Advanced Splitboard Mountaineering Course Info
Photo: Alex Rupp
Day 1: Glacier Creek to Black Buttes
On our first day we met in the morning and completed a gear check at the Glacier Public Service Center in Glacier Washington. This perfect hub of mountain adventure is where our company is based and we launch many of our summer and winter adventures right here in town. In short order we were packed up, driving up Glacier Creek Road to the Heliotrope Ridge Trailhead and skinning directly from our cars. In typical fashion we made our way up to the Hogsback and Heliotrope Ridge to camp below the Black Buttes at 7,000'.
Photo: Alex Rupp
Day 2: Black Buttes Camp to Colfax Summit
From our camp we ascended the standard Coleman Glacier route to its saddle with Colfax Peak at 9,000’. From the col we skinned directly onto Colfax. At the time a sagging crevasse guarded access but I probed the snow bridge and never found a hollow spot. We skinned then boot packed to Colfax's 9,355’ subsummit. Here we transitioned to downhill and descended to the Colfax subsummit saddle. Good cramponing conditions and competent footwork allowed us to short rope up the final slope to the higher 9,439’ Colfax summit.
Photo: Alex Rupp
South Couloir of Colfax Descent:
Great turns were had riding off the summit of Colfax. A beautiful hanging snow slope teeters off the summit tilting away from the Salish Sea and Puget Sound. We rode 35- 40 degree southwest slopes at the top of the bowl into the narrowing couloir and above the crux constriction. The middle 1/3 of the route was narrow toe side slipping and gradually the couloir widens, emptying out onto the apron, around crevasses, and eventually onto mellow glacier turns over perfect sun softened spring corn, down to our camp on the lower Deming Glacier.
Photo: Alex Rupp
Overall Impression:
A fun and approachable climb to the Colfax Summit. While not very steep the South Couloir is a serious descent but was quite fun with good snow and beautiful position. One rider described this as his favorite descent of the trip. Camping in the flats on the lower Deming Glacier gave us a sense of isolation, ruggedness, and beauty that exemplifies ski mountaineering on Mount Baker.
Photo: Alex Rupp
Day 3: Deming Glacier to Mount Sherman Summit
From the lower Deming Glacier we easily ascended up the middle Deming Glacier and towards the standard Easton Glacier route. Continuing up the Easton to near the active Sherman crater we traversed the upper Squak Glacier to the base of the west ridge of Mount Sherman. Then up Sherman’s south ridge 
North East Face of Mount Sherman Descent:
From 10,000’ we descended 40-degree slopes on the upper Talum Glacier high above Baker and Shannon Lakes. Then we turned onto the 35-40 degree slopes of the North East Face of Mount Sherman. This led us to an easy bergshcrund bridge crossing onto the Boulder Glacier. We continued descending towards the Boulder/Park Cleaver and rode the riders left side of the Boulder Glacier. Camping in the flats of the cleaver, over looking Mount Shuksan and North Cascades National Park we soaked in the sunsetting alpenglow on the quiet side of Mount Baker.
Photo: Alex Rupp
Overall Impression:
This was a pleasant way to spend the day as dozens of groups climbed the standard routes. Just enough climbing to Shermans Summit to call it splitboard mountaineering with a fairly moderate descent. The north east face onto the Boulder Glacier was a great descent and a great leg for our 3rd day.
Photo: Eric
Day 4: Boulder Cleaver to Kulshan Summit to Roosevelt Glacier
We ascended the Boulder/ Park cleaver route following short boot packs in deep bucket steps mixed with sections of skinning. Soft travel conditions allowed us to skin the upper Boulder Glacier all the way to Kulshan's summit. A seemingly rare occurrence.
Photo: Alex Rupp
Summit to Lower Coleman Seracs:
Our descent took us down from the Kulshan summit towards the Cockscomb Ridge. Firm icy bubbly boiler plate kept the teams attention. Once at the Cockscomb Tower we rode onto the sun softened Park Glacier face. Crossing crevasses and traversing back and forth we descended onto the Mazama Glacier. Moderate slopes greeted us as we continued along the upper Mazama until we returned back to the Cockscomb Ridge. As the ridge broadens and slopes open up we exited down onto the Roosevelt Glacier. Descending west along the Roosevelt Glacier we trended towards the Coleman/Roosevelt cleaver. A passage through cliffs and willows delivered us onto the home stretch towards the Lower Coleman Glacier. A short skin then boot pack up to Harrison Camp and easy skinning across the snow-covered creeks brought us back to the bottom of Hogs Back moraine.
Photo: Alex Rupp
Overall Impression:
A beautiful link up directly off the summit, down the iconic Park Glacier with reasonable slopes, across 4 different glaciers for 6,000’ of vertical. On this leg the slopes were fun, position beautiful and the line, elegant.
