SummitPost.org

I am looking at either the Easton Glacier or Coleman/ Demming route this coming week. Has anyone been up either of these recently or have any idea on conditioins? Any info would be helpful. Thanks.

From first hand experience on the Easton Glacier in early August there was quite a few crevasses. Expect it to be a whole lot more. I've looked though SP photos in later August which from what I saw did not look very pretty (tons of crevasses). So it's probably possible, but with a lot of navigation. Perhaps someone who has done it at this time of year could step up.

Yea, a few years back I aborted an attempt in September for that very reason with the additional hazzard of about 10 inches of fresh snow hiding some of the holes. I remember thinking that without the new snow, it would be doable but very circuitous. (is that even a word?)

Circuitous means "roundabout; not direct". So yes it's a real word.

Win!

Summited this morning, Coleman Glacier route. Excellant conditions. Uncrowded for this time of year with about 8 teams summiting. Sunny and a bit windy on top. There is a boot path easy to follow. Lot of crevasses open make for interesting travel but no problems getting around them. Plenty of good bivy sites with running water top of hogsback trail at 5700ft. Looked over at the Easton when up high and looked good. Saw a couple rope teams coming up that route. With the weather forecast I say head to Baker.

What's the ol' North Ridge look like this time o' yeah?

Ben B. wrote:What's the ol' North Ridge look like this time o' yeah?

Not too current but I climbed Baker the first week of August and was surprised to see 3 parties on the North Ridge going for it. Lower down on the route the Coleman was showing some big crevasses but it didn't look too bad finding a way around them to the Ridge.

I bet it's raw and steep

I might have to make that my labor-day climb

We went ahead and did the Easton Monday aTuesday. I seems like it is in amazing shape for this time of year. It was relatively straight forward with a pretty good boot pack. It is in as good a shape as when I climbed it in early july a couple years ago. There were a couple adrenaline filled crossings, but all in all not bad. Remember to evaluate before you trust yesterdays route across a crevasse.

We left camp (6500) at 0415 and with several technical stops (partner was having chronic crampon issues), summited at 0925. There was virtually no wind untill the last 50 ft up to the peak, then it was about 25mph or so. Clouds moved in while we were summiting with a top deck of about 8000 ft and a ceiling of around 7000 ft so we really didn't spend much time in the clouds on descent. While on the summit, another party of two arrived via the Coleman/ Demming and said it was in pretty good shape. All in all, it was a truly epic climb. I love the North Cascades.

Been looking at North Ridge myself. Lean glacier conditions, makes crevasses easy to spot.
Anyone happen to know what the icecap is like? 30', 45' perhaps?
Looking at late September.

Recent N. Ridge trip report from cascade climbers:

http://cascadeclimbers.com/trip-reports ... 2012-6555/

mountainsandsound wrote:Recent N. Ridge trip report from cascade climbers:

http://cascadeclimbers.com/trip-reports ... 2012-6555/

Very nice ice, crevasses and pictures, the whole trip, so inviting.