Hi all,
I'm looking for suggestions for peaks in the North Cascades that include a nice section of easy or moderate glacier travel (F or PD). I did Baker and Eldorado with my buddies, but as I'm very new to the PNW, I'm not sure where to go next and I haven't been able to find good information.
I looked in BC, but I was told that most of the peaks with glaciers are more enjoyable when ascended in early season. A trip on horrific scree and boulder fields this weekend confirmed this.
Is there a peak that would fit my description, around 2h from Seattle? Along WA20, US2 or I5?
Thanks in advance!
a few things:
1. glaciers right now are usually pretty icy. they are no longer snow climbs that are arrestable. instead, they are ice climbs that are no-fall zones.
2. supposedly, this week will have snow EL and precip around 5000ft. that means that all glaciers could have a new layer of snow on them which will obscure crevasses and dangers.
Iron. Having climbed Rainier, Adams, etc. in late Sept and October after snowfall in the 5-20" depth range, it was my observation that crevasses were not covered. If the freezing level altitude has solidified the fresh snow, crampons function very well. Once I got "kidnapped" into leading a Glacier Peak climb in Sept (climbers wanting their 6th peak for the Mountaineers 6 glaciered peak pin) during a rainy windy weather period and the blue ice section on the Sitkum Glacier route was not as crampon friendly as the snow sections.
Having climbed Rainier, Adams, etc. in late Sept and October after snowfall in the 5-20" depth range, it was my observation that crevasses were not covered.
If a crevasse were covered by the fresh snow, how would you have known?
Cramponing conditions on (or in) recent are very condition-specific. Super stable morning styrofoam can become mush hiding ablated ice by midday.
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