[TR] Mt. Baker- Colman Headwall / North Ridge 8/14/2005

[JesseH]

Climb: Mt. Baker-Colman Headwall / North Ridge

 

Date of Climb: 8/14/2005

 

Trip Report:

Wasn't sure to put up a trip report or not but thinking back it was one of the better days out so why not. Last weekend my buddy Cory and I headed out to Mt. Baker after a late friday night in Freemont. Waking up Sat. morning around 10 we tossed our packs into the back of the truck and took off for Baker. After messing around getting gu and all of that horrible stuff we made it to the trail head around 4 pm and finished packing for the 10pm start.

Edited August 19, 2005 by JesseH

[JesseH]

 

Climb: Mt. Baker-Colman Headwall / North Ridge

 

Date of Climb: 8/14/2005

 

Trip Report:

Wasn't sure to put up a trip report or not but thinking back it was one of the better days out so why not. Last weekend my buddy Cory and I headed out to Mt. Baker after a late Friday night in Freemont. Waking up Sat. morning around 10 we tossed our packs into the back of the truck and took off for Baker. After messing around getting gu and all of that horrible stuff we made it to the trail head around 4 pm and finished packing for the 10pm start. Pitching the tent to ward off the black fly bombardment we found ourselves looking at each other at 9:30 eager and ready to get moving. Brewing up we forced down 3 ramens each - which is a mission in itself - we hit the trail. Walking up the dark trail through the trees seemed completely backwards as it usually does approaching at that hour. As we pulled out of the tree line we were faced with the shadow of the north face of mt. baker. Even with all the stars out it seemed really dark. We at least expected some moonlight or some help from the stars. Hitting the flanks of the glacier we filled our camelbacks and put on our crampons for the glacier. Rounding the top of the lower coleman around midnight we were both really starting to feel the effects of one too many tequila shots the night before and the lack of sleep thereof. 10 chocolate covered coffee beans later we had new found energy and pushed forward to the ever nearing dark black face before us. The week before Cory and I tried to climb the right side of the headwall through some of the steeper ceracs that seemed to look like good ice. After about 3 hours of serious effort climbing the vertical and overhanging ice with a lack of screws we were completely cut off by an unobvious schrund that ran the expanse of the entire right side. With that we came down and figured a much easier safer way to access the route via a snow bridge a little further from the rock toe. With this knowledge from the week before we knew right were to go to get on to the route. Things had changed with the warmer temps and called for a belay across a 20 gaping crevasse hollow underneath. Unnerving to say the least we both crossed the bridge and headed for the headwall. Underway at 3:00am we started up the bomber 50° ice face. Swing swing, kick kick, it all made sense. Climbing up the darkness was pure enjoyment and what we all live for. Route finding around the schrunds we welcomed the sun around 5:00am at about the ¾ mark feeling great. With the daylight we put the rope away for the rest of the day and soloed to the shoulder up the perfect 50 degree snow and ice topping out around 7:00. A few Gu’s and a few bars later we were heading down the roman wall to get on the north ridge. On the way down we met about 40 climbers heading up for the summit. One of which was a beautiful husky that seemed to be at home on the ice and eager to pull his master to the top. After walking about he hour it took to get around to the north ridge we took a little break with the knowledge that the majority of the objective hazard was behind us. At 10:30 our psych was back up and we started heading up the North Ridge. Perfect hard snow made for some really really fun movement in climbing. Totally comfortable to this point Cory and I weren’t sure if we would feel comfortable soloing the ice pitches of the north ridge so we talked and agreed that if either of us were uncomfortable we would pull it out and pitch it out. When we hit the flanks of the hard ice it was actually comforting and gave us that familiar connection that you get while ice climbing. Side by side we soloed the ice pitches for some of the most fun climbing either of us have experienced. Soloing is one thing but soloing next to your best friend feeling so free with all of the exposure of the north face of baker is something else. Hitting the top of the ice our legs were starting to feel a bit cooked. We pushed on and topped out in just around 3 hours from when we started the route. We dug into the rest of the food we brought which involved some sausage and some Swiss cheese and two advil each. Heading down the mountain wasn’t as bad as either of us thought it would be after so much climbing. Both out of water we filled up on the glacier and raced for the car where our sandals awaited. Making it to the car we weren’t sure what we were more into our sandals or the beer that waited for us in the general store in glacier. 18:30 hours we were down and headed to glacier for some food and alcoholic beverage. About at Bellingham we both were totally out of energy and had to stop to get some rest. 3 hours later the police were taping on the glass wondering what two bums with some much shit in the back seat were doing in the star bucks parking lot. A brief explanation and they both understood letting us get back to dreaming of the stellar day we just had. 6 shots of espresso each and we were back in Seattle, in our beds, not excited to accept the wrath that our bodies were aching to put upon us in the morning.

 

Gear notes…

2 ice screws, 60’ rope, 2 pickets, camelback, headlamp, food, water, a good pair of boots, and not much more!!!!!

[JayB]

Damn dude - way to get after it with the linkup.

 

Are you sure those weren't chocolate covered methampetibeans?

[Chad_A]

Hey, Jesse, it's Chad, here. Nice way to link 'em up. If I'm ever up there in your neck of the woods (Bellingham?) I let you know ahead of time, and have ya meet me for a

[JesseH]

Chad, hey sounds like andy had a pretty good trip to peru huh... you talk to him yet about it? We gotta meet up at some point and get some shiz done-

[Chad_A]

Sho 'nuf. I chatted with him; now I'm sold on heading south of the equator next year. Which means I need to get in shape for it.

 

We'll have to hook up for a nice line of steep ice and snow. Let me know what you'd like to get done.