An aesthetic skin up the NE ridge of Herman led us right to the top. From there a gentle bench quickly rolls away into ~75m worth of near-vertical ice runnels, razor-thin flutes, pillows, and other Mt. Baker-style sub alpine snow phenomena. We abseiled with two 60m lines from a tree anchor, taking the central, tunnel-like ice runnel down into the face. I skied first, as Bissell shot photos from across the way, near the Mountaineer's hut of the Heather Meadows area. The snow was dreamy, and I momentarily was transported to Alaska for four turns down the face's central spine feature.
As I made my final turn before exiting over the bottom glide-crack/'schrund, I turned too low on the spine - the tails of my skis found ice and washed out, causing me to highside and initiate a freefalling triple starfish maneuver over the crux. I came to a stop quickly, located the ski that released, and exited the slope. Will skied next and styled the same spine of his telemark gear. He's so soulful.
I then took a dump and threw in a snus for the exit skin.
The N face is the steep, right facing pocket of a slope.
Dream turns.
We took lunch at the car, drank water, and decompressed in the sun. Such a wonderful spot. In the afternoon we toured up Table Mountain and skied a few runs off of that. We called it a day and mind-skied the shit out of Mt. Shuksan while drinking some tasty local brew at the White Salmon lot. The next day saw Will and I heading up again, this time to try the White Salmon Glacier. From the top of the prominent timbered knoll we watched a nice avalanche come off of the Hanging Glacier. We proceeded up the White Salmon to about 2/3 height but bailed due to extreme warming and poor skiing conditions. Yesterday's winds had turned most of the snow into sastrugi and breakable windboard.
Will wills the destruction.
With success.
We left early to get slices at Rudy's in Bellingham and sun ourselves on the lovely shores of Larrabee Beach, thus putting the cherry on top of a classic Baker/Bellingham weekend.
