Tucker Posted May 29, 2009 Posted May 29, 2009 (edited) Trip: Baker - Easton Glacier Date: 5/23/2009 Trip Report: We went up for a three dayer on the Easton Glacier over Memorial Day weekend. The weather was awesome all three days, a bit too awesome for those of us with old sunscreen... We had to park a couple of miles below the trailhead due to snow, but by the time we left you could drive all the way to a mile or so from the trailhead. There was still a few feet or better in the actual parking lot area though. we saw quite a few groups going for the summit over the course of the next few days. The only problem was the constant sound of slednecking, don't they make mufflers for those things! I don't want to complain too much about them though since we gleefully followed their tracks up to the base of the Roman Headwall on Monday morning. The trip was pretty uneventful with the exception of the snow worms...yes, I said snow worms (have a look at the pics). Sunday night we were sitting around our second camp and a considerable amount of these little black worms started crawling out of the snow, upon further inspection we found them in our snow pile we had been melting for H20...perhaps we should have considered not drinking the water but that seemed like crazy talk so we drank on. For For those of you who are wondering about the worms...(http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/401279/tiny_ice_worms_could_reveal_life_on_other_planets/index.html) The climb from camp to the Summit and back down to the car on Monday took a total of 15 hours (5500 feet of gain to the summit then all the way back out to the car). Gear Notes: Snowshoes (love 'em or hate 'em) made for an easier exit on Monday with the snow melting in the afternoon. It's either that or sinking up to your knees with each step. Approach Notes: The road is melting fast, but you still can't make it to the parking lot. The railroad grade was snowed in pretty heavy, looks like most groups, ours included, were taking the path up the middle of the basin below the railroad grade. Edited May 29, 2009 by Tucker Quote
LostCamKenny Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Nasty little things! The shadow pic was pretty cool. Nice job! Quote
Pete04 Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 Ice worms, huh? A few weeks ago on my way up Mt St Helens, I noticed a solo spider crawling around on the snow on at least two of my h2o breaks. Does anyone know if they live up there or did they just catch a ride up on a climber? Quote
G-spotter Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 They live up there and eat the insects that get blown onto the snow and die. Quote
EastKing Posted June 4, 2009 Posted June 4, 2009 Great TR! I am going there next weekend if I can finally shake this flu bug. Quote
Mauri Posted June 5, 2009 Posted June 5, 2009 Love the image with ice worms in foreground. Unusual to seem them out at that time of day in direct sunlight. We have been counting the population of these ice worms on Easton Glacier each summer for the last decade. Lets just say they outnumber us. www.nichols.edu/departments/glacier/iceworm.htm Quote
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