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Mount Baker/North Ridge


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Mount Baker/North Ridge

Mount Baker's North Ridge is a Grade II ice climb.

getting there

Drive I-5 to Bellingham exit 255.  Drive SR 542 east 33 miles to the town of Glacier and get permit at Glacier Ranger Station.   One mile east of Glacier, turn south on Glacier Creek Road (Forest Road 39) and drive 8 mi south to Mount Baker Trailhead, 3,700 ft. 

APPROACH

Follow well-established trail to Heliotrope Ridge, then traverse Coleman Glacier to bivy site at 6,800 ft.

ASCENT ROUTE

From Coleman Glacier campsite, travel as directly to North Ridge as crevasses will allow.  Avoid passing directly beneath Roman Nose and Coleman Headwall. Gain North Ridge by ascending its west slope, then continue up ridge as it steepens below ice wall at 9,600 ft.  This ice wall is the steepest, most technical part of the climb.  Above ice wall, the ridge lays back to an easy gradient. Near the top, make a leftward traverse at the final ice formation to reach summit plateau.

DESCENT ROUTE

Descend standard route via Roman Wall and Coleman Glacier.

TRIP PROFILE

SEGMENT TIME (HR) ELEVATION GAIN (FT) Distance (MI)
Seattle to Trailhead 3 133
Trailhead to Camp 4-6 3,100 5
Camp to Summit 7-10 4,000 3
Summit to Trailhead 5 8

EQUIPMENT

Ice tools, pickets, ice screws and crampons.

NOTES

  • This climb is quite popular and bottlenecks sometimes occur on ice wall.
  • Suitable Activities: Climbing
  • Climbing Category: Intermediate Alpine
  • Seasons: June, July
  • Weather: View weather forecast.
  • Difficulty: Intermediate Ice Climb
  • Length: 16.0 mi
  • Elevation Gain: 7,100 ft
  • 10,778 ft
Map
  • USGS Mt Baker
  • Green Trails Mt Baker No. 13
  • Green Trails Mount Baker Wilderness Climbing No. 13S
Activities

Upcoming Activities



Intermediate Alpine Climb - Mount Baker/North Ridge

Climbing Trip
Difficulty: Intermediate Ice Climb
Sat, Jul 7, 2018 - Sun, Jul 8, 2018
Prerequisites, Leader's Permission Required
0 participants 0 leaders
Registration opens Jun 25
Seattle Branch

Intermediate Alpine Climb - Mount Baker/North Ridge

Climbing Trip
Ice Climb of Mt. Baker's North Ridge
Difficulty: Intermediate Ice Climb
Sat, Jul 14, 2018 - Sun, Jul 15, 2018
Prerequisites, Leader's Permission Required
1 participant on waitlist
Registration closes Jul 9
Tacoma Branch

Intermediate Alpine Climb - Mount Baker/North Ridge

Climbing Trip
We are doing the ice field trips on the lower Coleman glacier on the preceding
Difficulty: Intermediate Ice Climb
Mon, Aug 13, 2018
Prerequisites, Leader's Permission Required
0 participants 0 leaders
Registration closes Aug 1
Kitsap Branch

Intermediate Alpine Climb - Mount Baker/North Ridge

Climbing Trip
Difficulty: Intermediate Ice Climb
Sat, Aug 25, 2018 - Sun, Aug 26, 2018
Prerequisites, Leader's Permission Required
3 participants
Registration opens Jul 19
Tacoma Branch
Trip Reports
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