1988- Mt. Baker, Nursery Pass, Mt. Cheam, Shuswap Lake

Mt. Baker
Location of Mt. Baker
My Flickr site for more pictures - 

Pre Dawn Glow

Chuck and I had made the summit in the early morning hours earlier in July, but it had been cloudy and ice formed on our headlamps as we summitted. We had made the summit by compass and putting wands to mark our route across the crater, but we had made it. There was, however, no view. We would have to do it again.

Optical illusion ;-)

This picture was taken on our way down from our July attempt to see sunrise from the summit.

" As we headed up to the summit from our bivouac with headlamps piercing the early morning fog, rime ice clung to our ice axes and headlamps"
Chuck seems to be getting smaller with age doesn't he! 

The Roman Wall on the skyline.

In August, we were back with friends. Randy Wheating, a friend of his, Alan Lizee, Chuck McCafferty, and Keith Rajala headed up the Coleman glacier and slowly made our way up to the col between Mt. Baker and the Black Buttes.

Sunset at the Baker - Colfax col

Where we spread out our bivouac sacks was spectacular. Over to the north west we could see the sun going down, and pick out the high rises around English Bay silouetted against the slowly sinking sun. Just over the volcanic ridge to the southwest we could see the lights of the cites along Puget Sound.
We had something to eat and climbed into our sleeping bags for a very short sleep, as we planned to get up about 2:00 am so we would be on the summit before sunrise.
Before we new it, we were getting up again, nibbling on food, and strapping on crampons by headlamp. Chuck offered me some sardines, and because I enjoy them, I heartily accepted only to find out they were in jalapeno sauce! I almost threw up.
We slowly trudged up the Roman Wall by headlamp, almost cocooned in our own little world of light cast by our little headlamps. The route was well known and the sky was crystal clear, cold, and still.

The sun just coming up over Mt. Shuksan

When we made our way over to the actual summit on the south east corner of the snow filled volvanic crater, it was dark, as the top picture shows. We had succeeded. We were going to be able to watch the sun come up.
As the picture shows above, the sun slowly came up from behind Mt. Shuksan. It was freezing cold at 10,778 ft. (apr. 3,300 meters) above sea level, but it was wonderful to be able to stand on what felt like the top of the world.

Cold at the summit.

Here Chuck stands on the summit with the register at his feet. The picture is looking west, with the Earth's shadow just above the snow line. You can just make out two climbers coming up over the crater rim just to the left of his knee.

Nursery Pass - Mt. Clark area

Location of Nursery Pass

Chuck at Nursery Pass.

Chuck and I were interested in the Chehalis area so we made a hike into the north side of Viennese Peak and Mt. Clark , or more speficically, Nursery Pass. We didn't climb anything but in was an enjoyable day's outing to a seldom visited area.

Mt. Cheam
Location of Mt. Cheam

Looking south from near the top of Mt. Cheam.

Mt. Cheam is a great viewpoint. You can see a lot of the Fraser Valley from the top, and if you are lucky, paragliders jumping off the summit slopes and wafting their way down towards the Trans Canada Highway far below.

On this day Chris Cooper, Alan Lizee and I hiked up Cheam and then over to Lady Peak.

This picture is looking south towards Cultus Lake.

Shuswap Lake
General Location of our campfire
.... and sometimes we would have a family time at Shuswap Lake with the family.

Scott, Katie, Terri, Lynn, Tom, Eric, Chuck