August 13, 2006, Ptarmigan Ridge, Mt.Baker

I have waited for Silas to write a part 2 to his weekend adventure at Baker until this afternoon when I wrote my own report (without access to the internet). So I am still going to let my report stand on its own, rather than modify it to tag on his TR. Besides, I have pictures, too.

    As arranged, I met Silas Wild at the Mount Baker Ski Area around 6 )clock Saturday evening. I had come prepared to car camp, so we enjoyed a fine supper, refreshments and a comfortable bed in my Explorer. Before calling it an early night (Silas had put in a full day on the slopes), we watched the sunset colour Mt.Shuksan and added to the millions of pictures taken every year by Mirror Lake. Our sleep was interrupted by some sh*t-for-brains motorists doing high speed doughnuts in the parking lot and nearly slidding into our accommodations. After a breakfast of eggs, quick-fry bacon and coffee, we were on the Table Mountain Trail shortly after 8:00AM

    The first ski able snow can be found just past the start of the Ptarmigan Trail. The ridgeline about 2 miles from the car has patches of lush, ripe blueberries and delightful flowers. Another 15 minutes of hiking brought us to a nice 560' run on the snowfield, just before the 'U' bend, that lingers in that location every summer. Silas and company had used it the day before, but Saturday's fog was gone and the weather was spectacular. The tongue ended at exactly the same elevation as the parking lot. By 10:0 we had skied it twice and had decided to move on down the Ptarmigan Trail. Another continuous run of slightly less than 500' was found SE of the Coleman Pinnacle. We startled a dozen members of the Barometer Mountain goatherd where the snow ended around 5,300'. The lunch hour and some of Silas's friends arrived after a bit of yo-yoing. A few more trips down and the Snow, which had not been bad to start with, was well groomed.

    The day wasn't finished yet as more runs were to be had on the first snow tongue. Then we skied cross country for close to a mile to the south base of the "blueberry/flower" ridge. After a short carry, we ended the day with another half mile ski to the unnamed 5,628' peak south of Table Mountain. Back at the car by 4:30, I figured that I had hiked about 5 miles, skied another 1 1/2 miles and Telemarked down over 3,000' of vertical. Not as much as Silas, but still, not too bad for the middle of August.