Climbing Conditions

Steep and snowy mountains and ridges with a large broken glacier
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.

 
 

Current and General Climbing Conditions

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

Last updated: September 8, 2025

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

810 State Route 20
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284

Phone:

360 854-7200

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