Washington Volcano Ski Project

In 2018 I wanted to climb the Washington volcanoes but other objectives ended up taking a priority and the volcanoes took a backseat. So for 2019, I set my sights on climbing and skiing from the summit of all five Washington volcanoes (+ Mount Hood for good measure) within a calendar year/season. 

With the completion of Glacier Peak this weekend, I’ve finally reached the end of this goal. Moreover, this also officially completes what Jason has (not-so-) jokingly called “Hummel Bootcamp” (which is the Hummels putting their significant others through climbing and skiing all the Washington volcanoes).

Washington’s snowpack this year has been lackluster this year, with the SWE (Snow Water Equivalent) at well below average all season over most of the state. I’ve had so many moments of anxiety and worry over the feasibility of accomplishing this goal as the number of weekends with good weather windows disappeared as quickly as the snow melted. By June, I’d just about abandoned the goal altogether to try again a different year.

But as luck would have it, even though Jason had originally only promised to go on one of the volcanoes with me (Mount Baker was the one he’d chosen), he would end up coaxing me up four, pushing me to my newfound limits each time.

Mount St. Helens via Worm Flows (8,366ft)

I had climbed this back in December and realized to make my goal I’d have to do it again, so I figured I’d get it over with during a good weather window at the end of January. It was some of the most perfect snow I’d skied from top to bottom.

Ascent Route: Worm Flows
Descent Route: Worm Flows

Partners: Nate Brown, Sonja Saxe, Alex Spaeth

Date Climbed: January 26, 2019

Mount Hood via Pearly Gates/Old Chute (11,250ft)

I’d eyed this mountain from my window every single day while I lived in Portland, and I finally had the chance to climb it with my friend Shelby (who is responsible for dragging me further into the world of rock climbing when I met her years ago.) We climbed up the South Side via the Pearly Gates and descended via the Old Chute. This was also Shelby’s first volcano ever!

Ascent Route: South Side Route / Pearly Gates
Descent Route: South Side Route / Old Chute

Partners: Shelby Groppuso

Date Climbed: March 3, 2019

Mount Baker via Coleman-Deming (10,781ft)

This was the first volcano I’d climbed and skied with Jason. We were able to tackle another glacier on his Washington Glacier Ski Project list on our descent back to camp. We took it as a chill two-day trip and enjoyed bright sunny conditions. Also somehow managed to add light bushwhacking to this trip.

Ascent Route: Coleman-Deming
Descent Route: Coleman-Deming + Thunder Glacier

Partners: Jason Hummel, Reed Purvis

Dates Climbed: May 4-5, 2019

Mount Adams via South Climb (12,280ft)

This will probably always be my favorite mountain of all time because it was the first volcano I’d ever climbed back in 2016 and opened up this whole world to me. I climb it every year and it’s always good to be back. This was my first time doing it in a single day push. It had snowed the evening before so we got a fresh dusting and great conditions on our descent. Because of the weather forecast and the fog that moved in for awhile, many teams bailed that day and we were lucky to have a relatively quiet climb (for a weekend anyways).

Ascent Route: South Climb
Descent Route: Avalanche Glacier Headwall

Partners: Jason Hummel

Date Climbed: June 8, 2019

Mount Rainier via Emmons (14,411ft)

Mount Rainier took me two attempts this season to make. We climbed via the Emmons Route and it was in great shape to climb, but it made for a horrendously icy descent. You get what you get on these big mountains though! It was a good way to see how my body handled being at over 14k and it was a learning opportunity on pacing, hydrating, and snacking.

Ascent Route: Emmons
Descent Route: Emmons

Partners: Jason Hummel

Dates Climbed: June 15-16, 2019

Glacier Peak (10,541ft)

We saw a tolerably optimistic forecast for the Fourth of July long weekend and decided to have a go at it, managing to drag Ryan out with us as well.

The trip tested me emotionally, mentally, and physically. I had left my trail runners in Jason’s RV. I found a pair that sort of worked but ended up not being a perfect fit (which is not what you want when you have to walk over 30 miles!). We started late. I bonked and got hangry a few times. We walked most of the trip in a fog and had minimal skiing.

But on the flip side, we got to boot and hike a lot (which I’m a heck of a lot faster at than skinning!) We had amazing food and tons of snacks. The clouds cleared the last 1000 ft up to the summit so we got a gorgeous view above the clouds; the skiing we did do was amazing.

And…it was my last volcano.

Ascent Route: White Pass / Disappointment Peak Cleaver
Descent Route: Cool Glacier / White Chuck Glacier

Partners: Jason Hummel, Ryan Carter

Dates Climbed: July 5-7, 2019