Home > Trip Reports > Baker's Easton Glacier + Mt. Cheam B.C. 1/17and1/18

Baker's Easton Glacier + Mt. Cheam B.C. 1/17and1/18

1/15/09
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
7553
12
Posted by samoon on 1/18/09 1:52pm
I guess you could say that this weekend was an enjoyable Mid Winter's Spring Break.......and so it was nice to take advantage of the warmer temperatures at altitude.  Yesterday we climbed Baker via the Easton Glacier. Nothing too notable......a few "buttery" turns to be had.

Today was a battle with the sled heads in B.C. at Cheam's Peak.  We survived, but mostly it was a day of sunshine with a few rewarding turns from the summit. Most of the reward was in the view of the neighboring peaks and the clear Fraser River valley.  Mostly looking forward to the return of the normal NW Winter.

samoon

p.s. these trips were sled assisted
How far is the road approach to Schreiber Meadows without a sled?  Congrats on a true winter ascent from the longer approach!!  How was the snow on the Roman Wall?  I was looking at Baker today and wishing I was there.

9 miles and the snow was sick.......please take literally.

I've never considered Cheam to be a January trip, but then I don't know any snowmobilers. June is generally the best time to do it self propelled.Do sleds go beyond the summer parking lot? I guess what I am asking, is the whole mountain open game to machines? That does sound like a battle zone.

Just to give you an idea of the battle at Cheam...... I took this picture above Spoon Lake.......

I"m always up for a battle!!!

Nice Sled Shot, Samoon!!! Brapppp!!!

I'm confused. I thought the road to the Meadows trailhead was open during the winter because it is a snow park area (for all the snowmobilers). I've been thinking about slowshoeing from there to do some photography. Am I missing something??  ???

A few of my favorite pics from the two days...Thanks for the great time Stacy and Alice! 1st pic- Stacy on the Easton. 2nd pic- Alice on the Easton. 3rd pic- View of Fraser Valley/Harrison Lake from Cheam. That's gotta be a couple hundred foot drop  ;)

author=TobyT  3rd pic- View of Fraser Valley/Harrison Lake from Cheam. That's gotta be a couple hundred foot drop  ;)


Ya, like 70 hundred feet!
This what this area looks like in June.  http://telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=46491&highlight=cheam

I second that sled pic.  That is just sick awesome!

Right on.Cool to hit Baker summitt in January.I was wondering how the avi conditions were up there.Did you see any naturals.I'm defintley wigged out from the reports I've been getting on the coast mountains.Where people haven't been hitting any alpine steep terrain.I would like to know if the conditions are different on the volcano and Cascades.

Yeah, sorry we didn't mention specifics. Probably because we didn't see any naturals the two days we were out, even given the wide elevation profile. I started a tiny wet slide on Cheam. The Cascades in general had a more significant (historical?) rain event as well as more warming as of late. There were old natural releases (crowns) on the South facing steep slopes of the Black Buttes and I heard a second hand report of Marmot Ridge sliding naturally full path, while taking some mature timber with it. Cheam/Lady had recent activity, presumably with the rain event, which filled the Spoon Lk. basin with a lot of debris. Old crowns were seen under the Cheam/Lady Col and many on Lady. However, high marking snowmobilers on Lady Pk. didn't produce a slide on Sun. when the 700+ lbs. impacted the snow from a rock drop...Impressive in a couple of ways! I would say that the Coast Mtns. are worse off. Less rain, colder temps., and trending from non-coastal pack. There have been recent reports of naturals and first hand evidence. I spent some time in the Eastern portions of the Duffey and the snow was ROTTEN!! So bad we turned away from even mellow slopes. Near Tricouni/Brandywine, the pack was deeper and tighter, but we saw many meter deep slabs that had ripped out amongst SW facing treed slopes. Too bad, as I would rather spend my free time up North, eh? Just have to get 'yer toque, head to the peeler bar and get pissed! After that, jump in the jacooz...Or, possibly head South and take a gamble? I wish I could say the snowpack is as "solid as Barack"! But I can't.

Thanks for the feedback. Take off eh, you hoser.

Reply to this TR

5898
baker-s-easton-glacier-mt-cheam-b-c-1-17and1-18
samoon
2009-01-18 21:52:34