Start date 20210502
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Whitehorse Mountain 2021

On Sunday, May 2nd, with the weather forecast looking like 60-50% clouds and a high of about 61 in Darrington and maybe around 36 at the summit, we had our hopes up for stable snow conditions, not too much soft snow, and some good views! Stats Started at 2:55 AM, back at 3:55 PM (13hrs…

May 2, 2021 By andrewleader

Itinerary

Twilight: 5:08 AM, sunrise: 5:43 AM, sunset: 8:23 PM. 12:30 hours car-to-car.

  • 1:15 AM – Leave our house (35 min drive to Gary’s)
  • 1:50 AM – Arrive at Gary’s
  • 1:55 AM – Leave Gary’s (50 min drive)
  • 2:45 AM – Arrive at TH, get ready to go
  • 3:00 AM – Start hiking, 2.7 miles, 2,400 ft gain no snow or mostly snow free (2hrs)
  • 5:00 AM – All snow now, 3.0 miles, 3,836 ft gain (5hrs)
  • 10:00 AM – Summit
  • 10:30 AM – Rappel off summit (1hr with 8 people)
  • 11:30 AM – Off of summit, 3.0 miles, 3,800 ft descent through snow (3hrs)
  • 2:30 PM – Off of snow, 2.7 miles, 2,400 descent on trail (1hr)
  • 3:30 PM – Car

Gear

  • Two 30m ropes
  • 3 liters of water
  • Food for 12 hrs
  • Trail runners for start
  • Ice axe
  • Boots+Crampons
  • Beacon+probe+shovel
  • Extra webbing + rap ring
  • Camera
  • Picket?
  • ❌ No snowshoes needed

Hazards

  • ⚠ Avalanches
    • Lots of them on 4/22, but the whole week leading up to that was some of the sunniest warm weather. Expecting lower danger than on 4/22, so should be reasonable ✅
  • ✅ No crevasses
    • Seems like no need to rope up on the glacier, satellite doesn’t show any crevasses

Ascent

7,000 ft gain, 5.5 miles of ascent.

  • First 2.5 miles, 2,000 ft gain should be free of snow (goes to 2,600 ft elevation).
  • Then maybe 0.2 miles, 400 ft up to 3,000 ft elevation (probably constant snow now)
    • 2hrs to this point?
  • 3.0 miles, 3,836 ft gain through snow and summit
    • 4 additional hours?
  • 1hr getting off summit
  • 3hrs back to 2,600 ft elevation
  • 1hr back to car
  • 11hrs total

Historical weather in Darrington

https://www.localconditions.com/weather-darrington-washington/98241/past.php

Apr 11 – 27 / 52
Apr 12 – 27 / 61
Apr 13 – 35 / 63
Apr 14 – 30 / 64
Apr 15 – 36 / 72
Apr 16 – 39 / 73
Apr 17 – 41 / 76
Apr 18 – 41 / 75
Apr 19 – 41 / 70
Apr 20 – 39 / 68
Apr 21 – 37 / 69
Apr 22 – 39 / 62 – Last trip report
Apr 23 – 39 / 63
Apr 24 – 45 / 50
Apr 25 – 45 / 54
Apr 26 – 43 / 58
Apr 27 – 44 / 59
Apr 28 – 45 / 64
Apr 29 – 43 / 74
Apr 30 – 52 / 61
May 1 – 44 / 57 (forecasted)
May 2 – 39 / 59 (forecasted)