Find some real alpine adventure climbing in the North Cascades.
Stretching across the skyline separating Mount Baker from the Puget Sound, the Twin Sisters Range stands a more mysterious climbing objective of the Cascades. Though it is on the western margin of the north Cascades and close to Seattle, Bellingham, and Vancouver, its less frequent climbing traffic gives the whole range an air of remote adventure climbing, something climbers truly appreciate when they are in the heart of this deceptively large, rugged section of the Cascades.
The ranges long ridges evoke images of Alps-style, winding ridge traverses, connecting peaks across narrow fins of rock and dramatic balconies tumbling down to the snowfields and glaciers below. Linking peaks here requires climbers to be proficient across disciplines, with glacier crossings, rock climbing, and efficient scrambling all needed to succeed on the objective of crossing sections of the range.
If your skill set is up to the task, the Green Creek Circuit can be one of the most rewarding link-ups in the Cascades!
Trip Stats
Duration: 4 days
Cost: $1550
Guest-Guide ratio: 1:1, 2:1
Skill Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Fitness Level: 5/5
Itinerary
Day 1: 8am rendezvous in Burlington, WA; drive to the trailhead; approach into Green Creek Cirque (~4-5 hours); establish base camp
Day 2: Climb the Green Creek Arete; cross Sisters Glacier; climb South Sister via the NE Arete; optional bivy on South Sister Summit or descend to snowfields below to bivy
Day 3: Climb Jaw’s Tooth and Skookum Peak; climb Little Sister; bivy between Little Sister and Cindarella
Day 4: optional extension to climb Cindarella; descend back into Green Creek Cirque; hike out to cars
What Skills Do You Need?
Top roping 5.6 outdoors minimum (the higher the better!)
Experience with cleaning traditional climbing gear
Experience with lead belaying
Experience and comfort with scrambling on 3rd and 4th class terrain (while roped up)
Experience with traveling on a glacier rope team
Knowledge of essential climbing knots for rock climbing and glacier travel
Want to develop more of your mountain skills before signging up for this trip? The trips below can help you get ready!
Other Trip Info
What’s included in the trip?
Professional guiding and instruction services for the duration of the trip.
Access permits
Group climbing equipment
Group camping equipment
What’s NOT included in the trip?
Lunches and snacks to eat while on the mountain.
Guest’s individual climbing, cooking and camping gear.
Transportation. However, carpooling can be arranged, if necessary.
Gear
Guests are responsible for providing their own climbing equipment for this style of alpine trip.
For camping, personal tents are encouraged, but they are not required. Ask for more details.
For a complete list of the gear you will need, download the packing list here.
Meals
Dinner and breakfasts are provided. Lunches and snacks are the responsibility of the guests. Reasonable accommodations can be made for those with food allergies and/or dietary restrictions.