For this review I asked my friend and colleague Dominic Torro to take this Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 Backpack and run it through the ringer. Over the last year he has tested it across the Beartooth Mountains (MT), Mount Baker, Mount Rainier, 14,000-15,000 foot peaks in Chile, ice climbing, and winter ski mountaineering!
All thoughts and images are courtesy of Dominic. Enjoy!
Overview
The Hyperlite Crux 40 is a lightweight, winter-specific alpine pack built for ski mountaineering, ice climbing, and technical mountain travel. After extended use across a wide range of environments and conditions, it has proven to be comfortable, durable, and thoughtfully designed—though not without a few notable limitations.
Carry & Fit
The Crux 40 carries extremely well and conforms closely to the natural curvature of the spine. Even with heavier winter loads, the pack remains stable and comfortable over long days in technical terrain. For a 40-liter pack, usable volume is excellent, especially when run without the top lid.
External Features
Mesh Shove-It Pocket
The external mesh pocket is one of the standout features of the pack. It’s ideal for quickly stashing layers, gloves, or other frequently accessed items while on the move.
Ski Carry
The A-frame ski carry system works reliably and has performed well in real-world use. A diagonal ski carry option exists but feels secondary and would benefit from further refinement or inclusion as a standard feature.
Rear Entry
Rear-panel access is useful in winter conditions and allows for quick access to gear without fully unpacking the bag. That said, the opening could be slightly larger to improve usability.
Ice Axe Carry System
The ice axe carry system was designed very well with two clips securing the axe heads and a bungee to secure the handle/shaft.
Top Lid (Brain)
The removable top lid is the weakest element of the pack’s design. When the pack is not fully stuffed, the brain does not remain securely attached—even when the straps are fully cinched. On shorter ski missions, the lid has unclipped and fallen off while skiing. As a result, the pack is most often used without the brain, relying instead on the roll-top closure.
Internal Organization & Avalanche Tools
The internal avalanche-tool pockets function well overall and provide efficient, organized access. However, the shovel pocket can interfere with loading a helmet into the top of the main compartment, reducing flexibility in gear configuration.
Durability & Weather Resistance
Durability aligns with expectations from Hyperlite Mountain Gear. The materials are highly abrasion-resistant and effectively waterproof in most conditions. One limitation is the bottom panel: if the pack is left sitting on snow or wet ground for extended periods, moisture can slowly soak through and affect items packed low in the bag, such as insulated layers.
Additional Design Notes
A hydration-port opening is included at the top of the pack. For a winter-focused design, this feature feels unnecessary and can allow snow intrusion when the pack is used in roll-top mode. Perhaps it is meant for an external radio mic like the ones available on Rocky Talkies. The hip belt pocket sits a little too far back, making it difficult to reach without removing the pack. A more forward placement and increased depth would improve accessibility.
Bottom Line
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Crux 40 Backpack is a capable and well-executed alpine pack with excellent carry comfort, durability, and functional external storage. While the core design is strong, improvements to the top lid security, hip belt pocket placement, avalanche-tool layout, and diagonal ski carry would meaningfully enhance performance. EDITORS NOTE: An optional Diagonal Ski Carry Kit exists but is currently out of stock. It is best suited for users who prefer running the pack without the top lid and want a clean, technical winter platform.
About the Author
Dominic Torro is a backcountry skier and ski mountaineer who grew up in New Hampshire. He has skied across the western United States and internationally, pursuing big-mountain objectives. Dominic is a guide and instructor with Redline Guiding in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, as well as in Vermont and Maine.
Gallery
Disclaimer: A media sample was provided for purpose of review. All opinions are that of the author. Affiliate links above support the content created here. If you make a purchase after visiting one of these links the owner of this website earns a small commission at not addition cost to you. Thank you!
This winter I have been using the Petzl Glacier Ice Axe for guiding winter Mount Washington ascents. I have also been using it for teaching mountaineering skills courses. The bottom line? This is a solid choice for a general mountaineering axe with some nice features. I chose the 68 centimeter size for my 5’9″ height. The axe is also available in 50, 60, and 75 centimeter lengths. The 68 centimeter size weighs 365 grams.
The head of the axe has a classic shaped pick which is most effective for self-arrest. The sharper and more aggressive tip of the pick is suitable for overcoming the occasional ice bulge. The adze is wider than most similar style axes. It provides a comfortable grip when using the traveling hand position (piolet panne). The small concave dip at the top of the shaft adds comfort for the self-arrest grip. The tool comes with the “LINKIN” removable leash, a $20 value. Personally I don’t like to use leashes on my ice tools so I did remove it before testing.
A removable pick protector is included. For casual climbs without much fall hazard I think it makes sense to leave the tip protector on. As your route becomes more technical with occasional ice bulges and more exposure to long sliding falls I would choose to leave the protector at home or in the car at the trail-head.
A removable spike protector is included as well. I liked how I could slide this up the tool during a casual ascent. This way, it would not interfere with proper “piolet canne” technique. After the axe was put back on my pack and I took my trekking poles out it was quick and easy to cover the sharp spike.
After a half dozen trips into the mountains with the Petzl Glacier Ice Axe, I can easily recommend it. It is suitable for anyone shopping for a well-designed general mountaineering axe. More important than what axe you buy though is that you seek out the training in its proper use. Consider taking a Mountaineering Skills Course so that you can learn proper crampon and ice axe technique before relying on this equipment to protect you. You can use the contact page here to check my availability if you would like to request me as your guide.
Here is a quick video we shot yesterday after a successful summit of Mount Washington where I point out basic nomenclature of a mountaineering axe.
See you in the mountains,
Northeast Alpine Start
Disclaimer: A media sample was provided for purpose of review. Affiliate links above support the content created here. If you make a purchase after visiting one of those links the author earns a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you.
As usual New Year’s Eve has snuck up on me with uncanny stealth. My general lack of calendar awareness certainly helped with my last minute realization that another year has gone by. What hasn’t gone unnoticed is how amazing this year was and I’d like to share some of that here.
Employment
Without a doubt the biggest change of the year was leaving Eastern Mountain Sports after 24 years of service. Anyone close to me knows that this decision at the end of 2016 was one of the toughest I’ve ever had to make. Leaving a big corporation to work for a small, relatively young, guide service felt risky and uncertain. However within weeks of working for Northeast Mountaineering I discovered that the owners, Corey and Brett, had created a culture that celebrated mountain life, guiding, stewardship and social responsibility. It was the perfect place for me to land after a seemingly major career move.
Every guide and ambassador I would meet and get to know over my first year working for NEM seemed to share the best possible qualities you’d want in a co-worker, climbing partner, or friend. The encouragement, support, and positive stoke at just about every turn has made this past year as memorable as it is.
Despite being the first year that Northeast Mountaineering had an in-house avalanche course program we hit close to 100% capacity in the 9 courses we ran. A great snow year allowed us to do a ton of actual ski touring. Along with my excellent co-instructor Benny we had classes tour full length routes in Huntington and Tuckerman Ravines, Gulf of Slides, Ammonoosuc Ravine, and Monroe Brook. Personal highlights of the season were investigating the extent of the historic Gulf of Slides avalanche, seeing my first legit Rutschblock 2 result, and meeting the awe-inspiring Vern Tejas who observed and contributed to one of our mid-winter courses.
2017 was a solid year for my personal ice climbing. I was able to climb more Grade 4 and Grade 5 routes then I’ve been able to get on in the last few years, partially due to fatherhood and a really busy avalanche course schedule. By the end of the season I felt I was climbing as well as I was pre-parenthood, and that accomplishment felt pretty darn good. I have a few lofty goals for 2018 and can’t wait to get after them (in-between teaching avalanche courses every weekend and family life!)
In April my first international trip in about a decade brought me to the beautiful country of Iceland where I spent just over a week touring and experiencing this amazing place with one of the best groups of people I could ever hope to spend time with. Visiting this country re-kindled my desire to travel after feeling somewhat sedated after experiencing so much of the world in my early twenties and I am really looking forward to repeated trips back there starting with teaching an avalanche course there this March!
Rock Climbing
Guiding Northeast Ridge of the Pinnacle, photo by Peter Brandon
Cannon, Northeast Ridge of the Pinnacle speed climb, Rumney, and a half dozen “Wednesday Sendsday’s” have re-ignited my passion for rock climbing that has always been there since I first tied into a rope in 1994, but getting to see others close to me fall in love with this sport on an almost weekly basis has fueled my desire to train and challenge myself to higher levels of performance above what my typical guiding requirements demanded.
Cascades
West Ridge of Forbidden Peak
In July I was able to fulfill a climbing trip dream I’ve had for over ten years by guiding on Mount Shuksan and Forbidden Peak and climbing Rainer with a friend and intern guide, Peter Brandon. This trip is something I’ve been training clients for for so many years and to get to spend time in this terrain with so many cool people was pretty much the greatest opportunity I have had second to becoming a father in the last 20 years. Seriously mind-blowing conditions, weather, and climbing made this a life time memory for me.
Ambassadorship
Best powder day I’ve had on the West Side, photo by @cfitzgerald
I am super excited to join DPS Skis, Ortovox, and Revo for a second year of ambassadorship. I still wonder how I was lucky enough to hook up with these amazing brands. I can go into product details in reviews and debate minutia fabric issues until the end of the internet but without any shame I can say these three companies “get it”. They make stuff that people like me want. Cutting edge ski design, forward thinking avalanche safety gear, virtually unmatched clothing design, and best eye wear, sunglasses and goggles, I have ever experienced. If you want top-notch gear, have a look!
Blogging
It’s been a fantastic year to blog and share these adventures along with reviewing gear for some of the best companies out there. I love sharing my experiences and opinions and really want to focus on more travel guides, in-depth gear reviews, and how-to skill videos this upcoming year. If there is one thing I’m certain about it’s I love sharing my passion with everyone that shares these feelings in the mountains. Spending time in these places with good people is so vital to our sanity, and blogging gives me a slight escape when I’m not able to just head out the door on my next mountain adventure.
I’ve met quite a few readers in person over the past year. I’m so grateful for those of you who visit here, ask questions, post comments, click “like”, share, or even just mention briefly at the coffee shop you are happy with the boots you bought from my review. Keeping this blog going is a fantastic mix of fun, stress, guilt, reward, doubt, and confirmation.
I wish you all a fantastic 2018 and hope you have some amazing mountain adventures this year. I want to thank my family, especially my wife, for helping me experience my own adventures while still raising a family.
I hope to see you all out in the mountains soon shredding, sending, and tapping on shovels (and possibly tossing back a post epic pint at The Moat).
To finish off our hat trick of Cascade climbs we left the northern Cascades and returned to Seattle to pick up some friends before heading to Ashford, WA, the gateway to Mount Rainier National Park. The drive to Ashford from Seattle takes just under two hours. Most of our group had reserved cabins at the Stone Creek Lodge just minutes from the park entrance. My climbing partner and I had space reserved at the Cougar Rock Campground about 20 minutes within the park boundary.
Overview map of Ashford, park entrance, Paradise and lodging
Weather
We went for the second half of July and were lucky to nail a stretch of excellent weather. June, July, and August can all offer great summer alpine climbing conditions with June being a bit colder and wetter and August opening up a bit more crevasses on the glaciers. For mountain specific weather forecasts on Mount Rainier go here:
After a very hearty breakfast at the highly recommended Copper Creek Restaurant we made the scenic drive up to Paradise, the launch pad of adventures on the south side of Mount Rainier. Paradise is a very busy hub of mountain recreation with apparently thousands of visitors a day. We had picked up our permit the day before so we got right on the trail and started our ascent. While I forgot to run my GPS app or watch this day I’ve created a GPX file on CalTopo of the most common route and used the GuidePace App to calculate average times for each leg.
First Leg
First leg from Paradise to Pebble Creek Trail via Skyline Trail
Be warned this first section of “trail” is quite congested with day visitors from all over the world. The trail is actually paved for the first mile and a heavy ranger presence tries as best as possible to keep visitors from trampling the beautiful alpine meadows here. Once you reach the Pebble Creek trail the crowd will thin a little…
Peter just before reaching the Pebble Creek Trail
Second leg
Second leg from Pebble Creek Trail to the creek (last flowing water)
Distance .55 miles, elevation (+530), time estimate 38 minutes
Shortly after gaining the Pebble Creek Trail you’ll come to the actual creek which was a reliable source of water for us to top off our bottles. Right after crossing the creek you start the long slog up the Muir Snowfield. This leg can drag on a little but eventually we reached our camp. After digging some level tent platforms at about 8800 feet we kicked back and soaked in a gorgeous sunset.
Climbing Muir Snowfield, Mount Rainier with Mount Adams in the distance
We broke camp mid-morning and started our climb up to Ingraham Flats. The day before I had found a trickle of running water in rocks a few hundred feet above our site and I was happy to see it was still running enough in the morning to top off our bottles, greatly reducing the amount of fuel/snow melting we would need. We reached Camp Muir in just over an hour. We relaxed for a bit before roping up to cross the Cowlitz Glacier.
Crossing the upper Cowlitz Glacier was straightforward and we were soon scrambling up the ridge that separates the Cowlitz from the Ingraham glacier.
Looking back towards Camp Muir, Cowlitz Glacier
Reaching Ingraham Flats. “The Cleaver” for which the route is named is the rocky ridge to the right
Total climbing time to Ingraham was about 3 hours from our camp at Moon Rocks so we had plenty of time to level sites and dig a privy before settling in.
Day 3- Acclimatization and Crevasse Rescue Practice
Our third day on the peak was set aside for acclimatizing and a little crevasse rescue practice. Late in the morning we made our way down to the giant crevasses just below our camp and set to building snow anchors and lowering each other into the crevasse. This would certainly be a highlight for many on the trip!
After hydrating and eating as much as I could we turned in well before sunset as our summit day start time was 2300 (11 PM)! Everyone was feeling pretty strong after a full rest day at 11,000 feet but we knew the following day would be a long one!
Day 4: Summit and Out!
We rallied at 11 PM and quickly got on the trail by 11:30 PM. A couple of groups had passed through on their summit attempts from Camp Muir and I was eager to not get behind more parties.
Our summit route
We made good time up the cleaver and entered the mythical looking sastrugi above the ridge.
The route the rangers and guides had selected greatly reduced exposure to objective hazards but required dropping 400 feet of elevation after getting above the Cleaver and then far to the north eventually joining up with the Emmon’s Glacier route before turning and gaining the summit crater on the far north side. Despite the extra mileage and elevation we managed to pass the few parties that had gotten out ahead of us. We were the first group on the mountain to summit about 15 minutes before sunrise, about 6 hours after leaving our high camp!
One of the best things about summiting a peak in the dark is the views on the descent are all unseen and we were treated to stunning clear skies and under-cast for days!
Descending back to Ingraham Flats- photo by @cfphotography
After climbing back down the Cleaver we arrived at Ingraham Flats exactly 9.5 hours from the start of our climb, about 9 AM. We broke down camp and rested for a bit before descending to Muir Camp and all the way out to Paradise.
Summary
Rainier has been on my bucket list for a very long time. I’ve helped east coast climbers prep for this mountain for over a decade and it was great to finally experience this peak with such great people and in such great conditions. I hope this trip report and guide might help you plan a trip to this incredible place someday!
More info coming!
I will be uploading GPX files and some video of our climb in the very near future!
Gear List
If you are interested in the exact gear I used on this trip you can find a complete and comprehensive gear list here!
Information on Guided Trips: www.nemmountaineering.com. Click on “Mountaineering” to see all Cascade Climbing Trips.
After our successful summit of Mount Shuksan via the Fisher Chimney’s we took a rest day and camped at Douglas Fir Campground. The next day we drove to the ranger station in Marblemount to collect our back-country permit and then took the scenic Cascade River Road to the trail-head.
The Route
The West Ridge of Forbidden Peak is one of the “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America” and is considered Grade II, YDS 5.6. After a half day approach into Boston Basin the route climbs a perennial snow field before ascending a moderate gully to one of the most spectacular ridge climbs you can imagine. Massive exposure with relatively good rock quality and a stunning summit make it easy to see why this route made the aforementioned list!
Phone: 360-854-7245
Location: 7280 Ranger Station Rd., Marblemount, WA 98267. Drive SR 20 toward Marblemount. Turn onto Ranger Station Road, which leaves SR 20 at milepost 105.3, just west of Marblemount, and drive 0.7 miles to the end of the road and the ranger station. Exhibits: Exhibits about wilderness and backcountry travel. Relief map. Sales of books, maps, and other items related to wilderness, hiking, and climbing.
Available Facilities: This center is the main backcountry permit office for North Cascades National Park and the adjacent Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. Information desk. Sales area with books, maps, videos, and other items related to the national park and adjacent national forests. Backcountry permits are required year-round and are available at an outdoor self-issue station when the station is closed during the winter season.
Getting There
Marblemount, WA is just under two hours from Seattle. After obtaining your permit from the ranger station it’s about a twenty five minute drive to the unmarked trail-head.
I’ve highlighted the ranger station and the objective
Weather
We went for the second half of July and were lucky to nail a 12 day stretch of excellent weather. June, July, and August can all offer great summer alpine climbing conditions with June being a bit colder and wetter and August opening up a bit more crevasses on the glaciers. For mountain specific weather forecasts on Forbidden Peak go here:
The approach trail climbs about 3,300 feet in 3.75 miles and took us exactly three hours. We found some level tent sites at the “upper bivy” right at the toe of the snowfield that provided plenty of running water. A few brief showers came through and we were treated to some excellent “god rays” as the sun set and we turned in for an alpine start.
Heading to “the Heartstone”, a good landmark feature, the steeper snow climbing begins on the left side of this feature a couple hundred feet above us. Photo from @mattbaldeli
Easy climbing up through the snowfield brought us to the start of the gully that would allow access to the ridge. The “Heartstone” is a rock buttress directly above us in the photo that serves as a good landmark for finding the snow gully that is hidden from view. The route climbed up thinning snow just to the left of this feature. In the gully proper the snow climbing was straight forward until we hit a glide crack that required a big balance step to surmount. The snow ended about 200 feet from the ridge so we pitched out a few short 3rd-4th class pitches. This stretch was the only place on the ascent that had a decent amount of loose rock so care was needed.
We stashed our mountaineering boots, crampons, and ice axes and switched into approach shoes for the rest of the climb in the small col on the ridge. The exposure begins almost immediately with a airy step over a gap in the ridge with a chock-stone that perfectly frames the lower snow gully you just climbed up. You can see this spot clearly in the video I will link further below.
Working our way along this classic alpine ridge
The climbing was enjoyable, the rock felt solid, the views were un-believe-able… For speed we mixed up our techniques between simul-climbing and short-pitching with only about 20 meters of rope between us. This made for easy communication and simplified rope management.
The author at the 5.6 crux
Two parties behind us on the ridge, photo by Matty Bowman
Close to summit selfies?
Summit! The West Ridge of Forbidden Peak
We made the summit in 7.5 hours after leaving our camp in Boston Basin having climbed 3.9 miles and over 2,500 feet in elevation. The small pointed summit of Forbidden is one of the most amazing places I have ever stood in the mountains. The terrain is so dramatic as you look back along the ridge you just traversed and see the thousand feet of air on each side.
Looking back along the West Ridge of Forbidden Peak from the summit with Moraine Lake far below
After refueling we reversed direction and returned to the col to collect our snow gear. We then scrambled down to skiers right of the snow gully we had ascended and located the first rappel anchor in “Cat Scratch Gully”, an alternate 4th class ascent route to the snow gully. Five 30m rappels brought us to back to the snowfield where we enjoyed some decent boot glissading in the warming snow all the way back down to our camp.
We packed up camp and hiked back out to the trailhead in just under 2 hours.
Summary
I’ve had some time to reflect on this climb and I can say with certainty it will be one of the most memorable climbs of my life. I feel so fortunate to have not only had the opportunity to climb it but to do so with such great partners and friends and perfect weather and route conditions. I hope this trip report and guide might help you plan a trip to this incredible place someday!
Gear List
If you are interested in the gear I used on this trip you can find a complete and comprehensive gear list here!
Videos
Here’s a four minute video I made of our climb, enjoy!
My friend and professional video producer created this amazing short film of our climb! Check it out!
A week ago I returned from a two week climbing trip in the Cascades of Washington State and ticked off three classic climbs. While I’ve had amazing climbing trips to Colorado, Nevada, and California this most recent trip has likely become my most memorable. I’ll share a trip report, GPS track, detailed gear list, pics and tips for each route. I hope that you find some of this useful in planning your own Cascade adventure!
The south side of Mount Shuksan from Lake Ann with the Upper and Lower Curtis Glacier’s. Fisher Chimney’s works up a weakness visible 1/3 from left
Our first objective for this two week trip was the glaciated 9,131 foot massif often claimed to be the most photographed mountain in the Cascades. The easiest route up this idyllic peak is via the Sulphide Glacier Route, a mostly glacier/snow climb that has some 3rd class scrambling on the “Summit Pyramid”. We opted for the Fisher Chimney’s route. One might choose the more technical Fisher Chimney’s Route for a few reasons.
You like 4th class climbing
You have three days for your climb (can be done in two very long days)
You know about one of the most scenic bivy sites above the Chimneys to spend a night
Registration Details
Before hitting the trail you need to register at the Glacier Public Service Center. From northern Bellingham off of Interstate 5, drive east 34 miles on the Mount Baker Highway (State Route 542). From Seattle this is about a 2 hour drive. From the service center it’s about another 30 minutes to the Lake Ann Trailhead.
Weather
We went for the second half of July and were lucky to nail a 12 day stretch of excellent weather. June, July, and August can all offer great summer alpine climbing conditions with June being a bit colder and wetter and August opening up a bit more crevasses on the glaciers. For mountain specific weather forecasts on Mount Shuksan go here:
We started our hike around noon on day 1. After leaving the parking lot a series of switchbacks lead us down almost 1,400 feet into a scenic valley with a crystal clear stream that runs southeast.
Descending Lake Ann Trail enroute to Fisher Chimney’s, Mount Shuksan
After a second noticeable stream crossing the trail gains some elevation and contours at about 4040 feet before descending again to the Swift Creek Trail junction and the last river crossing before ascending up to Lake Ann on a relatively nondescript snow field.
Ascending snowfield portion of Lake Ann Trail, Fisher Chimney’s, Mount Shuksan
It appears many can lose the trail here so following the GPS track or having an established boot pack through the snowfield will be helpful. We reached our first camp at Lake Ann in just under 3 hours from leaving the trailhead. There were plenty of nice places to shovel out a level tent platform around the southeast side of the lake close to some small dirt/forest openings that made for convenient gathering spots for cooking and hanging out.
Lake Ann, Mount Shuksan
My tent spot near Lake Ann
Day 2- Fisher Chimney’s
The following morning we took our time breaking camp. We spent a couple hours covering crampon and ice technique along with a clinic on building snow anchors and moving together in a rope team.
Northeast Mountaineering Guide Jordan talks to the group about building various snow anchors with our route and the Upper Curtis Glacier and Shuksan summit in the background
Around 11am we started our approach to the Fisher Chimney’s. After a half dozen switchbacks through forest we traversed a long snowfield to the base of the more technical climbing.
You’ll notice if you look carefully on the above map that where the USFS labeled “Fisher Chimney” is WAY off from the actual route. You can also see this well defined gully in the satellite imagery on the pic just above, just after the switchbacks. This gully IS NOT the actual route. Follow the GPS track I uploaded or study the below pictures carefully.
Fisher Chimney’s, Mount Shuksan
Just before starting some switch backs to gain the snowfield that allows a traverse to the start of the Chimney’s
The route climbs up shallow gully’s and the thin snow strip roughly straight up from my right shoulder in this pic before crossing the Upper Curtis
Just before getting to the Chimney’s proper… the route is fairly easy to follow if you get into the right feature
The orange dots are rough approximations of some of our short pitches. For scale the stripe of snow as almost a full 200 feet from bottom to the first bottleneck
Here we negotiated a small moat then started short-roping and short-pitching our way up about 1,000 feet of great 4th class climbing. Full overnight packs do make this scrambling a bit more “real” so don’t put your sleeping pad/bag on the top of your pack. Head clearance to look up will make the climbing much more enjoyable.
Fisher Chimney’s, Mount Shuksan
There was about 250 feet of snow climbing left on the Chimney’s as of July 17th, 2017
My favorite view from the Fisher Chimney’s with Mount Baker in the background
White Salmon Glacier, Fisher Chimney’s, Mount Shuksan
Above the chimneys we moved through a notch of the “Shuksan Arm” and briefly traveled on the top of the “White Salmon Glacier” before reaching the most scenic bivy site I have ever seen. A small pool of melt water a hundred yards downhill from our camp provided water which allowed minimal use of our stoves and we settled in for one of the best sunsets I’ve experienced in my life.
Our camp above Fisher Chimney’s, Mount Shuksan
Definitely one of my best moments in the mountains to date!
Day 3- Summit and Out!
Our alpine start was at 3:30am. A quick climb up “Winnie’s Slide” brought us past an occupied higher bivy option (consistent water source here) then up along the left side of the Upper Curtis glacier and “Hell’s Highway”.
Alpine Start
Crossing the Upper Curtis Glacier, Mount Shuksan
After one more steep snow pitch we joined the Sulfide Glacier route just ahead of some parties that were making their way up from lower down the mountain. We were glad to be in position for first on the summit, and more importantly up the 3rd class gullies leading to the summit.
Last steeper pitch before gaining the Sulfide Glacier, Mount Shuksan
Gentle climbing as the sun rose led us to the base of the summit pyramid where we converted from glacier travel back to short-roping and short-pitching for the 600 foot 3rd class scramble to the top. There is quite a bit of loose rock on this final stretch that required due caution. Even with care one of our party took a decent sized rock to their helmet. I was quite happy we were the first group to reach this section due to the amount of loose rock. Next time I will certainly check out the “Southeast Ridge” variation that has some easy 5th class bits but reportedly has much less objective danger on it based on both personal referrals and online posts.
We summited just under 6 hours from leaving our high camp.
Summit of Mount Shuksan
GPS Info… unfortunately I discovered I had left the Bluetooth setting on with my Garmin 3 HR watch and killed the battery pre-maturely. Close to the summit I decided to fire up my Suunto Movescount iPhone App and got a decent track of our final push:
Descent
To descend from the summit we short-roped down the southwest ridge until we reached a rap station. From here it was about three to four 30m rappels back down to the Sulfide Glacier and a relatively quick walk back to our high camp. We broke down camp then descended the Fisher Chimney’s via short rappels, belayed down-climbing, and short-roping, arriving at Lake Ann around 4pm. After a short break we pushed down into the scenic valley and then back up towards the car. After climbing back up the 3 switch-backs that started our trip we reached the cars about 17 hours after starting our summit climb… a long but incredibly memorable day in the mountains!
Gear List
If you are interested in the gear I used on this trip you can find a complete and comprehensive gear list here!
Summary
This was my first glaciated climb. My first 9,000 foot peak. My first “blue bag” experience. I was ecstatic to get to use skills I have read about, practiced, and even taught over the last 15 years in a successful group climb of this peak. Below I’ll list the exact gear I carried on this adventure with comments on what worked and what didn’t. I hope some will find this a useful resource for planning their own climb of Mount Shuksan. Feel free to ask me questions in the comments below, I’d be happy to elaborate on anything!
Here’s a 4 minute video of some stills and video clips of the climb!
Information on Guided Trips: www.nemmountaineering.com. Click on “Mountaineering” to see all Cascade Climbing Trips.
