Best time to climb Mt. Baker

[eiger2climb]

i'm planning a trip to Baker, but i'm not sure when the best time to go is.my plan is a guided climb with Mountain Madness and date choices are June thru September.I really want the whole alpine effect, so what do ya'll think the best choice would be? thanks in advance for helping a newbie

[ashw_justin]

Hm, I'm going to say July 15th. (Given our healthy snowpack this year.)

[Jarred_Jackman]

Not to tell you how to do it, but if you're really looking for a great experience, buy a copy of freedom of the hills, read it, find some people who climb, and get a group of buddies together and climb Baker. It's not that technically challenging, and it's not that long, so you should be fine if you're in reasonably decent shape. If you do go with Madness ask for Mark Ryman, he's a great guy! Any sunny day during the summer is a good day for Baker.

[curtveld]

If making the summit is really important, go early when the cracks are covered and the days long. But if you want to get the most out your guide $, I’d go late August or Sept. You’ll learn how to deal with a mix of snow and ice, encounter fewer people on the mountain and maybe even get some nice huckleberries on the approach.

[MountaingirlBC]

I'd like to second the late August or Sept vote. I did it in mid-September last year and it was fabulous. Defnitely more interesting than earlier in the season when all the good stuff is still covered in snow. Granted, you have a better chance of getting up easily when everything is covered in snow but it's a completely different mountain when it's all nekkid REALLY fun. Pics here if ur interested:

 

http://www.mountaingirl.net/baker05/index.htm

 

I waited a long time to climb Baker... until I felt that my personal skills were up to scatch and I was able to find a rope team I had confidence in. Going up with a guided operation is certainly an option but I agree with Jarred that doing it on your own would be a much more satisfying experience. But hey... you can always go back and do it on your own steam another time.

[mountainhesh]

Paying $600 to climb Baker... , but i should add, good on you for going and you'll learn some good, fundamental stuff. I've spent much more doing much less.

Good luck, it's a great summit.

[Weekend_Climberz]

I have climbed Baker several times, once with a rather inexperienced rope mate and other times with more experienced partners. It's more a matter of your confidence level than your experience for choosing a guided trip rather than hitching a ride with some other climbers. If you have absolutely no glacier experience then go with the guides, but if you have some or little experience the Colemand-Deming route is fairly safe. Of course, any glacier travel has it's inherant dangers but the Coleman-Deming route will have a very visible trail all the way up to the top at any given time in the summer (baring any heavy snowfall of course). Just make sure to have a good time and try to get in a hand stand on the summit.

 

[shpoonman]

I would agree with the sentiment of getting some skills down early season and making an attempt later in the season via the Easton or the Coleman/ Deming. The high camp is great when the rock is exposed and its not that technical of a climb. I climbed it last year around August. All the crevasses were open and some of them huge and awesome to look at. I even got an up close and comfortable look when I fell in one. This year b/c of the much larger snow pack it may not melt out as quick, but you could deffintently make a trip with some buddies. $600....You could do a lot more with $600 than have Mountain Madness walk you up Baker. But really its about your confidence in your alpine skills and level of physical fitness. The Easton will be a total slog, endurance challenge, but not very technically challenging. If you are looking to learn about moutaineering, take the WAC or something from AAI. You will spend the same amount of money but learn a whole bunch more about climbing. Then go do Baker with some buddies. I even think that the WAC makes an attempt on Baker as the graduation climb. Any way you do it, Baker is one of my favorite summits to look around from.

[miller]

My vote is early to mid July for conditions/weather. And I think you'll get a lot out of your experience going with guides, and Mountain Madness (like most of the major guide services around here) is a great outfit.

 

Have fun!