Mt. Baker Ski Summit Info. Requested

Hoping to get some good, timely info. on climbing Mt. Baker to the summit on skis.<br><br>Logistics: how many nights out, where? equipment requirements?<br><br>Commitment level: is there fatal exposure while on skis?<br><br>General: is a summit climb in August on a low snow year advisable?<br><br><br>

You should be able to get to Baker's summit in seven hours from the parking lot on the Coleman Deming route. It is often (usually?) done as a day trip. I like to camp under the rock ridge at about 7000 ft in order to summit earlier and have enough legs left to enjoy the ski down.<br><br>As to the "on skis" part. Folks usually boot the last 1700 ft. -- from the saddle. It can be skinned, especially with fresh snow, but it is usually easier to get in line and climb the stairway.<br><br>There is "fatal exposure" every time you cross a snow bridge, but the ski slopes are fairly benign. I don't think any part of the Roman Wall goes much over 40 degrees. Now, if you want to wander around on some other routes, ya, you can find exposure!<br><br>Generally the crevasses have increased the time and danger of this route by August, but it is still doable, from all reports. You will want to be with someone, and maybe have a rope handy for a crevasse crossing or two, but on the upper parts of Baker, this was not a "low snow year"! In fact, this may be the best volcano ski summer ever!<br><br>

Tim,<br><br>Great info., and I definitely hear you about snow bridges and exposure.<br><br>Spending a night out and having fresh legs sounds like great advice.<br><br>A group and a rope are prerequisites...<br><br>Any more info.?

Hoping to get some good, timely info. on climbing Mt. Baker to the summit on skis.<br><br>Logistics: how many nights out, where? equipment requirements?

<br>Zero to one nights. Take rope and glacier gear. Know how to use it.<br>

<br>Commitment level: is there fatal exposure while on skis?<br>

<br>Not unless you ski into a crevasse! The Roman Wall is the crux, and there aren't crevasses there. It's pretty tame.<br>

<br>General: is a summit climb in August on a low snow year advisable?<br>

<br>YEP!

We didn't ski the C-D but we were up there 8-7-05.<br><br>To get to Tim's camp site there are some crossings that require crampons to negotiate. Once at the camp there would be relatively safe yo-yo skiing almost to the saddle. To get to the saddle there are a couple fun crossings. The Roman Wall was pretty funky but it would have been skiable at 3:30pm. This was the second time we have summitted from the car and I don't think I'll do it again.

I'd also recommend an overnight. Summiting from the car is a 7000ft trek and one heck of a long way down when you can't ski the majority of the way this time of year. And while doing a summit ski in August is possible, I think it's much better earlier in the season so you can ski all the way to about 4500ft where you meet the trail. I did this on Memorial Day weekend-absolutely incredible. Yes, bring rope and crampons and walk softly I didn't skin up the Roman Wall-much easier and actually more efficient to boot it. Plus, if you slip on the skin, it's easy to lose good vert on the slide.