Two weeks ago, I snuck out for a quick overnight on Mount Ann, a beautiful summit right between Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker, making for amazing views in both directions. I’ve been up Mount Ann a few times in the winter, but never before in the summer, so I was excited to get out and see some fall foliage.
I was a bit late leaving town and as such was tight on time to make it up above Lake Ann before sunset, and I didn’t leave the car until after 5pm. I booked it over to Lake Ann and started climbing up the ridge towards Mount Ann, with amazing views of Shuksan and and Curtis Glacier. I did some stargazing from my homemade bivy sack near the false summit, then the next morning tagged the true summit (and saw a Ptarmigan nice and close) before cruising back to the trailhead.
Mount Shuksan above Lake Ann
Last light on Shuksan’s summit pyramid.
Mount Baker at dusk. Mount Ann’s summit is to the right.
Milky Way panorama above Mount Shuksan, with Baker Lake at the right.
Mount Baker poking out at sunrise
Ptarmigan on Mount Ann
Sherman Peak and the crater below the summit of Baker
The Pipe Dream couloir drops straight down from the summit of Mount Ann…
…and the same view in the winter, taken when Matt and I skied it in 2023.
Lenticular clouds over Mount Baker, with Coleman Pinnacle in the foreground.