Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Disappointment Cleaver Update 7/23/2025

First, as a reminder, the Public Shelter at Camp Muir is closed for the season.  Please plan on bringing a tent/bivy to stay at Camp Muir. 

The DC has been in great shape for mid-July, and lots of teams are making it to the summit.  Some unseasonable stormy weather has left a dusting of snow and graupel on the upper mountain.  Expect busy weekends through early-August - this is prime time to climb!  The Emmons/Winthrop Route has significantly less traffic and can offer more solitude this time of year.  

Trail conditions up to Camp Muir are now mostly snow-free until Pebble Creek.  Above Pebble Creek, consider trekking poles and even crampons (or at least some kind of shoe chains if only going to Muir) if traveling early or late in the day when the snow firms up.  No crevasses have opened up on the Muir Snowfield yet - but be aware of rocks melting out in glissade tracks and cornices on the snow rolls above Pebble Creek.  

Cornice collapsing above Pebble Creek, 7200'
 Above Camp Muir the route crosses the Cowlitz Glacier where both rockfall hazard and crevasse fall danger exist - don't forget to rope-up and helmet-up right out of camp.  Cathedral Gap has lots of exposed rock - and just past Cathedral Gap on the way to Ingraham Flats is some exposed firm glacial ice.  Take care while traveling on this ice - it's not steep, but a slip or trip would result in landing on a very firm surface.  There's a significant rockfall hazard here - move efficiently, but with deliberate footing, through this rocky and icy section just above Cathedral Gap and right below Ingraham Flats.  

The route just above Ingraham Flats goes up the glacier until around 11,200' and then crosses over a ladder and traverses to the Disappointment Cleaver.  Don't linger on this traverse - there's overhead hazard from both rocks and seracs.  From the nose of the cleaver the route ascends staying mostly on the spine of the cleaver with a couple of zigzags to climber's left.  

Glacier travel on the upper mountain, above the cleaver, remains fairly straightforward - ascend up from the top of the cleaver, crossing two horizontal ladders, at about 12,800'.  Traverse climber's right once above the ladders, over to the Emmons Shoulder, and ascend for another 600 or so vertical feet until traversing back climber's left towards the Crater Rim. As in other places on this route with overhead hazard, move efficiently on the traverse and plan to avoid congestion on the traverse due to serac fall hazard (see photo below).   

Traverse at 13,000 between the Emmons Shoulder and the route above the Cleaver. 
Surface conditions on the upper mountain off of the boot pack are rough.  Penitentes have formed and have made travel tedious and less secure when passing parties and venturing away from the route.  During these busy days on the route - please be extra courteous and communicate with other rope teams when trying to pass.  Consider stepping off the route and waiting versus trying to climb around with difficult footing. 

Looking down on the Cleaver, 12,700'
 Lastly - we've seen quite a few parties splitting up and climbing solo on the mountain.  Solo climbing or skiing requires a special permit and can be obtained through the Solo Climbing Application.  Please do not split up or off from your rope team on the upper mountain.  Once your rope team ascends past Camp Muir - stick together!  If one person on your rope team cannot keep ascending, come back down as a team.  Do not split up.  

For more info, check out our Disappointment Cleaver Route Brief.  See you on the mountain!