Your safety and success are the top priorities, in that order.
A climbing company should invest heavily and plan extensively for your safety.
Baker is a very approachable mountain, but that does not mean it’s free from hazard. Large glaciers, sudden storms blowing up the Strait of Juan de Fuca or down the Fraser river valley, and possible white-out conditions any time of year are all factors your Guides need to be conscious of and familiar with.
At CTSS we ensure the safety of our climbers by employing Guides with years of experience in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. We design our itineraries to give our Guides the ability to take advantage of weather windows and give you the best chance of success by climbing when it’s safe to climb.

Look for Guides who are seasoned experts with a strategy that is patient, conservative and well planned to give you the best opportunity for success. They should be adept at managing the team, able to lean on extensive experience and “thread the needle” when it comes to picking the best summit window.
Our mountaineering guides and staff are second to none, and our teams ALWAYS include a lead guide with extensive experience on Mt. Baker. They know the area well and understand how to make your climb of Mt. Baker as smooth, and successful as possible.

Mt. Baker is a fantastic opportunity to learn (or concrete) key mountaineering skills you will use throughout your entire climbing career.
It is important that your operator dedicates time in your itinerary to a ‘snow school’ or climbing clinic.

Feel free to ask what skills they cover off, how they teach them and how much time they dedicate to that training. Some of the most important skills are often overlooked, like the rest step, pressure breathing and pacing amongst the more hands on skills like self arrest, efficient cramponing, and roped glacier travel.
CTSS dedicates a significant portion of our schedule for training on the mountain. Your guide will also help you implement and continue to coach you in these skills throughout your climb.

In our 5-Day Alpine Academy your training will form the backbone of our schedule every day. We start with the fundamentals of efficient movement in the mountains and build your skills up to more advanced techniques such as snow anchors, crevasse rescue, and running belays.

Does an operator have strong values?
This is sometimes a little harder to identify as it’s more a feeling than a sales pitch, but you should get a feel for a company through their little interactions, their care factor, their attention to detail, their corporate social responsibility, their responses to you.
Mountaineering can be high risk and stressful so pick an operator who has strong core values and a team mentality that aligns with yours so that when things get challenging you can rely on open lines of communication, knowing they will do what they can to support you.
It is this team cohesiveness that flows through to each individual climber and helps them stand on top.

Meeting Location:

Our team will meet at 8:00 a.m. on the morning of Day 1 unless otherwise arranged in the town of Sedro-Wolley, Washington. Please plan to arrive in Sedro-Woolley at least 10 minutes prior to 8:00 so you have time to use the restroom and arrange gear for the gear check. We aim to move efficiently through the gear check and be driving towards the trailhead by 9:30 so a prompt and prepared arrival is important.

Nearby Airports (Travel time depends on traffic around Seattle)

• SeaTac International, SeaTac WA – About 1.5 – 2 hours travel time from Sedro Woolley. Most frequent arrival point for anyone flying in for a Baker climb
• Paine Field Airport, Everett Wa – About 1 hour travel time to Sedro Woolley
• Bellingham International Airport – About 45 minutes travel time to Sedro Woolley
• Vancouver International, Vancouver BC, Canada – About 1.5 hours travel time to Sedro Woolley. Note: This traveling from this airport requires a border crossing into the U.S., please build additional time for your border crossing.

While Sedro Woolley has a few choices for hotels, your best bet for good prices is in Burlington, just 20 minutes west of Sedro Woolley. There are several chain hotels throughout Burlington as well as several AirBnB/VRBO options in the area. Check travel times if you are renting an AirBnB/VRBO, the area around Sedro Woolley is rural and mountainous, make sure there is an easy way to drive from your accommodations to our meeting point.

Mt. Baker is a car-dependent trip. You will need to arrange your transportation to and from Sedro-Woolley on your own. If you are being dropped off in Sedro Woolley please contact CTSS so we can ensure there is space in the carpool to transport you and your gear to the trailhead.

There are few local car rental options available in Sedro Woolley. We recommend renting a car at your arrival airport, or in one of the major nearby metropolitan areas like Seattle, Everett, or Bellingham.

CTSS does not provide secure storage while we are on Mt. Baker. Most frequently extra gear is left in the trunk of cars left in Sedro Woolley or at the trailhead. Break-ins are rare, but not unheard of, so be sure all stored gear is out of sight and cannot be reached by breaking a car window.

If you are traveling from outside the U.S. we recommend checking with your hotels for storage options while you are in the mountains.

The US has generally good cell phone coverage, though coverage in mountainous or rural areas can be spotty. Primary providers in the US include Verizon, At&t, and T-mobile, check with your provider for information on international calling plans.

Mt. Baker has some areas with cell phone coverage, especially if Verizon is your provider. However we recommend not to expect quality or reliable service while on the expedition

Foreign nationals entering the US typically must present their passport and visa upon arrival to their US port of entry. Check the U.S. State department website as well as your government’s travel website for visa details. US visas can be hard to receive depending on your country of origin, we recommend starting your application as early as possible to avoid unfortunate delays.