[TR] Mt Baker- Coleman-Deming 4/22/2006

[skibum1087]

Climb: Mt Baker-Coleman-Deming

 

Date of Climb: 4/22/2006

 

Trip Report:

This weekend me and my buddy Justin decided to have a go at Baker for the first time. We were able to drive the road to about 1.5 miles from the trailhead, at 2900 feet.We started skinning around 1 pm The weather was wicked and the view from the road was impressive.

 

 

After getting on the heliotrope ridge trail we realized it was pretty difficult to follow in the snow, so we ended up doing a bit of cross country navigating that led to a little bit of frusteration and postholing in shorts.

 

 

After that bit of unpleasentness we broke out above treeline and were treating to mostly exellent skinning conditions with a great view. We gradually made our way towards camp.

 

 

We got to camp around 7, at 6600 feet. We were promtly treated to quite a spectacular sunset.

 

 

We arose the next morning a little bit before 4 and started the climb at 5. The darkness only lasted for a little while as we made our way towards the coleman-deming saddle

 

 

We switched from skis to crampons and ice axes at the saddle and worked our way up the Roman Wall to the summit and mostly firm snow with a little bit of ice and little bit of creamy windbuff mixed in. At one point just after we took our skis off I punched through a snow bridge with one foot which made the climb feel a little more sporty.

 

Eventually we made it up, and it was a hell of a day to be on top. The seas of peaks were mindblowing.

 

 

The ski down the Roman Wall was icey and choppy, but from the Saddle all the way back to where you re entered the woods was beautiful windbuffed creamy pow. The trail was skiable all the way back to the car as long as one was willing to do a little bit of poling and skating at times. It was a pretty sweet trip and am definetly pumped to go back up to the area again. We even got treated to a small waterfall on the way out

 

 

Gear Notes:

Skis, Ice Axe, Crampons, Crevase stuff, lots of sunscreen would be key. Should have had a warmer sleeping bag, much colder than forecasted

 

Approach Notes:

45 min from car to the trailhead on skis

 

 

Edited April 25, 2006 by skibum1087

[scottgg]

nice job skibum! that sunrise shot is great!

[layton]

hey, was there any ice on colfax?

[olyclimber]

Sweet! Nice work guys.

[skibum1087]

Colfax looked to be all snow except real jumbled ice and rock pieces, all feasible looking gullies seemed to be totally snowed in at least.

Edited April 25, 2006 by skibum1087

[Winter]

Mike, Kristin and I were in the area over the weekend as well. The routes on the east face of Colfax looked in - forget their names - the Polish Bob WI4/5 route in the center of the face looked thin but fully formed - it would be exciting right now. The gully to the right was filled in but there may be a pitch or two of good ice at the bottom/middle and likely wallowing up top. May firm up with continued stable weather.

[layton]

thanks chris

[PaulB]

After getting on the heliotrope ridge trail we realized it was pretty difficult to follow in the snow...

Instead of following the summer trail, if you head into the woods behind the outhouse, you can follow the Grouse Creek drainage to the upper part of the ridge. Much more direct, and a better ski when you're coming down.

[mountainmatt]

Nice job!