Adventures NW Magazine Fall 2015

ADVENTURES NW >>>

FALL 2015

Free. take enjoy share

AUTUMN TRAILS ISSUE! 10 BEST AUTUMN HIKES BAY TO BAKER (AND BACK!) IN 40 HOURS

LESSONS FROM LIBERTY RIDGE

MOUNTAIN BIKING WENATCHEE

BIOLUMINESCENCE PADDLING

CANADIAN ROCKIES TRAVERSE

>>> EXTENSIVE OUTDOOR EVENTS CALENDAR INSIDE

EMBRACING THE WILD WITHIN FINDING FALL COLORS

Don’t let pain keep you off your bike Whether you’re mountain biking or commuting across town, don’t let joint pain slow you down. PeaceHealth Medical Group Orthopedics can help you keep moving with surgical and non-surgical care including fracture management, joint replacement and repair. peacehealth.org/st-joseph/ortho Bellingham - 360-733-2092 n Lynden - 360-733-2092 Friday Harbor - 360-378-2141 n Sedro-Woolley - 360-856-7115

Travel well with all your banking tools at your fingertips.

peoplesbank-wa.com Member FDIC

The heartbeat of Cascadia

3

CONTRIBUTORS Richard Bunse works in charcoal, ink, watercolor, acrylic and photography, specializing in nature and the human form. Richard studied art at Western Oregon University, and now teaches drawing and manages a life drawing studio at the River Gallery in Independence, Oregon. His illustrations have appeared in many national magazines and 26 books ranging from poetry to nature study and fishing. He lives in Monmouth, Oregon. Visit him at: rivergalleryart.com/artist_richard_bunse.

Chris Duppenthaler forms epic pictures out of things that are already pretty epic in real life. Sometimes they are moving cinema or an instant in time. Some are portraits and some are shot from a flying robot. See his work with Duppenthaler Designs and Dead Gentlemen Productions. Learn more: deadgentlemen.com After a 23-year career in Hollywood composing music for film & TV, Ken Harrison moved his family to Bellingham in 1992. Some of his busiest years writing music ensued. It wasn’t long, however, before the business changed significantly, inspiring Ken to pursue another passion in 2002: Selling Bellingham. He is now an award-winning Bellingham real estate professional and grasps any opportunity to help others experience the wonders of this area, including through his mountain photography.

Henry Hughes’ poems have appeared in Antioch Review, Carolina Quarterly, Shenandoah, Southern Humanities Review, Seattle Review and Poetry Northwest. He is the author of three poetry collections, including Men Holding Eggs, which received the 2004 Oregon Book Award. His commentary on new poetry appears regularly in Harvard Review.

FALL | 2015 Volume 10. Issue 3 trail each year. His 100 Classic Hikes Washington (due spring 2016) spotlights the very best trails the state has to offer. He lives with his wife, son, and two cats in Skagit County. Visit him at CraigRomano.com.

Abigail Sussman works as a seasonal wilderness ranger for North Cascades National Park and seeks to preserve wildness in all of its forms. Read more of her stories at abigailmsussman.com.

Aaron Theisen is the co-author of Day Hiking Mount St. Helens (Mountaineers Books). He is currently working on Day Hiking Western Montana’s Glacier Country. Check out his stories and photographs at aarontheisen.com.

COVER PHOTO by Tyler Mitchell

A Look Ahead: Our Winter Issue Grand Gunderson’s Winter Magic Snowshoe Baker Bill Lokey Dives Deep

Suzanne Lundberg lives near Bellingham with her husband and dog in their off-grid micro-cabin on the Lummi peninsula. She seeks adventure in every way possible whether it be ultra running, sailing, biking, backpacking, traveling, or speed-crafting in front of her wood stove. She firmly believes that each day has the potential to present a wild adventure, inspire a spontaneous celebration, or reveal a monumental epiphany.

Craig Romano has written and co-written 14 books, mostly on hiking. He logs well over a 1,000 miles on the

Brewing Up the Unexpected…

100 Gallons at a Time!

British Ales, Belgian Style Sours and Lagers

The North Fork Beer Shrine

Brewery • Pizzeria • Wedding Chapel • Power Station 6186 Mt. Baker Highway, Suburban Deming

599-BEER(2337) 4

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

INSPIRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE

Bellingham Bay to Baker - and Back 108 - Mile Run Sets New Speed Record

Autumn Ecstasy Top 10 Fall Color Hikes

Suzanne Lundberg

10

Craig Romano

14

When the Mountains Send You Home Lessons from Liberty Ridge John Minier

20

Leading with Passion Photography in the North Cascades

Ken Harrison

26

Abigail Sussman

28

The Journey Home Embracing the Wild Within

High, Wide but not Lonesome Mountain Biking Wenatchee Aaron Theisen The Assiniboine Traverse

Unrivaled Splendor, Grizzly Bears & Condiment Soup John D’Onofrio

32 38

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower ” - Albert Camus

DESTINATIONS Connection Out & About 3 Great Hikes ... for Autumn Bright Lines eARTh: The Art of Nature Cascadia Gear Race | Play | Experience Calendar Advertiser Index Next Adventure

7 8 9 9 43 45 46 49 50

www.BrandonNelson.com

Read over 115 five star reviews on Zillow.com Photo by John D’Onofrio

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

5

ADVENTURES NW > FIND Adventures NW is available free at hundreds of locations region-wide: throughout Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, and Island counties, at select spots in Snohomish, King, and Pierce counties, and in Leavenworth, the Methow Valley, Spokane, and Wenatchee.

The magazine is also available at all REI locations in Washington and Oregon as well as at numerous locations in the Vancouver, BC metro area and through races and events and at area visitor centers.

> SUBSCRIBE Receive Adventures NW via mail anywhere in the US or Canada. Visit AdventuresNW.com/ subscribe for subscription info.

> ADVERTISE Let Adventures NW magazine help you reach a diverse, receptive audience throughout the Pacific Northwest, and be part of one of the most valued and engaging publications in the region. Info is at AdventuresNW.com/advertise or by writing to ads @ AdventuresNW.com.

> CONTRIBUTE Adventures NW welcomes original article queries—including feature stories, expert advice, photo essays, the Next Adventures shot, etc. For information: AdventuresNW.com/contribute.

FALL | 2015 Volume 10. Issue 3

> EVENTS Have your outdoor-related event, race or public

E

U

T

R

A

www.AdventuresNW.com

John D’Onofrio

Publisher/Editor john @ adventuresnw.com

> DEADLINES Spring Ad reservations Feb. 1 Final ads & calendar listings Feb. 4

Jason Rinne

Creative Director jason @ adventuresnw.com

Chara Stuart

Summer Ad reservations Apr. 27 Final ads & calendar listings May 4

Advertising Sales chara @ adventuresnw.com

Marian Jensen

Fall Ad reservations Aug. 3 Final ads & calendar listings Aug. 7 Winter Ad reservations Oct. 26 Final ads & calendar listings Nov. 2

Accounting accounting @ adventuresnw.com

Ethan D’Onofrio

Digital Media ethan @ adventuresnw.com

Adventures NW magazine is printed by Lithtex NW Printing Solutions, Bellingham, WA.

100% green power

CO2Carbon N

Adventures NW magazine

outing listed in the quarterly Race|Play|Experience calendar and in our comprehensive on-line version. Visit AdventuresNW.com/ submit-your-event to post events or contact ads @ AdventuresNW. com for details.

L

Neutral

Specializing in fresh, handmade pasta and ravioli, homemade bread, and many other favorites prepared from scratch daily.

Beer, Wine & Cocktails Gluten-Free Options Available

Bellingham’s Favorite Italian Restaurant Since 1997

1317 North State Street, Bellingham

360.714.0188 dannascafeitaliano.com 6

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

Connection I

t had been a frustrating morning. Very frustrating.

I’d spent the last several hours at my computer, working on the new issue of the magazine. We were having server problems and submission problems and attitude problems.

By noon, I’d had enough. I grabbed my keys, slipped into walking shoes and fled the scene, headed to Stewart Mountain.

A short drive from the office, the equestrian trails on Stewart Mountain are a favorite local place for impromptu hiking, a preferred quick getaway. And I desperately needed a getaway.

When I pulled into the parking lot I saw that there were no other cars. Good. I was not looking for company.

Still in a state of frustration, I locked the car and headed up the trail, an old logging road that climbs steeply up the side of the mountain. I huffed and puffed my way up the old road without stopping, aiming to drown the frustration in sweat, to replace my irritation with exhaustion.

After a half hour of relentlessly stomping my way up the steep slope I stopped to finally catch my breath, ready to retrace my steps and re-engage with my intransigent technology. I stood there, for a moment, looking downhill, the way I had come, before heading back.

About 100 feet down the road, I caught sight of something moving in the brush on the side of the road. A cougar stepped out of the greenery, nonchalantly moving to the middle of the road, totally unaware of my presence. I’ve seen my share of predators in the wild - grizzlies, wolves, lynx, etc. - but I had never been in

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

the presence of a mountain lion. Perhaps six-feet long from nose to tail, she moved with an awe-inspiring combination of power and grace, muscles rippling in the noon-day sun as she sauntered down the road away from me.

My frustration was instantly forgotten, replaced with the euphoria of an unexpected connection to the wild. I was transformed by the cougar - from a frustrated (and sweaty) magazine publisher - into a grateful and humble piece of a puzzle much bigger than myself.

The cougar stopped and I noticed the brush moving again. One by one, three cubs came tumbling out onto the road. I held my breath - not easy, given that by now, I wanted to whoop in delight.

The cubs, instead of following their mama like good cubs ought, turned and headed up the road in my direction.

I decided that it was time to make my presence known. I raised my arms over my head and began singing operatically. Like a flash, the cubs turned towards mama and the four of them vanished downhill into the brush on the side of the road. It was stunning how fast they moved, like liquid cat.

I stood there for a long moment, breathing deeply. My technical problems had disappeared from my consciousness, my perspective shifted completely. I actually laughed out load. It had turned out to be a very good day indeed.

I started down the mountain and by the time I returned to the office, the servers were back up, my e-mail was working and I rejoiced in the work of putting this magazine together.

I hope that you enjoy it.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

7

Out About &

Go with the Glow

Our friends at the Community Boating Center in Fairhaven are a creative, fun-loving lot. They will rent you kaysailboats, Bioluminescence aks, rowboats and stand up paddle boards.

And they also offer lessons, classes and inspired group outings led by their accomplished and easy-going guides, including such esthetically rewarding delights as sunset and full moon paddles. But for something completely different, you’ve got to try one of their Bioluminescence Paddles.

Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by tiny organisms - in this case, little critters that inhabit the waters of the Salish Sea. Fireflies are bioluminescent. But when the light is submerged - moving with the flow and swirl of a kayak paddle, for example it’s like the northern lights underwater.

Bioluminescence is best experienced during a new moon and you’ll have two chances: September 12 and 13.

These three-hour trips - like all of their kayak trips - feature super-stable tandem kayaks and are suitable for novices age 13 or older. The Boating Center provides instruction and light snacks.

Bring drinking water ... and a sense of wonder.

For more info: boatingcenter.org

There’s no place like Whatcom County!

At the Helm with Caring Professional Real Estate Services for Buyers & Sellers

Danne Neill Real Estate Broker

360.303.4428

dannen@muljatgroup.com DanneNeill.com The Muljat Group Broadway 8

The heartbeat of Cascadia

Skagit River: Source to Sea

Bellingham’s Dallas Betz was selected as the winner of our Dreamers Wanted: Live Your Adventure contest last month.

Dallas’ adventure, “Skagit River: Source Dallas Betz

to Sea” was selected out of the many amazing adventures submitted by readers to be funded to the tune of $1000 by contest sponsor Brandon Nelson (Bellingham realtor and world-record kayaker).

Dallas’ Big Idea: He plans to follow the Skagit River (using human-powered craft) from its source at Allison Pass in Manning Provincial Park in British Columbia for 150 miles to its mouth at Skagit Bay. After growing up in La Conner, near the Skagit Delta, Dallas returned to the river as an adult. “This was the most beautiful river I’d ever been on, “ he says.

“With majestic mountains rising high on all sides, waterfalls cascading down sheer cliffs, and cold, clear water full of spawning salmon, the ‘Magic Skagit’ was indeed a magical place. And like all valuable resources, it was - and is - the source of many past and ongoing clashes involving deeply rooted stakeholders. “ I feel a deep connection to the land in the Northwest, and the history of the people, events, and natural processes that shaped it. Tracing this river is a novel full of interweaving stories waiting to be told and I can’t wait to tell it.” >>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

Stay tuned. We’ll feature Dallas’ account of his journey in a future issue.

North Fork Roads Under Review The road less travelled may soon be no road at all.

The Mount BakerSnoqualmie National Forest is crisscrossed by approximately 2,500 miles of roads and the Forest Service says that it can only afford to maintain about a quarter of them.

In 2012 the Forest Service began collecting information through public forums and from resource specialists to develop a plan for roads, called the “Sustainable Roads System” (SRS). The SRS identified minimum access needs, or road maintenance levels, based on access needs of recreation, fire, cultural resources, and vegetation management.

The folks at the Mount Baker Ranger District are currently seeking comments from the public to help them determine which roads in the Upper North Fork Nooksack River Watershed to retain and which ones are no longer needed. The

3

Great Hikes ... for Fall Boiling Lake

Photo by John D’Onofrio

Yellow Aster Butte

The wonderlands around Yellow Aster Butte are a Disney-esque technicolor in autumn, a fever dream come true. The lush-husky alpine meadows are golden, purple, orange and red and the views from the top of the Butte will get you through the winter, if you’re properly attentive.

Trailhead: Twin Lakes Road (Forest Road 3065).

Golden Lakes Loop

This larch-intensive backpacking loop is a commitment, no doubt about it, but the days you spend here will linger in your memory. Upper Eagle Lake, Sawtooth Ridge, Horsehead Pass, Boiling Lake, The Golden Staircase, Cooney Lake...it is one wonderment after another. You’ll need three days minimum, although five is so much better.

You don’t want to hurry through country as beautiful as this.

Trailhead: Forest Road Spur 300 (near Twisp).

Grasshopper Pass

At 6100 feet, the road to Harts Pass is as high as you go in the state of Washington in a car.

Thanks to the lofty trailhead, the elevation gain on the trail to Grasshopper Pass is minimal (just under a thousand feet). The trail (a section of the PCT) skirts Tatie Peak, with stunning views right out of the parking lot and picturesque stands of vibrant larches.

Trailhead: Forest Road 54-500 (off the Harts Pass Road)

roads in question lead to various points, including many trailheads from the Mount Baker Highway (SR542).

To weigh in, send your comments via email to comments-pacificnorthwest-

mtbaker-snoqualmie-mtbaker@fs.fed. us. Include “North Fork Nooksack ATM” in the subject line. For more info, visit: www.fs.usda.gov/projects/mbs/ ANW landmanagement/projects.

Ring-Necked Pheasant POETRY FROM THE WILD They astound our flat fields with Chinese, flash-cackle splash, exploding from high grass, wild-winged and long tailed. Dogs bristle, men swing to fire - tumbling October brandy, simmering breasts, plucking salmon hackle.

by Henry Hughes But here, for a clearing moment, with the coyote asleep and the hawk stuffed, the pheasants open themselves to the sun, preen their mottles, scratch and peck the seedy hill.

Tan-cheeked hens and a scarlet-wattled cock.

His raiment shimmers copper and gold, his white-ringed throat tolls and tolls.

Henry Hughes is the author of three poetry collections, including Men Holding Eggs, which received the 2004 Oregon Book Award.

Illustration by Richard Bunse

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

9

Bellingham Bay to Baker - and Back 108 - mile Run Sets New Speed Record Story by Suzanne Lundberg Photos by Chris Duppenthaler

T

he journey really began nearly a year ago when I didn’t complete the 108-mile never-been-donebefore run from Bellingham Bay to the summit of Mount Baker and back on foot. Bad weather didn’t permit a summit attempt that day but three runners had success a few weeks later.

Dan Probst, who has spent the better part of the last three years advocating for a 108-mile roundtrip footrace from the Bay to Baker’s summit in an effort to resurrect the original Mount Baker Marathon, invited me on this “speed attempt.”

I accepted, but not without hesitation. I vaguely knew the mental games the 100-mile racers talked about - but not to the extent I would come to experience firsthand after 30-plus hours of running and two skipped nights of sleep.

10

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

We started running at 8 p.m. on June 5th. The distance flew by as we maintained a sustainable pace. We ran along North Shore Drive, then over Stewart Mountain via logging roads into the middle of the night, leading us into Acme. My knees welcomed the change to flat terrain and my mind welcomed the change of scenery - even if it meant running on pavement again.

We weaved around Mosquito Lake Road and arrived at logging road 38. Between 3 and 4 a.m., I started to notice a gnawing pain in my right knee. My fear of having to quit was worse than the pain itself! I continued and my pain subsided. Little did I know at the time, everything would hurt later.

Around 6:15 am, we arrived at the Ridley Creek trailhead.

To our delight, Ryan Rickerts stood beside his truck drinking a beer and had peanut butter and honey-glazed bacon waiting for us. Bacon, sunlight, and getting onto a real trail brought us

Suzanne Lundberg fueling up

inspiration. Even though the thought of a beer had sustained my last 10 hours, in reality I could barely stomach one and could only down half a can.

We got organized and headed up the Ridley Creek trail where the steep single track was a breath of fresh air. Everything felt good. High on Baker’s west flank now, we came to the snow line where there was a perfect breeze, keeping the temperature cool.

As we were approaching the climber’s base camp at the foot of the Easton Glacier from below, our 11 support climbers cheered wildly and then suddenly, in a synchronized line, mooned us. What a welcome! As we climbed the last hill to approach them we ran into the backside of one of our support team women peeing. She noticed us and sheepishly laughed. Little did I know at the time, over the next 10 hours on the mountain, I would get used to the humbling no-shame experience of peeing between two men, roped in, with a 360 degree view all around me: nowhere to hide.

Bacon and Beer After cramming our faces with food, we geared up and roped in. I was energized, enthused, and anxious to summit. We stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

climbed for 3-4 hours up the glacier before I began to feel fatigue.

Every step seemed to become more difficult - not the kind of challenge that comes from physical exertion, but more like a dreamy slow motion sluggishness. I literally couldn’t keep my eyes open. Since this was my first time running through the night, I had assumed that the adrenaline, excitement, and the constant conversation would keep me wide awake. Incorrect. I was falling asleep mid-step! I took a heaping handful of chocolate-covered espresso beans as Aaron offered me an espresso energy gel (anything with caffeine was a valuable resource).

We trudged on, finally reaching the base of the Roman Wall, the steepest pitch of the climb. I focused on Dan’s footprints ahead of me for optimal energy conservation.

The last stretch of the climb leading to the summit was cold, as we were no longer protected from the wind by the face of the mountain. Approaching the summit, we exchanged high-fives and cheers. The view from the top was wondrous! The Sisters.

Glacier Peak. Mount Rainer. The San Juan Islands. Far into the Cascades and beyond….

I breathed in the accomplishment and smiled to myself at the thought of my dad looking down on me, proud. He had been a mountaineer and outdoor enthusiast. The group cracked open cans of Kulshan IPA. One of our support climbers threw us a plastic pouch of vacuum-sealed bacon. We ate, drank, and got cold feet (It didn’t help that Aaron, Dan, and I wore only

PUT A MEMORABLE

ADVENTURE IN YOUR AUTUMN

What you get: A taste of the many rewards of rock climbing outdoors – • • • •

beautiful surroundings new skills learned new friendships achievements to be proud of

Here’s how: Join us for 1, 2, or 3 days at –

• Mt. Erie or Leavenworth, WA • Joshua Tree, CA; Squamish, BC • Red Rock/Las Vegas

Outside and Backpacker agree: “Best climbing school & guide service in America.”

American Alpine Institute In Fairhaven at 1515 - 12th St, Bellingham 360-671-1505 • AlpineInstitute.com

The heartbeat of Cascadia

11

running shoes).

We marched down the mountain, our feet plunging into kneedeep slush. At base camp, we ate more (they sometimes call ultrarunning an eating party, as it is vital to consume around 300 calories an hour). We reached the top of Ridley Creek Trail and panic began to set in.

We were far behind schedule and no one had prepared to be in the woods at night - not a headlamp between us! We eased into a quick pace and made it back to the Ridley Creek trailhead about 10 minutes after dark.

A change of dry shoes and socks felt miraculous. I had a false sense of success,

as if we were finished. It was nighttime.

We’d been up all of the previous night.

We had summited Mount Baker. But no - there was another 45 more miles to run!

I chugged an energy drink, which I would later regret. Not only was my stomach burning, I became angry. This was the stupidest idea. Why would anyone in their right mind willingly make themselves suffer?

Wasn’t someone going to validate my negativity?

The Pain We were running again.

Then came the nap debate - a 6-mile conversation about whether or not we would take a nap. I could have punched someone. We took our nap - 30 minutes.

I was out in 8 seconds, and went to a far away place. When Dan woke us abruptly, I had no idea where I was. When I understood my reality, it felt like a nightmare.

Careful not to whine too much, I grabbed another handful of chocolate-covered espresso beans and continued running on Mosquito Lake Road. My body suffered,

12

The heartbeat of Cascadia

but morning came and the dawn brought a new attitude.

Despite the pain from running with a layer of blisters between my feet and the concrete, the low fog in the early morning light over green pastures was a scene out of a fairyland that even one who was suffering had to appreciate. Later, when we were approaching the curve in the road that would bring us into downtown Acme, we saw the silhouette of a man walking in the middle of a lane toward us. It was 4:30 a.m. Someone thought he had a gun. No one spoke. As we approached him with a smile and a “g’mornin”, we noticed it was a bow and arrow. He did not make eye contact, smile, or even blink as we passed. Not sure if we should laugh, be horrified, or expect an arrow in the back, we entered Acme sharing a puzzling and surreal moment.

Before starting the climb back up Stewart mountain, I did a terrible tape job on my blisters and put on my hydration pack. We had 12 treacherous miles to go before we reached the Bellingham side of Stewart mountain. Sleep deprivation was getting to me so I popped a caffeine pill. I was eager to reach Stewart’s summit so our climb would change to a relaxed downhill jaunt. Wrong. The steep and rocky downhill nearly killed me. I was getting sharp and abrupt knee pains and my blisters were throbbing.

Once we reached the North Lake Whatcom Trailhead, we prepared for the

On the summit, (L-R) Gavin Woody, Aaron Poh, Dan Probst and Suzanne Lundberg

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

THANK YOU FOR MAKING BOUNDARY BAY BREWERY A “LOCAL INSTITUTION” SINCE 1995! s ale

boun da ry

be ll

am,wa gh in

m y.co er ew

sav e

e th

brewery

bba yb r

On June 7, 2015 Dan Probst, Gavin Woody and Suzanne Lundberg (members of Probst’s Cascade Mountain Runners) reached Bellingham Bay after running 108 miles to the 10,781-foot summit of Mount Baker and back in approximately 40 hours. It was the group’s fifth attempt (since 2013) and the second to succeed (a group of three clocked a total time of just over 48 hours in August, 2014). Suzanne Lundberg is the first woman to successfully complete the round-trip.

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF CRAFT BEER & COMMUNITY

y ba

next 13 miles of pavement to the finish. I drained my blisters and chugged a cup of lukewarm coffee while Dan bandaged and put mole skin on my blisters. He then took off his own shoes to find that we had nearly identical blisters that webbed between our toes.

Onward: the final stretch. My body was really suffering but now my mind was clear. Thirteen miles over North Shore Road and through Whatcom Falls Park. We continued through downtown and I felt like it was Christmas morning. I held back little cries in the last two miles. We were greeted by a throng of supporters as we ran knee-deep into the Bay. A bottle of champagne awaited us at the shoreline. My husband and dog greeted me and I couldn’t hold back. I broke down sobbing. Because I was done suffering, because I was physically and emotionally exhausted.

ANW Because we did it.

SAVE THE DATE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 20th Anniversary block party on ‘AleRoad Avenue

Come and enjoy the taste and experience of cheese made right on our farm

Open M – F 6am-5pm Sat 7am-5pm www.thecheesefarm.net

CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENT Girls on the Run Fall 5k

Saturday, Nov. 21: 9:30am at Bloedel Donovan.

WHATCOM FAMILY YMCA stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

360 733 8630

The heartbeat of Cascadia

13

Autumn Ecstasy The Top 10 Fall Color Hikes in Washington Story by Craig Romano

Maple Pass

Photo by John D’Onofrio

14

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

W

ith crisp air, deep blue skies, no bugs and vibrant foliage - fall is my favorite time to hit the trail. I’ve hiked over 18,000 miles in Washington State from the wild Olympic Coast to the grizzly-harboring Selkirk Mountains. And while most of the peaks, forests, lakes, and river valleys I’ve trudged across make great autumn destinations; the ten below represent the cream of the crop when it comes to capturing the full essence of fall hiking in Washington State.

of larches adds touches of gold to the dramatic cirque cradling the aforementioned Lake Ann glistening 1,000 feet directly below. The only thing prettier?

All of this with a fresh blanketing of snow.

Twisp Pass

Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness Roundtrip: 9.0 miles Elevation Gain 2,450 feet

Ptarmigan Ridge

Kayaker’s Dream Come True!

Mount Baker Wilderness Roundtrip: 11 miles Elevation Gain: 1735 feet Traverse a rocky knolled spine above sprawling glaciers to almost within embracing distance of Mount Baker. Hike across snowfields that never retreat in summer’s heat and crimson carpets of ground-hugging blueberry bushes.

Watch for goats and this ridge’s namesake diligently foraging before winter’s white shroud cloaks the ridge. Follow this exhilarating trail all the way to a grassy 6500-foot bluff above the Sholes Glacier and beneath the Portals - a knife edge separating three massive glaciers.

Stare straight ahead at Baker and the crevassed glory of the Rainbow Glacier.

Then face east and return, now marveling at Mount Shuksan before you.

Maple Pass

North Cascades Scenic Highway Roundtrip: 7.2 miles Elevation Gain: 2000 feet On a per-mile-basis, the Maple Pass Loop is perhaps the most scenic hike along the breathtaking North Cascades Highway! In this seven-mile loop you’ll be treated to majestic old-growth forests, a sparkling high-country lake, resplendent alpine meadows, and enticing wide open ridges granting stunning North Cascades vistas. In autumn, a smattering stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

Twisp Pass

Photo by Craig Romano

From the site of Gilbert, a long-lost mining town, follow a route once used by hardscrabble prospectors up a wide glacier-carved valley to a 6,064-foot gap high in the mountains. Come October the scenery is spellbinding. Paralleling the Twisp River, steadily ascend, alternating between lush cool forest and sunny open ledges. At Twisp Pass, saunter a ways north up an abandoned, (but easily followed) trail through groves of glowing larches and berry patches set afire in red.

Columbia Mountain

Kettle River Range Roundtrip: 8.0 miles Elevation gain: 1360 feet At 5,575 feet, Sherman Pass is the highest pass in Washington crossed by a state highway. Amble along the lofty Kettle Crest to an historic lookout built in 1914. The adventure begins by following the Kettle Crest Trail north to the Columbia Mountain Loop Trail.

Pristine ½ acre Pleasant Bay Waterfront 10 minutes South off of Chuckanut Drive. Spectacular remodel on this 5 bedroom, 3 bath home, granite, hardwood, the works! Includes Boat house w/ ramp for all your water toys and mooring available in the cove. San Juan Island views, 1.5 hours to Seattle or Vancouver BC. It’s a steal at $1,290,000

Call

Dawn Durand for all your real estate needs.

Over 23 years helping buyers and sellers in Whatcom County

360-739-3380

dawndurand.com dawn@dawndurand.com The heartbeat of Cascadia

15

lofty Kettle River Range - among the highest and wildest peaks in Eastern Washington - and marvel at entire ridges painted in hues of yellow, thanks to thick stands of western larches and groves of aspens.

Grand Valley

Olympic National Park Roundtrip: 8.0 miles Elevation Gain: 2,100 feet

Columbia Mountain

Photo by Craig Romano

Then gently climb through sun-kissed and sage-scented meadows circling the peak before reaching its 6,780-foot summit. Enjoy sweeping views of the

Across the globe.

Across the country.

Across the kitchen table.

Hike to a necklace of sparkling alpine lakes in a mile-high valley set against bold mountain faces. Deer, marmots and bears are prolific in this valley. In autumn this wild kingdom is accented with golden sedges and fiery red berry bushes. Lounge or spend the night at one of three lakes. Grand Lake is grand indeed. Moose Lake boasts a spectacular backdrop of black-shale peaks. And little Gladys Lake is set in a high grassy and moraine-filled bowl. Your ticket into this majestic valley comes at a minimal cost. Start high, traverse open Climbing Mt. Baker

As you look to protect and grow your wealth, it’s important to work with a firm that has a unique global perspective, translated through the relevant and trusted advice of a Financial Advisor. Together, we’ll craft your own unique plan, and work with you every step of the way to help you achieve it—on your terms.

Advice you can trust starts with a conversation.

David J. Mauro, CFP® First Vice President - Investments

Open Weekdays 8 to 5 Saturdays 9 to 5 851 Coho Way, Bellingham 360-734-3336 • 800-426-8860

Shop online at:

www.lfsmarineoutdoor.com 16

The heartbeat of Cascadia

UBS Financial Services 104 Unity Street, Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone 360-714-2550 Toll Free 800-774-8422 david.mauro@ubs.com ubs.com/fs As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, we offer both investment advisory and brokerage services. These services are separate and distinct, differ in material ways and are governed by different laws and separate contracts. For more information on the distinctions between our brokerage and investment advisory services, please speak with your Financial Advisor or visit our website at ubs.com/workingwithus. Neither UBS Financial Services Inc. nor any of its employees provides legal or tax advice. You should consult with your personal legal or tax advisor regarding your personal circumstances. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. ©2011 UBS Financial Services Inc. All rights reserved. Member SIPC.31.17_Ad_4.625x3.625_9G0204

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

alpine tundra - then rapidly descend.

Pay the piper on the grueling ascent back to your car.

Lake Ingalls

Alpine Lakes Wilderness Roundtrip: 9.2 miles Elevation Gain: 2600 feet

the scene is spellbinding. Mountain goats are ubiquitous here. And the views along the way of the old mining district of Esmeralda Basin to Mount Rainier in the southern horizon are sublime.

Shriner Peak

Cradled in a high barren basin beneath the rocky façade of Ingalls Peak, Lake Ingalls is a sight to behold. When its icy waters are calm, capturing reflections of the sheer rock face of 9415-foot Mount Stuart - one of the highest non-volcanic peaks in the state - the view is striking.

When alpine larches set the lake basin and surrounding slopes aglow in gold,

Mount Rainier National Park Roundtrip: 8.5 miles Elevation gain: 3,400 feet The loneliest of Rainier’s four remaining fire lookouts, Shriner looks out over the quiet southeast corner of the park.

This 5,834-foot peak never gets crowded and consequently, chances are good for viewing wildlife. In the past, much of the peak was engulfed in wildfire, creat-

ing open meadows and prime wildlife habitat. Bear, deer, grouse, cougar, and ground squirrels scamper about Shriner.

And come fall, the old burn zone’s berry bushes and mountain ashes transform the verdant summit to red, yellow, and orange. The views are beautiful too from Rainier and the craggy Cowlitz Chimneys to the virgin forests of the Ohanapecosh Valley below.

Hawkeye Point

Goat Rocks Wilderness Roundtrip loop: 14.7 miles Elevation Gain: 3100 feet From this old lookout site at more than 7,400-feet, gaze straight down into a

A Special Yoga Retreat in the North Cascades Friday, October 30 - Sunday, November 1, 2015

An Invitation to Rest, Relax, and Rejuvenate your Body, Mind and Spirit...

Enjoy three days of yoga at the North Cascade Institute’s Environmental Learning Center in beautiful North Cascades National Park.

Cost: $499 per person (double occupancy)

$599 (private room) Includes two nights accommodations, four yoga classes and delicious, healthy lakeside dining featuring locallysourced ingredients.

Space is limited! For more info see WhatcomYoga.com or contact Susan D’Onofrio at 360.319.1601 or susan@whatcomyoga.com.

To reserve your spot, payment must be received by September 12, 2015.

Early bird discount of $25 if paid by September 1.

This retreat is open to both beginners and experienced yoga students.

Photo by Tatum Kenn

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

17

barren cirque cradling a large lake which remains frozen all but the early days of autumn. Then sight Mount Adams to the south, Mount Rainier to the north, Mount St. Helens to the west - and the serrated snow-capped Goat Rocks Crest filling the east. Legions of mountain goats roam the alpine tundra carpeting this corner of the Goat Rocks. Comprised of the Snowgrass Flat, Lily Basin, and Goat Ridge trails; this is one of the most scenic loops in the Cascades. It can be completed in a day by strong hikers or as a nice weekend backpacking adventure.

Strawberry Mountain

Gifford Pinchot National Forest Roundtrip: 8.8 miles Elevation Gain: 1700 feet One of the finest ridge hikes within the shadows of Mount St. Helens, the only

thing sweeter than Strawberry Mountain’s views are its succulent huckleberries.

Roam across this sprawling peak through berry patches, silver forests, old-growth groves, sprawling meadows and pumiced slopes - all while marveling at sweeping views encompassing Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier, the Goat Rocks and everything in between. A trail runs for 10 miles along this lofty elongated peak. But you can access it high up and midway from FR 2516. Walk north over and around a series of knolls to just below the steep 5720-foot summit. Views are great all along the way.

Diamond Peak

Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Roundtrip: 2.2 miles Elevation Gain: 500 feet

pleasant path actually - on an easy hike along the rooftop of Washington’s lonely Blue Mountains to a stunning viewpoint. Immediately enter the 177,465acre Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness, spanning the Blues in both Washington and Oregon. Traverse wildlife-rich meadows and slopes graced in blueberries and larches which in fall add vibrant colors to this oft-muted landscape.

Branch off on a short spur to 6,379-foot Diamond Peak, second-highest summit in Southeastern Washington and savor breathtaking views from Hells Canyon to the high Wallowa Mountains of ANW northeastern Oregon.

Visit AdventuresNW.com for more great hiking destinations!

Follow the Mount Misery Trail - a rather

Sally Farrell, Realtor®

THE

Coldwell Banker Bain 3610 Meridian St. Bellingham, WA 98225

360-393-7339

Bagels made like bagels were a long time ago

sallyfarrell@cbbain.com www.sallyfarrell..com Your Dreams are My Business ZAREMBA PAXTON P.S.

Certified Public Accountants

360.676.5288 1319 Railroad Ave, Bellingham

www.bagelrybellingham.com

Serving Local Businesses and Individuals since 1976

Tax Returns • Financial Statements • Consulting • Bookkeeping • Payroll • Cross-Border Consulting 1314 N. State Street • Bellingham, WA • 360.671.1023 • www.zarembacpa.com 18

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

19

When the Mountains Lessons from Liberty Ridge Story by John Minier

T

he Chinook helicopter hung low over Mt. Rainier, its massive rotors hammering wildly at the thin air. From the edge of the Carbon Glacier, 5000 feet below, we could make out a second, smaller helicopter running sweeps up and down the mountain. Two black dots moved slowly in a grid pattern across the upper route, presumably climbing rangers looking for somebody, something, anything.

“There’s an overdue party ahead of you” the park ranger had informed us when we checked in for Liberty Ridge.

“Let us know if you see anything up there.”

It seems like there’s always an overdue party on Liberty Ridge during peak season, and I immediately thought little of it. “How many climbers?” I asked.

20

The heartbeat of Cascadia

“Six” she answered. Six is a bad number.

Six is four clients and two guides. Six could be friends or colleagues. Six means that something has definitely gone very wrong.

The Chinook made one last sweep over the Carbon Glacier, paused for a few minutes, then lifted up and around the mountain. Silence. We dropped off Curtis

Ridge onto the ice and climbed towards the route. The lower ridge looked phenomenal compared to our attempt the previous

Approaching Liberty Ridge Photo by John Minier

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

Send You Home

year, when we decided to bail to the Emmons Glacier. I negotiated a tricky bergschrund at the base of the route and started towards Thumb Rock.

The hour was late and the snow was soft and punchy. I was spent from a long day of trail-breaking in the heat.

I slowed to a crawl, and finally came to a full stop several hundred feet short of stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

high camp. Jenni (my climbing - and life partner) climbed up from behind. “I just need a few minutes” I said as I pulled out my bottle. The last few depressing sips of water sloshed weakly around the bottom.

Jenni offered me some of hers. “I’ll take

this last section” she said. I’m not used to following, but at that moment, I was happy to oblige. Jenni had been following all day and she was ready to go. “Have at it,” I said, and she charged to camp. That’s what teams are for.

The mood at Thumb Rock was somber. Some of the other teams arrived The heartbeat of Cascadia

21

earlier in the day, and had front row seats for the search operation. “It’s a guided group,” they told us. “I know,” I said. One of the climbers pointed out some colorful objects at the base of the Willis Wall far below us. “Those were blowing around in the rotor wash earlier today. We think they’re tents and sleeping bags.”

We’ll never know exactly what happened on Liberty Ridge, but the outcome was painfully clear. I looked out over the Willis Wall, at thousands of feet of rock and ice. A chill ran down my spine and I got a little nauseous. We considered descending, but the route seemed to be in fine shape. “Maybe we can do some good up there” I thought.

Maybe there was something or somebody left. Dinner was unpleasant, and I slept like shit. Never have I been more

22

The heartbeat of Cascadia

anxious for a summit day.

Morning came long before dawn.

Jenni and I roped ourselves together, and moved slowly upwards through the dark.

Each rock and chunk of ice looked mean and malicious under the low light of our headlamps. The mountain felt like it was pressing down on us, surrounding us in its blackness. We climbed carefully - very, very carefully.

Dawn found us traversing onto the headwall at around 12,000 feet. Color flooded into the sky, burnishing the horizons in deep oranges and reds. I switched off my headlamp and sunk another axe into the snow. The headwall was in phenomenal condition. A foot of fresh snow bonded well to the classic ice pitches.

The travel was easy and the protection was good. I felt guilty.

“If there’s anything left, it will be up here” I thought. Jenni and I climbed silently upwards, and scanned the route for signs of

anything. Occasionally our routine was broken by rock- and ice-fall on the Willis Wall. We would pause and watch in reverent awe. There was nothing else.

The route passed under us and we made our way up and over the final bergschrund guarding Liberty Cap, one

Liberty Ridge

Photo by Steph Abegg

of Mt. Rainier’s three summits. We were physically tired, but our mental exhaustion was acute. The altitude pushed us hard as well. As a previous Rainier guide, I used to run across the summit plateau. >>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

Bernie Garcia, Moctezuma’s World traveler Photographer Fiery foodie

Ascending the ridge Photo by John Minier

Now that I live in Bellingham and guide on Baker, I’m not nearly as acclimatized.

The last couple hundred feet to the cap were grueling for both Jenni and I. It had been a hard climb, on many accounts.

We descended to the saddle below Columbia Crest, the true summit of Mt. Rainier. Our desire to climb was gone.

Below us was our exit down the Emmons Glacier. We took one last look at the summit, and turned to descend. It was time to go home.

There’s an old, ubiquitous saying in the guide industry: Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory. Generally, guided programs are very safe, and most companies have phenomenal track records. The accident on Liberty Ridge was a once-in-a-generation event, a combination of bad luck, and forces well beyond stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

Each and every one of us is an original. Shaped by unique inuences that make us who we are today.

Here at Heritage Bank, we think differences can build a better bank, too. That’s why we share the best ideas from across all of our branches and local communities with one goal in mind: to serve our customers better every day. By sharing our strengths, we’re able to offer customers like Bernie Garcia—and you—more than a community bank.

But rather, a community oƒ banks.

W H AT ’ S YO U R H E R I TAG E?

HeritageBankNW.com | 800.455.6126

© 2015 Heritage Bank Member FDIC

The heartbeat of Cascadia

23

On our toes for your real estate goals

11 Bellwether Way Suite 201 Bellingham, WA

the control of the climbers. However, it does serve as a glaring reminder that there is risk in what we do.

Most of us have a good reason to come home. For me it’s Jenni. As a guide, I spend a lot of time in the mountains, away from home - but family, community, and the future are extremely important to me, as they are for many of us. For me, the foundation of these goals begins with an investment of time. My wife loves to climb, and we love to climb together.

Often, I find myself coming home, repacking, and heading right back out the door on a personal trip. I’m thankful that I love what I do, but that doesn’t make it any less exhausting. Complaining earns me little sympathy.

One of the long term goals Jenni and I have set for ourselves is to climb a different route on Mt. Rainier every year. It gives us a clear objective each season, and some guaranteed time together. We’ve been up some fantastic routes in the last few years, and it’s been great to share the mountain with Jenni in a recreational setting. However, every time we’re on a long, challenging trip together there’s comes a moment of clarity. It may permeate the entire experience, or be triggered by a specific event. I’ll be kicking a stance into the snow and wrapping the rope around my waist. “Climb on” I yell, and that’s when it hits me. It’s my wife on the other end of the line.

I imagine kids are right around the corner, and there’s been a lot of discussion as to what constitutes acceptable risk as a

parent. I don’t believe in avoiding hazard all together. I don’t want our kids to grow up thinking that dad and mom used to climb until they came along. I want them to see us chasing our dreams, and inspire them to go after theirs. That, to me, seems like good parenting. I’m sure I have a lot to learn though.

In the meantime, I plan to continue climbing. Liberty Ridge was a humbling experience, and coming home was a relief. However, without adventure, there is nothing to come home from.

ANW

The Liberty Ridge Disaster On May 27, 2014 two guides from Seattlebased Alpine Ascents International (AAI) led four clients up the challenging Liberty Ridge Route on Mt. Rainier. A climb famous for its technical difficulty as well as sublime views, the route is included in the iconic Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.

One of the guides made a SAT phone call to the AAI office on the evening of the 29th, explaining that the group was going to establish a camp near the 12,800-foot level of the mountain and hope for better weather in the morning. They were never heard from again.

Searchers later found gear belonging to the party and detected avalanche beacon signals emitting from rubble and debris on the surface of the Carbon Glacier, 3,300 feet below their presumed bivouac site.

The speculation is that the entire party was swept off Liberty Ridge by ice- or rock-fall in the night.

It was the worst climbing accident on Rainier in 32 years.

Life is simple. Simply ... live the life you choose.

Buy • Sell • Invest

Chara Stuart

360-202-5151 CharaStuart.com

24

Sunset Professional Building 3031 Orleans St., Bellingham

Chelsea Messer

360-961-8133

ChelseaMesser.com

The heartbeat of Cascadia

counseling our community

360.392.2838 nwbehavioral.org

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

Experience

Come In, Explore & Discover

VILLAGE BOOKS

Old Fairhaven in Bellingham EXIT 250

& Paper Dreams Where you’ll find the GUIDE BOOK you need and the NOVEL you want.

Plus loads of unique gifts, cards, toys, candy, apparel, jewelry and more!

1200 11th St in Historic Fairhaven, Bellingham • 360.671.2626 • 800.392.BOOK • villagebooks.com

Mountain or Road We Have You Covered!

You name it, we have it: Tires, Pads, Helmets, Tools, Parts, Locks, Gloves & More!

• • • •

Since 1971

Full Repair Shop Bike Rentals Accessories Clothing

The Largest Specialized Bike Dealer this side of Seattle

The Bike Shop that pays you dividends!

1108 11th St. • 360-733-4433 • Open 7 days a week • www.fairhavenbike.com

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

is November!

g in Lynden th

Openin New Location

Learn to Sail at the Community Boating Center

Classes & Private Lessons for Adults & Youth www.boatingcenter.org 360-714-8891 555 Harris Avenue

The heartbeat of Cascadia

25

Ken Harrison Leading with Passion

I visited and photographed the majesty and beauty of the Pacific Northwest for 15 years before moving my family here in 1992. There was no other place we wanted to be. I had done some hiking in the Sierra Nevada Range in my youth, but when I had the chance to climb Winchester Mountain with a friend in 2000, it was life-changing. I knew it was something I needed to keep doing to restore my soul whenever possible. I started Boomers Hiking Club in Bellingham in 2004. We hit the trails every Wednesday during the hiking season from Hope, BC south to the Granite Falls area . . . and everywhere in between. Our group has grown to a consistent 8 – 12 hikers each week. I love sharing the adventures with friends, family and colleagues. Our club slogan reads “Come Be Part Of The Adventure.” And, oh, what an adventure it is!

Clockwise from above: Heather Meadows, Ptarmigan Ridge snow, Twin Lakes from Winchester Mountain, Zach on Heliotrope Ridge, Ptarmigan Ridge, Watson Lake

26

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

Check out Ken’s photo galleries at boomershikingclub.org

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

27

The Journey Home Embracing the Wild Within Story by Abigail Sussman

L

et’s begin by walking.

It hardly matters where we go, but today we follow the gravel road to its end on Ruth Creek. Many of us have been to this trailhead before, hiked in this valley more than once, perhaps even climbed the glaciers that feed this creek. But today we aren’t hiking to a destination or climbing to a summit. We are walking, looking for something that is at once intangible and visceral, feeling and fact, instinct and invention.

We do not need to go far if we look carefully. The youngest of us are better at seeing, more receptive to possibility, hearts open wide. It takes a little more work for the rest of us who have had more time to build boundaries, study definitions, replace intuition with reason.

Notice the sound of the creek filling

the valley, the humidity of transpiration, the fading evidence of the avalanche six years ago that swept from ridge to river. Begin to discern the different shades of green. And here, among the broad, double-toothed, five-pointed leaves, soft to the touch, we find an unmistakable whisper.

Stay with me. We are close.

Between thumb and index finger pull gently. Let the thimbleberry fall from the stem into your hand. It is not perfect, maybe brown around the edges of the delicate cup, overripe, already disintegrating.

Bring it to your lips. Crush it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue, or let it dissolve slowly, like a piece of chocolate. What do you taste in that sweetness? The soil beneath your feet, the long daylight, the summer’s scarcity of rain? What is it that

you have on your tongue, that has melted into your body, that will mingle with your bloodstream?

It is wildness.

For twelve seasons I have been a wilderness ranger in the North Cascades.

From one side of the permeable boundary between land managed by the US Forest Service and the National Park Service and back again, I have spent a large part of my adult life within this exuberant landscape.

My perception of what constitutes wilderness has evolved from solitude to community, out of bounds to within reach, regulation to relationship.

We could have an intellectual debate now, on this trail, about the boundary we just

Photo by John D’Onofrio

28

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

guess what they are, but contemplate the passed and the one we are approaching. shape, the spacing, the stride. We observe We might argue about cross-cut saws and subtle details to describe the invisible. Not chainsaws, permits and self-limitation, science and sublimity. Let’s hold these all as possibilities, suspend the fear of loss and attempt to distinguish wilderness from wildness.

By some interpretations, that slight stutter in the middle of the word “wilderness” distances us by excluding humans, by defining landscapes’ relative value by the lack of human influence. Wilderness presumably contains the condition of wildness. But wildness cannot be contained. It cannot be mapped Photo by Abigail Sussman or even properly defined within the confines of human language. just the animal itself, but its movement It is an elevated understanding, a perthrough the terrain and ultimately, the sonal connection. It is the lingering taste of relationship between forest and weasel, thimbleberry. weasel and vole, vole and meadow, meadow By grasping onto land, dividing it into and human, human and forest. What is parcels and naming them, we eliminate characteristics we are trying to preserve. I am by no means questioning the value of what I work to protect, but we must be honest - wilderness has boundaries. Wildness is boundless.

The more we allow ourselves to make An exhibition of fine art nature that discernment, like the continuum of photography at the Whatcom Land Trust the color green, the more we can become All Sales Benefit the Whatcom Land Trust attuned to that which is wild, shifting our perspective from merely concerned observOctober 2 - December 18, 2015 John D’Onofrio Opening Reception: Friday, October 2 starting at 5:30 pm ers to engaged inhabitants. whatcomlandtrust.org Let’s stop here for a moment and bend 412 N Commercial St, Bellingham, WA to look at these tracks in the mud. Do not

it that we scrutinize, imagine, attempt to understand?

Wildness.

As we continue towards the pass, Ruth’s gentle peak watches our procession, polished rock bearing the marks of recent glacial retreat. The low saddle we descend here is a memory of an ancient caldera, a form of destruction metamorphosed into creation. Just beyond our view is a young cousin of this caldera, an emblem of our community.

What could be more wild than the living heart of a volcano? The energy surging beneath our feet, bubbling with unpredictability, waiting to express its potential. Feel how those never-ending processes, visible only in their result, sway our behavior, guide us through the world, remind us of our impermanence.

Wildness.

Let’s continue up the switchbacks to

Cascades to Chuckanuts

Hit the road!

Get into the car of your dreams with an auto loan from WECU®!

Alan Sanders

Brett Baunton

Your single track to Bellingham real estate.

Waterfront, Relocation and more ...

Residential Home Sales • International Real Estate Developing cross-border and global relationships

Erinn Nobel

Real Estate Broker/Certified International Property Specialist Serving Whatcom County since 1999

888.877.9315 x118 • 360.398.3883

www.pedalinghome.com • erinn.nobel@exprealty.com stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

29

Waterfront Elegance

on Vancouver Island’s Stunning West Coast

Walking distance to fine galleries, shops & restaurants.

the subalpine. For many of us, moving skyward is our ultimate destination. Indigenous people came to the high country for specific reasons - mountain goat, berries, obsidian.

The bonds we yearn for are rooted here, in our hands, on our skin, our tongues. Sight is only one among the physical senses to satisfy and yet it seems that we try to nourish ourselves through beauty. What need are we fulfilling when we gaze at waves of peaks, watch the sunrise half-way up a glacier, contemplate stars that hang in fir branches?

What are we touching from a distant perch?

Wildness.

Our wildness. The wildness of the human body, pumping with astonishing mystery. The wildness of companionship, flourishing in the heat of argument or the warmth of embrace. The wildness of imagination, unlimited in depth, unrestrained in complexity.

Here, on this ridge, a raven soars nearby, looking at us with curious wisdom.

She embodies wildness just as wildness embodies her, riding on thermals, scavenging

salmon, building a nest. The raven and the world are inextricably connected, driven by mutual necessity. This comes innately to the raven, the wind, the salmon, the mountain hemlock.

Now look up from this piece of paper.

Discern between the shades of green: the cedar outside the window, the blades of grass, the broad leaves of summer squash. What is it that we see when we adjust our eyes and look for connection? What is it that we feel when we open our hearts to the world, to each other, to ourselves?

Wildness.

To preserve wilderness we must not only protect the geographic and political lines, but all the places wildness exists.

Safeguard the wildness in our children, seek wildness in our food, strengthen our connections to the world. To be wild like the raven, we must pay attention to the web of relationships, to our own animal bodies, to the wildness that exists in deep forests, in our backyard gardens, and within our loved ANW ones.

Next door to the new Ucluelet Aquarium a “West Coast Gem.” Studios and one and two-bedroom suites with full kitchens.

Hiking, Kayaking, Fishing, Whale Watching, Birding, Seaplane Charters, Adventures in the Broken Group Islands.

Experience the nearby Wild Pacific Trail, one of Canada’s scenic wonders and one of the most beautiful coastal hikes in the world.

Contact the lodge directly for best available rates and seasonal specials 1645 Cedar Road, PO Box 1119, Ucluelet, BC – V0R 3A0

Local: 250.726.2270 Toll Free: 1.855.726.2270 www.whiskeylanding.com info@whiskeylanding.com

30

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

31

High, Wide but not Lonesome Mountain Biking Wenatchee Story and photos by Aaron Theisen

T

he Methow Valley tends to take all the east-slope mountain bike glory, but among the sere foothills of the Central Cascades, Wenatchee mountain bikers are quietly developing one of the best trail systems in the state. Mountain biking communities tend to develop a trail personality, whether it’s a penchant for hairraising, technical descents (see: Rossland, British Columbia) or buffed-trail and buffed-calves cross-country workouts (see: the Methow Valley). Wenatchee seems to be developing as a close kin to Bend, Oregon: fast, dry, sinuous and not-too-steep singletrack that’s perfect for quick climbs and fast descents but doesn’t require big-hit bikes.

32

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

The Wenatchee Mountains, the latticework of dry ridges that separate the Cascade Crest from the Columbia Plateau, form the core of Wenatchee’s trail system. A sprawling network of trails crisscrosses the canyons and creek bottoms of this rumpled landscape, offering day-long rides for mountain bikers of all abilities.

The centerpiece is Mission Ridge, the scenic backdrop west of Wenatchee.

Named for the work of Catholic missionaries at the confluence of what is now known as Mission Creek and the Wenatchee River near present-day Cashmere, Mission Ridge is attracting devotees of a different sort: mountain biking missionaries who have begun linking old Forest Service trails with new routes built specifically with bikes in mind.

Wenatchee’s wheeled missionaries benefit from a long riding season.

Washington’s Apple Capital is also a Banana Belt: ample sunshine and quick-drying trails are a welcome relief for rain-weary west-side riders. And while the sun-baked, lowelevation Sage Hills lure springtime cyclists, mountain bikers looking for a late-season fix should turn their gaze to the heavens - or at least higher up Mission Ridge.

Here are three trail systems that should convert any fat-tire rider to the gospel of Wenatchee wheels.

Devil’s Gulch South of Cashmere, where Mission

Creek drains toward the Wenatchee River, a vast network of steep, switchback-scarce trails climbs up and around Mission Ridge. In its midst lurks Devil’s Gulch, a high, heat-blasted landscape of sandstone and pine and one of the best mountain bike rides in the state. A dozen miles of singletrack climb without mercy from

Mission Creek to the crest. Riders looking for penance can bike up the singletrack from Forest Road 7100; the rest will ride 11 miles of gravel road to the trail’s uppermost terminus and then descend Devil’s Gulch for a 23-mile ride. Near the top of the trail, widely-spaced ponderosas frame fantastic views of Tronsen Ridge

and the Stuart Range to the west, Glacier Peak to the north and the vast expanse of the sage- and pine-studded Waterville Plateau to the east, echoing the watercarved basalt of the surrounding ridges on a landscape-wide scale. Singletrack twists amongst old-growth ponderosa pine and shark-fin-shaped basalt formations, both bearing the deep grooves and furrows of time. Close at hand, intriguing rock formations and inviting grassland captivate. But most riders will be focused on their front wheel through straight singletrack and sweeping turns seemingly built for speed. Multiple splashy creek crossings in lower Devil’s Gulch will cool off riders who’ve overheated.

The devilish detail? Motorcycle use on this and most of the trails in the Mission Ridge system. Devil’s Gulch is only unholy if you come on a summer weekend, when the bray of motorcycles can become downright cacophonous. But off-peak use is light, and seasonal closures give bikers of the pedal-pushing variety quiet trails during the best parts of the season. Come after October 1, when motorized use is prohibited and mellower temperatures keep the climbs from being hotter than...well, you get the idea. The upside of autumn riding: entire hillsides of larch lighting up the landscape with their golden needles.

Number 2 Canyon The Number 2 Canyon trail system, a close-to-town network of wind-

Multi Day Adventures Sunset Cruises Day Trips

Dominique Zervas 1909 Broadway, Bellingham 360.733.2010 www.zervaslaw.com Real Estate • Land Use • Business Formation Exceptional Service • Meaningful Solutions stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

Mothership Supported SUP Trips

Book On-line! www.gatoverde.com 360-220-3215 Not Your Average Sailing Charter ...

All ages and abilities can enjoy fun and unique sailing adventures, customized sailing instruction, or carefree skippered sailing experiences!

Embarking from the Bellingham Cruise Terminal

The heartbeat of Cascadia

33

ing, pine-shaded trails in the Horse Lake Mountain area of the Wenatchee foothills, has the potential to be the number one trail system for mountain bikes in central Washington, with a little work. The trail system has long been a site of rampant clandestine trail construction, but in recent years the Forest Service and local volunteers have worked to shut down unsustainable trails and

34

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

codify the keepers. The star of the show is Stairway to Heaven, an approximately 3-mile ribbon of singletrack that climbs the lower slopes of Twin Peaks through a mix of open, fire-branded ponderosa pine and grassy slopes that in springtime blaze with balsamroot. Number 2 Canyon Road, which accesses the Horse

Lake Mountain summit, neatly bisects the trail and provides both a quickie uptrack for riders interested in fast access to the views higher up the mountain. All but the big-bike pushers should pedal up and descend the smooth singletrack. It’s great both ways - few rocks and roots, just fast, twisty and sublime singletrack with graceful turns. Singletrack may eventually connect No. 2 Canyon to Mission Creek, making a best-in-state high-mileage trail network; for now, energetic riders can pedal forest roads between the ridge systems.

Number 2 Canyon is going to get even more Forest Service love; in addition to up to 33 miles of singletrack, the agency has an ambitious plan to build a new trailhead with signage, ample parking and privies; right now, users park at the end of paved road, which can be a headache for residents. Riders should stop at Arlberg Sports, on Wenatchee Avenue in downtown Wenatchee, for system maps and ride recommendations.

Squilchuck State Park The under-construction mountain bike trail system at 288-acre Squilchuck State Park demonstrates the quality of riding to be had on trails built with bikes in mind. Minutes from Mission Ridge Ski Area, the former ski hill turned state park had experienced drooping use numbers.

So land managers and local volunteers led by the Central Washington chapter of the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance have developed an ambitious plan for a full-service mountain bike park on the formerly fallow land, including beginner pump track, dual slalom course and dirt jump track. But the main attraction is the sustainably-built trail system that can handle bike speeds and accommodate bike needs. So far, volunteers have constructed about a mile and a half of tread, with high-speed straights that transition nicely into beautifully-bermed switchbacks. The soil composition means that the trails dry out fast when wet; in the heat of summer, the fine “moon dust” is

Ride, Refresh, Repeat... to 3 of Bellingham’s craft breweries

Book your

GROUP RIDE at

pedalpartynw.com 360.255.0822 stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

35

less slippery than the sandy soil found elsewhere. The trails unwind in a cool, shade-streaked fir forest about 4600 feet in elevation, a good alternative when sun scorches Number 2 Canyon.

The opportunity for short loop rides from a trailhead only 15 minutes from downtown Wenatchee makes Squilchuck perfect for morning milk runs and post-work laps.

Local riders have plans to eventually connect the Squilchuck system to Mission Creek and Devil’s Gulch, which would in turn connect to Number 2 Canyon. The plans are ambitious, but cyclists here have a missionary zeal. And a weekend spent carving the canyons of Mission Ridge should turn even the most skeptical riders into converts for the cause.

ANW

Fresh Locally-Sourced Seafood

Wills & Trusts • Probate • Commercial Law

99

Meridian St

Marietta-Alderwood

Dr

Bellingham International Airport

539

st we rth

I-5

No

Lummi Bay

m iS ho re

Rd

Ha xto n

Wa y

I-5

Bellingham Bay

Bellingham

{ Simple Will $95 }

Lu m

barleansfishery.com

NathaN L. McaLLister, attorNey at Law, Ps

Slater Rd Ferndale Rd

360.384.0325

Canada

Barlean’s Fishery Haxton Way

3660 Slater Road, Ferndale, WA

Lake Terrell Rd

Family-owned in Whatcom County Since 1972

Western Washington University

(360) 734-0338

I-5

Seattle

1313 E. Maple St., Ste 208 • Bellingham, WA 98225

www.NathanMcAllisterLaw.com 36

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

The Best Beers and the Best Pizza, All Under One Roof • Happy Hour 11am-6pm $1 Off Pints • 200 Micro Brews • 50 Beers on Tap • Live Music Every Thursday • Brewer’s Night Every Other Tuesday • Growlers To Go

Hours: Sun-Wed, 11am - 2am Thurs & Sat, 11am - 3am

1118 E. Maple Street on Samish Way

(360) 647-3600 Open Late For Delivery stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

race | play | experience

37

The Assiniboine A Tale of Unrivaled Splendor, Grizzly Bears and Condiment Soup Story and photos by John D’onofrio

Mt. Assiniboine rises above Lake Magog

38

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

Traverse

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

39

F

or Europeans, the Matterhorn defines alpine beauty. At 11,870 feet, Mount Assiniboine, in the Canadian Rockies, is a similar momentous horn, cleaving the sky.

The difference is that the Matterhorn is surrounded by tourist accommodations while Assiniboine rises in country that is by-and-large wilderness. Switzerland without the gondolas.

radiate out from the lake. The traverse itself is only 35 miles but with side trips, we’ll likely triple that distance.

We’ve timed our hike to coincide with the height of autumn color in these

Our intention is simple. We plan to traverse the high country across British Columbia’s Assiniboine Provincial Park from Sunshine Meadows in Banff Cerulean Lake National Park to Spray Lakes in northern mountains. The vast larch Kananaskis Country, a journey through forests en route - if we’re lucky - will be the supreme highlands that marks the aglow in golden hues. border of BC and Alberta. We have 12 The peaks gleam in the ethereal days. We’re planning on spending a week moonlight as we pull into the trailhead or so at Lake Magog, right in the middle parking lot at Spray Lakes - our intended and exploring the plethora of trails that egress point where we’ll leave the car.

We’ve scheduled a mountain taxi to pick us up early the next morning to transport us the 50-some odd miles to our ingress point at Sunshine Village. We set Joe’s travel alarm clock for 6 a.m. so we have

40

The heartbeat of Cascadia

time to load our packs before the taxi arrives. By now it is well past midnight, and - exhausted from the long drive - we throw a tarp on the ground, roll out our bedrolls and drift off beneath a benevolent moon, filled with anticipation for the adventure ahead.

In the morning the alarm fails to go off and we wake up mere moments before the scheduled arrival of the mountain taxi. Uh-oh. We have fifteen minutes to sort gear and load our packs for our 12-day adventure. We feverishly stuff food and gear into the packs.

The taxi - a decrepit van - arrives before we are done. The first opportunity that I have to lift my hastily-packed backpack is when I load it into the back of the van. I can barely lift it off the ground. It must weigh 80 pounds. Uh-oh.

The driver, a cheerful Québécois named Ives, regales us with tales of Tibet and Beverly Hills on the drive to Sunshine Meadows and we disembark at the upper end of the ski area and struggle into our monstrous packs, barely able to stand. We stagger out across the vast golden meadows and soon leave the throngs of happygo-lucky day hikers behind for a sweaty climb up to a small pass beside Quartz Hill in the blistering sun. Sunshine Meadows indeed.

We rest at the top, surrounded by smooth, polished peaks, ecstatic to have the packs off for a moment. The perfect symmetrical horn of Mt. Assiniboine rises above all, beckoning us onward. The wind rises as we descend the south side of Quartz Hill to Howard Douglas Lake, our first night’s camp. No sooner do we arrive than a pair of hikers coming out of Assiniboine turn up. There’s been a grizzly attack there, they tell us, and the park managers have closed all the trails to the southeast. Our exit route. Uh-oh.

We climb a nearby ridge to sit, watch the sunset blaze on the distant horn of Assiniboine - a truly awesome sight - and consider our options. If we turn back, >>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

we’ll have to walk down 10 miles of road to the town of Banff and then figure out how to get back to the car on the other side of the park. It’s a Og Lake quandary.

After the sun sinks below the jagged western horizon we descend to camp and cook our dinner beside the lake. The dinner conversation is dominated by grizzly bears. An owl swoops in and perches on a branch above us. A good omen, perhaps?

We’d like to think so.

In the morning we decide to spend another day here, exploring the area around Citadel Pass, working our way up through undulating meadowlands and isolated stands of larches - and sure enough, they are at the peak of golden autumn glory. The sky is crowded with rolling clouds, a backdrop from a Cecil B. DeMille film. Despite the Old Testament clouds, there is no rain.

We reach the pass in late morning, just as a break in the clouds offers up a few moments of warm autumn sun. We sprawl, watching the wind dance in the larches, immensely enjoying doing nothing. We discuss the bear situation again and decide to press on rather than turn back, moving our camp as far as we can go before the trail closure. Perhaps we can still make it to Lake Magog, our prime objective in Assiniboine Park. Then

there is a grizzly bear dead ahead. It’s about 100 meters away and by the time I see him, he’s already looking directly at me, alerted by the jingle of my Tibetan Bear Bells.

I back up slowly, un-holstering my pepper spray and Joe, behind me, does the same. The bear, unimpressed and seemingly uninterested, resumes browsing in the berry bushes, completely nonchalant. We jingle our bells and with a calm over-theshoulder glance, the bear ambles up and over the ridge out of sight. We wait a while before continuing on, speaking excitedly in low tones about the exhilarating encounter (speaking excitedly in low tones is not as easy as you’d think). How exciting,

Glacial outwash patterns

we’ll return the way we came and try to figure out transportation back to the car, 50 miles away at Spray Lakes.

We climb up the boulder-strewn slope of aptly-named Fatigue Mountain for a look around. Splendor in all directions.

We descend through the sweet-smelling meadows, dazed by the beauty of the country. I round a corner on the trail and suddenly stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

41

We crawl out of the tent as sunrise and humbling, to find oneself occupying A clear, ecstatic morning: A plume of torches the great peaks. Assiniboine is raa position that is not at the top of the food cloud hangs like a flag from the summit diant, its soaring summit pyramid a deep chain. Somehow the face-to-face with griz of Assiniboine and the surface of the lake magenta above wisps of pink and purple has strengthened our resolve to continue sparkles like diamonds when the mornclouds. We load our packs and head into Assiniboine tomorrow. ing breeze tousles its surface. We spend down the trail across broad, cold tundra In the morning we break camp and the day exploring the rocky slopes above meadows towards Lake Magog. cache some food for our return A chill wind rattles the dwarf trip, hanging it from the camp’s vegetation. Autumn, it seems, bear pole. We shoulder our has arrived. packs for the hike across Citadel Pass. A noticeable lightening of We arrive at tiny Assiniboine the load. Halleluiah!

Lodge in mid-morning, where we learn that the trails over Once across Citadel, we dethe southern passes have been scend through dense forest into re-opened. Good news indeed the Golden Valley (so named, although, we now have two new one presumes, for the luminous problems. Since we have cached larches) and then on into the The long haul: carrying massive backpacks through the Golden Valley several days worth of food back Valley of Rocks. For the next at Howard Douglas Lake we three miles we wind around and now have insufficient rations to complete clamber over rocks, tossed everywhere like the lake, whiling away the afternoon in a the traverse unless we shorten our trip; an dice the size of Winnebagos. By the time reverie of mountains, larches and dancing unappealing option. Additionally, we can’t Og Lake comes into view at the ten-mile clouds. Back at camp we eat dinner in a just abandon our food cache - a serious mark, we are bone-tired. We pitch the dream-like twilight as the evening gathers breach of wilderness etiquette. tent beside the lake in its austere setting of itself over Og Lake. Shooting stars enliven smooth, polished stone. the cold heavens.

For now, we make our way to Lake Magog and pitch the tent in the deserted hiker camp beside its shores. Because of the trail closures, it would seem that we have the park to ourselves. A thundering icefall rumbles down from a glacier on Assiniboine, now close at hand. Coyotes serenade us as evening washes the mountains in blue shadow.

In the morning, everything is covered in crunchy frost. As the sun rises, we shoulder our day packs and head up the trail, passing Sunburst and then Cerulean Lakes, both gleaming in the early light.

W H A T C O M

ARTIST STUDIO TOUR

First 2 weekends in October Oct. 3,4 & 10,11

Before the tour begins, please join us at one (or all!) of our gallery openings!

Bellewood Acres & Distillery

Saturday, September 12th, 2:00pm - 4:00pm Show runs Sept. thru end of October (daily, 10am - 5pm)

Jansen Art Center

A FREE self-guided Art Tour

Thursday, October 1st, 6:00pm - 8:00pm Show runs October thru November (T-Sa, noon - 5pm; Th 9am - 7:30pm)

Guidebooks available in businesses and restaurants throughout the county.

Many studios are open all year long.

Call individual artists to schedule a visit.

Friday, October 2nd, 6:00pm - 9:00pm (during the Gallery Walk) Show runs through October M-Sa, 9am - 6pm; Su, noon - 6pm

Dakota Arts

Come see where creativity begins!

For more info: studiotour.net facebook.com/WhatcomArtistStudioTour 42

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

There is movement in the bushes behind us.

But it is not a bear that emerges from the brush. It is a wild-eyed, bushy-bearded man, wearing ragged clothing and carrying a beaten-up rucksack. He seems as surprised to see us as we are to see him.

He introduces himself in halting English as Wolfram, from Salzburg, Austria. Until recently, he tells us, he was an economist, working for the European Union, but has undergone a radical career change to wildass vagabond. He has been on the trails of the Canadian Rockies for months, travelling alone on a spiritual quest that seems strange even to him.

We watch the sunset together and he tells us that he is headed towards Sunshine Meadows, but is short of food.

We tell him that he can have the food cache that we left hanging from the bear pole at Howard Douglas Lake. One of our problems is solved. He is so grateful that he pulls out a tiny flask of schnapps that he’s been nursing for a week and

Above the lakes, we climb Nub Ridge through gnarled subalpine forest, eventually bursting out of the trees. All around us, towering peaks fill the sky. Far below, the surfaces of the lakes glitter like jewels.

Assiniboine rises above it all.

We climb higher, up The Nublet (what a name!), scrambling up boulders and scree to even more expansive views, eventually surrounding us in a 360-degree panorama of serrated ridges, their summits a chiaroscuro of shifting cloud shadows. The wind howls. Ecstasy!

We descend beneath a blood-red sky into dark forest, bells jangling, bears on our minds. We haven’t seen another soul all day.

The next day is consumed by a sojourn to the ice-encrusted headwall of Assiniboine herself, a day spent wandering among glacial debris and across moraines of umber and grey. At sunset, we position ourselves in a meadow near camp, quietly watching the play of light on the elegant geology.

passes it around in celebration.

We spend the following days in delirious exploration on the many trails that radiate from Lake Magog; Og Pass, Windy Ridge, Gog Lake, Wonder Pass - scenes of wonderment everywhere.

The season is clearly turning - the paths through the larch forest are now carpets of glistening needles. When the wind blows, it’s like golden snow.

In the evenings, Wolfram joins us at our camp and we tell traveler’s tales beneath a billion stars. Every morning he wakes us at dawn: “Friends, it is first light on Assiniboine.” The clouds pass overhead, the larches shimmer and we wander through the landscape like dreaming men. The wind sings winter songs and each night is colder than the previous one; water bottles icing up.

One day, Wolfram tells us is it is time for him to go. He bids us ‘Namaste’ and heads north up the trail to retrieve our food cache (Months later, I’d get a postcard from Austria, complimenting us on

The Spirit of the Wild:

Richard Bunse’s Intimate Avian Portraits I’m constantly observing, researching, photographing and drawing birds in the Willamette Valley. And as I do with most of my work, I let the forms and activities of the creatures and their environment sink into my mind. I internalize. And then, rather than copying, I draw the bird from my head. In the montages, I use photos of birds and watercolor interpretations of their habitat. So often in avian photography the bird becomes a focused specimen before a blurred backdrop. The montages provide the ornithological accuracy of photography but in the context of a dynamic, artistically realized environment - real but not overly realistic.

It’s this process that makes the work true to the spirit of the animal, its environment and me.

Clockwise from top left: Common Egret, Canada Geese, Green Heron, Tundra Swans, Greater Yellow Legs, Common Mergansers

The art of nature

View more of Richard’s artwork at www.rivergalleryart.com/artist_richard_bunse.php

eARTh stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

The heartbeat of Cascadia

43

our American freeze-dried food).

Our last problem soon makes itself felt. Our food supplies are almost spent. We cut back to half-rations, splitting an energy bar for lunch and sharing a single pouch of Top Ramon for dinner. We’re talking more about food than bears these days.

Our last night at Lake Magog is a melancholy one. It’s that familiar mixture of gratitude and longing that asserts itself after a length of time in the wilderness, an eagerness for home and a sadness to leave these lonely mountains. Tomorrow we’ll climb over Wonder Evening light Pass to Marvel Lake. The names say it all. Late in the night, a huge avalanche thunders from Assiniboine’s headwall, shaking the ground, interrupting our dreams.

In the morning, we load our packs mercifully light now - and say our goodbyes to Magog. It is still early when we reach Wonder Pass and we rest here for a few minutes, above stupendous glaciers, turquoise lakes and ribbon-like waterfalls threading down from the ramparts.

The peaks are lined up like medieval chorus girls: Gloria, Eon, Aye, Lunette, Assiniboine, Terrapin and the Towers.

Ooh la la.

Food supplies are lean: we eat the last of the turkey jerky and dried fruit and

move on. As we descend towards Marvel Lake a steady rain begins to fall. I had reconciled myself to being hungry. Now I am hungry and wet.

We make camp in the woods and the rain comes down in buckets. We make “condiment soup” from some onion flakes and our last fast-food packets of ketchup dissolved in boiling water. Yum. But beneath our tarp we are warm and dry.

Musical entertainment is provided by Marvel Creek, animated by the rain, doing the sub-alpine two-step, punctuated by the drip-drip of water drops falling from tree branches to the moss below.

The last morning of our traverse dawns with a grey, watery light: rain, rain, rain. Getting out of the bag is not easy.

Breakfast is grotesque: a last spoonful of unadorned instant potatoes. Somehow it’s worse than the condiment soup. And we wish there was more.

We stuff our wet gear into our packs for the final march and resolutely hit the trail towards my distant car - full of delicious food, beer (could it still be cold?) and dry clothes. The rain stops after a few miles and by the time we reach the parking lot at Spray Lakes in late afternoon, the sun is shining. And yes, the beer is cold.

ANW

The Guidebook, Re-engineered

Their new (seventh!) edition of Don’t Waste Your Time in the Canadian Rockies offers a breakthrough in the hiking book format: The Copelands have packaged their exhaustively-complete 677-page (560 color photos!) opus in a collection of lightweight booklets, all contained inside a zip-open hard-shell case.

So when you head out into the hills, you carry only the relevant booklet (average trail And the Copelands are eloquent writers. Their weight: 2.4 ounces). trail descriptions are inspiring and lyrical, For more info: hikingcamping.com. expressing a joy that is contagious.

Kathy and Craig Copeland know the hiking trails of the Canadian Rockies as well as anyone. Their first guidebook for these splendid mountains, Don’t Waste Your time in the Canadian Rockies was published back in 1992. The Copelands rate each hike according to their well-considered standards for scenic beauty, solitude, wildlife, effort required, etc.

The “Don’t Waste Your Time” concept is all about helping hikers find those trails that really peg the meter.

44

The heartbeat of Cascadia

>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

KEEN Durand Mid WP Boots When it comes to boots, for me, comfort is king. Sure, I expect rugged construction, skookum ankle support and great traction. But those aspects mean little if the boots aren’t comfortable. My feet tend toward the wide end of the spectrum and so many of the boots that I test are just too narrow. KEEN’s Durand Mid WP boots are perhaps the most comfortable boots that I’ve ever worn (and trust me, I’ve worn a lot of boots!). On my first outing in these boots, the trail miles slipped past and wow, were my feet happy. But then the trail ended and the scrambling began. We were exploring the backcountry talus and rubble slopes beneath Han Peak in the North Cascades, which culminated in a long steeply-pitched traverse across boulders and scree. Traction and ankle support were essential and the KEENs really delivered on these fronts. But this kind of side-hilling across loose rocks can be punishing on the feet and I am happy to report that after several intense hours working my way across the cliffs, my feet were happy campers indeed.

More info: keenfootwear.com

Right Place. Right Time. Right Magazine.

Advertise in

Contact Chara@AdventuresNW.com

Cascadia Gear: Essentials for your next Adventure Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Ultralight Backpacking Tent Big Agnes tents have been garnering a lot of attention among ultra-light aficionados - and with good reason. They’re easy to put up, relatively spacious and extremely lightweight for a double-walled tent. The 3-Season Fly Creek UL2 is a case in point.

According to Big Agnes, the Fly Creek UL2 weighs in at 2 lbs., 5 oz. and, while it’s a mite tight for two, is lighter than my previous one-person tent. Of course there are tradeoffs - the Fly Creek UL2 has only one door and the vestibule, while adequate for stashing your boots, is not spacious. But at the end of the day (a day spent with a backpack on my back) it represents a happy compromise of space and weight. The tent has but one integrated Y-shaped hub pole, which attaches at three points, making the use of stakes mandatory. The walls are mostly mesh but the lower portions are solid nylon, useful when it comes to keeping wind-blown dirt out.

More info: bigagnes.com

ADVENTURES NW>>> magazine

Gear Spotlight: Sweet Dreams

Big Agnes

by Chris Gerston Boot Jack 24 Yin or Yang: When choosing a sleeping bag you’ve got two choices - down or synthetic. Down is lighter, more compressible, more durable, and in my opinion, more comfortable; but it’s slow to dry if it gets saturated wet. Synthetic bags, by contrast, are heavier, bulkier, more fragile and lose their loft sooner than down; but when wet, they’ll dry faster. Synthetic bags are less expensive than down, but since down bags last two-three times longer, they offer the best value in the long run.

In the last three or four years, sleeping bag manufacturers have figured out how to put a waterproof treatment on down. So, now there is something of the best of both worlds. An example of this would be the Big Agnes Boot Big Agnes Jack 24 sleeping bag. This bag weighs 2 pounds, 3 ounces; Mirror Lake 22 is rated at 24 degrees to handle our shoulder seasons (or a cold sleeper in summer), and costs $179.99. There is also the Women’s version called the Mirror Lake 22, which weighs 2 pounds, 7 ounces; is rated to 22 degrees, and costs $199.99.

Some tips on sleeping better can help you extend the temperature range of your sleeping bag farther. Wear a hat, an insulation layer, and warm socks to bed. Fill a water bottle with hot water, slip a sock over it, and throw it in your bag to snuggle with.

Chris Gerston owns Backcountry Essentials, an outdoor specialty shop located at 214 W. Holly in Bellingham, WA.

360.676.1977 • www.lithtexnw.com

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

Check out more gear reviews by Chris Gerston at AdventuresNW.com

The heartbeat of Cascadia

45

Race I Play I Experience 5 September - 19 September 2015

This is a ride for

SEPTEMBER >>> Saturday, 5 September

Ride 25, 38, 50, 62, 100, or 124

beautiful miles where the Cascade Mountains meet the Salish Sea!

RUN/WALK Lake Padden Relay–– East Lake Padden Park, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.

The Padden Relays are a 4 Person X 2.6 mile or Individual 10.35 mile race. The relay race will be on Saturday September 5, 2015 at 10:00 am, located at Lake Padden Park, Bellingham. Race registration is from 8:30am – 9:45am. GBRC Members are free. Individual runners are $10.00 ($10.00 CDN) Teams are $20.00 ($20.00 CDN)

Monday, 7 September

2015

Chuckanut Century Sunday, September 20

Ride on Whatcom & Skagit counties’ finest cycling roads, including the famous Chuckanut Drive.

Enjoy views of Mount Baker & surrounding ranges while cycling along the shores of Padilla Bay, Bellingham Bay, Birch Bay, & Drayton Harbor.

Mail-in registration at chuckanutcentury.org • fully supported • hearty food stops • tech tee guaranteed with registrations before 9/1 • tandems: discount for stoker • start & finish festivities at Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro, downtown Bellingham • FREE burger or beverage at finish! register online

SPECIAL Paint the Peninsula––Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Bring your bike, kayak or hiking boots to the Olympic Peninsula to recreate and watch plein air painters capture images of sea stacks, old boats, working farms, and incomparable scenery in Port Angeles Fine Arts Center’s Third Annual Paint the Peninsula competition. Artists from across the U.S. and B.C. will paint in natural light to produce paintings typical of the impressionist style. All art will be for sale at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center.

Saturday, 12 September SPECIAL Glacier Photography Workshop––Alan Kearney Photography & Art, 6:00 am – 8:00 pm. Capture our Cascade glaciers before they disappear. We will visit Mt. Baker’s most accessible glaciers: the Easton and the Coleman.

Returning to the same photo locations as used in 1981 and 1987, we’ll shoot new photos of the ice rivers. The field trip will educate participants about glaciers, and better use of their digital cameras.

One day $150, both days $300. To learn more or sign up for the workshop go to: http://alankearney.com/disappearingcascade-glaciers/

Sunday, 13 September CYCLING The Sunday Rabbit Ride–– Fairhaven Bicycle, 8:00 am – 10:30 am. Join us every Sunday for a 32 mile road ride that heads South on Chuckanut Drive, East on Colony Road and loops around lake Samish and heads back to Fairhaven for coffee at Avenue Bread. Pace of groups vary between 14-15, 16-17, 18-19, and 20+ mph. For those in the less than 16mph group, be ready to ride at 7:45. For everyone else, be ready to ride by 8AM. The fastest riders leave last.

CYCLING Excelsior Traverse: 20M, 10M––Mt. Baker Wilderness, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. Run the Canyon Ridge Trail and High Divide Trail. Post Run FEAST!

Saturday, 19 September RUN/WALK Vital Choice Bellingham Traverse––Railroad Ave, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm. Get Hooked on the Vital Choice Bellingham Traverse, a fun relay race that celebrates the journey of wild salmon.

Families, friends and local companies form solo, tandem and relay teams to run, bike and paddle through Bellingham’s scenic parks, winding trails and open waterways. The course includes a Greenways Run (5.5 mi); Mountain Bike (6.0 mi); Road Bike (18 mi.); Trail Run (3.4 mi); Paddle (3.6 mi.); Team TREK (0.65 mi.)

at active.com

chuckanutcentury.org 46

race | play | experience

>>> VIew or download even MORE Race|Play|Experience

Race I Play I Experience

20 September - 26 September 2015

Sunday, 20 September CYCLING Chuckanut Century–– Bellingham and Whatcom County, all-day. Come join us for one of the most scenic rides in Washington. Pick your distance ranging from 25, 38, 50, 62, 100, or the double metric century of 124 miles. Ride support & food stops with a wide variety of high-energy food and drinks along all of the routes. All routes are gorgeous: views of the San Juan Islands, Chuckanut and Blanchard mountains, Mt Baker, the Canadian Cascades, Mt Shuksan, the Twin Sisters, Birch Bay, and Vancouver Island.

valley and beyond into the Cascades.

We have two options this year so please join us as a team or individual for the challenging HARDMAN 40km Mtn Bike & 10Km Trail Run or the SPRINT 20km Mtn Bike & 5km Trail Run. The race finishes with awards/ prizes, free local brew and chili.

SPECIAL Island Quest Adventure Race––Roche Harbor, 6:30 am – 6:30 pm. Finding the best route through the course is up to you. On foot, mountain bike and by kayak, you will navigate a series of checkpoints to make your way from start to finish on these Recreation (4 hr – 6 hr) and Expert (8 hr – 12 hr) races. Where’s the course? You’ll get that information a half hour before the race begins!

Saturday, 26 September RUN/WALK Thunder Series: 12M 25M, 42M––North Cascades National Park, 7:00 am – 9:00 pm. 3 Pristine Mountain Runs in the North Cascades National Park. Followed by delicious post-run feasting!

Oct. 25 2015

a different kind of adventure race

Visit AdventuresNW.com for complete listings of Outdoor events throughout 2016

Run Wild Bellingham

RUN/WALK Methow Off-Road Duathlon––Sun Mountain Trails, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. 4th Annual Methow Valley Off-Road Duathlon, held at the iconic Sun Mountain resort on the Methow Trail’s system.

The rolling trails overlook the

A scavenger hunt, family fun, gnome finding adventure run through Whatcom Falls Park Walkers welcome. Separate kids’ Derby Dash. www.runwildbellingham.com Facebook: Run Wild Bellingham

Proceeds Benefit Wild Whatcom A HAMSTER ENDURANCE RUNNING EVENT event listings at AdventuresNW.com

race | play | experience

47

race I play I experience

27 September - 8 November 2015 Sunday, 27 September RUN/WALK Bellingham Bay Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K Run––7:30 am – 3:00 pm. Come experience the natural beauty of Bellingham Bay, San Juan Islands, mountain views and a touch of trail in Bellingham, Washington. Enjoy what many runners have commented is “the most beautiful marathon in the Pacific Northwest.” 9th Annual Event. www. bellinghambaymarathon.org

Aboard the David B

trails. Awards for top three Videos & Photographs,Huge Prize Raffle, Beer, Food. New Location: Bellingham Technical College, Settlemeyer Hall.

RUN/WALK East Bank Ross Lake: 30M––North Cascades National Park, 7:00 am – 9:00 pm. Run deep into the North Cascades National Park. Transportation and Post Run Feast included!

Friday, 16 October SNOW Komo Kulshan Ski Club Ski and Snowboard SWAP––Bloedel Donovan Park Gym, 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Annual gear swap. Drop-off October 15th, sale October 16th-17th. Pick-up unsold gear the 17th at 3p.m.

OCTOBER >>> Saturday, 9 October RUN/WALK Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival––Port Angeles, 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm. Celebration of seafood on Port Angeles waterfront. Food, events, crafts, live music. Chef Graham Kerr!

San Juan Island • Broughton Archipelago Desolation Sound • Inside Passage • Alaska

NorthwestNavigation.com

Sunday, 10 October SPECIAL Shoot the Trails Awards––Bellingham Technical College, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm.

Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition’s 5th Annual Shoot the Trails Awards Video and Photography Contest.

Fundraiser for local mountain bike

NOVEMBER >>> Friday - Sunday, 6-8 November SPECIAL Friday Harbor Film Festival––Friday Harbor, All-day. The 3rd Annual Friday Harbor Film Festival will be held on San Juan Island, November 6-7-8, 2015. The Festival will feature over 30 award-winning documentaries and docu-dramas, including at least two

FREE PICKUPS OF YOUR OLD APPLIANCES (Bellingham and Ferndale)

Your donation supports our nonprofit job training program

Call to schedule:

527-2646

802 Marine Drive Bellingham, WA

appliancedepotbham.com

Bellingham’s premier German auto repair and BMW motorcycle rentals

360.715.EURO (3876)

nweuropean.com 48

race | play | experience

>>> VIew or download even MORE Race|Play|Experience

race I play I experience

8 November (cont.) 2015 - 20 August 2016 premieres. In selecting the films to be shown, our goal is to entertain our film goers, inspire them to get involved in issues that speak to them, and enlighten them about environmental issues, social concerns, and humanitarian efforts.

Monday, 16 November SPECIAL Race Director Summit––Lakeway Inn, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm.

We convene local race directors to get our Annual Event Calendar ironed out and some issues addressed. We are here to serve the Race Director Community by bringing people together to connect and share, so we can all manage our events more professionally.

Saturday, 21 November RUN/WALK Turkey Trot––Whatcom Falls Park, 7:30 am – 10:00 am.

The GBRC Turkey Trot 5K will be on November 21, 2015 at Whatcom Falls Park in Bellingham. This event will be Benefiting the Bellingham Food Bank

and the entry fee is an $8.00 minimum donation to the Food Bank per runner (maximum $20 per family). Kids under 12 Free. GBRC Members Free-but donations welcome. Race registration is from 7:30-8:45, the kids race is at 8:30, 5K Starts 9:00, Results & Awards are at 10:00ish

DECEMBER >>> Saturday, 5 December RUN/WALK Fairhaven Frosty–– Fairhaven Park, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.

The Fairhaven Frosty 5K & 10K is on Saturday December 5, 2015 at 10:00 am. The race is located at Fairhaven Park, Bellingham. Registration from 9:00am – 9:45am. Race starts at 10:00 am .

Free Kids 1/4 mile kids race starts 15 minutes before the race. There is online and day of race registration.

GBRC Members are free, Non-Members: $10.00, 18 and under: $5.00

JUNE 2016 >>> Sunday, 26 June

(360) 223-2501 icleanwhatcom.com Serving Whatcom County

RUN/WALK Kona Marathon Events–– Waikoloa Beach Resort, 5:30 am – 1:30 pm. The Kona/Kohala Coast on the Big Island is well known as the ultimate vacation destination in Hawaii. All four races, Marathon, 1/2 Marathon, Quarter Marathon, and 5K courses

Advertiser Index

Adventures NW............................................45 American Alpine Institute............................11 Appel Farms & The Cheese Shop..............13 Appliance Depot...........................................48 Backcountry Essentials.................................45 Barlean’s Fishery............................................36 Bellingham Bay Marathon............................47 Bellingham Farmers Market.......................... 8 Bellingham Frameworks...............................41 Bellingham/Whatcom County Tourism....19 Boo’s Parlour..................................................48 Boundary Bay Brewery................................13 Brandon Nelson - NW Way of Life, Keller Williams........... 5 Busara Thai Cuisine.......................................44 Chara Stuart - Bellwether Real Estate.....24 Colophon Cafe..............................................25 Community Boating Center.......................25 Community Food Co-op.............................24 Creative Life Adventures NW...................42 D’Anna’s Cafe Italiano.................................... 6 Danne Neill - Muljat Group.......................... 8 Dave Mauro - UBS Financial.......................16 Dawn Durand - Windermere Real Estate.15 Erinn Nobel - eXp Realty............................29 Fairhaven Bicycle...........................................25 Friday Harbor Film Festival.........................44 Gato Verde Sailing.........................................33 GBRC...............................................................49 Hamster Endurance Events - Run Wild....47 Heritage Bank................................................23 iClean...............................................................49 Jazz Project - Bellhaven Jazz Festival.........25 Josh Feyen -REMAX.....................................13 Ken Harrison - Coldwell Banker Bain Real Estate.......30 Kulshan Brewery...........................................52

run along the spectacular scenic drive throughout the Waikoloa Beach Resort offering beautiful views.

The Marathon and 1/2 Marathon courses extend into the unique black lava volcanic landscape of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Experience the true aloha of Hawaii. www. konamarathon.com

LFS Marine & Outdoor................................16 Lithtex NW....................................................45 Mallard Ice Cream........................................... 7 MBBC - Chuckanut Century......................46 McKay’s Taphouse..........................................37 Mount Baker Mountain Guides..................22 Nathan McAllister, Attorney at Law..........36 North Cascades Institute............................30 North Cascades Mountain Guides...........46 North Fork Brewery...................................... 4 Northwest Behavioral..................................24 Northwest Navigation.................................48 NW European Autoworks..........................48 Old Fairhaven.................................................25 Peace Health.................................................... 2 Pedal Party NW............................................35 Peoples Bank.................................................... 3 Quicksilver Photography.............................40 Recreation Northwest - Traverse/Quest.......................................... 51 Sally Farrell - Coldwell Bain Real Estate.... 18 San Juan Sailing...............................................34 Skagit Valley Food Co-op.............................40 The Bagelry....................................................18 The ReStore...................................................12 Tourism Ucluelet...........................................31 Village Books..................................................25 WCW Enterprises........................................34 Whatcom Artist Studio Tour......................42 Whatcom Educational Credit Union........29 Whatcom Family YMCA..............................13 Whatcom Land Trust....................................29 Whiskey Landing Lodge...............................30 Yeager’s Sporting Goods............................... 4 Yoga Northwest............................................12 Yoga with Susan D’Onofrio........................17 Zaremba Paxton PS......................................18 Zervas Law.....................................................33

AUGUST 2016 >>> Saturday, 20 August RUN/WALK Volcano Rain Forest Runs––Cooper Center, 7:00 am – 12:00 pm. FEEL THE POWER of Hawaii running on Kilauea an active Volcano. Lush cool rain forests.

Visit AdventuresNW.com for complete listings of Outdoor events throughout 2015

Where will you run?

September 5th .......LK Padden Relays.... 4X2.6 Miles (relay event) November 21st .....Turkey Trot .............. 5K December 5th........Fairhaven Frosty .... 5k, 10k January 10th 2016 ......Lake Samish Runs ...............6.5 & 13.1 February13th 2016 .....Two For The Road ..............5K March 6th, 2016 ...........Padden Mudferest .............6 mile trail run April 9th, 2016 .............HoneyWagon Runs ............4 & 13.1 miles May 7th, 2016 ..............Haggen To Haggen ...........5K Jun 11th 2016 ...............Race Beneath The Sun.......Kids 1/2 mile & 5 miles July 9th, 2016 ...............Chuckanut Foot Race .........7 mile trail run

Greater Bellingham Running Club • 10 races • $30-$50 Annual Memberships • 501(c)(3) non-profit • gbrc.net event listings at AdventuresNW.com

race | play | experience

49

the

Next

Adventure

Monkey Bear Falls photo by TOMMY GIBSON On a hike to do documentation photos for Holden Village near Lake Chelan, I decided to continue on to Monkey Bear Falls, where there was an unusual spring runoff. As luck would have it, I didn’t have a tripod with me so I rested the camera on the railing to capture this image.

Explore the photography of Tommy Gibson at papasm2.ipage.com

50

The heartbeat of Cascadia

Que

ED!

OSeKptember O H M

HA 9th GEELT L ING rse 1

ve tr a

B

En Sca dura nc ven ger e Hun t Cha lle Ter nging ra in Rec re Exp atio n a ert Tea nd ms Pro fes Cou siona l rse s Qua lif ie r f Na tio or na ls

Sep tem ber

ll

Be

ont i t ea es r c Reorthw N ee e Fr th lic to ub P

E

O P X

Ad

ven

tur

e R ace s

26t h

Isl

Queand st

A W m

a

h ing

st

ION T A E R C OM RE C T A H TUDY W

Y M O N O EC

S

tdoor es ou r to t o m ethe t pro thwes people tog laces r o N he p ation ings rove t Recre ion and br p m i d t recrea reserve an p , . enjoy fully e play w e grate r e d n wh a ded ay! is nee onate tod t r o p d up e Your s iated.Pleas t.org s e w c h e rt appr ion No

at Recre