May 4, 2006, Coleman-Deming, Mt. Baker
5/4/06
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
7757
11
Feeling a bit under the weather ;), my friend Einar and I decided to take advantage of the good stretch of weather to ski the Coleman-Deming on Mt. Baker. We left Seattle at 3:45 am, hit snow about 6.5 miles up the Glacier Creek Road around 2900', and we're skinning up firm snow at 6:15. We entered the woods behind the bathrooms at the trailhead and found easy skinning on very firm snow until the last push over Heliotrope were it became easier to boot rather than risk loosing skin and elevation if one's edges slipped. Soon we were basking in the sun at 6600' and glad to be on the Coleman side were the snow was just beginning to soften. The views of the Coleman headwall, the Buttes, and Colfax kept us entertained and it was fun to imagine ??? skiing a line down the headwall. Maybe in another lifetime.
A slight breeze kept kept it pretty cool up to the saddle except for on the last climb where it became very oven-like. Thankfully the breeze strengthened at the saddle and actually brought the Gore-tex out of the pack. Not being in a hurry to rush the summit, we lounged around for awhile, enjoyed the view, and refueled. Einar chose to pack his skis up the remainder while I decided to go with a mix of skinning and sidestepping. The snow was firm, but had just strarted to melt enough that the skins stuck well until about halfway up the Roman Wall where the angle steepened and booting up the steps the party ahead of us had kicked became easier. Near the crater rim the skis went back on and around 2:30 I was standing on the summit, hoping that the snow on the Roman Wall would soften before descending. I snapped some scenery shots, laid around in the sun, enjoyed my snow-chilled Guiness then lounged around some more after Einar arrived.
At 3:30 we were back at the crater rim and the skins came off. The wind had died and the intense heat of the sun gave me faith that the wall would be soft or at least not a chatterbox of ice. It was. Soft enough to carve, though still demanding some attention, the slope awakened our brains and made our legs scream for the first turns. We found soft shallow snow, soft deep snow, and a couple patches of hardpack, but it was a great start to the run down. Once on the Coleman the snow alternated from nice corn to funky wind-effected, but overall fun to ski and it sure was nice to let gravity have its way. Back at the top of Heliotrope, we retrieved stashed gear then were treated to the best snow of the day finding plenty of fresh corn to sample. Soon enough we were back down to the road and at 5:00 back to the car and more snow-chilled beers. A nearly-8000' day and great conditions left us smiling and plotting for the next outing.
PS--I may try to post some pics, but my card reader is misbehaving.
A slight breeze kept kept it pretty cool up to the saddle except for on the last climb where it became very oven-like. Thankfully the breeze strengthened at the saddle and actually brought the Gore-tex out of the pack. Not being in a hurry to rush the summit, we lounged around for awhile, enjoyed the view, and refueled. Einar chose to pack his skis up the remainder while I decided to go with a mix of skinning and sidestepping. The snow was firm, but had just strarted to melt enough that the skins stuck well until about halfway up the Roman Wall where the angle steepened and booting up the steps the party ahead of us had kicked became easier. Near the crater rim the skis went back on and around 2:30 I was standing on the summit, hoping that the snow on the Roman Wall would soften before descending. I snapped some scenery shots, laid around in the sun, enjoyed my snow-chilled Guiness then lounged around some more after Einar arrived.
At 3:30 we were back at the crater rim and the skins came off. The wind had died and the intense heat of the sun gave me faith that the wall would be soft or at least not a chatterbox of ice. It was. Soft enough to carve, though still demanding some attention, the slope awakened our brains and made our legs scream for the first turns. We found soft shallow snow, soft deep snow, and a couple patches of hardpack, but it was a great start to the run down. Once on the Coleman the snow alternated from nice corn to funky wind-effected, but overall fun to ski and it sure was nice to let gravity have its way. Back at the top of Heliotrope, we retrieved stashed gear then were treated to the best snow of the day finding plenty of fresh corn to sample. Soon enough we were back down to the road and at 5:00 back to the car and more snow-chilled beers. A nearly-8000' day and great conditions left us smiling and plotting for the next outing.
PS--I may try to post some pics, but my card reader is misbehaving.
You guys didn't see a thermos before dropping off Heliotrope Ridge into the gullies did you?
I've never seen anywhere near that many people on Baker during the week. I left my thermos there to lighten my load before climbing the North Ridge. To my dismay, it was gone when I returned.
Oh well a beautiful day in the mountains is worth more than a thermos!
I've never seen anywhere near that many people on Baker during the week. I left my thermos there to lighten my load before climbing the North Ridge. To my dismay, it was gone when I returned.
Oh well a beautiful day in the mountains is worth more than a thermos!
Sorry, no thermos. Were you up there the same day as us? The Whistler guys said they heard someone arrive during the night and take off and we saw some tracks heading toward the N. Ridge, but no sign of the phantom making them.
I was there yesterday. Counted 8 people total going up the CD at one point from a vantage high on the North Ridge. Somebody took my beloved thermos, damn it! I guess that's what I get for leaving it.
Dude, skykilo's thermos, that's like a collector's item! Now you're NEVER going to get it back.
So that explains the mystery tracks. Strange about the thermos. I didn't notice one when we arrived and none of our gear had been messed with when we returned (someone could have snagged a pretty nice glacier rope if they'd wanted to).
There were actually 9 up there--us two, two guys from Whislter, and a group of five snowboarders, though one of them was lagging quite far behind.
How was the N. Ridge?
There were actually 9 up there--us two, two guys from Whislter, and a group of five snowboarders, though one of them was lagging quite far behind.
How was the N. Ridge?
Really fun with skis on pack and only two screws. The ice cliff was slightly more difficult than when I did it in August three years ago. I invented a really fun new form of ultralight alpine ice climbing: climb and place screw, downclimb to other screw and retrieve, repeat. . .
author=skykilo link=topic=4659.msg19843#msg19843 date=1146858175]
...climb and place screw, downclimb to other screw and retrieve, repeat. . .
Lots of fun. I did a similar thing on a rock climb when we didn't want to bring more than two big pieces for an offwidth.
What way did you ski down?
I skied down with syle and enthusiasm. ;)
A couple years ago it looked like it would be very doable with snow, so I wanted to take a look and see if I could do better than what Lowell would call a 'partial descent.'
As far as route, I skied pretty much the same way as everybody else. I was taking a serious look at that line off Colfax down to the Coleman, too. Hu-ah!
A couple years ago it looked like it would be very doable with snow, so I wanted to take a look and see if I could do better than what Lowell would call a 'partial descent.'
As far as route, I skied pretty much the same way as everybody else. I was taking a serious look at that line off Colfax down to the Coleman, too. Hu-ah!
Skykilo, thanks for the link to the "other " NW ski forum. A good bit of contrast with this one. I love the way that TAY is relatively free from spray and wothless banter (aside from my contribution here) ;D that others on the web suffer from.
Jon, being stuck in Cubicle Land this week and thinking about doing the C/D on Baker this weekend, your descent makes me extremely jealous. Great trip report!
Jon, being stuck in Cubicle Land this week and thinking about doing the C/D on Baker this weekend, your descent makes me extremely jealous. Great trip report!
author=skykilo link=topic=4659.msg19853#msg19853 date=1146865539">'partial descent.'
Perhaps this is better suited to 'Random Tracks', but an interesting point has been raised. What consitutes a first descent? Does it go to the first person to pack in skis and ski some portion of the route or does one have to ski the entire route for it to qualify? First ascents in climbing provide insight. If one is the first person to climb from the bottom of a peak to its top then it is considered a first ascent, no matter if it was done free or with aid, with oxygen or without, etc. After the first ascent it is up to subsequent parties to improve upon the style of the firsts. According to this logic, a first descent goes to the person willing to ski any part of the route. While future descents may improve upon the style of the original say by hucking cliffs that were once rappelled or by ripping steep angled ice that was previously sideslipped, downclimbed, or rapped, the credit for the first descent seems to remain with the person(s) first willing to ski any part of the route. So what is a partial descent? This seems very hard to define given the nature of subjective standards which are based upon one's ability and willingness to accept risk. Was the original climb of the Nose a partial ascent since it was not freed? Given the upward (or downward) mobility that both climbing and skiing offer, isn't it safe to say that the first to do it is the first to do it and that it is up to those who want to make a name for themselves to debate the merits of their style versus the style of another? Thoughts anyone?
author=jonthomp link=topic=4659.msg19870#msg19870 date=1146973076]
Perhaps this is better suited to 'Random Tracks', but an interesting point has been raised. What consitutes a first descent?
Definitely belongs on Random Tracks (aka rec.arguing) or cascadeclimbers.com
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