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| Easton Glacier   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: Washington, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 48.77750°N / 121.8119°W Route Type: Glacier Climb Time Required: One to two days Difficulty: Grade III
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| Page By: gimpilator Created/Edited: Jul 20, 2001 / May 14, 2009 Object ID: 155616 Hits: 11094 Loading... Page Score: 5.43% - 4 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Approach  Near The Summit Crater, July 2007
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From Seattle drive North to Burlington. Follow signs to Hwy 20.
Follow Hwy 20 to the Baker Lake turn off (a left turn). Follow for about 5 miles.
Turn left at signs for the snow park.
From the Schreiber's Meadow trailhead follow the trail up the Railroad Grade, a prominent lateral moraine formed by the retreating Easton Glacier. Campsites on the Railroad Grade are available from 5500' to 7000' feet or higher.
***Stop by Tacos Guaymas in Burlington for some great Mexican eats on the way there, or save the treat for the drive home.***Route Description  GPS Route Tracks courtesy of SP user Ineher
Beginning at Schriebers Meadow, ascend along the top of Railroad Grade Ridge until it reaches the Easton Glacier. Continue to follow the climbers path north toward the summit crater rim. Above the crater it becomes steeper and is probably the most challenging / fun section of the route. From the flat top which is the size of several football fields, turn northwest towards Grant's Peak, the summit.
From the crater rim head up the Roman Wall to the summit.
Essential GearStandard glacier gear.
Skis in early season (before July) are recommended.Hazards
1) Glacier Travel - This route to the summit of Mount Baker involves crossing a glacier. Many climbers and snowboarders tackle this route earlier in the season relying on the idea that with enough snow, crevasses will be filled in or covered up. This brings to mind the saying "There are a lot of old mountaineers and there are a lot of bold mountaineers, but there are not a lot of old-bold mountaineers." Don't be reckless. Bring ropes, crampons, ice-axe, and the necessary gear to perform a crevasse rescue if a fall occurs. I have seen crevasse fall with my own eyes on Baker as early as April.
2) Avalanche - In early season (before May) be aware of current snow conditions and check the avalanche forecasts.
3) Weather - Mount Baker being one of the Cascade volcanoes that reaches above 10,000 feet has unpredictable weather. Be prepaired for all conditions. Don't venture into high altitude unless you are equipped for emergency bivouac. I have seen clouds hang over this mountain and higher up it turned into a full-on blizzard.
4) Snowmobiles - Due to the start being at a snow park, climbing this route in the early season can be extremely irritating. You have to hike in 4 long miles on a sometimes snowmobile infested road before you get to the trail head.
Don't do this route before May 15th unless:
A. You have a snow mobile
B. You like sucking exhaust.
C. You're on crack.
Skiing and SnowboardingThis route is very popular for snow sports, especially from the top of the Railroad Grade all the way to the car.
Before July you can usually ski up the valley below the Railroad Grade, which makes a great ski out. If you intend to stay off the glacier, make sure you know where the boundaries are located.
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Cascade Volcanoes
