April 13, 2014, Mt Baker, CD
4/13/14
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
3587
3
I wasn't going to put up a TR since there were 30 other people out on route on Sunday but I figured a couple of conditions notes were warranted.
I got out with the infamous Hop and a couple of others for a day trip to the top of Baker. It was my first time on the summit so I was very thankful for the cooperative weather.
We were able to drive up Glacier Creek Road about 5 miles, about 2 miles from the TH. There's 3-4 feet of snow still at the pit toilets at the TH but my guess is that the road will melt out fast. Once into the Grouse Creek drainage there are two choices to get up the obvious ridge, a left line with an obvious skin track and a right gully that you can see. I'd recommend the right gully as it's lower angle. I'd also recommend crampons (ski and boot) in case the corn is frozen early in the morning.
Nothing seemed really noteworthy between Heliotrope and the Roman Wall. The Wall saw heavy traffic and was very slushy. I was happy to have crampons on my boots but it probably wouldn't have been too bad without them.
The ski down was uneventful and required lots of traversing and very little walking to get back to the car.
I got out with the infamous Hop and a couple of others for a day trip to the top of Baker. It was my first time on the summit so I was very thankful for the cooperative weather.
We were able to drive up Glacier Creek Road about 5 miles, about 2 miles from the TH. There's 3-4 feet of snow still at the pit toilets at the TH but my guess is that the road will melt out fast. Once into the Grouse Creek drainage there are two choices to get up the obvious ridge, a left line with an obvious skin track and a right gully that you can see. I'd recommend the right gully as it's lower angle. I'd also recommend crampons (ski and boot) in case the corn is frozen early in the morning.
Nothing seemed really noteworthy between Heliotrope and the Roman Wall. The Wall saw heavy traffic and was very slushy. I was happy to have crampons on my boots but it probably wouldn't have been too bad without them.
The ski down was uneventful and required lots of traversing and very little walking to get back to the car.
Has anyone been up the CD on Baker recently? Looking for current conditions in the last week or so...
We were set to ski CD today but after reading the Special NWAC Forecast I pulled the plug around 4PM yesterday. The reported slide on White Salmon Glacier also contributed to the decision.
http://www.nwac.us/avalanche-forecast/current/cascade-west-stevens-pass-north/
It looks like the freezing level will drop again and above 2000m should see 15+ inches of snow. You might get powder instead of corn.
http://www.nwac.us/avalanche-forecast/current/cascade-west-stevens-pass-north/
It looks like the freezing level will drop again and above 2000m should see 15+ inches of snow. You might get powder instead of corn.
I put eyes on Baker from the Twins on Wednesday afternoon after work but I didn't get boots in the snow to know what it was doing. From what I could tell there were lots of smaller loose wet slides on both Baker and North Twin.
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