willbo - May 30, 2012 3:06 pm Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2009
Maybe not Chaco's next time.
NW ridge route. Gully was slick and my sandaled feet saw much mud. Overcast so no veiw. Fun scramble.
vineethm - May 17, 2012 2:08 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2012
Fantastic day out
Summitted on a great day. Were able to hit the ridge, bypassing most of the snow; used the snow to come down though (it was softer). Dropping from the north summit into the col was steep, and we saw evidence that other parties had rapped down. I guess carrying a rap rope (even for an arm rap) might have been useful. The col is in great shape though for kicking steps up on.
ScrambledLeggs - Jun 8, 2011 4:38 pm Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2009
Steep Stuff
Loved the central view of the Sky Valley.
nlunstrum - Feb 12, 2011 10:20 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2010
NW Ridge
Snow, rain, and fog from the basin on up. Finally started to clear near the top.
Snidely Whiplash - Jan 3, 2011 4:07 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2003
Fun Peak
Now this is a fun peak. It starts out steep and hard, but is then a relatively easy ridge trail, then a steep climb from the saddle between the lower summit and true summit. Great views across the chasm to Gunn and Merchant Peaks.
TimmyC - Aug 21, 2010 11:55 am Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2010
The grunt by which other grunts may be measured
Wow. These logs weren't kidding about the steepness. The downhill was almost harder than the uphill due to the slipperiness of the dry dirt. The talus field was a lot of fun, except where it got small and loose at the top. After the saddle between the south and main peaks (how DO you get up South Baring anyway?), we didn't have good luck staying on the rather-faint-in-places trail and went too far left, then, finding the trail again, lost it again and went too far right. It was a lot easier to follow down from the summit to the saddle. We eventually figured it out and got to the top. Great views, all the clouds down low had burned off, and, after a hot, hot week in Seattle, today the temps were really mild and pleasant.
By the way, anyone know what's with all that scrap lumber around the summit block?
This trail is steep! One of, if not the steepest trail I've hiked. There was snow in the gully, but no "snow wall" to be seen, just some class 3 rock. Really fun scrambling from the gully to the summit. It took just under 3 hours for the way up (2 stops at streams to refill my water, 1 for a snack), and just under 2 for the way down. My quads were not happy with the steep descent and my trekking poles were heavily relied upon. Great views from the summit though, well worth it! :)
Arkitekt - Jul 18, 2010 12:36 am Date Climbed: Aug 4, 2009
Summer Ascent
Nice steep climb Mailbox type incline but with much better scenery and the reward at the top, priceless. I encountered two BASE jumpers along my hike. They put down in the marshy area just East of Barclay Lake.
Went up with crampons and ice axe; I used crampons because I am still new at the snow climbing thing. A couple other guys made it without crampons, but with axes. What is left of the "snow wall" is easily climbed. Berries are still green. The mud is only at the bottom of the first part, and is soon behind you.
gimpilator - Jun 13, 2010 11:10 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2010
Baring Rocks!
Redwic pretty much said it all. The steep mud in the trees below the ridge was not much fun but the rest of the route was. I'm so happy, I stood on top of Baring today!
Redwic - Jun 13, 2010 10:21 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2010
An Awesome End To An Awesome Weekend!
After doing Desolation Peak as a *very long* day-trip the previous day, Gimpilator and I got back home by midnight but decided we had enough energy and enthusiasm to do another peak the following day. Due to our lateness, and with no time to gather other partners or join other trips, we agreed to attempt Mount Baring... a high priority peak for each of us and one which we recently heard had favorable snow conditions. The steep (and sometimes muddy) forested ascent/descent was not fun, but the ridge walk was enjoyable and the snow ascent (and glissade) closer to the peak was awesome. No crampons were needed but an ice axe was essential. The snow conditions were perfect for us. We were the only two people who made the summit that day, and clouds moved in shortly after we made the summit (preventing at least two other people from making it to the summit, due to a possible approaching storm system and potentially bad visibility). Everything worked well for our trek, and for our entire weekend for that matter.
This completed two great peaks in one weekend with approximately 10,000' total elevation gain. Woohoo!
I actually expected this to be more difficult than it was. The trail is marked very, very well in orange, pink, and yellow surveyor's tape, as well as red and silver mylar. Finding the route was no issue- it's obviously climbed relatively often. Don't get me wrong, this trail is STEEP, except for the 3/4 of a mile along the ridge line.
I missed out on the views though- the fog never truly lifted at all. I had a couple hundred visibility at best, and next to zero on the way down.
70 minutes to the top of the ridge, 50 minutes to the talus basin, 25 minutes to the saddle, and 20 more to the summit, for a total of 2 hours and 45 minutes up. Descent took 2 hours and 5 minutes, and was made all the more fun by the fog and yesterday's rain. Good times!
larryN - Oct 3, 2008 12:56 am Date Climbed: May 31, 2008
NW ridge
We started up on avalanche snow about 100m before the normal route. Some snow before the ridge, and about 50% of the ridge walk was on snow. After dropping right (south) of the ridge, the rest of the way was on snow. The snow wall after the col was about 60 deg. Here's our route.
mvs - Sep 9, 2008 2:00 pm Date Climbed: May 15, 2004
NWRidge
Nice climb, pretty snowy at the top, but a lot of fun. Solo.
BKW - May 29, 2008 5:50 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2008
NW Ridge
This climb kicked my trash. Factoring in all the getting lost, over-zealous route finding, waffling, and a seventy foot wall of slush we had to scale out of the notch (yikes!) this climb took 11 hours. The view was amazing and the weather was beautiful. Great climb.
Dan Winter - May 14, 2008 9:24 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2006
NW Ridge
Fun scramble with the Seattle Mountaineers.
osatrik - Sep 1, 2006 6:08 am Date Climbed: Oct 30, 1994
Late season climb - turned back
After the tough parts, we turned around at the big talus field because there was just enough snow to make it really trecherous -- covering the holes but not filling them!
Snow free until basin. Ice Axe a plus. Little to no snow above notch at 5600'. Couldn't find a summit register. Great veiws.
kgriggs - Jun 14, 2006 2:41 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2006
NW Ridge
A great scramble and a knee burner. There was snow in the gully and most of the way to the summit after the notch. We waited until later in the afternoon and the snow was perfect for kicking steps up and boot sking on the way down. We only had hiking poles and thats all we needed.
ren - Feb 15, 2006 3:51 am Date Climbed: Feb 26, 2005
Route Climbed; NW Ridge 2/26/05
Early season made the trip up to the ridge painless,no bushwhack. Great scramble. 2 down 3 to go.
willbo - May 30, 2012 3:06 pm Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2009
Maybe not Chaco's next time.NW ridge route. Gully was slick and my sandaled feet saw much mud. Overcast so no veiw. Fun scramble.
vineethm - May 17, 2012 2:08 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2012
Fantastic day outSummitted on a great day. Were able to hit the ridge, bypassing most of the snow; used the snow to come down though (it was softer). Dropping from the north summit into the col was steep, and we saw evidence that other parties had rapped down. I guess carrying a rap rope (even for an arm rap) might have been useful. The col is in great shape though for kicking steps up on.
ScrambledLeggs - Jun 8, 2011 4:38 pm Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2009
Steep StuffLoved the central view of the Sky Valley.
nlunstrum - Feb 12, 2011 10:20 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2010
NW RidgeSnow, rain, and fog from the basin on up. Finally started to clear near the top.
Snidely Whiplash - Jan 3, 2011 4:07 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2003
Fun PeakNow this is a fun peak. It starts out steep and hard, but is then a relatively easy ridge trail, then a steep climb from the saddle between the lower summit and true summit. Great views across the chasm to Gunn and Merchant Peaks.
TimmyC - Aug 21, 2010 11:55 am Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2010
The grunt by which other grunts may be measuredWow. These logs weren't kidding about the steepness. The downhill was almost harder than the uphill due to the slipperiness of the dry dirt. The talus field was a lot of fun, except where it got small and loose at the top. After the saddle between the south and main peaks (how DO you get up South Baring anyway?), we didn't have good luck staying on the rather-faint-in-places trail and went too far left, then, finding the trail again, lost it again and went too far right. It was a lot easier to follow down from the summit to the saddle. We eventually figured it out and got to the top. Great views, all the clouds down low had burned off, and, after a hot, hot week in Seattle, today the temps were really mild and pleasant.
By the way, anyone know what's with all that scrap lumber around the summit block?
awilsondc - Jul 19, 2010 3:52 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2010
Route Climbed: NW ridgeThis trail is steep! One of, if not the steepest trail I've hiked. There was snow in the gully, but no "snow wall" to be seen, just some class 3 rock. Really fun scrambling from the gully to the summit. It took just under 3 hours for the way up (2 stops at streams to refill my water, 1 for a snack), and just under 2 for the way down. My quads were not happy with the steep descent and my trekking poles were heavily relied upon. Great views from the summit though, well worth it! :)
Arkitekt - Jul 18, 2010 12:36 am Date Climbed: Aug 4, 2009
Summer AscentNice steep climb Mailbox type incline but with much better scenery and the reward at the top, priceless. I encountered two BASE jumpers along my hike. They put down in the marshy area just East of Barclay Lake.
obumbrabit - Jul 11, 2010 11:57 pm Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2010
No BerriesWent up with crampons and ice axe; I used crampons because I am still new at the snow climbing thing. A couple other guys made it without crampons, but with axes. What is left of the "snow wall" is easily climbed. Berries are still green. The mud is only at the bottom of the first part, and is soon behind you.
gimpilator - Jun 13, 2010 11:10 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2010
Baring Rocks!Redwic pretty much said it all. The steep mud in the trees below the ridge was not much fun but the rest of the route was. I'm so happy, I stood on top of Baring today!
Redwic - Jun 13, 2010 10:21 pm Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2010
An Awesome End To An Awesome Weekend!After doing Desolation Peak as a *very long* day-trip the previous day, Gimpilator and I got back home by midnight but decided we had enough energy and enthusiasm to do another peak the following day. Due to our lateness, and with no time to gather other partners or join other trips, we agreed to attempt Mount Baring... a high priority peak for each of us and one which we recently heard had favorable snow conditions. The steep (and sometimes muddy) forested ascent/descent was not fun, but the ridge walk was enjoyable and the snow ascent (and glissade) closer to the peak was awesome. No crampons were needed but an ice axe was essential. The snow conditions were perfect for us. We were the only two people who made the summit that day, and clouds moved in shortly after we made the summit (preventing at least two other people from making it to the summit, due to a possible approaching storm system and potentially bad visibility). Everything worked well for our trek, and for our entire weekend for that matter.
This completed two great peaks in one weekend with approximately 10,000' total elevation gain. Woohoo!
Cascade Scrambler - Aug 15, 2009 9:23 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2009
Views obscured by fogI actually expected this to be more difficult than it was. The trail is marked very, very well in orange, pink, and yellow surveyor's tape, as well as red and silver mylar. Finding the route was no issue- it's obviously climbed relatively often. Don't get me wrong, this trail is STEEP, except for the 3/4 of a mile along the ridge line.
I missed out on the views though- the fog never truly lifted at all. I had a couple hundred visibility at best, and next to zero on the way down.
70 minutes to the top of the ridge, 50 minutes to the talus basin, 25 minutes to the saddle, and 20 more to the summit, for a total of 2 hours and 45 minutes up. Descent took 2 hours and 5 minutes, and was made all the more fun by the fog and yesterday's rain. Good times!
larryN - Oct 3, 2008 12:56 am Date Climbed: May 31, 2008
NW ridgeWe started up on avalanche snow about 100m before the normal route. Some snow before the ridge, and about 50% of the ridge walk was on snow. After dropping right (south) of the ridge, the rest of the way was on snow. The snow wall after the col was about 60 deg. Here's our route.
mvs - Sep 9, 2008 2:00 pm Date Climbed: May 15, 2004
NWRidgeNice climb, pretty snowy at the top, but a lot of fun. Solo.
BKW - May 29, 2008 5:50 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2008
NW RidgeThis climb kicked my trash. Factoring in all the getting lost, over-zealous route finding, waffling, and a seventy foot wall of slush we had to scale out of the notch (yikes!) this climb took 11 hours. The view was amazing and the weather was beautiful. Great climb.
Dan Winter - May 14, 2008 9:24 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2006
NW RidgeFun scramble with the Seattle Mountaineers.
osatrik - Sep 1, 2006 6:08 am Date Climbed: Oct 30, 1994
Late season climb - turned backAfter the tough parts, we turned around at the big talus field because there was just enough snow to make it really trecherous -- covering the holes but not filling them!
boonedoogle - Jul 5, 2006 10:20 pm Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2006
NW RidgeSnow free until basin. Ice Axe a plus. Little to no snow above notch at 5600'. Couldn't find a summit register. Great veiws.
kgriggs - Jun 14, 2006 2:41 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2006
NW RidgeA great scramble and a knee burner. There was snow in the gully and most of the way to the summit after the notch. We waited until later in the afternoon and the snow was perfect for kicking steps up and boot sking on the way down. We only had hiking poles and thats all we needed.
ren - Feb 15, 2006 3:51 am Date Climbed: Feb 26, 2005
Route Climbed; NW Ridge 2/26/05Early season made the trip up to the ridge painless,no bushwhack. Great scramble. 2 down 3 to go.