September 15, 2007, Coleman-Deming, Mt. Baker
9/15/07
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
4311
8
Soloed the Coleman-Deming route on Saturday ("soloed" with a party of 5 ahead of me, not sure if that counts). My first time on this volcano, stellar route! It's in great shape still. All the crevasses are super obvious and easily avoidable. Monster at 8600' is easily end-run on climbers left. Went right at the upper Roman Wall under the choss cliff to avoid thin looking glacial ice just below the summit plateau. Baker's summit has the best view of any of the volcano's, IMHO.
Started skiing down at 1pm, perfect corn from the plateau down my original line of ascent. Instead of downclimbing the pumice ridge I skied skier's left of it on the Deming all the way to ~8700, easily avoiding crevasses. Climber back up to 8900' and crossed back over the pumice ridge back to the Coleman. Clicked back in and continued with the corn schralpin'.
Mostly followed my original line of ascent from there. Except from about 7000' down to the toe of the glacier. I had camped at the glacier view and not taken the climbers trail fork, so gaining the glacier in the morning involved crossing a severely broken section that I did not want to recross in the afternoon. I followed everyone else's tracks back out and skied continuosly to 6k where I dismounted, backtracked to pick up my bivy shit, and hiked out with a huge f-in grin on my face.
All told: 4700' descent with approximately 100' of downclimbing (mostly off the dirt summit) and ~150 of regaining the pumice ridge. The snow was pretty good down to about 6500' then got suncupped.
As a side note there was a paraglider taking off from the summit snowfield right when I got there, it was really cool.
photos
Started skiing down at 1pm, perfect corn from the plateau down my original line of ascent. Instead of downclimbing the pumice ridge I skied skier's left of it on the Deming all the way to ~8700, easily avoiding crevasses. Climber back up to 8900' and crossed back over the pumice ridge back to the Coleman. Clicked back in and continued with the corn schralpin'.
Mostly followed my original line of ascent from there. Except from about 7000' down to the toe of the glacier. I had camped at the glacier view and not taken the climbers trail fork, so gaining the glacier in the morning involved crossing a severely broken section that I did not want to recross in the afternoon. I followed everyone else's tracks back out and skied continuosly to 6k where I dismounted, backtracked to pick up my bivy shit, and hiked out with a huge f-in grin on my face.
All told: 4700' descent with approximately 100' of downclimbing (mostly off the dirt summit) and ~150 of regaining the pumice ridge. The snow was pretty good down to about 6500' then got suncupped.
As a side note there was a paraglider taking off from the summit snowfield right when I got there, it was really cool.
photos
Glad to see you got up there. I bet they are getting snow right now.
BTW, Glacier Peak has an outstanding view better than Baker possibly. Hopefully I can get up there this season for a reminder.
BTW, Glacier Peak has an outstanding view better than Baker possibly. Hopefully I can get up there this season for a reminder.
Good job on a new moutain and lots of vert! Sounds like conditions have improved from a few weeks ago (suncups filled in a bit more?). Thinking about heading up from Bend, as your report sounds like things are coming back into condition. What trail-head did you use and what roads? Is that the approach via the town of Gacier? This will be a new Mt. for me too.... Any approach info. much appreciated.
Thanks Jason, I've been meaning to for a while!
Skierguitarist- FS 39, turn right one mile past Glacier. 8 miles to Heliotrope TH, hike 2 miles to climber's trail cutoff to your right. Go straight up about 1/2 mile and it puts you right on the Coleman. There is ample information about this approach in many guidebooks and online if you want exact distances/elevations. Conditions should be even better after the snow they're probably getting right now. Not that I crossed many bridges anyway, but depending on how much snow they get be careful if you're up there by yourself.
Skierguitarist- FS 39, turn right one mile past Glacier. 8 miles to Heliotrope TH, hike 2 miles to climber's trail cutoff to your right. Go straight up about 1/2 mile and it puts you right on the Coleman. There is ample information about this approach in many guidebooks and online if you want exact distances/elevations. Conditions should be even better after the snow they're probably getting right now. Not that I crossed many bridges anyway, but depending on how much snow they get be careful if you're up there by yourself.
Is the bottom of the glacier all nasty bare ice now?
There are some fingers that are pretty bad, but the section that leads you to the bivy sites is holding snow well.
Give that man a weissbier!
Added link to some photos.
Cool pictures. Thanks for the link. All that white stuff does get the blood boiling.
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