Apr 20, 2019, Coleman glacier
4/20/19
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
1652
1
Joe, Will, Drew, and I headed up the Glacier Creek road with uncertain plans but the goal of skiing some decent snow somewhere above the rain line. This was somewhere around 7400 feet. We walked and skinned maybe a mile and a half of road to the trailhead (other people were able to drive farther), and headed into the woods behind the outhouse towards Grouse Creek. After some schwacking we hit skinnable snow which led to the upper bowls. These were pretty hard frozen in the morning, so we ended up booting most of them; I think we were all wishing we'd brought ski crampons.
Once on the Coleman glacier, we found dreamy boot-top powder all the way to the Deming saddle. The Roman Wall and other features on the upper mountain looked really good, but the powder below was calling so we skied a nice run to near 6800' on the Coleman. A second run from the vicinity of Colfax peak, followed by a short skin to gain the knob above Grouse rounded the day out.
Conditions summary: 4-8" of powder above 7600' lightly wind-affected but probably sun baked now. Below that line, rain corn skied well where smooth but runnels are prevalent. The glaciers are well covered and the bergschrund goes easily through the middle, but things are melting out quickly this year. Grouse is still a good call but will get more and more gnarly soon.
Once on the Coleman glacier, we found dreamy boot-top powder all the way to the Deming saddle. The Roman Wall and other features on the upper mountain looked really good, but the powder below was calling so we skied a nice run to near 6800' on the Coleman. A second run from the vicinity of Colfax peak, followed by a short skin to gain the knob above Grouse rounded the day out.
Conditions summary: 4-8" of powder above 7600' lightly wind-affected but probably sun baked now. Below that line, rain corn skied well where smooth but runnels are prevalent. The glaciers are well covered and the bergschrund goes easily through the middle, but things are melting out quickly this year. Grouse is still a good call but will get more and more gnarly soon.
