June 15, 2004, Mt Baker, Park HW and Chute
6/15/04
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
2540
1
A great day in a great area! Pretty tiring though, as I don't think I had ever done this much vertical in a day. After driving in the previous evening and a nice soak in Baker hot springs, we (Sky & myself) got going around 5am. A little earlier may have been better, but it was the best I could do. I've never been much of a morning person, that's for sure. The trail starts low (~2700') but is reasonably direct. This side of Baker definately has a more remote feel, as we only saw one person all day, a hiker from California.
We booted & skinned up the Boulder-Park cleaver, and roped up at the top to cross a couple of potential snowbridges. They were very well bridged thankfully, so we proceeded without incident over to and up the Park HW. It was kind of cool to top out right by the summit without any traversing. I should mention that by this time Sky had proposed that we ski the headwall and then climb back up to check out another line, a couloir more over by the Boulder. I agreed and even though it was pretty tiring I'm glad I did. There was some packed powder on the headwall that seemed well bonded on the ascent, but my first few turns were very conservative as I wanted to check things out. The snow was pretty good and was not sloughing at all except for the snow that would get thrown up with the turn, so I felt good about ripping it but my legs had different ideas about a continuous descent than I did. I had to rest a few times but the turns were nice and the setting is just spectacular. It was also cool to watch Sky come down, the spray from his turns would tinkle down the slope glimmering in the sunlight like ten thousand diamonds. So, after descending ~1500', we skied back over to our ascent track and headed back up to the top. I felt OK on the climb but tiredness was probably a factor as I seemed to get cold quickly on the summit. From the summit we skied a few turns down skiers left of the upper Boulder then cut left to enter the couloir. The sun had left the slope and the snow was starting to firm up a bit. On my first turn my legs seemed to give out and I was a bit intimidated but I got it together after a bit and made safe turns down to the bottom of the chute. We followed in the same direction as Lowell & John's tracks (see Lowell's TR - a cool traverse) for a bit over to the B-P cleaver and skied out mostly following out ascent track. By now it was getting later and the E facing slope was starting to crust up a bit, which was kind of hard on my tired legs. At the bottom there was a nice section of mush that provided some nice (and easier on the legs) turns. Getting out wasn't bad, but the trail sometimes seemed to be more like a muddy creek.
Slept well that night.
We booted & skinned up the Boulder-Park cleaver, and roped up at the top to cross a couple of potential snowbridges. They were very well bridged thankfully, so we proceeded without incident over to and up the Park HW. It was kind of cool to top out right by the summit without any traversing. I should mention that by this time Sky had proposed that we ski the headwall and then climb back up to check out another line, a couloir more over by the Boulder. I agreed and even though it was pretty tiring I'm glad I did. There was some packed powder on the headwall that seemed well bonded on the ascent, but my first few turns were very conservative as I wanted to check things out. The snow was pretty good and was not sloughing at all except for the snow that would get thrown up with the turn, so I felt good about ripping it but my legs had different ideas about a continuous descent than I did. I had to rest a few times but the turns were nice and the setting is just spectacular. It was also cool to watch Sky come down, the spray from his turns would tinkle down the slope glimmering in the sunlight like ten thousand diamonds. So, after descending ~1500', we skied back over to our ascent track and headed back up to the top. I felt OK on the climb but tiredness was probably a factor as I seemed to get cold quickly on the summit. From the summit we skied a few turns down skiers left of the upper Boulder then cut left to enter the couloir. The sun had left the slope and the snow was starting to firm up a bit. On my first turn my legs seemed to give out and I was a bit intimidated but I got it together after a bit and made safe turns down to the bottom of the chute. We followed in the same direction as Lowell & John's tracks (see Lowell's TR - a cool traverse) for a bit over to the B-P cleaver and skied out mostly following out ascent track. By now it was getting later and the E facing slope was starting to crust up a bit, which was kind of hard on my tired legs. At the bottom there was a nice section of mush that provided some nice (and easier on the legs) turns. Getting out wasn't bad, but the trail sometimes seemed to be more like a muddy creek.
Slept well that night.
Sky's photos from this trip can be seen here:
http://staff.washington.edu/skykilo/BakerBlitz/BakerBlitz.html (Park Headwall)
and,
http://staff.washington.edu/skykilo/BakerBlitz/ChuteCorey.html (Chute over by the Boulder)
http://staff.washington.edu/skykilo/BakerBlitz/BakerBlitz.html (Park Headwall)
and,
http://staff.washington.edu/skykilo/BakerBlitz/ChuteCorey.html (Chute over by the Boulder)
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