TR: Home, Sweet Home. Baker>Index>Rainier

[BettyDee]

These past couple weeks back home in Washington have been just what I've needed before heading back up to Alaska to guide Denali. Baker is a mecca for year round riding but is especially nice in the spring and early summer. In the springtime in Washington it's rare to see more than a couple blocks of high pressure and when you see them you go!

This trip we went up the North side of the mountain, up the Coleman-Deming route. There can be snow on the road up to the trailhead miles out depending on the snow year. I've skinned four miles on the road in prior years to get to the trailhead, this time it was only about a mile in a half. We decided to do a one day push, leaving the car at about 5am. We parked at ~3,000 feet and the summit of Baker is 10,781, making it a pretty big day.

Finally out of the trees, atop Heliotrope ridge.


Drew Tabke photo of me with the Colfax icefall beyond.


Conditions were great for skinning, firm and fast. (Split-crampons are essential for spring touring on the volcanoes). The crevasses were really big, bigger than I've seen them in previous springs and the glacier has changed a lot in the last two years since I had been up the CD. You can easily avoid most big cracks but spring and early summer is the perfect time for those snow bridges to be getting thinner and thinner so a rope, harness, crevasse rescue skills and smart partners are essential. If you don't have basic crevasse rescue and glacier travel skills, I offer courses through the American Alpine Institute up on Mt. Baker. https://www.alpineinstitute.com/cata...-or-snowboard/

We rode a variation from the summit linking together the upper section of the Roman Wall and the bottom section of the Roman Mustache. The Coleman/Deming route is a great ride but is a little traversy with a few ups and downs and route-finding to get up to the glacier but it's an absolute beautiful side of the mountain, my favorite.

We made some coffee on the summit and waited for the clouds to clear while getting a nice coffee high. Joe charging down the Roman Wall.


Tabke slashing.


Joe gittin' some under the rhimey Roman nose.


Joe droppin' into the lower section of the Mustache, a really nice kind of hanging glacier ramp.


Joe boosting.


We were tired so we went climbing in the sun at Index.... wait, the Champ never gets tired. Correction, I was tired.


Me, sending most magnificent splitter.


On to Rainier. Not too sure what our objective would be, Blaine and I headed out on the Turtle to camp for a night and practice some rescue skillz before we both take off for Denali. I've had my eyes on some bigger objectives but the snow wasn't right. It hadn't consolidated like I'd hoped so we did a Fuhrer Finger and Thumb lap the next day. Both super nice, sustained 2,000 ft lines. Pretty manky and it felt like 85 degrees booting up.


Blaine crushing the Fuhrer Finger.


Quick booter back up the Finger then dropped into the Thumb. Blaine having fun on the Thumb:


Whelp see ya! Off to Denali. Someone shred some wicked lines on Rainier for me while I'm away!

[Fritz]

Nice.


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[raisingarizona13]

Another BettyDee TR that delivers a crushing blow to my male ego.

Seriously though, awesome stuff. I'm going to share this with my 7 year old daughter.

[Shadam]

no shit RaisingArizona ...

and I thought I was all rad n hardcore n shit ...

I aint got nothing ...

[liv2ski]

I wish I had a huuuuuuggge monitor to look at these photos on, as they are fantastic. Have a great summer Betty and be sure and post some fresh air for us cubicle jongs.

[meter-man]

I like that Tabke looks like a hacker. Probably the first time that has been said by anyone ever.

Sick TR obviously...nice work. Looking forward to some Denali snaps!

[klar]

I spent two weeks getting rained on in norway with kyle and a certain photographer who apparently grew up two doors down from you and we totally talked about you. just so you know.

nice pictures!

[4matic]

Great color in those photos.

[Danno]

excellent

[klar]

bump.....

[N1CK.]

RIP ....

[MadPatSki]

RIP

[cat in january]

Thanks for bumping all these BettyDee TR guys. She brought so much life to this board. Every time I saw she had a new one up, I knew there would be goodness inside.

[Tye 1on]

Damn, one rough day. Rip chica

[spook]

she was one of my favorite posters.

http://earlyups.com/liz-daley-killed-avalanche/
http://unofficialnetworks.com/2014/0...d-by-avalanche
http://www.rionegro.com.ar/diario/mu...2202-nota.aspx

[BigDaddy]

Thanks for bumping all these BettyDee TR guys. She brought so much life to this board. Every time I saw she had a new one up, I knew there would be goodness inside.

Agreed. She was a breath of fresh air... will miss seeing these great reports.

[HansJob]

RIP Liz. You always cracked me up.

[cat in january]

Bobby you can bump Liz's trip reports for ever and I will open them every time. Such a wonderful soul to be able to touch me through these 0010011000111

[klar]

The pictures are gone but the vibe remains. As good a time as ever to appreciate the living. RIP, Liz.

[Danno]

I still remember her great TRs, her enthusiasm was infectious.

[Norseman]

The pictures are gone but the vibe remains. As good a time as ever to appreciate the living. RIP, Liz.

I'm still seeing the pictures, Klar. They have a Photobucket watermark but do show up, in the app, at least.

RIP Liz, sorry I never got to meet you, even though I'm sure we had crossed paths in the mtns.