Home > Trip Reports > October 19-20, 2013, Heliotrope ridge

October 19-20, 2013, Heliotrope ridge

10/19/13
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
8142
13
Posted by Rowan Stewart on 10/21/13 3:26pm
With warm temps, full moon, and a recently re-opened glacier creek road, heliotrope ridge beckoned me. After a family obligation on saturday afternoon, I drove to the trailhead, and was hiking by 830pm. A headlamp, safety break, and tunes made the hike pretty fun, though i did manage to lose the trail 3 times. Ditched my trail shoes just past the turn turn off for the overlook, and followed a crusty bootpack up towards hogsback camp. I got to the camp a little after 1030, found a nice little patch of dirt to ditch my overnight gear at, and continued booting up. Once on continuous snow the headlamp was optional - the whole mountain was lit up by the full moon.





I followed a mess of ski tracks, skin tracks and boot tracks up to the top of the ridge. The snow was far better than I expected. There was about three inches of unconsolidated sugar under a soft crust and some wind deposited snow on top of that in places. i'm sure it doesn't sound great, but I rode nicely, and doing it by moonlight made it that much better. I hit the sleeping bag a little after midnight and had a great sleep.



In the morning i made some double strength instant coffee, then skinned up to the westernmost highpoint of the ridge.






I lounged around on the highpoint taking in the views and feeling sorry for all of the lowlanders underneath the fog. The run down was awesome, definitely the best october turns i've had.


The leftmost track was my doing

Skinned back up to the the top of the ridge and followed it until it meets the coleman.



From there I rode back to camp on much firmer snow than the first run. The were a few mini crevasses that I had to dodge but that just added to the fun. packed up camp and adventure skied my down to the treeline. (lots of rocks, grass, and a few staring hikers) I recovered my trail shoes and rode my wave of stoke back to the car. I really lucked out with the conditions, and can't wait to get out again!



video: http://vimeo.com/77464654
Wow, what a sweet way to bag October. Thanks for the idea... full moon riding, hmm, tasty.

awesome, well done.

Great ski! Great photos, green with envy!

Nice TR!

Glacier Creek Road is open? Good to know!! I take it that you can get all the way up to the trailhead, ya?

sounds like a damn fun trip!  it's always a pleasure to be out under a full moon.

Thanks for the report.  Feeling blessed by whatever cosmic lottery that brought me this enjoyable place.  For those languishing in the fog-bound nether regions of the Puget Sound basin(like me last weekend in Lakewood), respite is only a drive toward the passes away.


Nice. Beautiful night/moon shot

author=Rowan Stewart link=topic=29386.msg123531#msg123531 date=1382423200]


The leftmost track was my doing



I can take claim to that center track, getting a little playful, and that mess of skin tracks...

We were up there on the 19th during the day in the sun.
Sounds like the same conditions you got.
Went for a few laps trying to chase the quickly fading sun.

I wish I would have thought to bring the overnight gear, laps would have continued through the night!

Man, you had great photo light at both day and night

nice photos!
did you, by chance snap any of colfax (just a liiiiiiiitle to the right of baker)??

thanks.

author=spionin link=topic=29386.msg123685#msg123685 date=1382999575]
nice photos!
did you, by chance snap any of colfax (just a liiiiiiiitle to the right of baker)??

thanks.d


I assume you are wondering about the ice climbing conditions?:) Cosley-Houston is not in, the upper pillar is super thin and has not touched down, the lower pitches look pretty thin too, same on the Polish route...

author=mtngeek link=topic=29386.msg123692#msg123692 date=1383012201]
I assume you are wondering about the ice climbing conditions?:) Cosley-Houston is not in, the upper pillar is super thin and has not touched down, the lower pitches look pretty thin too, same on the Polish route...


indeedy.
thank you guys for replies.  -veronika

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11332
october-19-20-2013-heliotrope-ridge
Rowan Stewart
2013-10-21 22:26:40