Difficulty: Advanced – Prior alpine climbing experience in the North Cascades required and an extremely high level of fitness.
Terrain: Glacier travel, moderate snow, 4th and low 5th class rock, moderate ice climbing.
Number of Days: 3-4
The North Face route involves a circumnavigation of the peak and includes challenging route finding, steep snow, rock and ice climbing techniques. It is an excellent choice for the advanced mountaineer looking to explore a seldom travelled classic and grow their skills. The route follows the Fisher Chimneys route and itinerary until descending several thousand feet to the base of the North Face after climbing the chimneys. A traverse under the White Salmon Glacier takes us to the base of the North Face and our second camp. The next day is our summit push and carry-over up the varied and engaging terrain of the North Face. Once gaining the Upper Curtis Glacier we wrap-around the Northeast Ridge of the summit pyramid and ascend via the Southeast Ridge or South Gullies. After we tag the top our descent takes us to Fisher Chimneys high camp and we retrace our approach the following day.
