Forum Index > Trip Reports > Mt. Baring; July 18, 2009
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GeoTom
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GeoTom
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PostMon Jul 20, 2009 9:05 am 
Trip overview: Survivors: GeoTom, Chip (neighbor of GeoTom), Terry (friend of neighbor of GeoTom) Maps: Green Trails #143 Monte Cristo and a TOPO! creation Access: Highway 2 > Barclay Creek Road (FS Road 6024) Trails/Route: Head past the port-a-potty at the Barclay Lake trailhead until you see the steep brushy route heading up to the right. Take it to the ridge crest or until you have a heart attack and die. Mileage: ~6 round trip Elevation Gain: ~4,400 with the ups and downs Trip Details: It only took 5 years since we moved into our house to actually go on a hike with my neighbor Chip (longtime lurker here but not registered yet). After this trip it might be another 5 years before he agrees to go with me again. lol.gif Both of us had admired Mt. Baring from the Highway 2 on numerous occasions, and finally decided to try and get to the top. Chip invited his friend Terry along, who had been up Mt. Baring ~25 years ago and swore never to come back. Apparently time heals all wounds. There have been enough TR's on Baring describing the route, so I don't need to add much other than to say it wasn't as brushy as I expected going up, but it was as steep as advertised. It was even steeper on the way down. The walk along the ridge crest was quite pleasant. The gully still had a few snow patches with the transitions to/from rock getting quite thin. No snow encountered above the notch between the summit and south summit. We were caught at the summit by 2 other hikers who had witnessed a group of 6 base jumpers doing their thing. The jump spot is a bit below the actual summit. Another group of 3 hikers arrived at the summit a while later, and one of them recognized Soapy from my previous TR's. It was Man-inna-hilz and a couple of his friends. This is the second time in the last month that I have been recognized because of my small green hiking partner (raising2hikers on Dragontail). Eventually we decided to descend. We survived the descent, but there was a little slipping and sliding and landing on butts. We arrived at Chip's house safely, but I still had another 50 feet with minimal elevation gain to go. Dani had made cookies (yum!) and Jasper was excited to see me again. Some photos:
Terry and Chip at the trailhead
Terry and Chip at the trailhead
Start of the steepness
Start of the steepness
It's a bit steep
It's a bit steep
The gully
The gully
Clouds
Clouds
Chip heading up the gully
Chip heading up the gully
Terry leads the way
Terry leads the way
Above the snow patches
Above the snow patches
Terry almost to the notch
Terry almost to the notch
Don't jump!
Don't jump!
Index and Persis
Index and Persis
Summit block
Summit block
Tahoma over the south summit
Tahoma over the south summit
A look north from the summit
A look north from the summit
Glacier Peak
Glacier Peak
Merchant Peak
Merchant Peak
Gunn Peak
Gunn Peak
Index and Persis with Philadelphia in front
Index and Persis with Philadelphia in front
Gunn and Merchant Peaks
Gunn and Merchant Peaks
A bit of Barclay Lake way down below
A bit of Barclay Lake way down below
Soapy meets Piglet
Soapy meets Piglet
Soapy becoming safety conscious
Soapy becoming safety conscious
Steep side
Steep side
The south summit of Baring
The south summit of Baring
The gully in a better light
The gully in a better light
A walk in the woods
A walk in the woods

Knows literally nothing
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Tazz
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
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Tazz
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PostMon Jul 20, 2009 9:15 am 
Quote:
it was as steep as advertised. It was even steeper on the way down.
Wow the grade changes after you reach the top!?! Is there a button to push to make it less steep on the way down? winksmile.gif looks like the nasty steep snow headwall has melted...GOOODBYE SNOW!!!

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wildernessed
viewbagger



Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostMon Jul 20, 2009 9:21 am 
Wow, that's a little overbaring of a TR. clown.gif

Living in the Anthropocene
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Schmidt Altitude
Whippet Entourage



Joined: 28 Mar 2007
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Location: The Quah
Schmidt Altitude
Whippet Entourage
PostMon Jul 20, 2009 8:28 pm 
Still jealous about not going on this one. Way to go Soapy entourage!

"Forest 101: These big wood stick things are called trees. The big rocks are called mountains, and the little rocks are their babies." Elliott from Open Season
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Ingunn
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Joined: 01 Feb 2008
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Location: Redmond
Ingunn
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PostMon Jul 20, 2009 8:43 pm 
I'm starting to think that the view of Baring from the highway is good enough for me. hockeygrin.gif Good job, GeoTom and lurkers!

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Mtn Dog
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Joined: 01 Aug 2004
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Location: Bellevue, WA
Mtn Dog
Technohiker
PostMon Jul 20, 2009 8:44 pm 
GeoTom: My brother hiked in to Barclay Lake on Saturday with his family (wife, 7 month old, & 3 YO) along with friends and they said they saw BASE jumpers skydiving off of Baring Mtn also. One landed on the sandy shore of the lake right in front of them. Who knew? That's taking the fast way down for sure!

Footprints on the sands of time will never be made sitting down.
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GeoTom
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GeoTom
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PostMon Jul 20, 2009 8:55 pm 
Mtn Dog: We did see lots of kids with their adults back at the trailhead. Some had a confused look as we stumbled out from the brushy area by the porta potty instead of the nice Barclay Lake trail. lol.gif

Knows literally nothing
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carppdiem
Man of Bronze



Joined: 20 Jul 2009
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Location: 86th Floor
carppdiem
Man of Bronze
PostMon Jul 20, 2009 8:57 pm 
Ok, GeoTom's lurking neighbor finally signed up. Now I just gotta figure out the image posting tricks. Looks like there's plenty of online help for tips... Hopefully it won't take 5 years until our next outing! smile.gif

"And I know it seems easy," said Piglet to himself, "but it isn't everyone who could do it."
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Man-inna-hillz
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PostMon Jul 20, 2009 8:59 pm 
Yeah, what GeoTom said. smile.gif Colin, Stephanie and the author had a nice trip. 3 hours 11 minutes to the summit, 2 hours 37 minutes down. All I will add is that, in terms of route tips, I would suggest that when you first hit the climber's trail after finding the small stream, stay to the left (east) of the streambed on the way up, but stay in the forest to the right (or descender's left) of the streamlet on the way down. It's definitely easier to climb and find good footing on the steep trail, but easier to descend with the more forgiving forest duff at your feet. Saw a few Yew trees on the way up. Never noticed any of those in the S. Fork Skyko corridor, so that was cool. I must also say that the final descent, coming down that sheer ridge approach, is absolute murder on the quads. It's been three days and I'm still hobbling around looking positively elderly.
Index broadside
Index broadside
Col lamping with flavor
Col lamping with flavor
Baring Triumvirate
Baring Triumvirate
Peter/ Colin/ Steph looking n. from Baring
Peter/ Colin/ Steph looking n. from Baring
Here's looking at yews
Here's looking at yews
Brian and Kevin on Summit
Brian and Kevin on Summit
Soapy on Baring Summit
Soapy on Baring Summit

The God of language forgives all crimes. -W.H. Auden
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gone
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gone
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PostMon Jul 20, 2009 9:10 pm 
GeoTom wrote:
Trails/Route: Head past the port-a-potty at the Barclay Lake trailhead until you see the steep brushy route heading up to the right. Take it to the ridge crest or until you have a heart attack and die.
lol.gif Way to go, GeoTom and neighborhood hiker gang - killer effort, that really is steep! Usually steep doesn't really convey via pics, but I'd say those capture it pretty well! up.gif

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Magellan
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Joined: 26 Jul 2006
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Magellan
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PostMon Jul 20, 2009 9:11 pm 
Everybody should do Baring. Then everyone should forget about it as quickly as possible. Nice work team neighbors!

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silence
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silence
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PostMon Jul 20, 2009 9:43 pm 
what a grunt ... but it looks like fun anyhow ... hmmm i wonder if one of our friends jumped it this weekend ..

PHOTOS FILMS Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
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Yet
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Yet
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PostMon Jul 20, 2009 9:50 pm 
Fun TR and even funner comments! embarassedlaugh.gif GeoTom, your TRs make me giggle. But don't let it get to your head. All your other posts are still lame. wink.gif biggrin.gif

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EastKing
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Joined: 28 Mar 2007
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EastKing
Surfing and Hiking
PostTue Jul 21, 2009 11:24 am 
Great TR and photos. up.gif up.gif Baring is on my list!!!

YouTube | SummitPost Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
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Sabahsboy
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Sabahsboy
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PostTue Jul 21, 2009 11:56 am 
Baring magnificent
Great TR and photos! All I want is "more...!" Did anyone try the plunge to Barclay (LOL!)? Hoping someone starts IDs of peaks to north and south....I think I spotted Three Fingers in one shot. How about a shot of Paradise Meadows and Mount Townsend? Daniel? Ah...so many peaks so few moments to contemplate! Bravo and Kudos to all for this treasured adventure (my envy to place feet on Baring summit...alas, I was basking on Boardman Lake beach whilst you all struggled to descend on Saturday afternoon). p.s., Chip, send more photos! Love the link performance of this thread, sent via our office staff!

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Forum Index > Trip Reports > Mt. Baring; July 18, 2009
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