Southern Pickets

5/8 - The road to the Goodell Creek trailhead is drivable to the trailhead. Consistent snow starts at or above 4600' elevation.

Mount Triumph

No recent report.

Colonial/Snowfield Area

 

Route	Reported Condition
Pyramid Lake Approach	No recent report.
Snowfield Peak/Neve Glacier	No recent report.

Other Areas

Mt. Goode  NE Buttress 
7/15 - Expect some downed trees on the trail above Walker Park, and more on the trail down Park Creek. The Goode Glacier has some glacial ice showing but is still snow-covered enough to be straightforward for now. The moat crossing was easy enough but could change quickly with hot temps.