Climbing Mt Baker in and Elkommando

**brewerpaul** · 14th October 11, 08:11 PM

Ok Ive been meaning to post some photos from my climb on Mt Baker in the Cascade range of Washington. So here it goes. First I have to pour myself a couple fingers of Jack Daniels and get my head on straight. Mt Baker isnt the tallest peak in the Pacific Northwest but it is the most glaciated mountain other than Mt Rainier. I have been guiding on Baker for over 10 years and have summited about 4 times out of 10. As a climber I am conservative, I like my climbers to come home alive. This trip was the third trip for a friend of mine and his son and I was hoping it was going to come together. I had turned them back a two times before for various reasons and hoped weather and conditions held for us this time... They did. Mt Baker is only a 10,700 foot peak but from 6000 feet you are on glaciers. The risk of injury and death are always there so it is a very serious mountain. This past year, July of 2011, was preceded by late spring snow and cool temps. This can be to an advantage or it can make for problems. The advantage is crevasses that are covered so you can somewhat easily climb. What was unique for me was this was the first time in 8 climbs I climbed kilted. That is why we are here, for the kilts. This was really my first in wearing kilts, even though a few weeks prior I had bought an off the rack Hecktor Russell kilt in Scotland. I ended up in REI in Seattle and got an Elkommando kilt. In all my years of approach climbing with a fully loaded pack this was the most comfortable. The following photos show me in my Elkommando with my clients. Dan and his son Justin were pretty good sports putting up with me and my kilts. They knew me well and knew I was a bit different so the kilt was an amusement to them. The approach to 6000 feet is a 3-4 hour hike up the Helitrope trail to base where we set up first camp. Usually this area has been melted out and has some platforms for setting up camp. This year it was still frozen over with no running glacier melt. We set the next camp at 8000 feet the following day and then got up at 1 am for a 3 am summit start. I had them on the summit by 630 am with a beautiful sunrise. We back tracked down and decide to pack out and find the nearest pub to celebrate... In Seattle Kells Irish pub is the place to go and we enjoyed some good food and some really fine Edradour 10 year old scotch..... The following photos are just a few, mostly to show that a kilt is quite a comfy bit of clothing on the approach. On the summit we had high winds but warm temps so pants were needed, lest my coin purse be open to the breeze... Reaching the summit is never a given, always appreciated and quite a task....

Setting out on our approach,, fully packed

On the trail to base

Putting on the all important glacier glasses to protect eyes

Heading up Hogsback ridge

Kilted at base camp

A little glacier ramble

Camp at 8000

Achieving the summit

Summit, the wind would have raised my kilt

**brewerpaul** · 14th October 11, 08:11 PM

Rainier in to the south

Down the Roman Wall

Tired but happy climbers

Me in my kilt

**Riverkilt** · 14th October 11, 08:24 PM

You're a braver man than I sir. Great pics!

**Matty Ross** · 14th October 11, 08:45 PM

I grew up in the shadow of Mt Baker just a few miles south in Skagit County. Thanks for posting those awesom pics.

**CMcG** · 14th October 11, 08:58 PM

Wow, that is epic! Nice to see the Elkommando in its natural environment.

**Derek** · 14th October 11, 11:04 PM

Now thats what I call a fantastic adventure. Brilliant pics.
Iechyd Da

Derek

**celt72** · 15th October 11, 12:28 AM

Very nice! That is a great hike. I hiked it last year, but only made it to the foot of the glacier. I had to turn around when I twisted my ankle. Keep up the kilted hiking!

**brewerpaul** · 15th October 11, 02:23 PM

Just thought I'd put up a few more photos so no one was thinking I was stuck on pictures of myself. These are just a few more to show what it is like to climb Mt Baker,

Kitchen at 6,000 feet. No running water so everything was snowmelt.

On the glacier trail at about 5 am. Sun is still blocked by Mt Baker so still in shadows.

Early morning view to the west,

Looking up the Roman Wall. 1,000 Ft elevation gain at a very steep angle on snow and ice.

Topping the Roman Wall to the false summit.

Mt Baker's true summit knoll about 1/8 mile from the Roman Wall. People are usually fried by now and see that and curse a bit about having to walk further to the true summit.

Post summit carefully working our way down the steep icy Roman Wall. Most accidents happen on decent when people are very tired. This is when I have to be most alert.

Looking from about 9,000 feet at our 8,000 ft camp. The tent is the little orange dot in the center of the photo.

I always keep a sixpack of Alaskan Amber Ale in the rental vehicle. It remains cool, actually perfect cellar temp, and sure taste good after 12-15 hours of mountaineering.