Home > Trip Reports > May 19, Baker Coleman-Demming

May 19, Baker Coleman-Demming

5/15/12
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
4682
9
Posted by Pierce on 5/21/12 3:04am
Our group was one of many doing doing the single day push up on the CD route on Baker this Saturday.  We were the last to arrive (7am) and the last to leave (9:30pm) which had its pros and cons (softer snow on the way up, icy crud on the upper mountain on the way down).

I guess my main reason for this post today is the snow mobilers up at 9,600ft on the Easton Glacier route.  Not sure if anybody else on this board gets pissed off when you work hard and use leg power to get you up high to enjoy the surroundings of these awesome mountains in the cascades, only to have to listen to the high pitched whine of lazy DB snow mobilers zipping their way up the glacier across the way.  Anyway, I counted about 8 snow mobilers who worked their way up to the sulfur vents around ~9,600 ft (maybe higher) hangout and noise pollute their way back down the mountain.

Other than that, great day out.  Late in the day when skied, the upper mountain was pretty rough and iced over.  A small section of breakable crust on the traverse just past the Black Buttes.  Then perfect buttery corn from heliotrope down the couloir to the short section of trees to the road.
author=Pierce link=topic=24851.msg104991#msg104991 date=1337623497]
I guess my main reason for this post today is the snow mobilers up at 9,600ft on the Easton Glacier route.  Not sure if anybody else on this board gets pissed off when you work hard and use leg power to get you up high to enjoy the surroundings of these awesome mountains in the cascades, only to have to listen to the high pitched whine of lazy DB snow mobilers zipping their way up the glacier across the way.  Anyway, I counted about 8 snow mobilers who worked their way up to the sulfur vents around ~9,600 ft (maybe higher) hangout and noise pollute their way back down the mountain.


Extensive recent discussion of snowmobiles on Baker in this thread:

http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=24797.0;all

All of those snowmobilers going to the crater rim (which is at about 9720 ft) are illegally trespassing into the Mount Baker Wilderness, that spot is about 1500 ft inside the wilderness boundary.


So how close to the trailhead could you drive? Was the snow continuous from that point on up?


author=Amar Andalkar link=topic=24851.msg104995#msg104995 date=1337629760]


So how close to the trailhead could you drive? Was the snow continuous from that point on up?




We drove to about 2 Miles to the TH and the snow was continuous.  We had to walk 200 yards or so, only because there were other cars parked closer.  For the ski out, it was continuous from Summit till the cars.  There were a few thin patches on the road that might melt out, but a few steps outside your skis is all you should have to do.

Also on your way up, instead of entering at the actual TH, hike up and start through the woods behind the bathrooms.  This will save you a log crossing to cross a narrow stream.

On Saturday you could drive apx 7 miles from SR542 (hit my odometer as I turned on Glacier Creek Rd).

If you want to climb mountains without snowmobile noise pollution, maybe choose a different mountain.  Washington state is loaded with them, and the snowmobilers deserve a place to play too.

author=joke link=topic=24851.msg105029#msg105029 date=1337659279]
If you want to climb mountains without snowmobile noise pollution, maybe choose a different mountain.  Washington state is loaded with them, and the snowmobilers deserve a place to play too.


Not if continual violations of federal law occur...

author=T. Eastman link=topic=24851.msg105031#msg105031 date=1337660779]
Not if continual violations of federal law occur...

I know this discussion belongs in the random tracks area to which Amar has directed us above, but I can't resist.  Does that mean that we should shut down all interstate highways since everyone constantly drives above the speed limits?  Enforcement of the law is what you are looking for.

TR Relevant info:
My crew parked at 2900 feet.  Around 4 feet of snow (up to the top of the black&yellow caution signs) was covering the bridge about 1/8 mile from the trailhead, so I bet that will still be a few weeks with the winds that tend to insulate those drainages.

With the low-ish freezing level ~8-9k, we took our time and dropped off the summit around 3:45pm.  The first few hundred feet never corned, but the rest of the descent was absolute perfection to under 4000'.


Snomobile tiff fodder/details:
About 1:30pm I photographed a group of 5-6 snomobiles that visited the crater for about 20 minutes. Two more joined them about halfway through their break.  There isn't going to be any way to identify the offenders, and nobody was harmed by the trespass, but it doesn't do the community any favors to have people continuously playing chicken with everybody's use rights there. 

If we can avoid having another Baker TR turn into a snowmobile discussion that'd be great -- maybe someone can start a thread in Random Tracks (or revive one of the ones from years past).

author=Marcus link=topic=24851.msg105071#msg105071 date=1337736809]
If we can avoid having another Baker TR turn into a snowmobile discussion that'd be great -- maybe someone can start a thread in Random Tracks (or revive one of the ones from years past).


Sorry to post another Mt. Baker trip focusing on SM.  I didnt see the thread Amar posted.  In the spirit of moving it away from snow mobiles, below is a short video I made of the day (a little experimenting with Imovie) summing up the single day Baker Summit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOQYEuO7qMY&feature=relmfu

Enjoy

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may-19-baker-coleman-demming
Pierce
2012-05-21 10:04:57