Mountaineering · YDS Class 2-3

Coleman Glacier

High Point
9,081 ft
Trailhead
Heliotrope Ridge Trailhead
3,701 ft elevation
Permit Required

A free, self-issue wilderness permit is required at the trailhead for entry into the Mount Baker Wilderness. A Northwest Forest Pass or other valid recreation pass is required for trailhead parking.

Route Description

The second-tallest of the Black Buttes — eroded remnants of an extinct stratovolcano predating Mount Baker — climbed as a side trip from the standard Coleman-Deming approach on Baker's north side.

Approach

Approach as for Mount Baker's Coleman-Deming route and Colfax Peak: drive to the Heliotrope Ridge Trailhead, hike the climbers' trail to the edge of the Coleman Glacier, and establish a base camp around 6,000-7,000 feet along the ridge near the Buttes. Rope up and travel the Coleman Glacier toward the saddle between Mount Baker and Colfax Peak, staying well clear of the Black Buttes' base to avoid avalanche and rockfall exposure from the steep rock walls above. From around this saddle area, leave the main Baker route and follow easy slopes — a lava ridge or snow slopes, depending on conditions — for roughly an hour to Lincoln Peak's summit.

Descent

Reverse the easy slopes back to the saddle area and down the Coleman Glacier to camp.

Weather Forecast
⚠️
Air Quality: Moderate · AQI 57
PM2.5: 3.2 μg/m³ · Check conditions before travel
5-Day Air Quality Forecast
Today
77
Moderate
Tomorrow
56
Moderate
Sun, Sep 27
40
Good
Mon, Sep 28
57
Moderate
Tue, Sep 29
57
Moderate
PM2.5 wildfire smoke threshold: 35 μg/m³ · Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo
7-Day Forecast
Today
❄️
Snow
30° / 19°
100%
❄ 14.5"
💨31
Tomorrow
❄️
Snow
24° / 16°
57%
❄ 3.9"
💨27
Sun, Sep 27
☁️
Overcast
36° / 17°
💨6
Mon, Sep 28
☁️
Overcast
36° / 18°
35%
💨5
Tue, Sep 29
🌨️
Rain
26° / 16°
69%
💧0.74"
💨7
Wed, Sep 30
🌧️
Drizzle
27° / 15°
44%
💧0.02"
💨5
Thu, Oct 1
🌧️
Drizzle
23° / 13°
47%
💧0.08"
💨4
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