Page 13 - 2009 AMA Summer

is reminiscent of Switzerland, only without the huts and with some fairly thought pro- voking approaches. Think of an alpine play- ground of precipitous summits linked by ser- rated ridges stacked on top of rainforest and you would not be far wrong.
Our guidebook describes the approach to one particular peak as follows: ‘The Mountain is guarded by long rugged approaches that inflict real hardship on the climber.’ The approach involves ‘notorious and unsavoury bushwacking sections’.
This honest description did not inspire us to step up to the mark and we generally opted for less arduous approaches. With only a month in the State we concentrated on ticking off the classics that Washington had to offer.
That isn’t to say we didn’t experience those tough approaches. In fact we chose two mountains that involved approaches through the dense jungle like forests that cloak the lower flanks of the Cascades. Thanks to their
popularity well established climber’s trails lead safely through to the easier alpine ground above. A quick glimpse either side of the trail was enough to convince us of the supreme hardiness and determination of the climbers who pioneered these routes.
Mount Baker was the first snow climb we chose. As the most northerly of Washington’s Volcanoes it can be seen very clearly as you drive from Seattle towards Bellingham and the gateway to the Cascades. It is also the third highest summit in the State. Our route along the gentle Eastings Glacier involved a bivvi perched high on rocks at the tip of a moraine. It proved excellent acclimatisation and a chance to shake out our lightweight camping skills.
The mountain itself is very beautiful and the route although easy has a lot to offer an inex- perienced team. You start from the trailhead and weave up through old growth rainforest for a couple of hours until you leave the tree- line and follow the sharp crest of a moraine to
excellent bivvi sites about 1500m below the summit. The approach is short and the potential for training and acclimatisation is good. The route itself ascends the easy south side to reach the crater rim about 300m below the summit. Baker is considered one of the more active volcanoes and it was sug- gested that like its more southerly counter- part Mount St Helens, it may come dramati- cally back to life in the not too distant future. You can peek over the crater rim and smell the acrid sulphur prior to the final push up slightly steeper slopes to the summit plateau.
The one thing that should be in the back of your mind on these Volcanoes is their feature- less and sometimes heavily crevassed nature. In good visibility the route is simple and obvi- ous, but in the dark and in poor weather there are no distinct features from which to navi- gate. All climbers are advised to wand their routes out if poor weather is anticipated.
The West Ridge of Forbidden is another of the 50 Classic Climbs of North America and
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