suggested approach shoes for N Cascades

I'm buying new approach shoes for a trip this summer to the North Cascades. One intended objective will be the North Ridge of Mt. Stuart. Approach will include some mileage, perhaps throwing on some yak-tracks for slow and glacier, and then wearing during part of the rock climbing if I'm not wearing climbing slippers.

Would love recommendations on approach shoes for such alpine objectives. Thanks!

I've had "approach" shoes, and found that I prefer a good pair of trail running shoes with grippy rubber. Currently I'm wearing sportiva wildcats or some such thing. Approaches here (in the n cascades) are LONG and mostly on trails/dirt, and I find that my feet are much happier walking a bunch in trail runners vs the approach shoes I've worn. Wear your runners and bring the climbing slippers, and have more fun doing each activity.

I have met a couple dudes that approached and soloed the evolution traverse in the sierra wearing the ganda approach shoes,and raved about them, so maybe that will be a good option for you if you really want approach shoes .

On Stuart, it depends if you're doing the full North Ridge or the classics Upper Ridge, since the latter requires crossing glacial ice.

If you're doing the full ridge, take whatever you want. Tennis shoes, approach shoes, flip flops (no, not really), but basically whatever works.

If you're doing the Upper Ridge via the couloir, you'll need something that will hold some sort of crampon, even if it's a strap model. I'm pretty fond of using a mid-height sticky rubber approach shoe that climbs well.

La Sportiva Xplorers, if they fit your feet, are the best balance between a trail runner, a hiker, a strap on crampon "compatible" shoe, and a climbing shoe. I've used them for all of the above and they are more than decent at each, and not terrible at any. Every other approach shoe I have used is completely worthless in at least one of those categories, but perhaps excels at another.

Great feedback, gents. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. We're probably doing the entire north ridge and skip the couloir, but will decided based up conditions and what we find en route. Thanks again!

The priority is climbing, not walking on the way to the climb. You can walk in anything. Take whatever you want that is lightest to carry while climbing. Maybe take aluminum crampons and/or a light axe.

+1 for the Sportiva Xplorers. I've really liked mine so far and can comfortably climb 5.7 in them. They hike well too, and have a little more support than other approach shoes.

Whatever you get make sure the tongue has a gusset. I used scarpa crux on part of the Cascadian (accessing W ridge of Sherpa) last summer and had my shoes filled with little pebbles constantly. Lots of scree surfing on that standard descent off Stuart. Ankle high trail running gaiters velcroed to the heel are handy to keep all the pebbles from getting in around your heels.