Climb The Easton Glacier
Climb the Easton Glacier to the summit of Kulshan (Mount Baker) with a day of expert snow climbing and glacier travel instruction and AMGA certified guides. The Easton Glacier on Kulshan is similar to the Coleman-Deming route, but often has more complex glacier travel with great exposure to multiple crevasses and varied terrain. Additionally, climbing on the south side of Kulshan gains the crater with awesome views looking into the Caldera. The Roman Wall caps off the ascent with a moderate snow climb guarding the summit plateau. The Easton Glacier has become a very popular mountaineering route in recent years and is now considered the standard route to the summit by most teams.
Beginner glacier mountaineering
PD, 40°, III
No previous climbing experience required, a skills prep day is built into the itinerary
3 day itinerary is standard, though custom itineraries are available for climbers who want more mountaineering instruction and/or ice climbing on the lower glacier
Mount Baker
10,786 ft / 3,287 m
Easton Glacier 3-day Climb
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From the Park Butte trailhead, the we follow a well maintained trail through Schreiber's Meadow and across a few streams. Once at tree line, the Railroad Grade ascends a narrow ridge formed by the lateral moraine. We'll establish camp at Sandy Camp with views of the entire south side of the mountain.
Distance: 4.4 miles
Elevation gain: 2,550 feet
Total time: 4.5 hours -
We spend this day focusing on learning the skills necessary for our climb and to help you become a self-sufficient mountaineer. We hike above camp to the lower Easton Glacier, practicing skills such as:
Crampon and ice axe technique
Self-arrest
Glacier travel
Snow anchors
Intro to crevasse rescue
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An alpine start has us starting the climb at dark-o-clock. The route is defined by moderate glaciated snow slopes and multiple crevasses, we'll utilize some of the skills practiced the day before. Below the steeper and final section of our climb, the Roman Wall, we have an incredible view of the summit crater. From the summit we enjoy a well deserved celebration and then begin the descent down the same route back to camp. Once at camp we pack up and continue down to the trailhead.
Distance: 4.5 miles
Elevation gain: 5,000 feet
Total time: 6-7 hours to summit
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