Mt. Baker Climb

July 15-17, 2004

Perry Weinberg

Some climbs don’t go exactly as planned. It could be unexpected whiteout conditions. It could be a team member who brings down the group. Or it could be that the glacier you expected to climb no longer exists (inside joke for those who joined me last year on the White Chuck glacier climb of Glacier Peak). But every so often, like a perfect storm or a perfect baseball game, the circumstances align themselves to yield the perfect climb, or at least a close resemblance. That’s what we experienced on Mt. Baker.

But first the basics. The group consisted of Larry Weinberg, Perry Weinberg, Adam Gravely, Stephanie Arbogast, Shauna McDaniel, and Felix Maxa. We hit the Scott Paul trail at Schreibers Meadow at about 11am on Thursday morning. We arrived at the saddle at about 12:30pm and then ascended the climbing path to snowfields, arriving at Cragview Rock at about 4pm. The weather forecast was for gradually worsening conditions through the weekend, so we decided to make our summit attempt that next morning. After setting up camp, filling up water bottles at the nearby water source, and eating dinner, we set out the ropes and did a brief skills review. Then it was in the tents by 9:30pm. Conditions were extremely mild, with the freezing level up to 13,000 feet, so we decided on an early alpine start to take advantage of consolidated snow and firm snowbridges. We set the alarms for 1:30pm and planned to leave at 2:30pm. Due to the lame Suunto altimeter watches, a few of us slept through the alarms, so we didn’t leave camp until 3:30am.

Stephanie adroitly led the climb. She avoided a small crevasse just out of camp and weaved around other occasional crevasses as we ascended the Squak glacier. Overall, the route up the Squak was in very good condition. The crux of the climb was a stretch below Sherman Peak as we ascended up to the ridge where the route joins the climbing path from the Easton. The rope teams consulted and charted a course through the crevasses. Stephanie probed carefully along a ramp that bisected the large 9000 foot crevasse, eventually making her way to the ridge. From there it was straight up to Lunch Rock. We were still in the shade, just outdistancing the sun, and it was cold and windy as we took our break. After lunch, we climbed briefly and detoured for a view of the summit crater. Then we headed up the Roman Wall towards the summit. We were now in the sun, but it wasn’t blazingly hot like the Roman Wall can be; there was a cool breeze off the snow, and the snow remained firm enough for crampons. The Roman Wall was underlain by a number of crevasses, portions of which were starting to appear below the surface. The “cow path” revealed occasional deep blue holes, signs of previous missteps, which we of course carefully avoided. The route was still covered with ample snow, however, and the Roman Wall was in excellent shape.

We ascended up to the summit snowfield and traversed across to the true summit of Grant Peak, arriving at approximately 11am. No other climbers were there, so we had the entire summit to ourselves. The wind was fierce, but we didn’t want to rush the summit experience, especially since this was the first Baker summit for half of the team. So we persevered for summit views and photos. We then took a break just below the true summit where it seemed to be slightly less windy. After what seemed like a sufficient time on the summit, we began our descent.

We were anxious to cross through the crevasses before the heat of the sun took its toll on the snowpack. The route held up well during the descent. Stephanie set a couple of pickets for extra precaution, and soon we were through the crevasses and cruising down the mountain. We took one more leisurely break in the sunshine and then boot skied much of the way back down to camp. We arrived at about 3:30 pm, twelve hours after we began.

At camp, some of us celebrated our summit climb by crawling into our tents to rest and get out of the sun. The others hung out on the rocks. We refilled the water bottles with another trek to the waterfall and enjoyed a leisurely dinner. Afterwards, we talked while we watched the sunset over Puget Sound and the play of light and color on Shuksan and other peaks. As the stars began to emerge in the nighttime sky, most of us had succumbed to a much-deserved sleep.

The next morning we awoke to bright sunshine that warmed the tents. We were in no rush to leave, so we delighted in lounging lazily in the tents before hauling our stiff bodies out to greet the day. We had breakfast on the rocks, highlighted by Larry’s French press. Our able backcountry barista served up cup after cup of delicious, fresh-ground Starbucks coffee. As the caffeine took effect, we basked in the sun, talked, located nearby peaks on the maps, and reveled in the beauty of our surroundings. Eventually, and slowly, we realized the onset of the inevitable, and began to prepare for our departure. We packed up and left Cragview at about 1:30pm. The descent down the snow to the climbing path and then along the main trail was uneventful, though it is worth noting that the Scott Paul is an excellent trail and in the last mile toward the trailhead, it harbors a number of enormous, magnificent, old growth trees. We reached the trailhead and the cars at approximately 3:45pm.

There is no magic formula for what constitutes a great climb, but in our case, there were a number of contributing factors (in no particular order). First, there was the campsite. Cragview is awesome. Period. Where else can you camp on the snow, cook and hang out on the nearby rocks, have an accessible and pure water supply, and have jaw-dropping views, from Sherman Peak to Shuksan, from Baker Lake to Glacier Peak, from Mt. Rainier to the scores of Cascade mountains in between, from the Twin Sisters to Puget Sound, and from the San Juan islands to Mt. Olympus?

Second, there was the weather. It was fantastic. The nights were warm, but not too warm. The air was calm. On the summit morning, while we readied ourselves and tied into the rope, we hardly needed an outer layer. The days were hot, but not too hot. The snowpack remained cool and firm enough for crampons. The skies were clear, providing ample opportunity for expansive vistas from camp, along the route, and on the summit. Our expectations were set low because the forecast was for increasing clouds and rain. Instead, the days got better and better.

Third, the team got along well and bonded instantly. Within a short time we settled into easy repartee, as if we were fast friends who had known each other for years. Everyone was considerate of each other and willingly pitched in to help with group gear and chores. Subsets of us had climbed together before, but this was the first climb for this team. Half the team had Microsoft in common. Two people realized they shared a close acquaintance. Three of the team had climbed Mt. Baker at least once before, while three of the team had not. Two of us are related, and it was an added bonus to do the trip with my brother. Two of the team were environmental lawyers. Two of the team were entrepreneurs. Two of the team had a sophisticated palate and enjoyed quality backcountry cuisine; the rest of us were happy with Ramen and water. We enjoyed each others’ company, and that makes a huge difference on a climb.

Fourth, the route was excellent. The Scott Paul trail is in great shape and is very enjoyable. The climbers’ trail from the saddle is about as good a climbers’ trail as one can encounter. The snowfields were perfect for kicking steps up to Cragview. The summit climb was just challenging enough with route finding and crevasse issues to be interesting, while at the same time pleasant, safe, and very scenic.

Fifth, we found solitude. We encountered nary a soul along the Scott Paul or up to Cragview. We saw no one else during our stay at Cragview. We had the Squak to ourselves. While we saw a few other climbing parties below and on the Roman Wall, it was not crowded, and we were treated to our own exclusive Mt. Baker summit. There was no jockeying for summit photos. Part of climbing is the opportunity to leave behind the hustle, the crowds, and the mundane of the daily grind. We enjoyed a true wilderness experience in addition to having a successful climb.

We also found an excellent post-climb eatery, the Skagit River Brewpub in Mt. Vernon (thanks to Adam). The team enjoyed delicious pizza and beer in a great setting (see separate restaurant review). It was a perfect conclusion to the perfect climb.