Coleman-Deming - October 15, 2012
Coleman-Deming - September 3, 2012
Another area of concern lies at the midway point up Pumice Ridge, where gaining the ridge entails crossing precariously perched and eroding ice bridges which span the moat leading onto the ridge. Please use caution negotiating this obstacle. Lastly, the uppermost bergshcrund of the Roosevelt Glacier on the summit plateau is extremely melted out and exposed. This crevasse comes in very close proximity to the bootpack which leads to Baker's true summit, Grant Peak. In the event of fresh snowfall this crevasse may be easily hidden in spots in snowdrifts. Please be cautious not to let your guard down and be wise as to where you choose to unrope or travel unroped on the summit. Don't forget to use Blue Bags to pack out all human waste while on Mt. Baker. Thanks and enjoy the rest of the season.
Coleman-Deming - August 20, 2012
Hidden crevasses and cracks are continuing to show themselves and melt out on the pitch directly above the Hogsback (photo to right) camps along the Colman-Deming route. All parties venturing beyond Hogsback camps should be roped up and prepared for glacier travel. Notable crevasse crossings at approximately 8,000 ft. and 8,800 ft. are showing significant deterioration and recent changes. All parties should be assessing these crossings before proceeding up or down the mountain.
Climbers should also be aware of the actively cleaving hanging glacier and icefall from Colfax Peak and minimize their time and exposure in this section. The rock band at the top of the Roman Wall is melted out and this feature often poses as a bottle necking choke point for ascending and descending parties. Please be considerate of other climbing teams while passing through this obstacle.
Running water is available at most camps. Please bring your own tent anchors in case you are camping on snow (dry sites go fast on the weekends) and do not remove rocks from the ridges to tie and anchor your tent down with. Remember, use Blue Bags to pack out and dispose all your human waste while on Mt. Baker. Thanks and Happy Climbing!
Coleman-Deming - August 6, 2012
Snow Level - 6,000 ft.
The past couple weeks have been filled with blue skies and warm temperatures. Many parties have been successfully summiting the Coleman-Deming during this time. Crevasses have been revealing themselves on the face directly above Hogsback on route. All parties should rope up for glacier travel prior to this section before leaving the Hogsback Camps. The large crevasses at 8,000 ft. and 8,800 ft. on route are changing daily and warrant a thorough evaluation before crossing. Climbers should minimize their time and exposure underneath the hanging icefall on Colfax Peak, as recent cleaving events have come close to the bootpack. Pumice Ridge is fully melted out. Groups need to be cautious not to dislodge rocks onto other parties in this section. The rock band at the top of the Roman Wall is becoming more of an obstacle as it is now exposed and melting out fast. Parties need to be aware of this hazard as well as the bottlenecking and choke point it causes. Be sure to allow other parties room and time to ascend or descend through this area. Lastly, a crevasse on the summit just steps below Grant Peak is showing. Climbers should be aware of its whereabouts especially in the event of fresh snowfall.
There are roughly 20 established dry tent sites at Hogsback. Please remember your tent anchors in case you are on snow, the dry sites tend to go fast on the weekends. Running water is present at Hogsback and Harrison/Mirkwood Camps. Blue Bags can be acquired free of charge from the Glacier Visitor Center. Please use them for all your human waste while on Mt. Baker. Remember to 'Pack it in, pack it out.' Happy Climbing!
Coleman-Deming via Heliotrope Ridge Trail - July 8, 2012
Grouse Creek is melted out and there is no bridge at this crossing. Travelers should be prepared to cross at their own risk and use caution.
The toilet at the old Kulshan Cabin site remains under snow still and is not usable.
Heliotrope Ridge Trail - June 11, 2012
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| View of the Coleman Deming Route from the Roman Wall |
Many climbers got out and spent their sunny holiday weekend on Mt. Baker's Coleman-Deming route. The mountain received a fresh dusting of snow on Saturday evening 9/1, leaving only a trace of snow behind above 8,500 ft. . The face above Hogsback camps continues to melt out as new crevasses have recently become exposed for the season. Climbers should be cautioned that a high traversing bootpack exists leaving Black Butte camps which leads into a majorly broken and quickly changing area of the glacier. Climbers were observed taking a lower line marked by an older bootpack from the Black Buttes which avoided this heavily crevassed section altogether.
Another area of concern lies at the midway point up Pumice Ridge, where gaining the ridge entails crossing precariously perched and eroding ice bridges which span the moat leading onto the ridge. Please use caution negotiating this obstacle. Lastly, the uppermost bergshcrund of the Roosevelt Glacier on the summit plateau is extremely melted out and exposed. This crevasse comes in very close proximity to the bootpack which leads to Baker's true summit, Grant Peak. In the event of fresh snowfall this crevasse may be easily hidden in spots in snowdrifts. Please be cautious not to let your guard down and be wise as to where you choose to unrope or travel unroped on the summit. Don't forget to use Blue Bags to pack out all human waste while on Mt. Baker. Thanks and enjoy the rest of the season. Coleman-Deming - August 20, 2012
Hidden crevasses and cracks are continuing to show themselves and melt out on the pitch directly above the Hogsback (photo to right) camps along the Colman-Deming route. All parties venturing beyond Hogsback camps should be roped up and prepared for glacier travel. Notable crevasse crossings at approximately 8,000 ft. and 8,800 ft. are showing significant deterioration and recent changes. All parties should be assessing these crossings before proceeding up or down the mountain.
Climbers should also be aware of the actively cleaving hanging glacier and icefall from Colfax Peak and minimize their time and exposure in this section. The rock band at the top of the Roman Wall is melted out and this feature often poses as a bottle necking choke point for ascending and descending parties. Please be considerate of other climbing teams while passing through this obstacle.
Running water is available at most camps. Please bring your own tent anchors in case you are camping on snow (dry sites go fast on the weekends) and do not remove rocks from the ridges to tie and anchor your tent down with. Remember, use Blue Bags to pack out and dispose all your human waste while on Mt. Baker. Thanks and Happy Climbing!
Coleman-Deming - August 6, 2012
Snow Level - 6,000 ft.
The past couple weeks have been filled with blue skies and warm temperatures. Many parties have been successfully summiting the Coleman-Deming during this time. Crevasses have been revealing themselves on the face directly above Hogsback on route. All parties should rope up for glacier travel prior to this section before leaving the Hogsback Camps. The large crevasses at 8,000 ft. and 8,800 ft. on route are changing daily and warrant a thorough evaluation before crossing. Climbers should minimize their time and exposure underneath the hanging icefall on Colfax Peak, as recent cleaving events have come close to the bootpack. Pumice Ridge is fully melted out. Groups need to be cautious not to dislodge rocks onto other parties in this section. The rock band at the top of the Roman Wall is becoming more of an obstacle as it is now exposed and melting out fast. Parties need to be aware of this hazard as well as the bottlenecking and choke point it causes. Be sure to allow other parties room and time to ascend or descend through this area. Lastly, a crevasse on the summit just steps below Grant Peak is showing. Climbers should be aware of its whereabouts especially in the event of fresh snowfall.
There are roughly 20 established dry tent sites at Hogsback. Please remember your tent anchors in case you are on snow, the dry sites tend to go fast on the weekends. Running water is present at Hogsback and Harrison/Mirkwood Camps. Blue Bags can be acquired free of charge from the Glacier Visitor Center. Please use them for all your human waste while on Mt. Baker. Remember to 'Pack it in, pack it out.' Happy Climbing!
Coleman-Deming via Heliotrope Ridge Trail - July 8, 2012
Snow Level – 5,000 ft.
Heliotrope
Ridge Trail is snow free for roughly 2 miles. A cluster of downed trees between
15”-35” DBH have recently melted out and cross the trail at 2.1 miles. The
remaining 0.4 of a mile to the glacier overlook and Harrison camps are still
covered by snow as are the last 2 channels of Heliotrope Creek. Harrison camps
themselves are snow free and a new pit toilet has been installed. The Climbers
Route up Heliotrope Ridge is mostly melted out at this time. Roughly 6 dry camp
sites exist at the Hogsback while most are still covered by snow. Running water
is now available at Hogsback Camps. As a reminder, there are no toilets on the
mountain this year. Please remember to use Blue Bags for collecting and
removing your human waste from the camps and while on route. Blue Bags can be
acquired free of charge from the Glacier Visitor Center when you register for
your climb.
Also as a
further reminder, please do not cache gear or food outside of tents or leave
unattended. Ravens are extremely active and curious during the day and mice
make their rounds through the night. Use food containers like bear vaults or
use a mounding technique in the center of your tent to store your food while
you are away for the day. Make sure you are leaving a bomb proof camp when you
set out on the mountain by storing any left behind items in the tent or under
vestibules.
The
Coleman-Deming route has been well travelled thus far and presently shows no
areas of dry glacier. Cracks have begun to show on route between 6,400 ft. and 6,600
ft. on the pitch above Hogsback Camps. Additional crevasses have begun to show
between 8,000 ft. and 9,000 ft. along the route. Parties on route should
minimize their time travelling under the icefall zone of Colfax Peak at approx.
8,800 ft. Pumice Ridge is now melting out and exposed. Climbers should use care
in this section to not dislodge or kick rocks onto their own or neighboring
climbing parties. The Roman Wall is showing a crack on the climber’s right at
roughly 10,200 ft. The rock band which exists at the top of the Roman Wall
although is snow covered, has begun to melt out on the climber’s right. Ascending and descending teams should avoid
crowding this section of the route. The summit register on Grant Peak is
currently buried by snow. Enjoy the season and please remember to practice
“Pack It In – Pack It Out” techniques for waste while on the mountain.
Heliotrope Ridge Trail - June 24, 2012
Snow Level – 4,500 ft.
Glacier Creek Rd. is snow free to the Heliotrope
Ridge Trailhead. Snow still covers the rest of the road leading to the vista
soon after passing the Trailhead bathrooms. Grouse Creek is melted out and there is no bridge at this crossing. Travelers should be prepared to cross at their own risk and use caution.
Heliotrope Ridge Trail is snow free for the
first 0.5 miles. The next 2 miles of the trail is mostly snow covered but
beginning to melt out with some intermittent dry sections. Please do your best
to stay on the trail and help prevent trail erosion by not cutting switchbacks.
Consistent snow coverage exists above 5,000 ft. Route finding maybe necessary
from this point forward.
Please remember, if you place flagging or wands
on your way in to remove them on your way out. The toilet at the old Kulshan Cabin site remains under snow still and is not usable.
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| Kulshan Creek |
The snowbridge over Kulshan Creek is beginning to
deteriorate and wash downstream. Please use caution when crossing. Both Heliotrope
Creek and the creek just before the Harrison camps are still fully snow covered
at this time.
Harrison
camps remain under snow. The Harrison
camp pit toilet is full and has been closed. It will be about another week
before suitable ground is snow free and rangers can create a new site. Please
make sure you bring enough Blue Bags for your stay.
Hogsback
camps are fully snow covered at this time. Overnight users should anticipate
snow camping conditions. Currently no running water exists at Hogsback camps.
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| Gargoyle Rock Camps |
Just
above Hogsback camps to the climbers left (east) at 6,800 ft. lies Gargoyle
Camps. This rock sits at the foot of the glacier and offers a few dry camp
sites. You can find running water here flowing over the rock in a couple spots.
As always, boiling or treating your water is encouraged.
Glissading or traveling down the gully directly to the west of the
Hogsback ridge on the Coleman Climbing Route is unsafe. There is a hole
beginning to open at approximately 5400 ft. over a snow covered creek and
waterfall. The hazard is invisible from above and has brought tragedy to
several climbers through the years.
Please
travel on Hogsback ridge to ascend or descend to and from Hogsback Camps and to
access the upper mountain.
Heliotrope Ridge Trail - June 11, 2012
Snow Level – 3,600 ft.
Glacier Creek Rd. is snow free to within 0.2 miles of the Heliotrope Ridge Trailhead. Less than 1 foot of snow covers the parking lot. Bathrooms are accessible as are the trailhead information board and user registration box.
Grouse Creek is melted out and there is no bridge at this crossing. Travelers should be prepared to cross at their own risk.
Heliotrope Ridge Trail remains under snow; route finding is necessary.
The toilet at the old Kulshan Cabin site is currently under snow and not usable. |
| Kulshan Creek Crossing |
The snowbridge over Kulshan Creek is beginning to melt out and develop holes. Both Heliotrope Creek and the creek just before the Harrison camps are fully snow covered.
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| Harrison Camps Under Snow |
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| Pit Toilet at Harrison Camps |
Harrison camps are still under snow. However, the Harrison camp toilet is melted out and usable.
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| Hogsback Camps |
Hogsback camps are fully snow covered at this time. Overnight users should anticipate snow camping conditions. Currently no running water exists at Hogsback camps.
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Drainage to the West of Heliotrope Ridge |
Glissading or traveling down the gully directly to the west of the Hogsback ridge on the Coleman Climbing Route is unsafe. There is a hole beginning to open at approximately 5400 ft. over a snow covered creek and waterfall. The hazard is invisible from above and has brought tragedy to several climbers through the years.
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| Heliotrope Ridge Trail |
Please travel on Hogsback ridge to ascend or descend to and from Hogsback Camps and to access the upper mountain.
