Route Guide: North Ridge Mount Baker

North Ridge Mount Baker:

Once reaching the toe of the ridge we exited the glacier and crossed the moat on a collapsed plug followed by 3 moderate to steep firm snow pitches to reach loose rock. A short section of scrambling loose rock leads to a couple more pitches of moderate to steep firm snow. At the time there wasn't much of a boot pack and the 2 teams in front of us left boot penetration to the balls of your toes. This was around 1030 a.m.

North Ridge Mount Baker Cont...

From the last rock band go up moderate firm snow up to a good dug out stance with good ice for screws or threads. We climbed 2m right of the true North Ridge of Mount Baker with quality sticks, good screws, very little rotten ice or shattering at AI3. Just to our right was another AI3 pitch that was picked & kicked out. While the skiers route up through an icy funnel, to the top of the rock stack and ice hourglass doesn't actually look that great with loose rock on the right and dirty ice through the groove to the top of the rock stack.

We did 2 x 30 meter pitches before switching back to long rope pitches. Recent snow filled in small depressions as the ridge angle eases. The snow and ice arete on the true North Ridge overlooking the Roosevelt Glacier had good crossover steps as we did 3 more 57m pitches that took excellent vertical mid clip picket placements in the consolidated summer snow.

Upper North Ridge and Exit Traverse:

The exit pitch followed an established track up a steepening slope that finished with big bucket steps over snow and ice. I took a belay and placed one ice screw since it was steep enough to have a bad fall. Another picket belay brought my two people up to the exit traverse that leads onto the Roosevelt Glacier and a pretty good stance.

The exit traverse is relatively easy but narrow, requiring face-in side steps at first, and consequential since it is exposed over steep slopes and crevasses. We placed pickets as a running belay but I would consider doing a belayed down climb and have them bang in a picket along the way to add more security with clients that needed it.

I would consider this section high consequence with moderate + likelihood. I could see more traffic widening the track and increasing secure movement.

Travel across the upper Roosevelt was easy with the bergschrund crossing on a collapsed plug. From a distance the snow bridge looked thin and hollow but upon inspection the plug looked quite thick and supported on the climbers left.

Descent:

The rock band at the top of the Roman Wall has melted out to a 15 foot section 35-40° slope of rock ice and snow. North Ridge guests might not be too bad but with typical Coleman Deming guests, added security seems like a good idea. The Pumice Ridge has melted on the upper half with good snow on the lower half. The large crevasse at approximately 8,700' continues to open and the snow bridge thinning.

The rest of the descent was in typical mid to late summer conditions with a well established track, occasional snow bridges and a couple track modifications due to changing travel conditions and crevasse openings