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Spent the past 2 weeks wandering in the Washington Cascades and South Coast mountains trying to find the climbing. The weather has been pretty cool lately so I doubt there have been significant changes in conditions.
In addition to several days of cragging in Leavenworth and Squamish, we climbed the following:
June 12: Prusik Peak S Face, Enchantment Range. Snow level starts at 5000 ft (Snow Lake) and travel was OK even in the afternoon with a decent packed trail from lots of traffic in the area. Route was snow free but crux pitches were a bit wet. Old school 5.9.
June 17: S Early Winter Spire S Ridge, Washington Pass. Snow is at road level (5000 ft). Good travel. We had about 10 cm of new snow overnight and a size 2 wet snow avalanche cleaned out the SW Gully route as we were standing beside it contemplating whether to go up it. Climbed the rock route instead in the mist and wet and it was snow free. Then descended the SW Gully after doing avalanche control to clean the remaining snow out. Some thin snow over rock in the gully.
June 19: Sharkfin SE Ridge, Boston Basin, N Cascades National Park. Snow starts at 5000 ft and it is pretty punchy in this area above 6000 ft. Slow travel. Route has snow on the upper section which slows things down a bit. Major glide crack avalanches on steep rock slabs in this area.
June 22: Tricouni Peak N Ridge, South Coast (near Squamish). One of the creeks has eroded the road at about 3500 ft. It was impassable for us in the Tacoma but a spade, pick axe and some imagination might get you through it. Snow starts just over 4000 ft. Good travel all day. The route is in winter shape with steep snow and glide cracks on the traverse from the col to the N ridge. The ridge is mostly snow free. The descent is a bit tricky to regain the S ridge after bypassing the steep section, again with steep snow, cornices and glide cracks to negotiate. Foggggy in there yesterday. Mark Klassen Mountain Guide www.alpinism.com 403-760-3337
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