The Pacific Northwest has become one of my favorite places to climb, thanks to its remarkable concentration of volcanoes, rugged alpine terrain, and endless opportunities for adventure. From the familiar trails of the Cascades to exposed ridges and technical summit routes, the region offers an incredible variety of climbing in a relatively compact area. Over the years, I’ve returned again and again to explore its peaks, often with ambitious itineraries that string together multiple summits in a single trip.
This page is a collection of my climbs in the Pacific Northwest, from straightforward volcano hikes to more committing alpine routes. It includes with trip reports documenting the routes, conditions, challenges, and experiences along the way. The reports are as much about the experience as the summits themselves: the weather and conditions, the people I climbed with (and the days I climbed alone), the small decisions that make a route easier or harder, and the moments that make all the suffering worthwhile. Taken together, they document an ongoing love with the Pacific Northwest mountains.
Disclaimer: Many (although not all) of my trips involve cross country travel with varying degrees of technical difficulty. All distances and elevation gain are taken directly from my GPS. All reports include a “crux” given in the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). This graded system is very subjective, and ratings I’ve given are either based on personal experience or overall consensus of a route within the community. Know that routes, conditions and risk factors can all change so practice your own judgement whenever setting out on your own adventures. For those less familiar with the YDS system click here for an overview article from REI. For alpine grades, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, here is a good overview article through Alpin-ism.
| Summit Name | Distance | Elevation Gain | Crux |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stawamus Chief, First and Second Peaks | 4.7 | 2650′ | Class 3 |
| Mount Crumpit | 3.7 | 840′ | Class 1 |
| Mount Healy | 8.5 | 4,620′ | Class 3 |
| Mount Shasta | 11.6 | 7,500′ | PD |
| Mount Scott | 4.4 | 1,450′ | Class 1 |
| Three Fingered Jack | 11.0 | 3,400′ | Class 5.2 |
| Mount Bachelor | 4.8 | 2,700′ | Class 1/ F |
| Mount Hood | 8.7 | 5,450′ | PD WI2 |
| Mount Washington | 11.2 | 3,350′ | Class 5.3 |
| Mount Adams | 12.2 | 6,750′ | PD- |