Trip Report

We drove up to the Lake Ann Trail head in a rain storm but as we got to Bellingham the clouds lifted and the rain stopped. At the Lake Ann trail head the clouds were hanging on the ridge tops but things looked better. Sunday morning at 0400 there was not a cloud in the sky nor a wind and we started up Fishers Chimney at 0530 in the dawn light, and at 0830 we stepped into the White Salmon Glacier. From there we worked our way up Winnies Slide. The headwall was rather steep and hard this year requiring us to set up belays. At the top of Winnies Slide we took off our crampons, climbed over 200 feet of rock and landed on the upper Curtis Glacier, put our crampons back on, worked our way up the glacier and kicked our way up Hells Highway to the Sulphide Glacier. From there we had a nice walk to the summit pyramid. We quickly scaled the 600 foot pyramid and enjoyed a hour taking pictures and eating lunch. We started down using a rappel, we quickly worked our way down the Sulphide Glacier and through Hells Highway into the Upper Gilbert Glacier. We set up a quick rappel for Winnies Slide, landed on the White Salmon Glacier coiled the ropes and had a very enjoyable climb down Fishers Chimney. It was a little dark when we got to the climbers trail, broke out the flashlights and were back at Lake Ann for a nice dinner and sleep. Hiked out the next morning in perfect weather and drove home. As usual Mt. Shuksan is a most beautiful climb especially Fishers Chimney. Those on the climb were Don Gilman, Ron Unger, Ken Unger, Mark Slipp, Justin Rolf-Redding and leader Kevin McManigal.