Bastile Ridge, northwest of Mt. Baker and immediately north of the vast Roosevelt/Coleman Glacier complex that descend from the summit of the mountain, is a splendid vantage point. The summit of the ridge is visible at right in the 5th picture of my report on that trip.
Moss and young Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis) forest between Kulshan and Glacier Creeks (3500', 10:32).
The guidebook describes a climber's route to Bastile Ridge from the Heliotrope trail (Cascade Alpine Guide, Fred Beckey, 1977). I found intermittent evidence (and one flag) for such a route between the trail and Glacier Creek. Where visible, it appears to closely follow the 3600' elevation contour line on the map. More apparent, however, were dense thickets of mixed devils club, salmonberry and alder under the old growth Pacific silver fir forest. These end abruptly just past Kulshan Creek. Moss, occasional mushrooms and decomposing downed limbs cover the floor of a moderately dense young forest. The moss was the most dense and continuous carpet that I've ever seen. Seamlessly, it covered the ground and even large boulders.
The descent into Glacier Creek was steep and brushy for about 200'. I was able to cross Heliotrope Creek on boulders just above its junction with Glacier Creek. I forded Glacier Creek by leaning into the current on my long ash-shafted ice axe, moving only one support point at a time, and wearing aqua socks. The water was hip level and the current was strong. It was the most serious ford that I've done in years.
Coral fungi, locally common, probably genus Ramaria (4050', 12:02)
Tiny gilled mushroom, locally common, Hygrophorus miniatus perhaps. (4700', 12:38)
The ascent to the crest of Bastile Ridge was moderate with more moss and fern near the creek and largely avoidable brush a bit higher. Travel up the ridge crest was pleasant and mostly gentle though the open Pacific silver fir understory. It was possible to closely follow the crest even where it was narrow and densely forested.
Mount Baker, 10781'. The large ice cliff at 9000', left of center, has a maximum height of about 170'. Just above the ice cliff is the Cockscomb, 10000'. Right of the ice cliff is the Roosevelt Glacier that descends from the summit in a long ice fall. Heavy newly fallen snow clings to ledges on the Coleman Glacier headwall (just right of center) and the north flank of Roman Nose (right) and covers the debris on the glaciers. (5760', 13:51)
Mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) with Chowder Ridge in the background. Through binoculars, 26 mountain goats were visible near the top center of the image. (5760', 13:54)
Ice fall and seracs on the lower Roosevelt Glacier (6710', 14:51)
The terminus of the Coleman Glacier at 4000' and the Glacier Creek valley. (6700', 15:16)
Roosevelt Glacier (left foregroung), Coleman Glacier (above and descending to the lower right), Colfax Peak (left, 9443') and Lincoln Peak (right, 9096'). The latter are two of the Black Buttes that are located on the southwest flank of Mount Baker. (5750', 15:55)
Waterfalls at the terminus of the Roosevelt Glacier, 5200'. (5750', 15:55)
Sitka mountain ash (Sorbus sitchensis) fruit (5550', 16:10)
The transition to subalpine fir and mountain hemlock occurred very close to 5000'. The huckleberries were a little sparse but good. I reached my 6700' turn around point by 3 PM, 1100' short of the summit at 7842'. The views of the ice fall on the Roosevelt Glacier below the Grant Peak (10781') summit of Mount Baker, the water falls at its terminus and the 2.2 mile extent of the Roosevelt/Coleman Glacier system to the southwest were splendid. To the north, 26 mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) grazed about 300' below the crest of Chowder Ridge. A hawk, sharp-shinned perhaps, soared over Glacier Creek and a yellow-shafted flicker (Colaptes auratus) foraged nearby.
Descending through the forest with overcast and light rain, I needed my compass to stay on route on the broad ridge top above 4400'. In a remarkable, but unwitnessed feat of navigation, I returned to Glacier Creek within 100' of my crossing point. Without an altimeter, it may be prudent to make a point of remembering or flagging the point on the ridge where the descent to Glacier Creek begins.
Outbound, I crossed below the confluence of Glacier and Heliotrope Creeks where the creek was broad, shallow and the current weak, or so I'd planned. It was a little shallower in that only the lower edges of my running shorts got wet. Other than that, I can't say it was better than my earlier ford. It was certainly much wider and just as cold. At 3400' and downstream of my inbound route, I avoided the worst of the brush on the south shore of Glacier Creek.
Would I recommend this trip? I would with reservations. Due to the difficulties, it is an infrequently visited destination despite its splendid scenery. The ford of Glacier Creek is dangerous and may be impossible to cross safely earlier in the summer. The brush was moderate and minimal after the first half mile except near Glacier Creek. But, both in and outbound, it took me almost two hours to travel the 0.8 miles between the trail to Glacier Creek and manage the ford. The moss forest between Kulshan and Glacier Creeks is exceptional and unique in my experience. The presence of a half dozen or so meter-square untended experimental plots indicates that it is of academic interest as well. The route beyond Glacier Creek is delightful with no significant difficulties or routefinding problems.
Glacier Creek ford about 100 yards downstream of the confluence with Heliotrope Creek (3360', 18:34)
This graph summarizes my trip. The horizontal axis is 24 hour Pacific Daylight Time. These data were logged by an altimeter watch. My fastest hours were 1147 feet at 12:15 and -1229 feet at 15:45.
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Date created: 2004.09.12
Last modified: 2004.11.314
Copyright © 2004, Walter A. Siegmund
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