Mt. Baker Summit Attempt 6/25 & 26

Only a 1000 Feet to Go

Well we didn't make it to the top but we came pretty close. We turned back at 9700 feet due to 40 mph winds where we were and higher winds at the summit. I thought I was the only one that was almost getting blown off my feet. When Vern who weighs 200pds ( of lean muscle) said he almost got blown over it became obvious that continuing was not an option. 2 other teams turned back before we did. One team made it to the top. They left at midnight at summited at 430am. Then they said the winds hit and it about then and it took them quite awhile to get off the summit because of 60 mph+ winds at the top. But thats only part of the story. Even though we didn't summit the attempt in itself was an incredible experience.

"Of the gladdest moments in human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of Habit, the leaden weight of Routine, the cloak of many Cares and the slavery of Home, man feels once more happy. The blood flows with the fast circulation of childhood...Afresh dawns the morn of life.

—Richard Burnon, journal entry, December 2, 1856

There were eight of us on this climb. Seven fit guys and me. Its a little intimidating to be the only woman on an adventure but these guys were great. Vern was hilarious, always cracking jokes and seeing the light side of life. It was a constant interplay of words and observations. Jonny was an awesome leader who obviously knows his stuff. He kept us moving and motivated. Rick was awesome since it was his first time mt. climbing and had wanted to take the easy route but didn't! Ed, the other photographer in the group, needed to be weighted down to slow him down. Joe, mister photogenic, seems to be one of those quiet easy going guys who just goes with the flow, Dave F. gave a incredible variation of belches throughout the trip (wouldn't be a guys trip without them (o:). Rick was our military advisor and rock climbing expert along with Jonny. They helped us belay down the 40 ft wall on the way out. Anyway great group of guys to climb with. Thanks!

We started off at 10am on Saturday for a long hike to base camp. The trail wasn't much more than a well worn game trail. We walked through forested bog, over logs, up steep sidehills using roots and vegetation for belaying ourselves upward. The first part of the hike was through deep forest and a marshy swamp. Then we came to a 40 foot Class 4 wall that we had to scramble up with our packs on. Below our perch was the ground moraine and a cascade of waterfalls. The wall was a hub for climbers coming down and climbers going up since only one person could scale or descend because of the risk of rock fall. It was a lot of fun climbing up except for a few rock souvenier holds at the top which I avoided an opted for the roots instead. From there it was a climb along a rock ridgeline of boulders and loose rock and dirt, along a trail that really looked more like a creek at times. Then we hit the snow and hiked along the ridge back.

Our goal was 8000ft but we decided to camp at 6000ft and start fresh with lighter packs in the morning. We set up base camp at the beginning of the crevasse field. The sun came out and we had incredible views of the mountain summit, Baker Lake in the valley below, and the surrounding ridges and peaks. The only one we didn't get to see was Mt. Shucksan. I did however get an awesome view of Shucksan around 930pm. We set up camp, ate our assorted garp, and hit the sack around 7pm with wake up at 1am.

I awoke at midnight. I swear I'll never drink a liter of water before bed again. (all these little details that I've learned over the past few months). Anyway I decided to just stay up, enjoy the incredible night sky with the moon lighting up the snow fields, clear skies, and a clear view of the summit. It was warm and calm. Perfect for climbing.

We geared up and roped up by 2am. Then we were off. 2 rope teams of 4 on ascent. Headlights illuminating the track before us. Jonny was lead climber and Vern was sweep. We set a steady pace and made great time up the route. It was incredible to be climbing in the middle of the night along large snowfields and then steep climbs up to the next snowfield. Below us a sea of cloud spread out around the mountain and we watched as the sky grew lighter and then a thin edge of sunlight spread above the cloud horizon. It was pretty easy going until about 430-5am when the sun started to come up and the winds hit. There is normally the morning winds but the winds became stronger as we ascended. I had my rain pack cover on and the wind was whipping it around. I stopped and took it off. I was going to be parasailing towards a crevasse with my duck back pack rain cover if I didn't get it stowed away. I had a hard time staying on my feet at times as strong gusts of wind came at me sideways. I dug my ice axe in for an anchor. I thought maybe because I was the smallest one in the group that it was just me that was getting blown around. At 9700ft with howling wind and winds whipping around the summit we had a group meeting and decided to turn back. It was blowing like crazy where we were and it looked worse towards the summit. It was a decision point because the next area we had to navigate through was a crevasse field. It was disappointing not to make it to the summit but I think we all felt like it was the best decision. That's mountain climbing. Knowing when to turn around is sometimes more important than making it to the summit. There is always next time.

The descent was just as fun as the climb up. We descended the softening snowfield back to base camp, ate, packed up and hit the trail at 9am. We made good time and I discoved by accident (I couldn't stay on my feet in the soft snow) that I could take the easy way down the lower snowfields by glisading. Rick and Dave joined me and we easily caught up with Jonny and Ed. Then it was down the rocky area to the rock wall. Jonny and Dave set up a belay system and each of us took turns belaying down the rock wall. It was intimidating for me at first and then as I eased up it was a lot of fun to lean back and let the rope slide through my belay device as I found footing along the wall. Wheew, I made it. At the bottom I photographed the rest of the group coming down. Then we packed up and set a fast pace back through the forest, the swamp, the bogs, over logs, and then the last two relatively maintained miles to the trailhead. We came out to the parking lot and found the fast guys, Jonny, Ed, Dave, and Joe hanging out eating the left over Krispy Cream donuts. " Hey, where's my Apple Fritter?" Dave looked sheepishly and exclaimed " It tasted pretty good"!

Game Trail Ascent	Our Fearless Leader, Jonny	The Swamp Crossing
Where's the Trail?	Creek Trail	Ground Moraine
Waterfall	Jonny Scaling 40 ft Class 4 Wall	A peak at the Terminal Moraine
Terminus	Rick, with a Power P,B, & J	Dave
Dave Again	Ed Scaling Wall	Ed
Dan, Oh, I Mean Dave (o:	Rick, Climbing Wall	Rick Again
On Our Way to Base Camp	Jonny	Clouds Lifting
Deciding Where to Camp	Blue Sky Poking Through the Clouds	Joe and Rick
Jonny Viewing the Summit	Glacier	Glacier Formations
Jaws of the Glacier	Dave	Joe, Mister Photogenic