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WA Pass Conditions

Original Post
Will J · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2017 · Points: 5

I saw someone posting for a partner for WA Pass and it made me question my assumption that there was too much snow up there to climb still...  I see that the pass only opened a couple weeks ago.  Also saw some recent ticks on popular routes, but not many...  Do you need to skin in?  Is the rock dry?  Are certain aspects more climbable?  Any beta appreciated, thanks in advance.

blakeherrington · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2006 · Points: 1,198

The snow melted insanely fast this year.

Most rock routes have been dry basically since the highway opened, and it's really not even worth the hassle to ski in/out any more from any approach side. There was a big late wet slide on the hairpin side just before the road opened and it scraped away several feet of snow from the spire gully and the hillside above it. 

Grant Adams · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2019 · Points: 164

I was there last weekend. Rock is dry. Climbed SW rib and other groups were on w face of NEWS and beckey route. We skinned in and skied out to the road. That was probably the last weekend that was fully doable but you can probably ski the upper half of the approach! Saw others walking in. Go get it!

Chris C · · Seattle, WA · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 407

We climbed the Becky on Monday.  All of the towers seems to be dry.  The snow is fairly melted on the approach, props to Grant making a ski out of it!!

Daniel Heins · · Seattle, WA · Joined Aug 2016 · Points: 2,030

Rock is in great condition. Blue Lake approach still has some snow+mud/snowmelt but was completely fine in trail runners, all the formations were fine to get to. Multiple parties did Hitchiker on SEWS and said they had no issues with snow getting down to the base of the route.  As of this past weekend the entrance to the trailhead is blocked to vehicles by a snowbank, so folks parked right at the bank or along the road on either side (good pull out opposite the entrance). Lot itself is clear of snow. BYO TP for the latrine, it's not being serviced yet this season for obvious reasons.

Pond approach / east faces there's a fair bit of snow you'll have to cross. I had no problem making steps with trail runners and no axe, though going up the steep snow on the left to get on Lexington I did embed my #6 in the snow sometimes to add a little security! For now the steep left approach for Lexington East Face is still great (and the bottom of the face has a fair bit of a moat). Liberty looked friendlier to get on with less steep snow, though didn't go close enough to inspect the moat situation.

Stever · · WA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 56

Anyone been up recently? Rock must be good, but interested in snow in liberty and wine groups for the approach

Jim Ryan · · Portland, OR · Joined Mar 2017 · Points: 0

There were only a few patches of snow in the Liberty Bell gully last weekend. We avoided snow entirely. 

James Wolff · · Spokane, WA · Joined May 2015 · Points: 215

Climbed Cutthroat last weekend - was completely snow free, aside from the approach gully. Wine spires looked great for some sends. Go get it!

Chris C · · Seattle, WA · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 407

Now we just need it to stop raining....

Stever · · WA · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 56

We stayed at Lone Fir and it was quiet this weekend. The website says the potable water is off (last updated June 6) but it was turned on already. 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/okawen/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5308308

Rained heavily around midnight Friday and we got hit with rain and hail by 11am on Paisano on Saturday morning, even though the forecast said the rain came later. Sometimes the weather just doesn't cooperate...

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Pacific Northwest
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