Three weeks after first attempt I decided that it is a time to do it. It was my short vacation time, I had a guest from other coast, who also wanted to do something adventurous, so Mt Baker came in our schedule. Based on my fist expedition I made a plan with plenty of time for everything. On Sunday July 27 we dived to sunken ships, on Monday we should be on 11 am ferry to mainland, at 4-5 pm on trail-head, at 6-7 pm on the rock near the glacier enjoying sunset, and start at 5-30 am next morning.
Somehow I changed ferry time from 11 to 10 am. It was very strange, because it is not my habit to do something earlier then planned. But it was smart, because board took about 3 hours. Three hours of driving and at 6 pm we are at trail-head and ready to go.
If month ago forest and alpine meadows of Mt Baker were completely free of any blood-suckers, this time clouds of flies sought our blood. They significantly increased our speed. When we came to the forest border, it is become clear that one month is a lot of time for changes. If month ago snow field was just near the forest, now the blooming alpine meadows laid in from of us. Direct rout to the camping place though the snow field didn’t exist any more, and we started to looking for trail. There were two of them: narrow one in correct direction and footworn one near by. We decided that wide one is our and started. Trail was in correct direction, but didn’t take any elevation, and definitely was not going to our place. One hour late became clear that this is wrong trail and we need another one. So we turned back and returned to bifurcation point. Another hour. Luckily, the narrow trail was correct one and we came to camp place after the sunset. The good thing about altitude 1600 meter – complete absence of any blood-suckers. Quick supper and rest.
We did wake up at 5 pa, but morning was slow, and we started only at 7 am.
Sunrise:
Tent under the first sun:
Our direction:
Rocks with our camp:
Place to take crampons on:
Go
July was sunny and dry, so a lot of crevasses are open, and our rout is very snaky.
Crevasses:
At noon we were under Sherman peak. Mt Baker is volcano with huge fumarole between Sherman peak and summit. Smoke, sulphur…
Fumarole. Altitude is 2800 meters.
This white cloud is not cloud, it is volcano exhalation.
Crater. Altitude is 3300 meters. Summit – clue hill on the top of lacier, and this is the view from top to the Sherman Peak.
Author on the summit.
Descent
Crevasses again:
To our tent we came about 6 pm and decided to go down to the car, cold wine and shower.
But I could not resist to make photos of alpine meadows:
At 9 pm we were at the parking and ready for civilization.
