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Trip

The Baker, Shuksan, Sahale Trilogy

Overview

This is your opportunity to climb three of the most iconic peaks in the North Cascades in one week. Come and climb Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan and Sahale Peak with us. None of these peaks are very demanding on a technical level, but they offer a level of introduction into alpine climbing that would be hard to match in a different area of the Lower 48 states.

$2,700 Per Person
7 Days
Difficulty
Ratio:
2:1, 4:2, 6:3

Trip Information

$2,700
Price is based on 2 climbers. Please call us for pricing for a single climber. 425-888-6397 x2 | info@proguiding.com

The North Cascades Trilogy is an unforgettable trip:

Peak 1: Mount Baker is a heavily glaciated volcano and the route up the Coleman and Deming Glaciers is scenic, technically entertaining and physically strenuous enough so that you will feel challenged but ready for the next step. Besides climbing a very cool glaciated peak, you will be introduced to roped glacier travel and crampon technique up to 40 degrees of steepness. Mount Baker tops out at 10780 feet, which is just high enough to start feeling the altitude a bit, but prior acclimatization is not a big topic, which is a huge plus.

Peak 2: Mount Shuksan is arguably the most photographed mountain of North Cascades National Park. At 9135 feet it is not as high as Mount Baker, but the slightly lower starting elevation up and more technical summit tower certainly make the effort comparable. We will be climbing Mount Shuksan via the well known Sulphide Glacier route, which can be divided into three very distinct parts. You start out via a nice hike up through the forest. This leads to the lower reaches of the expansive Sulphide Glacier, which in turn leads to the famous rocky summit pyramid. Here the mode of climbing switches from moderate glacier travel to exposed scrambling on 4th class terrain all the way to the lofty summit.

Peak 3: Sahale Peak has it all. At 8631 feet, Sahale is the "lowest" of the three summits, but maybe the most diverse in what the route has to offer. We will climb up into the famous Boston Basin and camp below Forbidden Peak. The route will take us up the Quien Sabe Glacier to the Boston-Sahale Col and from there to the summit. The summit views are considered the best in the Cascades by many climbers.

A few words about this Trilogy Trip: You will be climbing over 20'000 feet of vertical over the course of 6 days of climbing. Even though not technically demanding, this trip is physically demanding, since the terrain is uneven, you are sleeping outside and for more than half the time you will be carrying an overnight pack. Very good physical fitness is a must for proper enjoyment of this amazing mountain experience.

Duration: 7
Ratio: 2:1, 4:2, 6:3
Difficulty Level:
Click here to learn more about difficulty ratings.

Overall Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult.
Technical Difficulty: Moderate. You should have good basic coordinative abilities, be comfortable with exposure and be ready to use crampons in terrain up to 40 degrees of frozen snow and/or ice.
Fitness Requirement: Very good fitness required. This trip is very strenuous due to its length and objective of summiting three peaks in a row.


Private Trips Available

Don't see a date that works for you? Pro Guiding Service offers any trip or courses on a private basis. We are flexible! Call or email to inquire.
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Itinerary

Day 1: We will meet you at the Ranger Station in Glacier, WA. The exact time will be communicated to you by the office or the guide prior to the start of your trip. After introductions and a final gear check, we will commute up to the Heliotrope Ridge trailhead at 3600 feet. Our hike through the forest and up the steep moraine to our camp at 6000 feet will take about 3 hours. If we are lucky with the weather, the sunset will be nothing short of spectacular with glaciers above us and the sunset over the Puget Sound islands to the west as well as the city lights of Vancouver to the north west.
Day 2: An early start (pre-dawn for sure) will get us up onto the Coleman Glacier, past the spectacular North Face of Colfax Peak and onto the Coleman-Deming Col. From here we will go up the Roman Wall to the summit plateau and cross it to Grant Summit at 10780 feet. The ascent is not super technical, but the almost 5000 feet of elevation gain makes for a good effort. From the summit, we will descend back to our camp and all the way down to the car. A big day to be sure, but we will get some good rest in Glacier.
Day 3: The morning starts out leisurely with a drive around Mount Baker to its south side and up the Baker Lake Road to the Shuksan Sulphide trailhead at about 3000 feet. The approach to camp is a pretty solid day. With an initial hike up and through the forest until we reach the lower reaches of the Sulphide Glacier at around 5000 feet. One final push will get us to our camp at around 6500 feet.
Day 4: Another early start will get us up the gentle slopes of the Sulphide Glacier to the base of the summit pyramid, around 8300 feet. Here the climb changes radically in character from crampon work on glaciated terrain to rock scrambling in exposed, but never difficult rock. We should reach the 9127 foot summit in about 4 hours. Just like on the Mount Baker day, we have to get back to camp and all the way down to our car. Burgers, beer and a bed will be in Marblemount.
Day 5: This day is a scheduled as a rest and/or weather day.
Day 6: From Marblemount we will drive up the Cascade River Road to the famous Boston Basin trailhead and hike the steep forest to our scenic camp at 5400 feet.
Day 7: As per usual, we will get an early start and hike up the glacier polished slabs to the lower margin of the Quien Sabe Glacier, at about 7000 feet. From here we "glacier travel" up to the Boston-Sahale Col, take our crampons off and move carefully up the easy, but exposed ridge to the short summit tower of Sahale Peak. A couple moves of easy fifth class climbing and you will find yourself on one of the most scenic summits in the North Cascades. It is worth noting that even though Sahale Peak is the shortest of the three summits with summit elevation of 8650 feet, it is still quite physical. This has to do mostly with the rough and steep terrain of the Boston Basin area. After summiting, we will go down to camp and hike out to the car. You can plan to be back in Marblemount (which is about 2.5 hours from Seattle) around 3 to 4pm.
**We highly advise not making any flight arrangements in the evening of the 7th day. It can be done, but we cannot guarantee the arrival time in Marblemount and it adds unnecessary stress to your last day.

Private Trips

Pro Guiding Service proudly offers the most diverse ski touring and ski mountaineering programs of any guiding service in the Northwest. Smaller, more intimate custom itineraries or instructional tours are available for any of our destinations. Tell us what you want to do, and we can create a customized plan for you.
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Pricing

$2,700
per person
Price is based on 2 climbers. Please call us for pricing for a single climber. 425-888-6397 x2 | info@proguiding.com
View Dates & Availability
Payment Policy
If booking a domestic trip that is over 60 days away or an international trip that is over 90 days away, you can book your trip by paying a 20% deposit.  View Full Policy
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel for any reason 60 or more days before domestic trips or 90 or more days before international and Alaska trips, we will refund everything you have paid minus half of your deposit. No refunds will be provided if you cancel your trip for ANY REASON (this includes but is not limited to illness including CoVid-19, injury, or work-related issues) within 60 days of the start of domestic trips or 90 days of international and Alaska based trips.  View Full Policy

Equipment List

Clothing
Base Layer
  • 1 Bottom - midweight or lightweight
  • 1 or 2 Tops - midweight or lightweight
  • Socks - 2 pair
Mid Layer
  • Windshirt or light soft shell jacket
  • Fleece or similar warm layer
  • Synthetic climbing or hiking pants
Outerwear
  • Lightweight Waterproof/Breathable Jacket
  • Lightweight Waterproof/Breathable Pants
  • Warm Hat - should cover your ears
  • Sun Hat - baseball cap or visor
  • Lightweight Gloves
  • Warm Gloves/Mittens
  • Down or Synthetic Puffy-type Jacket
  • Gaiters - low top or full size
Personal Gear
  • Backpack - 50 Liter/3100 cu.in. minimum
    • Everything must fit inside except ice axe, crampons, helmet, and pad
    • If approach shoes are worn, mountaineering boots may be on outside of pack as well
  • Sleeping Bag - down or synthetic, 20º F or warmer
  • Compression Sack - for sleeping bag
  • Sleeping Pad - closed cell foam or self inflating (or both)
  • Headlamp - lightweight LED recommended
  • 2 Water Bottles - liter bottles, wide mouth recommended
  • Water purification - tablets or filter
  • Bowl and Cup - bowl is optional if eating from freeze-dried meal bags
  • Spoon, Fork, or Spork
  • Sunglasses - adequate for snow travel
  • Sunscreen - SPF 25+, waterproof
  • Lip Balm - SPF 15+
  • Lighter
  • Personal Toiletries - keep it simple: toothbrush, tiny toothpaste, hand sanitizer
  • Small Personal First Aid Kit - just the basics: blister care, ibuprofin, prescription meds, etc.; your guides will have a substantial group first aid kit
  • Toilet Paper (blue bags provided by PGS)
Technical Gear
  • Ice Axe - lightweight, 45-70cm
  • Mountaineering Boots - crampon compatible
  • Boot Crampons - 10-12 point steel with anti-ball plates, pre-fit to boots
  • Climbing Harness - mountaineering style preferred (no padding; ex: Petzl Altitude, Black Diamond Couloir)
  • Adjustable Trekking Pole(s) - nice to have for approach/crevasse navigation
  • Helmet - climbing helmet UIAA approved
  • Personal Anchor System
  • Belay Device
  • Glacier Travel Kit:
    • 2 Locking Carabiners - 2 large/2 small with at least 1 large HMS style
    • 2 Non-locking Carabiners - any style, we recommend wire gates
    • 1 Single Length Dyneema/Dynex Runner/Sling (60cm/24in diameter loop)
    • 1 Double Length Dyneema/Dynex Runner/Sling (120cm/48in diameter loop)
    • 1 Cordelette - 6 mm cord, 6 meter length
Optional Items
  • Ear Plugs - essential for sound sleep
  • Camp Booties
  • Thermos - vacuum type
  • Electrolytes - tablets/powder/gel/blocks
  • Compass - adjustable declination a must
  • Tibloc and/or MicroTraxion devices - used for crevasse rescue
  • Collapsible Water Canteen - good for storing snowmelt at camp
  • Liner socks - if blister-prone
  • Warm Socks - to sleep in
  • Approach shoes--lightweight running shoes work well
  • Small knife
  • Neck gaiter - for protecting your face from sun, wind, cold
  • Post-course care kit (to leave in car): cotton T-shirt, flip flops, favorite treats
Equipment Sales & Rental

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FAQs

What size pack should I bring?

Try to fit your gear into a 50 liter pack.

Does PGS provide food?

No, you are responsible for your own food. We are glad to help with food suggestions though.

Why Book With Us? 

Certified Professional Guides & All Access
All of our guides have the highest quality training and certification in the industry, and you can be sure that we have the permits, licenses and insurance in every location we operate.
Safe, Well-Planned Tour Design
Every tour has a carefully thought-out guide-to-customer ratio. You always get a safe, high-quality trip or learning environment with us.
Pioneers In The Industry
You will travel and learn from experts. We've pioneered several alpine climbing routes, ski descents, and traverses and we've written books on skills and routes in the industry. 
Read Our story
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