Home > Trip Reports > Mt. Baker, Coleman/Deming, 9/28/2008

Mt. Baker, Coleman/Deming, 9/28/2008

9/15/08
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
9007
11
Posted by jd on 9/29/08 3:52am
Jeff and I camped at the parking lot after an excellent meal at Milano's Restaurant and Deli in Glacier (I recommend the Gorgonzola chicken). Up at 6, away after 7 we arrived at the glacier just before the sun hit it to find a chill catabatic wind and icy conditions. We wondered if it was worth going high and were considering mulit-runs on Heliotrope, but figured we had to check it out at least half way.
 
Crampons were essential on the first steep bit, but the wind died, the sun baked, and the pons balled so we took em off, but put em back on to cross one steep bridge across a big crevasse.


Descending climbers told tales of icy/slabby conditions on the headwall, which had us hesitating again, but it was such a perfect day we figured we had to summit just for the views even if the skiing was crap. The headwall had softened up by the time we hit it around 2, and the sun sapped our energy as we climbed the last bit, but it was worth it when we enjoyed the balmiest volcanoe summit (false) either of us have ever seen - 45 min. of shirt-sleaves relaxing.


We reluctantly packed up just before 4 and headed down.
 
The headwall was OK, a little funky with up to 8 inches of warm new, with some ice chunks thrown in, but Jeff just jumped the rocks on top and blasted down in a few GS turns. I followed with less speed or style.

We skied the Deming, hugging the ridge to avoid gapers to get a few hundred extra feet of skiing because the ridge was rocky, then climbed back over to the Coleman where we put skis back on.
 
The snow was inconsistent - chalky new in 5 inch thick patches interspersed with windblown ice (which had warmed to an edgable consistency by this time), but it was all quite skiable. The lower angle mid section was the best, with a couple inches of silky smooth new over a firm base that we cruised below the lengthening shadows of Colfax. The last steep bit was rather firm (with a few wet ice patches we side slipped at the roll over) but we managed to ski to within a couple hundred feet of our boots.
 

Best day of September skiing I've ever had.
 
Year-round vulcanizing!  Did you skin any of the way up?

Lordy, what great photos! That crevasse bridge is quite the piece of work.

I think I should've chosen your destination for my weekend .... I had been thinking about it. Sure looks like a healthy depositation of snow.

Wow, that crevasse has changed substantially.  The gaping hole on the right was completely filled in two weeks ago.  Looks like it collapsed or something.

I was up there this weekend too.  I'm pretty sure that shot of three skiers on the way up was us.  I didn't have quite the hearty meal that you guys had the night before, so when we stopped to take a rest at 8300' that was it.  Too bad I ate all my super fuel (gummy bears) the day before. :)

We didn't use skins; it would have been nice at some points, a hinderance at others.

We had a close call on the way down with a brake-less ski find it's own way down during a boot traverse but everything got found.

Finished off with a burrito at Graham's made it one of the best ski days this summer for me.

Wrigleyd, Glad you guys had a good run. It was cool having your team at a distance for photos in the glacier. I just finished processing a few more you might like (I hope Charles doesn't mind me going over the thumbnail limit). The Coleman doesn't have a very good fall line for skiing, but the glacier scenery is Alaskan and well worth the effort. telemack, we left the skins at the bottom of the glacier, but they would have been nice for the middle section.
       

This is my favorite glacier shot of the day (look for Jeff in the middle):


This slope might have been the best skiing on the mountain.


More of Jeff skiing:
 

Shot of the day:

You probably heard our yells of joy on the summit. We were pretty stoked to be up there, especially after winding our way up the easton glacier all day. Funny that's two trips in a row to baker I've seen you up there.

Beautiful photos! We saw you as you reached the summit (false); the Hummels, Hannah, Amar and myself. What a magnificent day to climb and ski corn snow on Mt baker in late Septmeber! WOW!


Hi,

We were the last ski team to summit that same day. I also have a shot of Jeff jumping in the Roman Wall: good job!

That late descent was really spectacular, especially, due to the sun reflection on the Puget Sound.


We did skin up most of the Coleman glacier, except the exposed steep snow bridge. Nice thrill while skiing it down!


I made a TR on my usual french BC website here.
Sorry for the french. I keep posting there to advertise the high quality skiing of the Cascades overseas !

Nice meeting you guys on this trip.
And congrats for your beautifull pictures.

wrigleyd, it was good to meet and ski with you, we'll have to keep in touch..
jd.. sweet photos, i noticed your camera when we were yoyoing back and forth.. very nice.. good to meet you guys too.. see ya in the mountains

Nice job on the pics JD! What a great ski day! That one has to go down as my all time best  Sept. ski, as well!

It was nice to meet you and your friends, Cpernet & Mangerk.

Jason H., I wondered if that was you and your cronies on the true summit celebrating (as Baker was the place to be!) :)

~Jeff

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mt-baker-coleman-deming-9-28-2008
jd
2008-09-29 10:52:00