Climbing Mt Shuksan

Mt Shuksan, Washington, August 1999

Majestic Mt Shuksan behind a still-frozen Mirror Lake. The foreground trees were bent by the previous winter's snowfall.
Nearby Mt Baker Ski Area set a world record that year for the deepest snowfall ever recorded on planet Earth: 93+ feet !

Table Mountain, on the saddle between Mt Shuksan and Mt Baker.
An excellent place to view both mountains. But this summer the trail is still hidden under deep snow !

Mt Shuksan on the day before we set out to climb it.
We will be following the skyline from right to left.

Finally out of the deep woods on Shuksan's southern flank.
Cousin John poses before Mt Baker.

It's hot out here in the sun !

We're headed for that notch on the ridge above. Onward and upward !

Home sweet home, on top of the ridge at the edge of the glacier.

What's for dinner ?

Sunset on the ridge ... looking south over Baker Lake.
Those gathering thunderheads on the horizon would have us plenty worried that night.

A Mt Baker sunset.

Fire on the mountain. Let's get trucking !

The Sulphide and Crystal glaciers. Lots of crevasses in the distance.
Fortunately, we don't have to pick our way through them.

Mt Baker from the roof of Shuksan.
Sure hope the weather holds !

The Summit Pyramid beckons !
That tiny speck lower center is John.

Are we almost there yet ?

Belay ? Who needs a belay?
Let's just scramble to the summit before the rain gets any worse !

We are not alone...

Are you sure this is the summit, John ?
How can you tell ?

Whatever it is, I tagged it !

Could it be ? Yes, it has to be Rainier...
Only 150 miles away !

A Mt Baker closeup.
From here, we're less than 1000 feet below the Baker summit.

How's this for a summit pose ?

It's a long, hard scramble back down.

If I can upclimb it, I can downclimb it ! Right ?
Right ???

A side-trip takes us to the edge of the glacier.
Looking over the precipace...

Lake Ann far below, seen from above the Upper Curtis Glacier.
It's still frozen over in August !

Who are those guys ? They sure took their time getting to this point...
but we don't think they ventured much further. It's getting late.

Taking the easy way down... a long glissade.

Feeling on top of the world.

Back at the Notch.
God, I'm beat ! And we still have hours left to go...
But we have to push on. There's a couple of cold beers waiting below !


more Cascades adventures !