Squak Glacier, Mt. Baker6/9/13
6/9/13
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
3076
2
We camped at the trailhead Saturday night and couldn't believe all the vehicles lined up along the road. About a 1/4 mile walk to the trailhead on intermittent snow.
Forecasted sunny warm day didn't materialize - cool, breezy (windy up high), clouds blowing in and out kept the snow firm - icy above 8,000. With only one pair of crampons between us we declined the summit climb and found a nice windfree pocket inside the crater rim next to Sherman Pk. Great views of others climbing & skiing the headwall. We geared up in sun, but the blowing clouds whited us out off and on for the descent.
Snowmobiles were up there but not buzzing us and surprisingly quiet. I have to admit that the tracks helped us orient in the whiteout and led us out on a perfect little roller-coaster path on the descent through the trees.
Forecasted sunny warm day didn't materialize - cool, breezy (windy up high), clouds blowing in and out kept the snow firm - icy above 8,000. With only one pair of crampons between us we declined the summit climb and found a nice windfree pocket inside the crater rim next to Sherman Pk. Great views of others climbing & skiing the headwall. We geared up in sun, but the blowing clouds whited us out off and on for the descent.
Snowmobiles were up there but not buzzing us and surprisingly quiet. I have to admit that the tracks helped us orient in the whiteout and led us out on a perfect little roller-coaster path on the descent through the trees.
Well, you missed some brilliant sun and constant 30-35mph winds on the summit, and some hard snow human slalom (tons of skier and climber traffic) on the Roman Wall. Yeah, the sledders seemed pretty amiable to us too, and we followed a sled track out at the bottom when we were having a hard time getting the GPS to work.
Nice Pictures. It's good to know conditions. Thanks for the report
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