first ascent [TR] FAs: Mt. Baker - Roosevelt Ice Circ 12/10/2009

[shannonpahl]

Trip: FAs: Mt. Baker - Roosevelt Ice Circ

 

Date: 12/10/2009

 

Trip Report:

FAs? Baker-Roosevelt ice circ

 

Jeff Street and myself went out to Mt Baker on Wednesday and Thursday this week to see what we could find to climb - Colfax, others? When we got to the TH, we saw a row of about 8 climbs close to one another. We could not resist and decided against Colfax (which is totally in, even arguably the Polish route)

 

From the overview pic, we did three climbs (red arrow 3), single pitch WI3, then one climb (red arrow 1), a 2 pitch WI4,WI2+. Climbs in this area range with WI4 and WI5 variations. In this area (red arrow 1), we started from left to right, the left most climb (WI5?) raining with too much water and so we bailed on that and moved to the next climb, the 2 pitch WI4 route. Then it was dark and time to come home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our approach from Mirkwood camp on Heliotrope ridge:

 

 

Colfax

 

 

 

[kurthicks]

nice. I've looked at those in the past, but couldn't justify going up there in winter without being able to drive the road.

[Andy Craig]

Awesome post! Pretty sure we met you guys 'cause we were the other fools up there freezing butt and having fun! It had to have been you guys since no one else was up there.

 

Now that I see your post I'm jealous we didn't end up getting on some water ice. We couldn't resist since we found some super solid overhanging glacier ice

 

When ya heading up again? It's just now snowing so probably going to be a longer approach up the road.

 

 

[shannonpahl]

Hi, yes, that was us. There were still some nice long overhanging seracs so I'm sure you had fun either way. Its going to be snowing now, but we'll keep a look at conditions to give the polish route or such a go.

[JoshK]

Sweeeet!! Those look awesome. Not that it takes anything away, but are you sure they are FAs? If they form regularly it seems like they are too cool for somebody to have not tried them before. Or maybe the weird early season snow than warm up then freeze weather cycle brought out climbs that almost never exist?

[Andy Craig]

I wouldn't be surprised if some of those are FA's, even in the last couple years the glacier has reseeded so much. In fact, the "ice cave" up there is not so much looking like a cave but more of a large exposed piece of the rock..

 

I'm torn -- I want the snow for maybe some AT Skiing up, but don't want the snow because it makes the road accessible. It's definitely going to be in a strange state this next week or so.

[Edlinger]

We are off to a great ice season. What a great day!

 

I've heard from others climbers of at least two other years that those flows have seen ascents.

[G-spotter]

I'd hit those!

[kurthicks]

If they form regularly it seems like they are too cool for somebody to have not tried them before. Or maybe the weird early season snow than warm up then freeze weather cycle brought out climbs that almost never exist?

 

They form from meltwater off the glacier...I'd guess they're in every year.

[AJScott]

yah ive screwed around on um, but by no means did they look that good! nice jorb! they prolly do form every year, and get buried really quickly by snow.

[zeroforhire]

anyone have any recent updates on this? What is the best way to get there? I am assuming you take the heliotrope trail... How was the road to the trailhead?