April 8, 2011, Mt Baker, Coleman Headwall
4/8/11
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
13399
21
Eric and I skied the Coleman Headwall on Friday. We started skinning from about 2600'. A snowmo track lead us to the Grouse creek turnoff, and beyond that we followed a ridiculously steep skin track for about 1000. We had great views of the impressive slide that Gary talks about here:
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=20471.0
Any and all mistakes were Eric's and mine alone once the skin track ended :). You can see our route in this video, taken from Heliotrope ridge on the way out. We gained the obvious col across the way and followed the skyline.
I'm still exhausted from the trip and from a weekend spent remembering Monika with some wonderful friends. As Eric and I left Seattle early Friday morning I noticed a sickle moon overhead. Made me think of the way Monika's eyes narrowed when she smiled. She was smiling over me. At me. I liked that thought, even though it made me cry. I miss you Beautiful.
Eric- thanks for the great day. Some day I'll find the proper words.....
Congratulations you guys, on a great line! I was waiting for this TR to come along.
Awesome work......Once again!!!!
Nice one.I can't believe how much snow is plastered to the face.
author=Atraslin link=topic=20520.msg87367#msg87367 date=1302696986]
Nice one.I can't believe how much snow is plastered to the face.
x2.
Nice work getting a great line.
Awesome! I'm very jealous.
gorgeous Ryan and Eric!
great report. I'm stoked and sad all at once.
great report. I'm stoked and sad all at once.
Fine work, Ryan and Eric. Nice TR and photos. That route is filled in so fat right now!
Ryan, it's really great to see that you're back in top ski-mountaineering form, and skiing a bunch of big lines this year throughout western North America, just over a year after your ACL tear.
I heard that you'd skied the Headwall, but didn't get a chance to ask you about it over the weekend (and forgot to yesterday evening). Any info on snow conditions, stability, etc.?
I'm also wondering if Coleman Headwall has ever been skied in winter conditions before, or have all previous descents been in spring/summer corn conditions?
Ryan, it's really great to see that you're back in top ski-mountaineering form, and skiing a bunch of big lines this year throughout western North America, just over a year after your ACL tear.
I heard that you'd skied the Headwall, but didn't get a chance to ask you about it over the weekend (and forgot to yesterday evening). Any info on snow conditions, stability, etc.?
I'm also wondering if Coleman Headwall has ever been skied in winter conditions before, or have all previous descents been in spring/summer corn conditions?
Talk about poor form. Come up to my backyard, ski an extreme line, write about it, attach lovely photos, and beautiful sentiment. Seriously Lurie, who do you think you are. You were neither hung over, nor did you join me for a drink after the ski. What a Ramses.
Thanks everybody.
Amar, the snow conditions were excellent throughout, except for the section between the 3rd and 4th dot in my photo. Alpine Ice. Had a chance to converse with my Maker there ;-) Pretty nice fellow actually. Interesting views on nuclear energy and tax reform.
The Coleman was extremely filled in and the snow was dense enough to where we had powder for skiing and never much more than shin deep trail breaking. Up high. Down lower (below 5000') the snow was much deeper. All aspects would have been enjoyable to ski. Very winterlike conditions. And other than that massive slide on Grouse we didn't see any signs of avalanches, or noticeable instabilities. (which probably isn't the best given the PWL underneath) But we were pretty cautious about our route up to the Heliotrope.
Amar, the snow conditions were excellent throughout, except for the section between the 3rd and 4th dot in my photo. Alpine Ice. Had a chance to converse with my Maker there ;-) Pretty nice fellow actually. Interesting views on nuclear energy and tax reform.
The Coleman was extremely filled in and the snow was dense enough to where we had powder for skiing and never much more than shin deep trail breaking. Up high. Down lower (below 5000') the snow was much deeper. All aspects would have been enjoyable to ski. Very winterlike conditions. And other than that massive slide on Grouse we didn't see any signs of avalanches, or noticeable instabilities. (which probably isn't the best given the PWL underneath) But we were pretty cautious about our route up to the Heliotrope.
I'm jealous, that looked like an awesome day!
Nice job, that looks amazing Ryan!
When someone posted that picture last week I was like, wow, the headwall looks good!
When someone posted that picture last week I was like, wow, the headwall looks good!
great effort ... awesome line .. beautiful scenery .. touching story ..
Ryan, I'm sorry for your loss.
This is such a great line, I'm sure it would get a lot more traffic if not for the relative remoteness. You have to be pretty athletic I guess. I was really drooling at it once when I ascended part of it in winter conditions a few years ago, but it is steep enough that I would personally prefer to descend in such many-feet of powder. I don't like to ski when there is a lot of stress about self-arrest.
This is such a great line, I'm sure it would get a lot more traffic if not for the relative remoteness. You have to be pretty athletic I guess. I was really drooling at it once when I ascended part of it in winter conditions a few years ago, but it is steep enough that I would personally prefer to descend in such many-feet of powder. I don't like to ski when there is a lot of stress about self-arrest.
author=pinegar link=topic=20520.msg87413#msg87413 date=1302753526]
This is such a great line, I'm sure it would get a lot more traffic if not for the relative remoteness. You have to be pretty athletic I guess.
Not to contradict you, but it's almost shocking at how easy it is to get to this descent. Of course, like you say, it's all relative. That would be a burly ground up ascent mid-winter! As filled in as it looks now, a "direct-direct" right down the snout looks do-able without the westward traverse near the bottom.
Such a cool looking headwall!
The second to last shot looking up the headwall is awesome! Drool..
I think the reason it doesn't get much traffic is because it's steep, committing and risky. It's actually one of the easiest big routes to get to ("athletically"), at least later in the season.
You guys = rad! Great spending time with you & Friends of Monika this weekend. Truly an amazing group of people.
Awesome....Great day!
Thanks for sharing the story!!!
Thanks for sharing the story!!!
Hats off, fellas.
Ryan you and Eric are getting after it these days, nicely done! 8) By the way Eric, where's your TR from BC?
This is pretty far after-the-fact, but posted some more pics and brief TR here:
http://skisickness.com/post/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=215
I want to ski this again! With any luck this route will be good to go for months...
Hi Lisa! The weather skunked our intended heli-supported trip, but we did enjoy some fine skiing on Plan B: Mts. Slalok and Matier, posted pics here
http://skisickness.com/post/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=215
I want to ski this again! With any luck this route will be good to go for months...
Hi Lisa! The weather skunked our intended heli-supported trip, but we did enjoy some fine skiing on Plan B: Mts. Slalok and Matier, posted pics here
Reply to this TR
Please login first: