Alpine Ascents Guide Kristie Kayl just checked in from Mount Baker on the SheJumps 6-Day mountaineering course. As you can see, it’s a beautiful day up there and the group can’t ask for a more scenic classroom for practicing knots. In general, our mountaineering courses typically go to the Squak Glacier on the south side of Mount Baker. It tends to be pretty quiet in that zone and groups can spend almost a whole course without seeing any other climbers.
Some climbers on upcoming Baker summit climbs have reached out with concerns regarding trip reports referencing overhead serac hazard. Please note, the problematic serac is threatening the Coleman-Deming on the north side of Baker. We have not run any trips on the north side for most of the climbing season and our operations are only on the south side for the rest of the summer.
On the south side, the approach trail is snow free until Sandy Camp and climbers are leaving the parking lot in approach shoes. Teams are accessing the Easton Glacier around 6,800′. Sections of the mountain are starting to melt out and expose patches of glacial ice. The route is direct up to the crater rim and teams are reaching the summit daily with an average time of 6 hours from camp to the summit.
