For detailed trip info, route maps and more pics check out my new blog http://wabackcountrybeta.com/2018/07/21/glacier-peak/

The parking lot was very full, get there early and you'll be fine. 

Thanks to the USFS trail crew the trail has been brushed and looks great! I noticed a huge difference from going in to heading out.

Spent the first night at Mackinaw, only party there. Bugs responded well to bug spray and mosquito coils. I recommend stocking up on water here because there's little on the way up. Got on trail the next morning in time to avoid most of the sun on the switch backs.

White Pass had some snow, and so should have water for the next couple of weeks. Had lots of fun sitting in the tent (avoiding bugs) and watching marmots. Biting flies and mosquitos were agressive.

Wild flowers in the meadows are gorgeous right now, and berries should be ripe soon!

After being turned back a little over two weeks earlier by poor weather, I believed that I wouldn’t have another visit to Glacier Peak again this year since I have a list full of mountains in the state I haven’t been to before.  But there are mountains and there is Glacier Peak.  She is special to me since my first climb of her in August of 2015 and when a bluebird forecast came up this weekend, I couldn’t help but make a last minute decision to my Sunday plans and head back to this wonderful mountain.

Because I have written plenty about this mountain, I’m going to keep this one pretty bare bones and stick strictly to conditions.

As before, the trail is in great shape from the North Fork of the Sauk River trailhead to Mackinaw Shelter.  A few blowdowns to step over or go around but that is it.  Water sources can be found along the way.  I found the bugs only to be an annoyance when I stopped.

The climb from Mackinaw to White Pass is snow free now.  No obstacles in your way and a handful of water sources on this four mile stretch.  Wildflowers are starting to really come out.

After White Pass you start to hit some stretches of snow lingering in the gullies.  I took two routes through this section.  On my way in, about a mile from White Pass, I cut up a snow covered gully to a small saddle east of White Mountain.  This is a more direct route to the summit.   When you drop down into the basin below, you are faced with some steeper snow slopes but I was fine in my crampons and the run out isn’t too bad. On the way back, I chose to go the standard route and honestly regretted it a bit.  It’s a lot of transitioning from trail to snow covered gully and that last drop down into Foam Creek and climb back up is a pain as it is partially covered in snow.  I have included my track in the links so that you can have a better idea of what I’m talking about.  Regardless, this area is really starting to see some wildflowers bloom and I got a kick out of seeing all the marmots run about and squeal.

Once you have dropped down into that basin (I’m sure it has a name that I’m just ignorant of), the route is pretty much entirely snow covered.  Water sources are a bit scarce in this section but as you go over the next rise and into the basin formerly covered by the White Chuck Glacier, you will find a running water source on the north side of that basin.

There is a running water source right before Glacier Gap and one at the bottom of Glacier Gap as you head onto the mountain proper.  Obviously if you are camping and have a stove, you can melt any of the snow around you but for a C2C person like myself, these are extremely helpful.  Once past Glacier Gap, there were no running water sources that I saw.

From there it is pretty straightforward.  The Gerdine-Cool Glacier is really filled in still with only two or three crevasses starting to show anywhere near the route.  The area that made me the most nervous was the rockfall coming down from the Disappointment Peak area onto the glacier.   While on my trip up and down, there was none, you could see where recent rockfall had crossed the bootpath on the glacier.  I would move as quickly as possible through this area and if you can hit it early before the sun starts to warm it up, even better.

Final summit climb is melted out until the last 300 or so vertical feet but there was a great bootpath up this.  I did finally pull my ice axe out for this section.  I should note I left my crampons on for most of the snow sections but not out of necessity but mostly laziness.  

A lot of friendly climbers were met along the way and it was good to see so many out enjoying the mountain! The weather was nearly perfect for a fast and light attempt though I was feeling that sun coming off the snow as I was coming down. 

I would expect there to be significant snow coverage for at least a couple more weeks and I think the glacier will be in fairly good shape throughout July.

A quick report of conditions of this climb from the North Fork of the Sauk trailhead to just pass White Pass on the (now) standard route for climbing Glacier Peak.  I turned around due to deteriorating weather conditions.

The road to the trailhead is in my opinion, in great shape given the time of the season.  A couple of spots where there has been a washout, but the damage is minimal and I would have had no issues taking a sedan with normal clearance on the road.  Just take it slow through these spots.

The NF Sauk River trail is in fantastic condition with a couple of blowdowns to clamber over but you will barely break stride to do so.  Two or three sections are getting a bit overgrown and likely to soak you from the thighs down if you are on the trail in the early morning before the dew evaporates.

The climb out of the valley is in it's usual rocky state.  There was a couple of snow patches in the bowl, and I really mean patches, like two steps worth.  You have one snow covered chute to cross near the junction with the PCT but it's only about ten steps.

Once you hit the PCT you have a few more snow covered (and undercut by streams) sections to cross.  I never felt in danger just quickly made my way across them.  Of course I didn't have a 40 pound pack on.  These will probably completely melt out in the next week or so.  I did not put traction on to cross them as they have well defined steps kicked in.

Once you get to the pass, the route is almost completely covered.  There was a bootpath that I followed for a ways before eventually cutting up to the saddle east of White Mountain to save time (the benefits of snow covered routes).  However, once I was at the saddle, the weather turned even worse, sight was very limited and the wind was blowing at about 25 mph.  I could have trudged onward knowing the route well but I came up here for views, not the inside of a ping pong ball.  Turned around here and made a quick trip back to the car.  

Wildflowers are coming out.  I didn't notice bugs until back at the car and found myself swatting at them as I put my gear away.  Plenty of water sources in this first ten or so miles of the route.  The small campsite at White Pass is not snow covered. 

The recent rains had the positive effect of reducing the usual dust.  Unfortunately all the potholes were filled with water, so the car was coated with mud instead of dust.  At the intersection with FS49 a sign was posted reporting Road Damage Ahead.  Considering the usual state of the road, this did give me pause.  Went ahead anyway and soon came to a spot where a creek had damaged the road.  A temporary patch job made it passable and on I went.  Just before reaching the trailhead parking lot there was another creek damage/stopgap repair.  This one was rougher, but the Honda was able to survive.  At 10 am I was only the second vechile in the lot.  A pickup with horse trailer made it too.  Mosquitoes pretty bad at the parking lot, but not a problem beyond.  The hike was wonderful.  Only went up two miles.  6 people, 4 dogs, 1 horse and too many Pacific wrens to count.