Heliotrope Ridge and Lower Coleman Glacier & Seracs

Temporary Closure

2/9/23 UPDATE: Forest Road 39 is closed to motorized traffic, beyond the washout at mile 3.8, and will remain closed for the 2023 season. Foot traffic is allowed, with caution, around the closure area. Please do not park in front of the barrier. The area in front of the barrier must remain clear, to allow for emergency vehicles to turn around. More information on road closures is found on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest's road and trail conditions web page and on the Baker Snoqualmie National Forest Facebook page.

getting there

From I-5 just north of Bellingham, drive east on SR-542 (Sunset Highway) to 1 mile east of Glacier. Turn right (south) on Forest Road 39 (Glacier Creek Road) and continue 9 miles to head of Mount Baker Trailhead (3,700 ft).

on the trail

Hike up Heliotrope Ridge Trail to the site of the old cabin. It's 5.5 miles round trip with 1,800 feet of elevation gain to a high point of 5,550 ft.

coleman glacier & seracs

From the cabin, follow climbers' trail (covered with snow early in the season) up the steep ridge to the moraine at the edge of the glacier. There are good camp spots on the edge of the moraine  below 6,000 ft.

noteS

• There are many crevasses on this glacier.
• Forest Road 39 (Glacier Creek road)  is susceptible to washouts.

Information for LEADERS

INTERNAL CLIMBING LOTTERY

• This is a very popular climbing area. Please review the relevant Internal Lottery Results document below.
• The 2024 Mountaineers Internal Lottery results are now final. Please select the Coleman Seracs tab to view the results for this location. If you are scheduling a course trip here for 2024, please check this spreadsheet before listing your trip to be sure your course has priority for the field trip date(s) you are scheduling and that there is no other course that already has priority.

• The 2023 Mountaineers Internal Lottery results are now final. Please select the Coleman Seracs tab to view the results for this location. If you are scheduling a course trip here for 2023, please check this spreadsheet before listing your trip to be sure your course has priority for the field trip date(s) you are scheduling and that there is no other course that already has priority.

Scheduling & Permits

• Use this route/place for glacier travel, crevasse rescue, and ice climbing field trips on the lower section of the Coleman Glacier.
• If you are scheduling this as a non-course related activity, please limit your group size to the default party size. The maximum party size is for use by course field trips only, and includes both students and instructors. Group size maximums do not reflect how course field trips are run (in smaller groups of students and instructors), but allow for course leaders to register the course in our system.
• This route allows multiple bookings. Please check scheduled trips listed below in the "Activities" tab to see if there is another group already booked on the same day. If so, please coordinate with them to ensure you are carpooling and teaching at different areas. Our permit allows for a maximum of two groups per day with up to 12 people each.

• Suitable Activities: Climbing, Day Hiking
• Seasons: May, June, July, August
• Weather: View weather forecast

• Length: 5.5 mi
• Elevation Gain: 1,400 ft

• Land Manager: Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
  Mount Baker Wilderness, Mount Baker Ranger District (MBSNF)
• Parking Permit Required: Northwest Forest Pass
• Recommended Party Size: 12
• Maximum Party Size: 12
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 24