It's already the LAST day in August! Where did the summer go? There's already a hint of autumn in the air and it felt like the first of many winter storms just passed through last night. The next week's forecast looks to be unseasonably hot - freezing levels jumping from 10,500 feet back to 16,500 feet - but, as September rolls around please come prepared for both the summer heat and the inevitable start to stormier winter weather.
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| Late-season conditions: broken glaciers, rocky peaks, and lingering clouds. |
Effective Tuesday 9/8/20 for the remainder of September 2020, climbers can self-register on WEEKDAYS (M, Tu, W, Th) outside the Paradise, Longmire, or White River WICs. Climbers who wish to climb on WEEKENDS (F, Sa, Su), including single-push climbers, must submit a reservation application at least 2 DAYS prior to their trip start date and receive their permit via email. ALL climbers must still pay the annual climbing fee. All climbing permits after Sunday 9/27/20 will be by self-registration.
Here's a run down of the common routes being climbed right now:
DC - In general the Disappointment Cleaver Route has continued to be well-maintained with the hard work all the guide services have been putting in. The route has been climbed by both guided and independent parties in the last couple days and the route remains in the same general location as the track log posted in the August 6th update. Be cautious both on the ascent to Camp Muir and in the camp itself with crevasses starting to open. There's some large cracks in camp and on the snowfield that are easy to avoid, but could cause serious injuries if one were to fall in them.
E/W - This route has been much less popular in the last two weeks with many parties turning around due to the circuitous nature of the route and the high consequence crevasse crossings melting out. An experienced team made it to the summit last week, but this route should be considered "out of season" as a standard route.
Kautz - Not many parties have climbed this route in the last couple weeks, but the most recent blog post from August 21st is still accurate. The ice pitches will continue to grow in length and the crevasses above the Wapowety Cleaver will continue to become more complicated to cross. The approach up the Comet Falls Trail to this route is the preferred method - crossing over the lower Nisqually Glacier has become very difficult.
See you in September!
