Liz Daley Posted May 15, 2014 Posted May 15, 2014 (edited) Trip: Mt. Baker > Mt. Rainier - Coleman Deming, Fuhrer Finger & Thumb Date: 5/13/2014 Trip Report: These past couple weeks back home in Washington have been just what I've needed before heading back up to Alaska to guide Denali. I didn't get to Baker's north side once last year since the road was closed so I was stoked to get up there and check it out. This trip was a week ago Tuesday, May 6th, and it was only about a mile in a half skin up the Glacier Creek Rd. I'm sure now, it's much less. We decided to do a one day push, leaving the car at about 5am. We parked at ~3,000 feet, making it a pretty big day. Finally out of the trees, atop Heliotrope ridge. Drew Tabke photo of me with the Colfax icefall beyond. Conditions were great for skinning, firm and fast. (Split-crampons are essential for spring touring on the volcanoes). The crevasses were really big, bigger than I've seen them in previous springs and the glacier has changed a lot in the last two years since I had been up the CD. The route usually goes right and hugs the Black Buttes but it was much better to stay left avoiding huge cracks and staying out from under the Colfax icefall. We made some coffee on the summit and waited for the clouds to clear while getting a nice coffee high. We rode a variation from the summit linking together the upper section of the Roman Wall and the bottom section of the Roman Mustache. The snow was much better than it looked. Joe charging down the Roman Wall. Tabke slashing. Joe gittin' some under the rhimey Roman nose. Joe droppin' into the lower section of the Mustache, a really nice kind of hanging glacier ramp. Seems like there are some crevasses at the top of the ramp that will open up soon. Joe boosting. We were tired so we went climbing in the sun at Index.... wait, the Champ never gets tired. Correction, I was tired. Me, sending most magnificent splitter. On to Rainier. Not too sure what our objective would be, Blaine and I headed out on the Turtle to camp for a night and practice some rescue skillz before we both take off for Denali. I've had my eyes on some bigger objectives but the snow wasn't right. It hadn't consolidated like I'd hoped so we did a Fuhrer Finger and Thumb lap the next day. Both super nice, sustained 2,000 ft lines. Pretty manky and it felt like 85 degrees booting up. My face is burnt to crap, I look like a god damn cherry face. No amount of Dermatone could save me. Blaine crushing the Fuhrer Finger. Quick booter back up the Finger then dropped into the Thumb. Blaine having fun on the Thumb: Whelp see ya! Off to Denali. Someone shred some wicked lines on Rainier for me while I'm away! Edited May 15, 2014 by Liz Daley Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.