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Trip: Kulshan (Mount Baker) - Coleman Deming Trip Date: 05/14/2018 Trip Report: The pollen is flying and the snow is melting fast. So much so that I think a scraper and a can of WD-40 might be the ticket for those headed up later this week or weekend. I'm not joking. By the bottom of Grouse Creek I felt as if I had velcro for a base (see the last photo). Ah well, the views were great and @sepultura got his annual tick (#29!). The Coleman is nicely filled in at the moment and pretty smooth. We were able to skin the Roman Wall with the aid of ski crampons, but plenty of others thought that was too easy and carried their skis. To each their own. I always marvel at being able to ski up and ride down Kulshan in a day from my bed (I can see the summit from my roof here in town). So cool! Upper Thunder Gl. @sepultura setting his usual mean pace: Don't linger here long: on the Roman wall: The home stretch: Fire and Ice: Across the Easton to Sherman on the way down: Skiing down the Pumice Ridge: Why don't you ski this part quickly @sepultura? Ah, the Twin Sisters: Slogging back to the road: Spring is not for speed skiing: Gear Notes: skis, ski crampons, harness, light rope. Crevasse rescue kit. Approach Notes: Grouse Creek was in, maybe for another week or so. You can drive to within ~ a half mile of the TH

Trip: Sahale - South side - Ski from the summit tower Trip Date: 05/08/2018 Trip Report: Does the database need yet another Sahale TR? Maybe not, but the views are still as good as always up there. As is the ski down Soldier Boy creek. And if you go midweek, you'll have nobody to disturb your wanderings. Well, except for the locals. They eyed us warily but didn't break from their routine as we glided past. North Cascades National Park turns 50 this year and it is every bit as grand today as it was in 1968. Next time I'll bring enough gear to tag the top. CJ condition photo for you extremo types Hey bear (not telephoto) I bet you knew the CJ was named for Cascade (L) and Johannesburg Mtns We saw some Ptarmigan feeding on last year's berries, clothed in their winter plumage (telephoto) We stopped at the rock of the summit block The dragon was awakened this spring. Gunsight (L) and Sinister in the distance. The Triplets The summit ridge of Spider peeking out Time to go down! Spring is here Gear Notes: skis. Rope and tiny rack if you want to climb to the summit Approach Notes: Road open to gate at MP 20 (one past Eldo parking area).

A while back the NPS was sued for allegedly failing to initiate a search in a timely fashion. The plaintiffs lost on summary judgement. https://openjurist.org/949/f2d/332/johnson-v-united-states-department-of-interior

I might be into this, but not sure of my schedule in the latter half of next week. Just sent you a message.

Hey Gene, we think alike. Biving below the ice cliff would be a really nice alternative. There is enough flat real estate for a tent or two and you would beat the crowds. Last time I went up to the North Ridge we got a late start from the trailhead and ended up behind 22 climbers.

maybe with some pre planning, you could find another pair of people going for the north ridge that you could make a team of 4 for the approach, then split into two teams of two for the climb and descent. I have been on that part of the glacier (approach to n ridge) in different seasons and I can say that you will be walking over Monster crevasses. That place is so broken up under the winter snow pack. the crevasse patterns sometimes don't make sense either. definately a place to be prepared. The last time I was on it, we did a different than usual tactic. instead of stumbling around on a crevassed glacier in the dark, we approached the ridge in the afternoon, being able to work the way through the maze in daylight. Yes the snow bridges are weaker in the afternoon, but being able to see where we were going was a bigger benefit. (I got a pretty good crack radar) We climbed up the ridge to about a couple rope lengths below the ice cliff where there are several dirt campsites and bivied there. good long restful sleep and climb the cliff at sunrise while the groups are just approaching the ridge itself. not so bad if you can keep your bivy kit light, like light sleeping bag, pad and small stove. the ambience and experience itself is worth the extra weight. ditch the skiis and bivy on the ridge instead.

2 person travel on glaciers is probably best reserved for very experienced people and/or very low consequence glaciers. One mistake by either could kill both. Maybe you can find a safer ski objective.

An excellent read. Thank you for linking the primary source. Two quotes stand out: First, the Court acknowledges that, "The climbing community appreciates the inherent danger of the sport and is perceived to value the individual freedom of a backcountry experience." and this ruling in many ways upholds the right of climbers to preserve that freedom. Second, the closing sentence makes me smile: "The record in this case may have been more helpful to the court had both counsel devoted more time and effort developing the facts and less time and effort squabbling with each other"