Trip Date: June 4-5, 2016
Mt. Baring Climbing Trip & Summit Camp
Barclay Ridge
Baring Col
Mount Baring aka Baring Mountain (6125′)
Trip Report Summary
Region: North-Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Skykomish Mountains
Area: Wild Sky Wilderness
Starting & Ending Point: Barclay Lake Trailhead parking lot at end of Barclay Creek Road #6024 (Elev. 2300 feet)
Way Points: Barclay Ridge Saddle & Barclay Ridge Knoll (trail hike & off-trail hike)
Campsite: Mt. Baring summit
Summit: Mt. Baring (snow climb & rock scramble via West Couloir—Baring Col—South Ridge)
Approximate Stats: 6 miles traveled; 4200 feet gained & lost; 8.0 hours up; 4.6 hours down.
Related Post
Mt Baring via West Couloir—South Ridge – May 12, 2002
Full Trip Report
On this very hot weekend, Eileen and I decided it was time for another summit bivy. We ended up choosing Mt. Baring for such a purpose, and it played out very nicely.
Day 1: Trailhead to Mt. Baring Summit
The Barclay Ridge climbers’ path heading up from behind the restroom at the Barclay Lake Trailhead was as steep and hot as ever, especially because we didn’t get going until noon. We followed the path along the ridge crest to the crossover point, where we got a first view of the objective peak and approach couloir.
- Main Baring Peak and South Baring Peak
Snow conditions were good all the way up the couloir. It was firm, but we didn’t need crampons. There was also much-appreciated water along the way.
- Eileen Climbing West Baring Couloir
From Baring Col between the main and south peaks, we climbed steep snow, then scrambled up through trees and talus on the south ridge. Views were gained only in the last several hundred feet below the summit.
- South Baring Peak From Main Peak
The evening was pleasantly warm, allowing us to have a leisurely dinner on the summit perch.
- Eileen On Mount Baring Summit
- Eileen Eating Dinner On Mount Baring Summit
Someone must have decided that a popular peak like Mt. Baring deserves an ample summit register. I can’t disagree with that thinking, but this one is comically enormous. It is surely the largest summit register tube that I’ve ever seen…by an order of magnitude! Unfortunately, the water-tightness of the lid does not match the tube’s overall stature; the interior contained only sopping wet papers.
- Giant Summit Register
We found a flat rock just below the summit rocks and threw out our bivy sacks. Water was available drop-by-drop from an adjacent snow patch, and with much patience, we were able to collect several quarts. It was a comfortable night, despite the fact that two good rolls toward the northeast would have landed us in Barclay Lake—3600 feet below!
- Summit Bivy Site
Day 2: Mt. Baring Summit to Trailhead
The morning sun rousted us up at 5:00am. We soaked in the summit views while eating breakfast. Especially notable were Gunn, Gunnshy, and Merchant Peaks to the north…
- Gunnshy Peak, Gunn Peak, and Merchant Peak
…and Chair Peak, Kaleetan Peak, Lennox Mountain (with its remarkably expansive snowfield), and Mt. Rainier to the south.
- Chair Peak & Kaleetan Peak & Lennox Mtn From Summit
We were on the move by 7:00am and back to the car by 11:30am (4.5 hours from summit). Along the way, we passed a party of two and another party of ten heading up.
Photo Gallery
Click to enlarge…
