DAY 1

We will do a gear check either via zoom prior to the first day of the trip or meet up in person on the first morning to finalize gear/packing. From Seattle or Bellingham, we’ll drive to the Shannon Ridge Trailhead on the South Side of Mount Shuksan. We’ll spend the day traversing lush meadows and gaining elevation to camp between 5,500’ and 6,500’. Once we establish camp we will review glacier travel, self-arresting, and additional basic skills in order to prepare for the next day’s climb.

DAY 2

We’ll get a pre-dawn start for our summit bid. This will be a long day, usually around 10-12 hours round trip from camp to camp. After an alpine start, we’ll rope up and get on the Sulphide Glacier, traversing moderate snow slopes and straightforward glaciated terrain for roughly 2.5 miles to the base of the summit pyramid. From here, we’ll ditch crampons & ice axes and switch into rock climbing mode to scramble up the Southeast Ridge (5.0-5.3) to Mount Shuksan’s rocky summit block at 9,313 feet. After enjoying some snacks and summit selfies, we’ll begin our descent back to camp.

DAY 3

The final day is our hike out day. We’ll wake up after a good night’s rest, pack up camp and make our way back down to the trailhead where we started. After loading up the car, we’ll drive back to our final destination. Our goal will be to return to the cars by about noon on this day so that those traveling back to Seattle or Bellingham can expect to arrive back in the city between 3-5 pm. 

Note on Itinerary:

While every effort is made to adhere to the outlined schedule, the unpredictable nature of alpine climbing necessitates flexibility. This itinerary is subject to alterations due to adverse weather conditions, unsafe route conditions, and other factors beyond our control.