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SkyRun

North Cascades - Sulphide Glacier

Elevation gain

5145 ft

Highest point

7700 ft

Lowest point

2555 ft

Aspect

Southeast

Slope

35

Effort

Difficult

Exposure

Mild

Description

The North Cascades are sometimes referred to as the North American Alps and for good reason. The mountains are rocky and jagged, resembling their European cousins rather than their dysfunctional Colorado siblings. The Sulphide Glacier Route is by far one of the best ski tours for checking out impeccable views of the North Cascades. Despite it being a glacier, it’s quite a mellow outing crossing very few, if any, crevasses. It’s the perfect opportunity and route to bring an overnight pack to camp on the glacier and soak in the views. There is plenty of fun party skiing terrain all around.

Approach

You’ll need to park your car at the trailhead (48.76722, -121.61795) and begin your long journey towards the glacier. It’s roughly six miles to the main glacier. You can tack on another half mile depending on what you choose to ski. On the ascent, you’ll follow the semi-trafficked Shannon Ridge Trail, switchbacking through dense forest until you break through the tree line near Sulphide Point. From here, point your skis north and continue up the edge of the glacier. Once you’ve reached the meat of the ice field, point your pole and pick an area to ski.

Crux

Late in the season, the first two miles can be kind of heinous if it’s melted out. You also cross under some southeast-facing rock which creates a fair amount of point-release wet slides throughout the day.

Free Beta

This isn’t some crazy ski line, it’s more of an easy outing to see some cool mountains. You’ve got a perfect view of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, and plenty of other less known peaks. I recommend getting a group of friends and bringing some overnight equipment to turn it into a unique and delightful experience.

Gallery

Comments & Ski Reports

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Jon B

10/06/2021 6:57pm

Skied this route quite a few years ago, but didn't make it to Mt. Shuksan's summit pyramid. Was quite a warm day and the avalanche danger was increasing. We wanted to get back through the cliffs at the entrance to the glacier before things started sliding. The skiing on the glacier itself is fairly casual to reach the pyramid. Circumnavigating the pyramid or climbing to the summit are both great objectives if conditions are stable.

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