All Washington state expedition dispatches

Memorable PNW adventure on Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker

Madison Mountaineering guide Sid Pattison and climber Patrick had a memorable PNW adventure last week exploring Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker. This month we have another exciting Mt. Baker expedition planned (July 24-27), if interested please contact andrew@madisonmountaineering.com. Mount Baker is the most heavily glaciated peak in the lower 48 contiguous United States!
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Expedition report and photos by Sid!
The gear is drying, clothes are being washed and the sun is shining, a far cry from Mt. Baker 24 hours ago. While the weather was wet, spirits were high as we made lemonade over the last 3 days. We got high on the mountain and worked on crevasse rescue, self arrest and navigation skills waiting for momentary breaks in the weather to catch a glimpse.
Humor and comroderie are key in these situations. Patrick and I smiled, laughed and generally had a great time. As we walked out, we detoured to the Coleman glacier overlook and were treated great parting views of the breathtaking glacier. Never a bad day out here!
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Patrick enjoying the beautiful views here on the slopes of Baker
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Sid – Left (Guide), Patrick – Right (Climber)
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Mt. Olympus Summits!

Here’s some super sweet shots of our July Mt. Olympus climb led by guide Tap Richards. A great time had by all!
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Summit!

Summit!


MtOlympus2015-07

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Mt. Olympus Summits!!

Here’s some super sweet shots of our July Mt. Olympus climb led by guide Tap Richards. A great time had by all!
MtOlympus2015-01
MtOlympus2015-02
MtOlympus2015-04
MtOlympus2015-05

Summit!

Summit!


MtOlympus2015-07

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Mt. Baker team summits!

Madison Mountaineering Guide Billy Nugent led 2 climbers to the summit of Mt. Baker today, reporting excellent conditions and fantastic views! They have one more day of mountaineering training before heading back to Seattle. Nice work guys!

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Mt. Olympus

– Washington, USA 2,432m / 7,980 ft.

Mt. Olympus

Located in the heart of the Olympic Mountains in Washington State, Mt. Olympus is surrounded by pristine old-growth forest, as well as many other glaciated peaks. The approach is a long one, but very rewarding as one becomes transfixed by the solitude of the forest filled with wildlife and natural beauty. The climbing route involves glaciated slopes and then a short rock scramble to the top, a hard-earned summit deep in the backcountry.

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Mt. Baker

– Washington, USA 3,286m / 10,781ft.

Mount Baker

The most heavily glaciated peak in the lower 48 contiguous United States, Mt. Baker is a wonderful climb that requires good physical conditioning. We hike through the forest for several hours’ then pristine alpine meadows before making our camp near the foot of the glacier. We climb the glaciated slopes to the summit and have wonderful views of the San Juan Islands and Puget Sound.



Madison Mountaineering, LLC is an Equal Opportunity recreation provider and holds a permit from the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

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Mt. Rainier

– Washington, USA 4,392m / 14,411ft.

Climbers on Mount Rainier

Our four-day Mt. Rainier is one of our signature summer climbs. Our team will be led by two of our highly experienced guides and is a group of only four climbers. The trip includes an introduction to mountaineering and the summit climb. Mt. Rainier is located in the Cascade Mountain Range of Washington State and has an elevation of 4392m / 14,411ft. As the sun rises and we make our way up this active stratovolcano, you will see beautiful views of the Pacific Northwest!

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Eldorado Peak

– Washington, USA 2,703m / 8,868ft.

We offer several excellent climbing programs in Washington State. These peaks are located in National Parks, surrounded by old-growth forest, and are heavily glaciated. Climbing these mountains involves a one-day approach through the forest, then a few days climbing on glaciers using technical climbing equipment such as the ice axe, crampons, and climbing rope. Known as the Alps of the United States, the best months to climb in Washington are July, August, and September. We offer mountaineering courses as well as summit climbs on these majestic peaks.


Eldorado Peak (8,868 ft.), located in the North Cascades, has been called the “Queen of the Cascade River” by Fred Beckey owing to its position in the middle of a collection of gorgeous peaks. A true alpine experience on the summit ridge offers a worthy objective to any climber in the Pacific Northwest. We climb the stunning East Ridge route offering views of many Northwest peaks. This climb offers great training for many of our international climbs.

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Mt. Shuksan

– Washington, USA 2,783m / 9,131 ft.

Mount Shuksan

We offer several excellent climbing programs in Washington State. These peaks are located in National Parks, surrounded by old-growth forest, and are heavily glaciated. Climbing these mountains involves a one-day approach through the forest, then a few days climbing on glaciers using technical climbing equipment such as the ice axe, crampons, and climbing rope. Known as the Alps of the United States, the best months to climb in Washington are July, August, and September. We offer mountaineering courses as well as summit climbs on these majestic peaks.



Situated in the North Cascades, Mt. Shuksan is perhaps the most photographed mountain in the world. The approach through the old-growth Douglas fir trees gives way to high alpine meadows before climbers arrive at the Sulfide glacier. Here we review mountaineering techniques and then make our ascent up the Sulfide glacier and the summit pyramid of Shuksan.

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