12:00 p.m. Virtual Gear Check One Week Before the Climb Begins
Meet your lead guide on Zoom at 12:00 p.m. PST for a mandatory virtual gear check 1 week before your climb is scheduled to begin. This gear check will last about 1-1.5 hours. You are required to attend this meeting. Please review the Gear Check information and come prepared.
Please note transportation is not provided to the mountain on this trip. We strongly recommend a high clearance vehicle as the road to the trailhead is very rough.
7:30 a.m. Departure Day 1 of Climb
Climbers are responsible for their own transportation to White Salmon, WA. The team will meet at the Inn of the White Salmon at 7:30 a.m. for a 8:00 a.m. departure. We will caravan from the Inn to the trailhead. A high clearance vehicle is strongly recommended due to the very rough road to access the trailhead.
Day 2 of Climb
You will return to the trailhead between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on the last day of the climb.
Air travelers are strongly advised against booking flights out until the day after your climb concludes. Trip schedules will not be adjusted to accommodate return flights booked on the same day your climb concludes.
In White Salmon
We recommend booking a room for the night before your climb and for the night your climb concludes. We de-issue rentals on our return to the trailhead on Day 2, so you are free to book lodging wherever you’d prefer that night. We strongly advise against flying out until the day after your climb concludes. Trip schedules will not be adjusted to accommodate return flights booked on the same day your climb concludes.
Recommended Hotel in White Salmon
The Inn of White Salmon is our meeting point on Day 1 of the climb.
Reserve online: Inn of the White Salmon: Boutique Hotel near Hood River, Oregon
12:00 p.m. Virtual Gear Check (1 Week Before the Climb Begins)
Meet your lead guide on Zoom at 12:00 p.m. PT for a mandatory virtual gear check 1 week before your climb is scheduled to begin. This gear check will last about 1-1.5 hours.
You are required to attend this meeting so we can thoroughly check your gear, provide packing instruction, and review the climbing route and trip itinerary.
What to Bring: Please bring all of your gear to your virtual gear check. Your guide will ask to view the items on your webcam. Note that you do not need to pack carefully, as we look at every item together.
If you are renting gear from Alpine Ascents, you will need to make an appointment to pick it up at our Seattle office prior to your climb. You are responsible to bring all gear on the gear list on your ski descent.
Ski Boot Fit Basics
Having well-fitted, comfortable boots is essential for long days on the skin track and epic descents. We teamed up with the legendary boot whisperer, Megan Jackson, of Backcountry Essentials in Bellingham to outline the basics of boot fit. In the video below, she discusses physical aspects of selecting proper boots, supportive footbeds, crampon compatibility, and more. If you want to achieve true boot nirvana, we do recommend working with an experienced fitter like Megan to make the most out of your time on the snow.
Gear List
Link back to your gear list:
Check out this video for our 3 Day Rainier Climb, which talks through that climb’s entire gear list. Your trip requires some different gear, but the video should give you a basic understanding of much of the gear you will need for Mount Baker.
Packing for your Climb
Oftentimes when packing for a trip it’s easy for the extras to pile up and weight to quickly build.
Read our blog post on How to Downsize your Pack to help with those critical item considerations for your upcoming climb!
Menu Planning
For this climb, you are responsible for bringing your own food, including lunches/snacks. Your guide will provide hot water for your breakfasts and dinners, so please make sure to bring dehydrated or add-water-only meals for those. Your lunches should be ready to eat and not require hot water.
Overview
Food is one of the basic pleasures of wilderness travel. There are countless options for putting together healthy and delicious meals for your trip. For most climbs in the alpine environment, we eat approximately every hour during brief rest breaks. This constant intake is the most efficient way to fuel our bodies and meter our energy output as we climb. We do not stop for long “lunch breaks.” Your lunches should not require the use of a stove while on the mountain.
Basic Principles
A climbing or backpacking outing in the wilderness requires higher energy expenditure on a daily basis than what you may be used to. Eating well and frequently not only sustains energy levels but also boosts morale and attitude. In addition, mountains often challenge climbers with inclement weather. It is important that caloric intake be high and regular to help avoid hypothermia and other cold weather or altitude-related problems.
- Your food should consist of a well-balanced selection of food groups. It is best to plan most meals with high levels of complex carbohydrates to provide the most efficient long-term energy production.
- Refined sugars and simple carbohydrates, found in candy and other items, provide quick, short-term energy.
- Proteins are necessary for good health, but not in the quantities that most eat. On a short trip (3–4 days) lower protein intake levels do not cause problems.
- Fats require much more oxygen and time to metabolize (especially at high altitudes) which can be an important consideration.
Consider foods which are light and compact. Balance this consideration with nutritional needs and packing foods which taste good to you. Packaging should be minimal, but without sacrificing good organization and weather-protection.
2 Day Climb Daily Menu Sample
Breakfast
Having a hot breakfast is important, especially in cold weather environments. Most climbers go with instant or quick cooking hot cereals like oatmeal or Cream of Wheat, or dry cereals and powdered milk mixed with hot water.
Lunch
Lunch begins just after breakfast and ends just before dinner. It is the most important meal of the day and needs to have enough variety to keep you happy over your trip. Continuous eating of small quantities will keep up your energy levels for the whole day, especially on big travel/summit days.
Here is a sample of the types of things people bring with them for their daily lunches.
Day 1: Climb from trailhead at Cold Springs Campground (5,600’) to Lunch Counter camp (9,400 ft.)
Plan to bring approximately 1000 calories of lunch food for this day.
• Cold pizza or fresh sandwich
• Bagel with meat & cheese
• Your favorite candy bar
• Piece of fresh fruit
• Cold drink mix for your water
Day 2: Summit day (12,276′) & descent to the trail head (5,600’)
Plan to bring approximately 1200 calories of lunch food for this day.
• 4 energy bars
• 2 energy gels
• Your favorite candy bar
• Canister of Pringles
Sample Lunch Packing List
This list is intended as a sample packing/shopping list to create a complete “lunch bag” suitable for a 2-day climb. These items can be used in conjunction or as a substitute for the above menu sample.
Jerky (Beef, Turkey, or Soy) 2 oz Bag
Trail Mix 1 cup
Salty Snack Mix 1 cup
Energy Bars 1 Bar
Corn Nuts 1 Packet
Large Cookies 1 Pack
Candy Bars 1 Bar
Granola Bars 1 Bar
Crackers (Peanut butter or Cheese 1 Package
Bagels (1 per day) 2 Bagels
String Cheese 2 sticks
Mini Cheese Rounds 1 Round
Mixed Dried Fruit 1/8 qt Bag
Hard Candy 1/8 qt Bag
Cold Drink Mix (w/ electrolytes) 2 Packets
Energy Gel 1 Packet
Gallon Zip-lock Bag 2 Bags
Caloric info: www.whatscookingamerica.net/NutritionalChart.htm
Dinner
For the greatest preparation and cooking ease, freeze-dried food is often the most convenient option. Usually, these foods only require adding boiling water, and are ready within minutes. Don’t forget your hot drinks!
On the Mountain
All Nights of Climb
Sleeping arrangements: 2 per tent.
Bathroom: Go Anywhere Waste Kits (pack it out).
Cell coverage: Sporadic service with various providers. Clear days offer better cellular reception.
Leave No Trace
Alpine Ascents International practices Leave No Trace principles on all expeditions. We believe that given the proper information most people will do all they can to help protect and maintain the environment. Before your climb, please become familiar with Leave No Trace:
7 Principles of Leave No Trace
As guides, we spend time teaching the environmentally appropriate Leave No Trace principles and practices. There is nothing more rewarding than working hard to get high into the mountains, reaching a pristine campsite, witnessing incredible views, and having the feeling that no one has been there before.
Conversely, there is nothing more disheartening than working hard to climb a mountain, reaching a site and encountering trash, food waste, and toilet paper. Please read the seven LNT principles, and call the office if you have any questions about what you can do to plan ahead.
Tipping
Guides are permitted to accept and greatly appreciate tips. The amount of tip is at your discretion, but tips for excellent service normally average 10-15% of the cost of the program, or $100-150. Our guides pool tips and share them equally.
Please be aware that we are unable to process tips by card. You are welcome to tip your guides with cash or via mobile payment such as Venmo or PayPal.
Every aspect of the trip from airport pick up to summit was well thought out and executed. The personal attention paid to the climbers to get them to the summit was above and beyond the call, it is the reason I use Alpine Ascents.
