I had a chance to revisit a climb of Mt. Shuksan via the Sulphide Glacier so I put on my boots and packed up for two beautiful days.
The trip requires a permit to camp on the Sulphide Glacier so we spent a few anxious minutes around 8 AM at Sedro Woolley waiting to see if we could get one of six ... we did (the last one).
The road continues along 20 and then up Baker Lake Road ... which is in great shape. The final few miles are on well-maintained Forest Road (1152, I think) and then the -014 spur. Parking is spacious but a trailhead permit is required.
The trip in has a few distinct stages. The first stage is about 2 miles of well-graded, nearly flat path that could be an extension of the road. It gets progressively bumpy and brushy but no real problems ... a few wettish areas. The bugs were moderate but tolerable.
About 700 vf or so and then the trail goes up in earnest ... hacking about 1300 vf in a mile and a half or two miles. This stage is nasty with overgrown trail and a lot of roots. I've been on worse but that doesn't make this section ""good"". We took a break once on a auspicious log but the bugs (black flies, a few mosquitoes) got bad enough we took off at a good clip.
The trail exits onto a ridge where you get a phenomenal view of Mt. Baker. There's a little shade, it's flat, and if conditions are right, you get a bit of a breeze. It's a great place to stop for a bite and catch your breath.
From there the trail becomes dusty and very like the Eastern Washington trails ... dry and with a Ponderosa Pine scent when enough is kicked up. This lasts only a short while as you wind your way over and gently up the ridge to a cleft up a rock face. There are easy steps but you are definitely leaving your short walk on the ridge behind as you exit into the southern exposure and a traverse across a face.
After you traverse the face, you pop out onto some tumbled rocks and the exit of the glacier. A short walk up puts you at low camp and from there you can walk onto the lower end of the glacier to a high camp, ~6500'.
After this, not a trail ... you head up the Sulphide Glacier (avoiding exposed ice and crevasses) to attain the a high pass. From there, aim at the summit pyramid, avoid move glacial hazards, and climb as high as snow will allow on the pyramid. From there it's a class 3-4 scramble to the summit ... from what I've seen lately, no more than a class 3 if you stay on route.
Return by same route.
It was a gorgeous day in all but one aspect ... I forgot my camera. I'm attaching a photo someone shot from their phone. Not great quality but a great hike. The stars were absolutely phenomenal ... best I've seen in a long while.
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