2008, July 21, Mt. Baker Easton Glacier Shred
7/15/08
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
3222
3
With our summer weather window in full effect and the promise of ripe conditions from our epic 900-inch winter, I thought it would be appropriate to take a chick up a mountain. That mountain: Mt. Baker. Mt. Baker offers a variet y of descents from the standard Coleman-Deming 6k vertical foot traverse to the N. Ridge, a several thousand foot technical ice climb.
I had never been up the Easton Glacier which is the standard route thought I think the CD is more oft climbed. The Easton Glacier approach is an excellently maintained trail through Shreiber's Meadows, a very nice meadow indeed. From camp on Sunday night at about 4200 ft we encountered continuous snow to the summit at around 10,778. That equates to about 6500 feet of continuous fall line skiing. The Roman was a bit pocked and not very frozen which made for difficult climbing. We ended up traversing around the poor crater snow and found some ripe corn. I took the girl though a nice ice-fall jib which I scoped a line through from the bottom. It was an excellent experience per la ragazza.
We finished the day off by swimming in Baker lake, about 10,000 vertical feet from the summit that we just skied off. With excellent views. I then ate two pounds of m&ms and nearly drowned.
Ripper corn down the Roman Wall. I had to urge her to mellow out.
She wanted to find a pretty stone to bring home to her roomate, Sean. I said "Baby, there ain't no pretty stones on this mountain. Let's go."
And now, for some crevasse jibbing. I like this photo.
I had never been up the Easton Glacier which is the standard route thought I think the CD is more oft climbed. The Easton Glacier approach is an excellently maintained trail through Shreiber's Meadows, a very nice meadow indeed. From camp on Sunday night at about 4200 ft we encountered continuous snow to the summit at around 10,778. That equates to about 6500 feet of continuous fall line skiing. The Roman was a bit pocked and not very frozen which made for difficult climbing. We ended up traversing around the poor crater snow and found some ripe corn. I took the girl though a nice ice-fall jib which I scoped a line through from the bottom. It was an excellent experience per la ragazza.
We finished the day off by swimming in Baker lake, about 10,000 vertical feet from the summit that we just skied off. With excellent views. I then ate two pounds of m&ms and nearly drowned.
Ripper corn down the Roman Wall. I had to urge her to mellow out.
She wanted to find a pretty stone to bring home to her roomate, Sean. I said "Baby, there ain't no pretty stones on this mountain. Let's go."
And now, for some crevasse jibbing. I like this photo.
Nice TR.
So you'd say the skiing would be better on Squak/Easton route than on the CD route?
Am thinking of going, either of those, with my daughter, tomorrow.
I've done the Squak/Easton numerous times in previous years, and am more familiar with it.
So you'd say the skiing would be better on Squak/Easton route than on the CD route?
Am thinking of going, either of those, with my daughter, tomorrow.
I've done the Squak/Easton numerous times in previous years, and am more familiar with it.
Great tr and photos! We did the CD route last year and then the Easton Glacier this year, and totally agree it's a great route. Although I think the CD might be a more mellow ascent route, the Easton is a WAY better fall line for sure! Way to nail it!
Allen,
As far as fall-line goes, the Easton by far takes the cake. I also think you'll find better conditions there (CD tends to get runnelled hard). As you descend the far looker's right of the upper face, you'll notice traverse tracks to the lookers right part of the glacier. Here we found much better corn than the snow we climbed up. Use your judgement when negotiating down, though. It may be more melted out.
There is one hazardous crossing on the way up that we easily skirted about 50 yards to the lookers right. I would highly suggest this route for someone with little glacier experience. Not to mention, the trail is much nicer than heliotrope.
As far as fall-line goes, the Easton by far takes the cake. I also think you'll find better conditions there (CD tends to get runnelled hard). As you descend the far looker's right of the upper face, you'll notice traverse tracks to the lookers right part of the glacier. Here we found much better corn than the snow we climbed up. Use your judgement when negotiating down, though. It may be more melted out.
There is one hazardous crossing on the way up that we easily skirted about 50 yards to the lookers right. I would highly suggest this route for someone with little glacier experience. Not to mention, the trail is much nicer than heliotrope.
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