MT. BAKER CLIMBING

Mountain Toilets Now Closed for the Season

2011-09-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

Mountain Toilets have been flown off Mt. Baker for the remainder of the 2011 season. Climbers are now responsible for collecting and packing out their human waste using Blue Bags or Wag Bags, which can be acquired at the Sedro Woolley or Glacier public service centers.

New snow was recieved on the mountain above 5,000 ft. over the past week and although climbing conditions are quite good for this period of the season, groups should anticipate the need for route finding and thorough crevasse evaluation. Enjoy the remainder of a great season, be safe and happy climbing!

Mountain Toilets on Mt. Baker for 2011

2011-07-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

Mountain toilets have arrived on Mount Baker! A total of 16 toilets have been delivered to camps on the northern and southern flanks of the mountain. These vault toilets can be found at the following locations until mid-September:

Black Buttes Camp @ approx. 7,200 ft.
Hogsback Camps @ approx. 6,000 ft.
Climber's Camp @ approx. 6,500 ft.
Sandy Camp @ approx. 6,000 ft.
High Camp @ approx. 5,250 ft.
Railroad Camp @ approx. 4,800 ft.
Cathedral Camp @ approx. 5,000 ft.
Park Butte Lookout @ approx. 5,400 ft.

An important reminder that the mountain toilets are receptacles for human waste and toilet paper only. Blue Bags, Wag Bags, food wrappers, camp garbage or any other form of waste removal system and or refuge is NOT to be put into the mountain toilets. Thanks and as always happy climbing!

Dangerous Moat Near Hogsback Ridge on Mt Baker's North Side

2011-07-08T22:13:00.000-07:00

Looking up drainage at 5,200 ft moat in left center of frame.

Climbers ascending Hogsback Ridge rather
than travelling near moat.

Moat in lower right of frame as
seen from Hogsback Ridge.

Snowfield on right leads to dangerous moat as
seen from the top of Hogsback Ridge. Please do not
use this drainage to descend.

The moat in the center of this frame can be
hard to see from above.

This moat is hard to spot until you are directly above it.

Wands have been placed to warn
against using this drainage.

Ranger finishes placing wands above moat.

Close up of the moat.

Uncharacteristic Snowpack, Hidden Hazards on Mt. Baker

2011-07-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

In light of recent accidents on Mount Baker, the USFS Climbing Rangers would like to take a moment to discuss personal safety and inherent dangers on the mountain.

Mount Baker endured an uncharacteristically long and deep winter with a great amount of late season snow fall. Recent weather patterns have preserved the snowpack well into the summer months and, as a result, campsites, landmarks, and hazards look very different than they normally would at this time of year.

Most campsites are still covered with snow and there are currently no sources of running water on either the north or south side of the mountain. Climbers should be prepared to boil snow for water and they should carry extra fuel for this purpose. Familiar landmarks are likely buried, epecially on the upper mountain, and climbers need to use caution when navigating in poor weather with decreased visibility. Most importantly, there are many hidden hazzards, such as moats, moulins, crevasses, cliffs, and unstable snow, that might not be visible, especially from uphill. Specifically, there is an open waterfall in the snowpack on Rocky Creek at approximately 5200-feet, below the Easton Glacier, that is virutally invisible from above. On the north side of the mountain, there is a hole in the snowpack at approximately 5500-feet west of Hogsback. It has been reported that a glissade track travels directly over this hole and descending climbers should use extreme caution to avoid this hazard.

Mountain toilets have not yet been installed at their normal locations and recreationalists are reminded to use either Blue Bags or Wag Bags to pack out their waste. Both are available at the Sedro Wooley and Glacier Service Centers. As always, be safe and happy climbing!

Snowmobile Accident, Rescue on Mt. Baker's Rocky Creek

2011-06-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

Open waterfall on Rocky Creek drainage.

On Sunday, June 12^th at approximately 14:30 the Mount Baker Climbing Rangers were skiing down the Easton Glacier after summiting via the normal route. Intending to return to their tent, which was located in the Rocky Creek drainage at about 4500-feet, the rangers skirted around a steep roller and were confronted with what appeared to be the scene of an emergency. 20 or more snowmobiles were parked beneath a gaping hole in the snowy face where a waterfall had eroded the snowpack. Most of these snowmobilers were surrounding the edge of the hole and when they noticed the ranger’s USFS badges they immediately requested help.

Approaching the waterfall, the rangers were informed that there was a woman trapped in the hole, that she was unable to extricate herself, and that she had been trapped beneath the near-freezing waterfall for 30-45 minutes. The senior ranger immediately radioed the Forest Service station in Sedro Wooley and described the emergency to them. Looking into the hole, the rangers saw three individuals: two men and one woman. The two men were attempting to help the victim climb out of the hole via a precarious snow ramp and short rock face. However, the victim was unable to ascend these obstacles due to a dislocated shoulder and the debilitating onset of severe hypothermia.

Site of accident.

Realizing that the victim had very little time to live, the senior ranger donned his rain gear in preparation to enter the hole while the other ranger began building a snow anchor. After descending into the 30-foot deep hole, the ranger assessed the victim’s condition and determined that the main risk was hypothermia. Luckily, the victim did not appear to be suffering from any major spinal or head injuries. She was responsive to pain initially, but she was barely able to move due to the extended period of time she had spent in the cold water. The senior ranger began rigging a rope harness for the victim while the other ranger began constructing a 3-to-1 pulley system. The senior ranger requested that the two men in the hole who were trying to help clear the area and return to their snowmobiles in order to get warm and safe. It was later determined that one of these men was the victim’s husband.

The senior ranger then escaped the hole and assisted the other ranger in finishing the construction of the pulley system. The snowmobilers who were surrounding the hole were given the end of the climbing rope and were instructed to pull. After extracting the victim a few feet from the hole, the pulley system became ineffective due to the fact that the prusik knot could not adequately grip the wet cold climbing rope. The senior ranger then decided to employ the Drop-C technique and rappelled back into the hole in order to arrange the system. This time, when the snowmobilers were given the rope and instructed to haul, the victim was quickly brought to the surface of the hole and secured there.

Then the process of warming, packaging, and securing the victim began. Her wet clothes were removed and she was placed on a snowboard for a makeshift backboard and set on a number of snowmobile seat cushions, which had been removed from the machines in order to keep the victim off the cold surface of the snow. One bystander continuously maintained control of the victim’s head in order to prevent potential spinal damage. Other selfless individuals contributed warm dry clothing to surround the victim and a group of snowmobilers remained at the victim’s side, constantly attending to any medical or emotional needs. A snowmobiler then transported one of the rangers to his campsite, where he acquired a down sleeping bag to package the victim.

Throughout this process, the senior ranger maintained regular radio contact with Forest Service headquarters, who dispatched a helicopter to the GPS coordinates that one snowmobiler had provided.

At this time, an American Alpine Institute guide and his clients arrived on the scene and began boiling water. The water was poured into bottles and packed around the victim, an action that seemed to greatly improve her condition. The senior ranger and guide began taking vitals at regular intervals, which showed gradual improvement. Snowmobilers and other bystanders continued to surround the victim and support her recovery in every way possible.

Victim being raised in litter from snow surface.

A Coast Guard helicopter from Port Angeles arrived in the sky above the scene at approximately 17:00 and, after burning some fuel in order to lighten their load, lowered a rescue swimmer and litter. The victim was loaded onto the litter, raised by the helicopter and taken to St. Joseph’s hospital in Bellingham.

Victim being loaded onto CG helicopter.

Having lost a sleeping bag and much of their warm clothing, and after spending longer on the glacier than anticipated, the two rangers requested help from the snowmobilers in returning to their car at the trailhead. A group of five snowmobilers assisted the rangers by loading gear onto their sleds and doubling them back to the trailhead.

From eyewitness accounts, it was determined that the accident occurred when the victim rode her snowmobile down and over a steep mound of snow, unaware that the opposite side contained an open hole. Bailing off the airborne snowmobile, the victim landed at the bottom of the hole, a fall of approximately 50-60 feet. She sustained a dislocated shoulder, a fractured rib, a fractured vertebral wing, and a hairline fracture on her femur. These injuries are relatively minor considering the magnitude of her fall and she is expected to make a full recovery.

In light of this accident and others like it, snowmobilers, skiers, and other recreationalists should be aware that hidden crevasses and other holes are present in the snowpack. These dangers might not be visible from certain angles, especially uphill. Always approach unfamiliar terrain slowly and with caution. Carry the proper equipment in order to be self-sufficient, including a sleeping bag, stove, fuel, extra food and warm clothes. It is also important to travel in groups so that if an accident occurs there are people around to help. Were it not for the efforts of snowmobilers, rangers, guides, Coast Guard professionals, radio operators, mountaineers, skiers and snowboarders, this accident would certainly have had a more tragic outcome. A huge thanks goes to everyone involved with the rescue.

As always, be safe and happy climbing!

Greetings from Mt. Baker!

2011-06-04T07:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome back for the 2011 season. We are currently working hard on the mountain to collect route reports. Please stay tuned for more updates.

2010-08-31T07:41:00.000-07:00

Techniques To Minimize Our Impact

2010-08-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

As most of the camps on Mount Baker have finally melted out to dry tent pads, it seems to be a good time to discuss systems in which overnight visitors can use to lessen their impact on the fragile alpine environment.

A piece of gear that the rangers don't leave home without and strongly encourage others to bring along is a simple strainer that is used to remove small pieces of food from your grey (dish or wash) water. By straining your grey water you can prevent fragments of food from being dispersed in and around camping areas, which in turn will decrease the activity of small critters, as well as the frequency and aggressiveness of their nightly visits. Strainers, like the one pictured here, should not cost more than five to ten dollars and do a great job catching food particles, which can then be put into your garbage rather than into the delicate alpine ecosystem. Practicing methods such as this one can go a long way towards preserving the health of Mount Baker's wilderness.

Leave No Trace!

2010-08-11T16:25:00.000-07:00

The snow has finally begun to melt out in the ridges and inner moraines in and around the climbers camps on Mt. Baker. Overnight visitors have had some short windows to claim there five star camp sites so far, however, as more of this flat and dry real estate unveils itself, there are some things we should all keep in mind to lessen our impact on this alpine environment.

Camping on snow where possible is still encouraged rather than creating a new camp site or perhaps disturbing a rehabitaited site.

If you are not prepared to snow camp (which all parties should be) and choose to make camp in an otherwise undisturbed area or on an old rehabilitated site, there are techniques which you can employ to leave these areas as pristine as you found them or perhaps even more so.

This series of photos provides a good example of how to alter an otherwise undisturbed site on a ridge in the alpine environment into a camp for the weekend and then return it back to a state similiar to which it was found.

The Sun Has Come!

2010-07-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

We have reports in on the Coleman-Deming, Easton, Squak and Boulder Glaciers. Get out and enjoy the blue skies of the Great Northwest!

No Mountain Toilets for 2010

2010-06-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

As a result of not having mountain toilets on Mt. Baker for the 2010 season, we are asking all overnight users to please utilize blue bags, wag bags or personal waste removal systems in order to collect and pack out all human waste. Blue bag and wag bag systems can be acquired from the USFS Glacier and Sedro Woolley Public Service Centers free of charge.

Not using any of the systems mentioned above is unacceptable, as are the findings from this past weekend near and around Hogsback camps. Leaving your waste behind, whether it is bagged or not, is a violation of forest regulation, not to mention incredibly irresponsible. Let it be known that violators will be cited for waste infractions.

Furthermore, all visitors are being asked not to deposit gear caches or leave belongings unattended unless they are within your tent or concealed by a vestibule. This includes extra gear, food, bagged human waste and trash. All of these items minus the bagged human waste should be stored inside your tent until your return to camp.
Additionally, blue bags, wag bags or personal systems need to be stored under your vestibule or buried under snow within your vestibule until your return as well. As you can see the ravens are already snooping around. Please take the steps necessary so you don't find yourself with a mess or your gear and trash spread throughout camp.

On a lighter note, here are some of the highlights from this past weekend on the north side of Mt. Baker.

Mt. Baker and Colfax

Bellingham Bay, San Juans and the Puget Sound

Robie Reid and Judge Howay

Lincoln

Colfax

Special Avalanche Statement from NWAC

2010-06-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

Significant avalanche danger continues at higher elevations on the volcanoes, mainly above 7,000 to 8,000 ft

To read the full statement from the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center please see here.

Welcome to the Mt. Baker Climbing Blog!

2010-05-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

We are in the process of collecting route reports and photos for your resource needs. Unfortunately, we only have a couple of reports in on the Easton and Coleman Glaciers for 2010. If you have any important information pertaining to route conditions or wildlife sightings please see here or use the 'submit a report' link to the right under the Mt. Baker Beta header. Otherwise, stay tuned as we will be working hard to get most of the route conditions posted by June 1st.

Furthermore, the Mt. Baker Climbing Rangers will not be back up on the mountain in uniform until the second week of June. We plan on having this blog fully operational by then as well. In the mean time please send all questions or comments for the Rangers to Mt.BakerClimbingRangers@gmail.com.

Thanks and Happy Climbing!