Easton Glacier route on Baker... conditions?

[Pencil_Pusher]

Has anyone been up there recently to know how much things have opened/iced up?

Thanks for any info.

[Cpt.Caveman]

I haven't been up there in a couple of years. However I did climb it during this time of season. I remember it being so broken up we ended up on the Squock (sp?) Glacier. It was doable then. Maybe it will be in similar conditions

 

I took some recent photos of the mountain on Sunday

[Fence_Sitter]

easton would surely be a no-go...but the squok is a relly fast alernative...i think it is a bit more direct approach....

[Jason_Martin]

I was up there last week and the route is still very doable.

 

Just before the Crater at around 9000 feet one has three choices to by-pass some difficult crevasses.

 

1) Climb along a sketchy snowfin to attain the upper mountain. This is a great and fast way to go up, but a little scary going down.

 

2) Traverse to climbers right before the sketchy crevasses for about one hundred to one hundred and fifty yards and climb up between a few small crevasses and seracs. Traverse back left. This is a good way to come down.

 

3) If you can't see where to ascend in route number two, keep traversing right until you are on the Squak directly below Sherman Peak. Ascend here and then traverse back to the crater.

 

There is one last little interesting section immediately after the preceding area, though not as difficult.

 

There is crevasse that presses itself right up to the rocks below the crater. One can climb through the crevasse easily with one solid swing of the ice axe (piolet anch style) and climb out the other side. Alternately, it's not too hard to climb on the rocks around the crevasse, though they are a little loose.

 

The route is really not in bad shape at all. It's been pretty cruser the last couple times I've done it.

 

Jason

[Cpt.Caveman]

I want the beta for the moves. Did you put one foot in front of the other with that piolet

[sketchfest]

Please forgive my idiocy, will someone describe exactly what a piolet is and how it is performed and or why.

[Dru]

I usually climb them in piolet icetool style cause I have ice tools not piolets

 

Hey Anna, you want to be a piolet right?

[Cpt.Caveman]

I use a rock and tool like this to piolet with

 

[Paul_K]

"Anchor (piolet ancre) — The anchor position gives you even more security. Hold the axe near the bottom of the shaft. Swing the axe overhead to set the pick into the ice. Now, front-pointing, work your feet upward as you move both hands progressively higher on the axe shaft. Eventually, one hand will be holding the axe head, similar to the low dagger position. At this point, remove and place the axe again."

[sketchfest]

Thanks, knew the move, just not the name

[Cpt.Caveman]

Piolet which one is it

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

Cane (piolet canne) — The cane position is used when you are walking on flat to moderately steep terrain. Hold the axe by the head with the spike (at the end of the shaft) contacting the ice. This axe technique is combined with walking forward or duck-walking as explained in the crampon section above.

[Dru]

B, C and D should watch out for Mr. H he is gonnas take them out when he whips off that M9.

[iain]

Piolet cedar?

 

check it out

[Dru]

Yvon Chouinard on calling various ice axe holding styles by French names in "Climbing Ice": "would you call a taco a Mexican sandwich?"

[freeclimb9]

Yvon Chouinard easily overlooked the German ice-climbing jargon in his tome. Probably nothing to do with his own ethnicity.