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Shuksan is located approximately six miles to the east of Mount Baker in the North Cascades. Mssr. Beckey has this to say about this route: €œIt is a clever and tortuous route, not technically difficult, but involving stimulating route finding.€ (Ahh, that €œstimulating€ Beckey route finding!) This route can be a challenge for those who find steep snow and class 3-4 rock with big exposure to be unnerving. There have been some L O N G days spent on this peak by the unprepared. Know the route as best you can and start early.
Activity Notes
Join me for a climb of Mt. Shuksan's Fisher Chimneys route. This is one of the classic alpine climbs in the Cascades. A breathtaking route full of scrambling, steep snow/alpine ice climbing, campsite with views of the Upper Curtis Glacier and Mt. Baker, glacier travel, more glacier travel, roped climbing up the summit pinnacle, down-climbing and rappelling.
Day 1: Hike/climb to high camp
Day 2: Summit attempt, return to camp
Day 3: Climb/hike out
Day 4: Back-up day or a more leisurely hike out, maybe camping at Lake Ann
Applicants must:
- Have crevasse rescue training.
- Be comfortable with exposed 4th class scrambling (up and down) while wearing a full pack.
- Be comfortable with climbing steep snow.
- Alpine rock climbing up to ~5.5
- Be a proactive team member.
- Be conscious of your pack weight. Group gear, food and ropes may make for a heavier pack than you are used to.
| Other Information | |
|---|---|
| Driving Distance from Portland | 320 miles |
| Driving Time from Portland | 6 hours |
| General Route Info | summitpost https://www.summitpost.org/fisher-chimneys/155674 mountain forecast https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mount-Shuksan/forecasts/2782 USFS Glacier Public Service Center: (360) 599-2714 Located approximately six miles to the east of Mount Baker in the North Cascades, Mount Shuksan is the tallest non-volcanic peak in the Cascades. From Selected Climbs in the Cascades (Nelsen and Potterfield): "The massive and complex Mount Shuksan - whose handsome profile from Picture Lake has become a frequent photographic cliché - offers no less than five rugged faces, with four of them commonly climbed. Big, remote, interesting, and guarded by sometimes troublesome approaches, Mt Shuksan exerts a strong attraction for climbers drawn to its wilderness slopes and rugged beauty." Beckey writes about the route, “It is a clever and tortuous route, not technically difficult, but involving stimulating route finding.” (Ahh, that “stimulating” Beckey route finding!) The Fisher Chimneys is an interesting and demanding route, providing a serious challenge to those who are out-of-shape or who are nervous climbing exposed slopes on high angle snow or unbelayed through Class 3 - 4 rock chimneys in mountaineering boots. Many parties have had very long climbs on this route (20 hours+!) Clarence “Happy” Fisher pioneered the route in 1927. See Beckey’s Cascade Alpine Guide for more detailed look at this area’s geologic and climbing history. |
| Expected Duration | Car to car in two or more days |
| Interesting Features | Spectacular Views |
| Relevant Books | Selected Climbs in the North Cascades by Nelson and Potterfield Cascade Alpine Guide: Rainy Pass to Fraser River by Fred Beckey |
| Relevant Maps | USGS 7 minute series, Mt. Shuksan, Green Trails Map #14, and US Forest Service Mt. Baker National Forest map Google map https://goo.gl/maps/AE5tpQzsSUr |
| Awards Qualified | 16 Major NW Peaks |
| Useful Links | GPS Track GPS Coordinates Map |
