Adventures NW Magazine Winter 15/16

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WINTER 2015/16

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SKI MT. BAKER’S BACKCOUNTRY EXPLORE MT. RAINIER’S ICE CAVERNS SNOWSHOE HUNTOON POINT MAKING FIRE WILDLIFE VIEWING A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP 3 GREAT WINTER HIKES KOMO KULSHAN SKI CLUB A PASSION FOR PADDLING PUSHING THE ENVELOPE WITH GRANT GUNDERSON

>>> EXTENSIVE OUTDOOR EVENTS CALENDAR INSIDE

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CONTRIBUTORS Amy Armitage lives in Bellingham, Washington, due to a chapter in a book titled, “The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America.” She has a BFA degree in Fibers from Colorado State University, studied realist painting at The Seattle Academy of Fine Art, and completed The Edge Program through Artist’s Trust of Washington State. Currently she wears red glasses, rides a blue bicycle, and resides happily in an orange house with her brown-eyed husband.

WINTER | 2015/16 Volume 10. Issue 4 Bellingham’s Christian Martin is a hiker, paddler, DJ, wandering naturalist and yogi. His writing has been published in Sierra, The Georgia Review, Cascadia Weekly, Science & Spirit and the books The North Cascades: Finding Beauty & Renewal in the Wild Nearby and Conversations with Tom Robbins. Learn more at moontrolling.com.

Lawrence Millman is the author of 16 books, including such titles as Our Like Will Not Be There Again, Lost in the Arctic, Last Places, An Evening Among Headhunters, and Hiking to Siberia. His articles have appeared in Smithsonian, National Geographic Adventure, The Atlantic Monthly and Sports Illustrated. He doesn’t own a cell phone or any sort of iDevice and has never sent a text message in his life.

Professional skier and freelance writer, Molly Baker splits her time between her one-thousand-year-old hut in the Austrian Alps and the homes of family, friends, and new acquaintances around the globe.

She has worked with National Geographic Adventure, Skiing Magazine, ESPN, The Ski Journal, Backcountry Magazine, and many more.

Francois-Xavier “Fix” De Ruydts is a photographer and geographer based in Vancouver, Canada. His approach to photography has always been driven by a passion for exploration. His work has appeared in National Geographic Adventure, Outside, MacLean’s, Coast Mountain Culture, Canadian Geographic, and many other publications. Visit his website at: deruydtsphotography.com The poet Roger Gilman lives in Bellingham and can be found around the northwest along Cascade Mountain streams and in Puget Sound salt marshes fly fishing and birding for poems. He is a philosopher of evolutionary ecology and of restoration biology, and former dean of Fairhaven College at Western Washington University.

One of the ski industry’s most dedicated photographers, Grant Gunderson has shot for major snow sports and outdoor publications worldwide including The Ski Journal, ESPN, Outside, Backcountry, Skiing and Kootenay Mountain Culture. As Senior Photographer for Powder, he skis close to 200 days a year.

Mark Harfenist lives in Bellingham, where he dabbles in mountain biking, ski mountaineering, sea kayaking and world travel when not complaining indignantly to anyone within earshot about the inevitability of old age. In his spare time, he works in private practice as a family therapist and mental health counselor.

Caroline Knott is a stay-at-home mom and photographer living in Seattle with her husband and 15-month old son.

She grew up in the Pacific Northwest and has a deep love for its rugged charm. She finds rejuvenation and peace in the quiet of nature so she escapes into it as much as possible.

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

Hilary Parker is a writer and editor residing in Bellingham, Washington, where she explores local trails with her kids and writes about it for Bellingham-Whatcom County Tourism at bellingham.org After 21 years in Bellingham, New Jersey native Ted Rosen has learned a few things about the region and its locals. He can now properly barbecue a salmon and name the major peaks of the North Cascades. As a member of the Greenways Advisory Committee, he is always looking for new ways to get around without a car.

A fledgling fire-maker who loves winter, Abigail Sussman carries a lighter. Find more stories at www.abigailmsussman.com

COVER PHOTO by Grant Gunderson

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INSPIRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE

The Ice Caverns of Mt Rainier

10

Ted Rosen

Bill Lokey Dives Deep

The Quiet Joys of Huntoon Point

18

John D’Onofrio

Wildlife Viewing in the Canadian North

Lawrence Millman 24 Capturing the Heart of Winter Photography in the North Cascades Grant Gunderson A Passion for Paddling

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Making Waves on Lake Padden

Hilary Parker

28

A New Season

Caroline Knott

32

Abigail Sussman

34

Mark Harfenist

36

Making Fire

Deep, Uninterrupted Sleep

The Mountains You Remember

38

Molly Baker

Profiles in the North Cascades

Christian Martin

Kassandra Barnedt

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

7 8 9 20 42 45 46 48 50

“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth.”

Photo by John D’Onofrio

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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.

WINTER | 2015/16 Volume 10. Issue 4

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

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.

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Elevation C

ascadia is a state of mind.

On a map, this bioregion consists of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and - depending on who you talk to perhaps parts of Idaho, Western Montana, Southeast Alaska, and Northern California. An area defined by its still-epic wildness, its independent and restless nature, its bounty of flora and fauna, and perhaps most pointedly, by its quality of life for the 15 million people that inhabit its borders.

Those of us who call Cascadia home love it with an all-consuming passion. We express this love in ways that reflect our surroundings: the Salish Sea, the mighty Cascade Range, the vast and silent forests, the wild rivers that transport the ice- and snow-melt to the sea. It is nature writ large and it elevates those of us who live here. Cascadia is a way of life.

The power of these ancient landscapes has inspired artists for millennia. The Coast Salish people have expressed a deep spiritual connection to the land since time immemorial. Their art is highly symbolic, spiritual - and transcendent. Over the last couple hundred years ‘newcomers’ from Europe, Asia and everywhere else have also fallen under the seductive spell of these remarkable landscapes and felt compelled to create art that re-

flected the beauty around them.

In many ways, this same impulse is the driving force behind this magazine; to somehow make sense of the soul-swelling Bunyon-esque scale of the land, to acknowledge that, despite our individual insignificance, we are part of something bigger much, much bigger - than ourselves.

In keeping with this mission, Adventures NW has joined with Recreation Northwest, Allied Arts of Whatcom County and Bellingham-Whatcom County Tourism to launch a new event in Bellingham this February. Elevation: The Art of Cascadia will be a month-long celebration of art inspired by our stupendous landscapes and the myriad ways we connect to it. There will be exhibitions by some of our finest local and regional photographers, painters and sculptors; presentations; workshops, live music, and lots of opportunities to gather with members of ‘the tribe’.

We hope that you can join us in this community event you can learn more at: www.recreationnorthwest.org/events/ elevation Enjoy our winter issue - and think snow!

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Out About &

Komo Kulshan Ski Club: Giving Kids a Lift

Bellingham’s Komo Kulshan Ski Club has been a part of the North Cascades’ ski culture for more than 50 years.

Best known locally for their annual ski swap (held the third weekend of every October at Bellingham’s Bloedel Donovan Park Gymnasium), the non-profit is dedicated to introducing kids to snow sports with an emphasis on skiing and snowboarding.

By offering scholarships and sponsoring the Mt. Baker Race Team, the club has introduced thousands of young people to this most quintessential of northwest winter activities. The scholarships support lessons, lift tickets, equipment and transportation, enabling kids to “get off the couch” and develop athletic skills that in many cases become life-long pursuits.

A New Trail for Fairhaven Park Happy Trails: Todd and Violet Elsworth cut the ribbon

The Ravens Edge Ski Race, held each spring at Mt. Baker gives the kids a chance to experience competitive skiing in a safe and supportive atmosphere.

Shane Kelling is Head Youth Coach of the Mt. Baker Race Team. He became involved with the ski club in 1997. “As a kid growing up at Baker, we purchased much of our gear from the ski swap and I wanted to be part of that tradition for others. As an instructor, I was excited about the opportunity to be involved in an organization that was geared at getting more people into snow sports, no matter what their financial or family situation.”

Cody Trinkaus, Age 10

The Club is dependent on community support to fund its activities. Learn more at: komokulshanskiclub.com On a cool, cloudy autumn afternoon, Todd Ellsworth (and his daughter Violet) cut the ribbon on the new trail connecting Fairhaven Park to 18th Street.

The mayor was on hand, all smiles (she held one end of the ceremonial ribbon), joining a crowd of well-wishers gathered on this dusky October day to celebrate the results of a community-wide effort by volunteer trail builders, donors (of both cash and materials), the City of Bellingham and Recreation Northwest to build this new stretch of trail.

The trail was desperately needed. The old one was a mess, a quagmire that degraded the wetland and made for a muddy morass for the runners, walkers and cyclists that used it. The fragile wetlands were being loved to death.

Enter Recreation Northwest.

As Park Stewards for Fairhaven Park, the Bellingham-based non-profit led the efforts to build this new trail. They also have future plans to connect the new trail to the Chuckanut Community Forest.

“We are proud to be working to relocate unsanctioned trails through fragile wetlands in this special urban forest,” says Recreation NW Executive Director Todd Elsworth. “The new trails will connect this popular park and newly acquired community forest with a diverse network of trails. The trails will be built to City of Bellingham’s specifications and will bypass the wetlands, allowing increased and enjoyable access for people as well as protecting this important habitat for wildlife and the ecology of the forest.”

More info: recreationnorthwest.org

The Disappearing Coleman Glacier John Scurlock has spent decades in the air, flying the plane that he built himself throughout the North Cascades and documenting his travels in breathtaking photographs. His coffee table book, Snow and Spire is a landmark volume, revealing the range in all its drama and beauty.

He created this photo composite to document the appalling retreat of the Coleman Glacier on Mt. Baker. We’ve all seen visual representations of climate change but these aerial images of the Coleman, taken a mere 12 years apart, really hit home.

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To Watch the Storms

3

Great Hikes

Shi-Shi Beach

Photo by Lance Ekhart

Storm watching on the high-drama beaches of the Pacific Northwest has become world-famous - and big business - these past few years. And no wonder. Observing the frenzied barrage of storm-tossed waves exploding on these rocky shores is nothing less than stupefying.

Here are five of the best places (listed south to north) to listen to the symphony of storms:

Shi-Shi Beach is certainly one of the most beautiful beaches in the contiguous United States. In summer, it can be a busy place indeed but in winter, the beach offers solitude in addition to satori. Of course, this coastline does get its share of...interesting weather. But there are calm, clear breaks too, when the sands glitter like Monte Carlo. Hiking here has its bureaucratic challenges: you’ll need both a National Parks Hiking Permit and a Makah Recreation Pass (the trail passes through Makah lands).

Trailhead: Hobuck Road on the Makah Reservation, southwest of Neah Bay. Paid overnight parking available at private residences about a half mile before the trailhead.

Little Qualicum River 1. Cape Disappointment State Park - A pair of classic lighthouses Photo by John D’Onofio perched above the roiling maelstrom and a network of short trails make the Cape an exquisite place to be when the storms blow in. The wind here is a snarling presence. Year-round camping is available and there are accommodations galore just up the road on the Long Beach Peninsula.

2. Kalaloch - The venerable Kalaloch Lodge is a great place to hunker down and the nearby bluff-top campground offers a front row seat for those suitably prepared. Lots of beach to comb when things calm down. Storms tend to bring in lots of interesting flotsam and jetsam.

3. Rialto Beach - Easily accessed from Forks, Olympic National Park’s Rialto Beach takes it on the chin when winter storms come calling. You can camp at Mora, just a few miles inland in the coastal rainforest. La Push, the weather-beaten village at the mouth of the Quileute River offers slightly more civilized accommodations. Other nearby beaches, like Second and Third Beach, also provide big drama and can both reached by short hikes. At high tide, they might be underwater.

4. Cape Alava - A three-mile hike with lots of slippery boardwalk transports you to the western-most point in the contiguous United States. The wave action is stupendous. Solitude is a distinct possibility.

You can camp here if you’re prepared for the deluge.

5. Ucluelet and Tofino - The west coast of Vancouver Island offers up storm-watching on a truly epic scale. Pilgrims travel from the corners of the globe to witness the tumult. Situated on opposite ends of Pacific Rim National Park, the coastal towns of Ucluelet and Tofino are both superb places to get up-closeand-personal with the savage sea. The Wild Pacific Trail near Ucluelet is absolutely jaw-dropping when the storms roll in. You feel it in your bone marrow.

Chesterman Beach, near Tofino is another west coast highlight.

Illustration by Richard Bunse

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

Little Qualicum Falls The Little Qualicum River flows through a deep green gorge that’s...well, gorgeous.

Approximately four miles of trails wind through the gorge, crossing the tumultuous river on footbridges that offer close-ups of waterfalls and sculpted stone passages. The campground is closed during the winter months but accommodations are available in nearby Port Alberni (while there, it is mandatory to try the fish and chips at Bare Bones Fish & Chips). The short hike through the gorge is a great leg-stretcher on the road across Vancouver Island en route to the west coast.

Trailhead: Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, Highway 4, Vancouver Island.

Padilla Bay Sometimes, in winter deep, a soul needs some sky. The Padilla Bay Trail offers up a four and a half-mile roundtrip beneath the wide-open skies of the Skagit Delta - an afternoon spent here on a sunny winter day will replenish you. Come even if it’s not sunny. It’s a hushed and mysterious place in the fog (or yes, even drizzle). An ornithologist’s dream, this estuary is alive with birds including ten species of raptors and clouds of dunlin. The graveled path, which follows dikes across vast wetlands is used by both cyclists and walkers - and it’s popular, especially on weekends.

Trailhead: North end - From the parking lot on Second St. in Bayview, pick up the trail on the west side of Bayview-Edison Rd. There is no parking at the trailhead proper. South end - Head .7 miles north on the Bayview-Edison Rd. from Highway 20 to the Little Indian Slough Trailhead.

Visit AdventuresNW.com for complete listings of Outdoor events.

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The Ice Caverns of Mt. Rainier Bill Lokey Dives Deep Story by Ted Rosen

M

ost adventurers struggle mightily to reach a summit peak or a distant destination in some wild and forbidding place. Once there, they can enjoy the view, snap some photos, snack on some granola bars, and revel in the satisfaction of a job well done. Then, after a short interlude, it’s time to head on back from whence you came. ...Unless you happen to be a research scientist. In that case, getting to the summit is just the beginning.

Now it’s time to break out the test equipment and bivouac gear. You are in it for the long haul. There is Science to be done and one cannot let abysmal conditions or the desire for a warm bath override the practical need to observe scientific rigor and take the measurements that will advance humanity a wee bit farther than it was before.

Field scientists need to haul enormous amounts of gear (and themselves) into the wild. They may have prepared themselves at university with a deep understanding of their chosen discipline, but they may not be expert at mountain climbing, pathfinding and logistics. That’s where Bill Lokey comes in.

Since the early 1970’s Lokey has been guiding scientific expeditions in the world’s most challenging environments. When he and his team reach the volcanic lip of Mount Rainier, it’s time to begin work.

They set up camp and prepare for extensive exploration and study. Sometimes this means being holed up in a wind-whipped tent for days. Sometimes it means hauling bundles of scientific gear up a steep glacier and then rappelling down into a massive cavern of searing blue and white. And oftentimes it means switching between your Scientist Hat and your Explorer Hat at a moment’s notice.

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Photo by Francois-Xavier “Fix” De Ruydts

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Photo by Francois-Xavier “Fix” De Ruydts

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A young art school graduate, Lokey looked at his options to work in the wild and decided to go to the Big Chill: Antarctica. He served four tours (three of them “winter-overs”) on the ice, supporting the scientific teams and learning to deal with truly extreme weather and unfriendly field conditions. The intense cold and months of darkness made him a tougher nut and solidified his resolve to assist important research under difficult

conditions.

“It was 20 below zero when we landed and I was greeted with 24-hour daylight and the Ross Ice Shelf that stretched to the horizon with flat white snow and ice.

I was really excited to be there.

It was a time I called the ‘Late Heroic Age’. It was very much a ‘Men’s Club’: we still had plastic bag toilets, took one shower a week, lived in small quarters in small huts, and if the conditions were good, you could get a phone patch home >>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

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on the amateur radio about once a week.

“My dad had been to Antarctica as a guest of the Navy in 1962. It had been a dream of mine to get there and I was excited that the dream had come true.”

Trepidation set in however, as the realities of a year spent in this frozen world began to hit home. Eight months of 24-hour darkness. No fresh food. No mail. No way out. The commitment was total.

It was here that Lokey learned how to make do with what he had. Logistics were a matter of life and death. If you needed something and you didn’t have it, you improvised. In that frozen cauldron, he became expert at outfitting scientific teams with everything they needed and making sure they got out and back safely.

Back in North America, Lokey joined a team of climbers to ascend peaks in the St. Elias range, on the Alaska-Yukon border.

He wanted to learn more and prepare himself for even grander expeditions, including a planned ascent of a particularly challenging route on Denali.

“The climbing was challenging and for my two expeditions in the St. Elias range I was on teams of good climbers who got along. Despite challenges with weather, a few close calls and varying conditions, we successfully climbed the Southwest Ridge of Mt. Hubbard and what we called the East Rib of Mt. Vancouver.

“Climbing is just problem solving. You gain certain experience and expertise with equipment, and then you challenge yourself and go, solving one roadblock after another, whether it be a cornice ridge, an avalanche zone, a crevasse system, a steep face or whatever.”

Awe and Wonder Closer to home, Lokey assisted on a scientific exploration of the fabled caverns located beneath Mount Rainier’s summit, an expedition dubbed “Project Crater”. It was 1971, and Lokey

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provided both logistics and climbing expertise to the team. These unusual formations - sculpted ice and rubble formed by volcanic vents - were considered unique on Earth and had never been properly mapped or explored. The team hoped to study the caverns and their geological structure, as well as search for any life holding fast in that inhospitable environment.

On July 28 of that year, Lokey entered the caves and encountered alarming levels of volcanic gases. The team pressed

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Exploring Antarctica Photo by Bill Lokey

on, mapping the labyrinthine passages and gazing in wonder at the underground cathedrals. Squeezing through an icy passage, he popped out the other side and discovered an enormous underground lake of silver and blue, a stalactite ceiling of frozen ice high above. Astonished, he decided to name the lake after his mother, Muriel.

“The cave network at the summit of Rainier was an incredible natural marvel.

I have described it in many presentations as one of the most unique natural wonders I have personally ever seen. Though I get older and visit less often, I still get feelings of awe and wonder.”

In the intervening years, Lokey returned to Mount Rainier’s concealed underground cave system many times. Each trip revealed changes and new passages, all of which were carefully mapped and measured. The scientific teams tested for life forms in the caves, life forms that may one day help us understand how life can exist in hellish places like deep sea vents and the outer atmosphere. These studies may even help us understand how life initially formed on our Big Ball of Water.

Last year, a 67-year-old Bill Lokey returned once more to Rainier’s ice caves, this time armed with more modern tools and equipment. Along for the 14,411 foot climb and deep descent were a biolo-

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gist, a geologist, a journalist, a photographer, and several experienced spelunkers.

They were hoping to find hardy new microbes and new methods of providing early warnings of volcanic activity.

No summit attempt on Mount Rainier is routine. It’s a dangerous mountain that has claimed over 100 lives. This trip was no exception, with extreme weather and difficult terrain causing numerous setbacks and hazards. But they eventually reached the crater and Lokey’s

logistics skills proved valuable as they made camp and assembled their scientific tools and instruments.

Lokey joined the team in the caverns, visiting his familiar underground world with fresh eyes and weary limbs.

“From the time I had on the summit this past summer, I was not able to locate the lake in the Western Crater that I named after my mother. I had heard rumors from climbing friends that it was no longer there...

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“...I was then extremely excited when Eddie Cartaya, a Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer who was with the 2014 expedition, said that they had discovered a lake deep in the Eastern, or Main Crater. I was amazed when I first saw this one.

It was larger, further below the surface, and clearer.”

In the years between his initial climbs in the St. Elias and his return to Rainier in 2014, Lokey became a respected emergency services manager. Seems like a good career for a guy who knows more than most about earth science, volcanoes, glacial runoff, extreme weather and plate tectonics. He trained trainers and gave untold talks on the subject.

There has always been an undeniable link between science and aesthetics. Few scientists view their work with dispassion.

Any scientist worth their salt is a creature of wonder. From gawping at distant constellations to marveling at tiny fossil fragments, the work of understanding the Universe cannot be done without a deep appreciation for its beauty.

Looking back on his years of exploration and discovery, Lokey feels privileged to have experienced some of the planet’s most amazing places, including the remarkable ice caverns beneath the summit of Rainier.

The thrill of discovery does not fade with time. “...It was exciting to me to be around such smart people who were finding out interesting things about our planet... in some of the most remote and most beautiful places on Earth...”

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The Quiet Joys of Huntoon Point Story and photos by John D’Onofrio

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A room with a view: Camp atop Huntoon Point

T

he journey to Huntoon Point on a winter’s day, when measured in miles, is very short.

A mere three miles separate you from the clamor and bustle of the parking lot and the spirit-lifting hush of this magical destination. And it’s easy too.

You’ll climb a scant 1200 feet along the way with only a few short steep bits, and even these are hugely mitigated by the soul-surging views of snow-softened peaks and glittering meadows.

The true measure of the journey is found within, as the volume goes down, the breathing grows deeper (admittedly, the climbing helps with that) and the internal babbling slows to a pleasing hum.

As a day trip, it’s superb. But taken a little more seriously, as an overnight excursion - under the right conditions it can really be sublime. For me it tends to be a high point of the winter, in every sense of the word.

Sometimes I make the trip on my backcountry stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

skis, but lately I have gravitated towards snowshoes, easier to manage the backpack and better suited to stopping for the occasional impossible-to-resist photo op along the way. There tend to be rather a lot of these.

I’ve been making it a priority to spend at least one night each winter on the point for many years. I’ve missed a few years - but not many. These nights really resonate. The stars on a clear, cold winter’s night can put things into perspective. The silence is a presence, and in my experience, quiets the mind. It is good to get away from the beeping and pop-ups for a while.

Of course, sometimes it snows.

A lot. This too can be a delight. And sometimes the wind blows, roughing up one’s face like a rat-tail file. It goes without saying that you must be prepared.

Obviously, if the weather forecast is unfavorable, go to plan B: An evening in your hot tub, listening to Vivaldi.

In summer, Huntoon Point is crawling with giddy day-hikers, taking pictures of each other with their iPhones.

And who can blame them? When the snow is gone, Huntoon Point - the apex of Kulshan Ridge (commonly referred to as Artist Point) - is a short walk from the Artist Point parking lot. Attaining views like this, from practically the side of the road, is not commonplace.

But in winter, the situation is quite different. In my many years of winter evenings, I have only once shared the ridge with other pilgrims. Generally, it’s a delightfully lonely place when the sun goes down. And getting there is half the fun.

Welcome to Paradise.

The journey begins in the vast parking lot at the upper lodge of the Mount Baker Ski Area. Proceed up the marked trail through the ski area past careening snowboarders. A short, stiff climb brings you to the ski area boundary with its requisite warning sign, making it clear that beyond here you are on your own.

Austin Pass, if not paradise, is a close facsimile. You’ll want to stop here for a moment to admire the shining face of our most photogenic peak - Shuksan, a Russian symphony of a mountain. On The heartbeat of Cascadia

19

On the Level: Digging out a tent platform

a clear winter’s day, the Curtis Glacier shines an otherworldly blue beneath the great snowfields. Dazzling.

Push on and enjoy a gentle traverse along the path of the summer road, sometimes barely discernible beneath a prodigious blanket of snow (but usually well

travelled). Admire the snow-blasted trees and icicle- encrusted columns of basalt.

As you approach the last sweeping switchback on the summer road beneath Kulshan Ridge, head straight up the precipitous slope to the right, avoiding the switchback. Generally

speaking, the route to Huntoon Point is not prone to avalanche, but the exception is the area around the switchback - deadly avalanches have occurred here.

So huff and puff up the steep slope to the top of the undulating ridge.

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rewarded. Shuksan, of course. And Baker, the gargantuan volcano, wearing its traditional winter white. But what about those border peaks, snow-dappled dark fangs rising up like a Norse saga to the north? Wow. When you’re ready, wander along the ridge crest towards the east, following the sinuous contours of the terrain. In a good year, the snow will be 20 feet deep. If you’re camping and the weather outlook is reliably good, head to the obvious high point: Huntoon. Just keep going uphill until there’s nowhere else to go. A few wind-hobbled trees offer scant shelter.

If the weather looks dicey or the forecast is unsavory, there is semi-protection among the trees below the point. But make no mistake, there is nowhere on Kulshan Ridge that you want to be in a winter storm. Refer to the previously mentioned hot tub.

Warm and Dry The key to winter camping is, of course staying warm.

And the way to be warm is to stay dry.

Think of your winter wardrobe as consisting of two separate components; clothing to get you to camp and clothing to keep you warm once you’re there. Beginners all too often make the mistake of overdressing on the way in and arriving at their destination sweat-dampened and chilled without suitable alternate layers. It’s essential that you have a bone-dry bottom layer to put

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

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21

on when you reach camp. Polypro is great and in conjunction with fleece can be layered to banish the chill. Bring lots of clothes, more than you think you’ll need.

POETRY FROM THE WILD

An outer waterproof and wind-resistant shell (jacket and pants) is mandatory and a nice puffy down jacket beneath the shell will be much appreciated.

It’s not parts that make a whole, but their relations, ecological ones that make living systems. A mountain is a system of living things. Think like a mountain.

- Aldo Leopold

Climbing Mount Rainer Along a log-clogged dry-rot trail heavy-breath and feet I climb, Stone-step streams, scramble scree and faith thrust my legs across chasms in the cliffs that dizzy me so, I steady my head with my hands like an eagle grips a snag with its claws.

Straggling and struggling I jungle through the green world toward the blue, Not climbing to conquer but to lie dreaming under peak-eating clouds in a flower-filled rock-rimmed mountain meadow Catching rare air and the distant view of rivers and mountains without end, seeing the forest in the trees.

We all have reasons for climbing.

I climb to see things whole.

Photo by Ted Rosen

22

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- Roger William Gilman

You’ll want a balaclava (better than a hat, it keeps your neck and face warm) and gloves. Thin polypro liner gloves are useful when it’s time to work the stove and insulated, waterproof outer gloves are necessary when the temperature drops.

You’ll want to have both in your pack.

With the right clothing, you’ll be able to enjoy the beatitudes of a crystalline winter night alone with stars and moonlight.

Another important consideration is your stove. Some canister-type stoves don’t do well in freezing temperatures – make sure that yours works when the temperature falls. The stove is critical because drinking water is, of course, acquired by melting snow. A small piece of old closed-cell foam sleeping pad works well as a stove base and will help keep the stove stable on the snow. Make sure that you bring enough fuel – melting snow for water is a fuel-intensive business.

Shelter options abound in the winter.

Some campers enjoy digging snow caves or even constructing igloos. I prefer to sleep in a tent. I find it laborious and time consuming to dig caves or build igloos, time that I prefer to utilize exploring the neighborhood or just sitting back on my Therm-a-Rest chair (good insulation for the posterior) and enjoying the scenery.

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sible in the summer, maximizing the view. By digging down a little you can also create a wind break around the tent that will help keep you warm should the wind sing its winter song.

The tent itself should be a reliable four-season model, strong enough to withstand serious wind and accumulated snow and with adequate ventilation up high to ensure an ample supply of fresh air should snow bury the vestibule overnight. Your sleeping bag should be rated at a temperature well below what you expect to encounter – the ratings tend to be a little optimistic. You can augment your bag’s warmth by sleeping in multiple layers of polypro and fleece. Some folks like to bed down with hand and/or foot warmers. If you have a camera, put the batteries in the sleeping bag with you. Freezing temperatures will drain them overnight.

A good ground cloth or footprint is important to keep the floor of the tent dry. And you’ll want to bring your boots inside at night to avoid having them freeze up overnight, not a happy situation for the morning tootsies. Ditto your water bottle.

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But before venturing into the North Cascades backcountry in winter it is also imperative to check a current avalanche report (obtained at www.nwac.us). Carrying an avalanche shovel is obviously de rigueur for avalanche safety. You’ll also need it to level out a tent platform when you get to camp.

Avalanche Beacons - and a familiarity with their use - add a margin of safety. Truth be told, an avalanche safety class trumps your electronics. Watch an avalanche video on YouTube before you go to give yourself the appropriate heebie-jeebies.

The way to Huntoon Point generally avoids avalanche slopes, although fatal avalanches have occurred beneath Kulshan Ridge in the area of the final switchback of the snow-covered road. The trick is to head straight up the steep slope above Austin Pass rather than following the route of the summer road around the switchback. It’s steeper but safer.

If the avalanche forecast is unfavorable, stay home and crank up the Vivaldi.

stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

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23

Wildlife Viewing in the Canadian North Story and Photo by Lawrence Millman

T

he town of Moose Factory in northern Ontario has few obvious attractions for the visitor. You can drop in on the Cree Interpretation Centre and look at old artifacts; you can visit the Hudson’s Bay Company Museum, assuming it’s open; or you can experience the local horsefly, otherwise known as a bulldog. In the words of an early northern explorer, this insect “lands on you with a thud, takes a bite out of your flesh, and then retreats to a nearby tree, where you can hear it masticating.” By comparison, Moose Factory’s mosquitoes seem

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relatively mild-mannered.

Or you could visit the local dump, especially in the evening, where you can watch up to a dozen black bears engage in culinary activities.

Rather than fast food detritus and ancient leftovers from family meals, they’re feeding primarily on moose, goose, and fish parts thrown away by the locals. In other words, they’re eating many of the same things they’d be eating if they were in the wild.

In lieu of a cinema, the local Cree bring their kids to the dump for an evening’s entertainment. In fact, the dump is the only place in town where you can find yourself in a traffic jam - if four or five cars constitute a jam.

The bears are usually oblivious to culinary voyeurs. While I was in Moose Factory, I visited the dump perhaps half a dozen times, often getting within 20 meters of a particular bear, and only once did I come close to provoking an incident. This happened when I was taking a photograph of a bear with a moose’s head, or a portion thereof, in its mouth. The bear fixed its eyes on me as if to say: Think this is weird, eh? I wonder if you’ll think your own head in my mouth is weird, too …

I can read your thoughts and, yes, a

dump is not a particularly natural setting for watching bears. But I would argue that a zoo is an even less natural setting for watching bears…or for watching any animal.

At least the Moose Factory bears still live most of their lives in the wild, heading back into the bush after they’ve eaten their fill at the dump. Not so zoo animals: they’re imprisoned forever more.

I know what else you’re probably thinking. A dump - yecch! Wouldn’t it be better just to watch, for example, Animal Planet? For me, however, the “yecch factor” occurs when I watch animals on television. Such animals tend to be anthropomorphized or cute-ified ad nauseam. Likewise, they often seem like they’re playing consciously to the galleries - “charismatic, aren’t I?” they appear to be saying. You never see an animal taking a dump on Animal Planet.

I saw several bears taking a dump at the Moose Factory dump.

If you do decide to go bear watching in Moose Factory, you should do so soon. For I’ve heard that the dump will be replaced by a transfer station in two years or perhaps less. If you wait that long, you might find yourself watching and then swatting - the bulldogs that are landing on you with a thud.

ANW

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25

Grant Gunderson Capturing the Heart of Winter

Growing up in Washington, I have been very fortunate to have been able to spend my entire life in the mountains. Now as a professional photographer, I am able to travel the world to search out the best powder and the best trails - yet I’m constantly reminded that we really do have the best of it all right here at home. For me, photography is all about getting people excited to go spend time in the mountains - whether skiing, mountain biking or hiking. I have always thought that if I can create fresh imagery that inspires folks to head for the hills, then my photography is successful.

Visit Grant’s website at grantgunderson.com Clockwise from center: Table Mountain, Adam Ü, Mt. Shuksan, Dean Collins at Mt. Baker, Zach Davison at ‘Home Run Gap’, Cody Townsend in Deep Powder, Matias Evangelista and Mt. Baker on a Bluebird Day

Check out an extended gallery of Grant Gunderson’s inspiring winter photography at AdventuresNW.com

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27

A Passion for Paddling Making Waves on Lake Padden Story by Hilary Parker

Photo courtesy of BCKST

T

he peaceful, glass-like waters of Lake Padden attract plenty of recreational paddlers of all kinds, but one man sees the lake destined for greater things.

divided by Interstate 5. His explorations led to publishing his book “Sea Kayaking from Mountains to Ocean: Reflections On Watershed Ecology in the Washington Pacific Northwest” in 2010.

His scholarly endeavors didn’t quench his thirst for racing, and he began contacting racing teams in Seattle and Gig Harbor, inquiring how to start a team.

Dan Baharav, 75, came to Bellingham in 2004 and discovered a Mecca for paddlers here with the open waters off the coast and sizeable lakes inland.

Baharav raced surf-ski kayaks, (L - R) Sierra Noskoff and Elena Wolgamot the long, lightweight, narrow-bot- Photo by Sarah Mostad tomed style of kayak, as a teenager in Israel, and saw Padden’s calm waters as the ideal spot for the sport.

“Racing is in my blood,” says Baharav.

After settling in Bellingham with his wife, Eva, who is a communication sciences professor at Western Washington University, Baharav took his own time to explore the waters of Whatcom “You don’t have to worry about the County on his kayak. boats,” Baharav says these team organizWith a doctorate in ecology (and a ers told him, “you just bring the kids.” former university professor himself), it So with donations of boats from was not merely sport that drove Baharav other Northwest teams, Baharav foundto paddle from mountain to sound, but a ed the Bellingham Canoe Kayak Sprint deep desire to understand the watershed 28

The heartbeat of Cascadia

Team (BCKST) in November 2012.

He then had to convince Bellingham’s parks and recreation department to allow him to base the team on Lake Padden’s shores. Fortunately, it didn’t take much convincing as the city was interested in generating more use of the park. “I can only say positive things about Bellingham Parks & Recreation,” Baharav says.

The team’s boathouse is a simple fenced enclosure, and Baharav’s “office” is a nearby picnic table, but for the time being it’s just right for the growing team.

The following summer, in 2013, Baharav launched his first summer camp program to introduce kids to kayaking and recruit for the team. He got a handful of interested kids and they began training in earnest three times a week. Each successive year of summer camps has brought more kids to the fold, as have Baharav’s tireless efforts to recruit.

Baharav is the director and head coach of the nonprofit team. He supplies the vision and direction for young rac>>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

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ers, and gets help from parent volunteers and a handful of college-age assistant Dan Baharav: Lake Padden is “one of the best venues in the world.”

Photo by Hilary Parker

coaches (the only paid employees in the organization).

“I regard my parents as the base of the team,” he says.

One of those foundational parents is Steve Scoggins, who volunteers as an assistant coach. He came to the sport as an adult, he says, and considers himself “a guy who figured it out and got pretty good.”

He loves coaching this “phenomenal group of kids,” a dedicated bunch who commit to a hard workout, rain or shine.

The training schedule is three days each week from March through October.

In November they go off the water and move into the gym until January.

February is a well-deserved month off.

Racing season starts off in April, so the team starts training hard as soon as they hit the water in March.

Kids first learn technique and balance followed later by speed and power, Baharav explains.

“When you start up with the team you’re going to start in a pretty stable boat,” adds Scoggins. “After a season or two, kids get in the actual racing boat.”

It’s a strenuous sport, and it’s not uncommon for the young athletes to paddle between six to 10 miles during practice, Scoggins says.

And it’s mandatory that team members be strong swimmers – able to swim across the lake. stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

While the sport is ultimately very safe, with little likelihood of injury, there is also the possibility a boat will tip and the paddler will go for a swim. Of course, that’s not so bad in the summer when the lake is warm. And part of summer practices often includes some time just to swim and play in the lake.

“They just end up having a good time – more than anything else,” Scoggins laughs.

Whatever that combination of work and play is, the BCKST seems to have found a sweet spot that is getting them noticed in the sport.

This year, the team traveled to San Diego for the national championships and brought home a pile of medals. The bantam (under 14) class women’s team of Elena Wolgamot and Ana Swetish swept the K2 (duo) field, bringing home

gold in the 200m, 500m and 3,000m races, and they paddled with Abby Scoggins and Sierra Noskoff to grab the gold in the 500m bantam K4. In total, BCKST earned 11 medals, including a

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the Pacific Cup Championship at the lifelong educator.

Whonnock Lake, British Columbia, in Baharav says he is pleased with how September, the team came in second the BCKST has grown in its first three place overall out of 15 teams. years, but is looking for even more young Last year, Wolgamot and Noskoff athletes to join the team. He encourshattered the record for most kilometers ages kids who might not be well-suited paddled over a six- (L - R) Ellie Scoggins, Mia Clarke or interested in other week period in the and Elena Wolgamot traditional sports Photo by Hilary Parker Barton Bantams such as soccer or Challenge, part of basketball to give the USA Canoe/ paddling a try. He Kayak’s National finds they often excel Sprint Development at kayaking.

Program. The girls Kids interested paddled 773 km, in joining can try it handily breaking out any time, not both the past rejust during the sumcords of 751 km for mer camps. boys and 651 for While Baharav girls. works to build the 419 Hemmi Rd. “You can’t igteam, he’s also workLynden, WA. 98264 nore these two girls,” Baharav said. ing on projects to expand offerings and While this team is still a few years facilities for the BCKST. He’s currently away from Olympic competition, working with other Puget Sound and 360.410.0328 Baharav sees a number of them as future Northwest teams to put together sumcontenders if they mer camps for the most talented athletes choose to conto further develop their skills and gain tinue in the sport new coaching perspectives. He’s also long term. working toward securing a permanent For each spot for the boathouse at Lake Padden. child on the team, “The lake is one of the best venues Baharav says his in the world,” Baharav raves. He’d like goal is to build to see it get that recognition by hosting up skills, persesanctioned racing events there in the verance, integrity future. and self esteem.

If it’s anything like the fast track on “Susan’s classes are the best!

“I cherish the kids which the BCKST has grown, the future She has an uncanny ability to very much,” says won’t be too far away.

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bronze for Scoggins in the 5,000m K1 masters division.

“Under 14, we are probably the best in the nation,” Baharav says.

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31

A New Season Story by Caroline Knott

W

hen we are young and perhaps single, our world is open to so many possibilities, oftentimes without our even knowing it.

I remember being single and finding myself camping, hiking, driving, working out, hanging out, staying up late, etc. with very little need for planning except to make sure I wasn’t scheduled for work. When I got married and had my first child, I quickly realized responsibility and obligation were creeping in. I gazed back at my single years with a bittersweet yearning.

Not necessarily to have them back, but to lean back into them with a part of my heart, look around and say to my then naive self, “you should enjoy this now.”

I would be idealizing the memories to say that I didn’t experience deep loneliness and longing during those years of “freedom”, however. I wanted to meet my adventure partner and have children so badly it was distracting. Now that I am married and have given birth to our first little adventurer, I see this dichotomy of fulfillment and responsibility meeting each other head on.

Bills, doctor’s appointments, errands, bath times, cleaning, lists, busyness, cooking and working: these blissful hysterias were now my life. I found myself questioning this new identity and wondering if all the things I loved to do were gone - or at least put on the back burner for a long, long time. I would never

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trade my family for anything, but there is a considerable shift when you transition from singleness to wife and mother (or husband and father). This shift means re-evaluating, re-prioritizing and allowing this new season to give birth to its own beauty and lessons to be learned.

Being huge lovers of the outdoors, one of our priorities has been to venture - with our baby along - into the mountains to enjoy these pleasures as a family. Sometimes this “enjoyment” seems a lot more like work, but nonetheless, we try! After moving to Seattle, my husband obtained a Monday through Friday 9-5 job, and we joined the weekend crowd. There have been many times when I crankily stomped down a crowded, popular trail filled with loud city kids, blaring their iPhones with music. Why would you go into nature and listen to Rihanna?! It is beyond me.

However, we press on. There are also moments that feel nearly magical as we hike quietly around a remote lake that has grown still with the approaching of evening, listening to the soft sounds of fish jumping, rocks clinking, and breezes whispering. These moments bring stillness to this crazy season of life and bring me back to a place where I remember what is important. The little and the not-so-little things: simplicity, growth, focusing on the things that matter - and making the time to take in the beauty around us.

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absurdly chaotic moments are a must. We have found that in this beautiful area of the country we are blessed to inhabit, it is worth the effort to get ourselves out into it as deeply as we can. Rain, mud, driving, crying, and irritation are usually met with laughter at our child’s reactions to dirt, water and sleeping in the back of a car.

There are pictures of so many “firsts” in the outdoors, a feeling of togetherness, a sense of memory-making and a deep gratitude to have people to share it with.

Here then is the lesson: No matter what your age or station in life, it is always worth the gas, the time, the effort, and the letting go of expectations that it takes to get out and enjoy the patient inspiration that ANW nature offers us with open arms.

Photography by John D’Onofrio

2016 Calendar

The Magnificent North Cascades

drama that I can barely take it in sometimes.

The towering peaks and blue-green lakes; the sweeping forests that gracefully canvas the valleys; the rugged coastline that greets the Pacific Ocean with a wild heartbeat that refuses to be tamed.

As a family you have to get a bit more creative and work a little harder to enjoy this beauty. Planning, packing, being flexible with naptimes, always having snacks, extra clothes, and a willingness to laugh at the Photo by Caroline Knott

John D’Onofrio

www.jdonofrio.com 360.319.1614 john@jdonofrio.com John D’Onofrio’s photographs have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the United States and have been published in numerous magazines and calendars.

They have also been utilized by North Cascades National Park, The North Cascades Institute, the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Defenders of Wildlife, and the NBC and ABC television networks. He is the publisher/editor of Adventures NW magazine and makes his home in Bellingham, Washington, on the margins of the Salish Sea beneath the ramparts of the magnificent North Cascades.

John D’Onofrio

The Magnificent North Cascades

John D’Onofrio’s photographs have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the United States and have been published in numerous magazines and calendars.

They have also been utilized by North Cascades National Park, The North Cascades Institute, the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Defenders of Wildlife, and the NBC and ABC television networks. He is the publisher/editor of Adventures NW magazine and makes his home in Bellingham, Washington, on the margins of the Salish Sea beneath the ramparts of the magnificent North Cascades. www.jdonofrio.com 360.319.1614 john@jdonofrio.com

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33

Making Fire Story by Abigail Sussman

I

have always been fascinated by animal adaptations.

Whether a flight of countless miles, anti-freeze for blood, or a highly developed memory of food caches, natural seasonal adjustments are nothing short of miraculous.

Humans, of course, also prepare for winter. But beyond putting on a few pounds as the temperature drops, our adaptations are centered in technology, not fantastic biology. While we can’t fluff feathers for insulation, we pluck geese, shear sheep and fabricate synthetics. In lieu of growing large paws, we strap snowshoes and skis to our feet. Rather than hibernating, we sit around a fire.

And that, perhaps, is our most unique and ubiquitous adaptation: we discovered how to make fire.

An oil-burning furnace served as the basement centerpiece in the house where I grew up - on chilly evenings I warmed myself near the various radiators as they clicked and groaned with heat. The house’s old fireplace, originally the only heat source, was used on rare occasions, when school was called off due to snow, or when the mood came over our parents. Campfires were limited to Girl Scout sing-alongs with hotdogs and s’mores. As an adult, I moved into a cabin heated by a wood-burning stove and marveled at the comforting dry warmth of fire.

I’d use different methods to start a fire in the stove - the venerable log-cabin style, the tipi method, or sometimes just stuffing the stove with lots of paper. Outside, I gathered wispy ends of dead branches, chopped kindling into wrist-sized pieces, split tree rounds into wedges, and, with satisfaction, lit the whole configuration with one match.

Conjuring a flame without a match or lighter hadn’t occurred to me, so the first time I watched a friend make fire with a bow drill, I was enthralled.

It appeared to be a sleight of hand, a spellbinding trick that trans-

34

The heartbeat of Cascadia

formed an ordinary piece of wood into a magic wand. Right before my eyes something had been created from nothing.

Of course all fires are produced from something - three elements - oxygen, heat and fuel. There are as many different ways to bring fire into being as there are traditions of using the flame. The most primitive methods, such as the hand drill and fire plough, require nothing but wood and proper technique.

Possibly the most common way to learn fire by friction, the bow drill, adds just a piece of string (or leather thong) to the mix, but the recipe is pretty much the same: a fire board, a spindle, and a nest of fine tinder. All of these ingredients can be found easily the hardest to come by is

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Universally magnetic, fire plays a central role in all cultures, the right rhythm and patience. from religious ceremonies and rites of passage to “backcountry Describing the process does not do justice to the effort, as TV” and romantic evenings. Our relationship with fire is as comthe simplest action can often be the most difficult. As the spindle plicated as our relationships with each other - wildfire season, burns into the fire board, the powdered wood spills out of a prethough regrettable, has become another notable cut wedge in the board, function of fire within society. piling up and eventu- Photo by John and Petra LeBaron Botts When I first tried the bow drill, I figured ally igniting at about my lack of upper body strength would be a 800°F. The motion of problem - most of the fire-starters I knew the spindle generates were male. But, like many physical endeavors, this impressively foattention to detail and technique are more cused heat to produce important than pure brawn. The force I exert a coal in the smolderon the spindle is of less significance than the ing wood dust. Once way my elbow cups my knee, or the slant of the coal has grown the bow. Fiddling a flame requires one to pay enough, the wood dust attention to the orchestration of fire board, is transferred to the spindle and bow. If one component is not nest of tinder. If suchandled properly cessful, the fire-maker Photo by Abigail Sussman too much downward can gently breathe the coal into flame. pressure, not enough My interest in traditional skills is based lubricant on the around the premise that to really understand spindle, a loose bow something, we must strip it down to its essence. string - the whole A writer must first learn letters to compose a paraassembly falls apart. graph, the farmer must decipher soil chemistry to And then there is the grow food, the hunter must walk in the tracks body - remembering of the hunted. I wanted to learn how to gather to breathe is the only energy and air to form a bundle of warmth and way to produce heat. light to share with others. My inclination wasn’t Even under the to cast off other methods of fire making, but to best of circumstances more fully appreciate their significance. Sparks I cannot yet reliably are a quick path to ignition - generating a coal get a coal. But that lack of success seems secondary now. My from friction is a process of balancing limitation with potential, understanding of the process has gone from purely academic restraint with persistence, the intangible with the material. to somatic, from fire triangle to the angle of my knee over the We are attracted to fire just as we yearn to be safe, long for fire board. During long winter nights, a fire in the woodstove love, and crave connection. It isn’t just the physical warmth of a is a remarkable comfort but the skill of fire-making lends fire that entices us to the hearth. The act of nurturing a fire links weight to even the smallest of candles. us to the core of our humanity, unpacking the complexities of ANW need and desire and exposing our elemental selves.

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How to Achieve a Period of Story and Photo by Mark Harfenist

B

break legs in scree. However, allow ankles and knees to be flailed by alpine vegetation until raw and bloody.

Join persons more vigorous than self for an outdoor adventure.

Find tiny, not-too-precipitously-steep spot directly above a cliff.

Try not to think about consequences of shifting around during night. Put on every available article of clothing, though these are few in number and scant in warmth. Open package containing Mylar emergency blanket, carried for no particular reason for the past several decades. Marvel at own cleverness for bringing this item along.

egin by accumulating long-term sleep deficit.

Over-estimate abilities.

Under-prepare.

Get a late start. Remain optimistic.

Push harder than accustomed.

Admit inability to achieve desired objective only when dehydrated, fatigued, and threatened by imminent darkness.

Get separated from partners. Make incorrect route choice.

Down-climb approximately 800 vertical feet chossy, exposed, class 4 and 5 headwall, alone and in gathering dusk.

Do not fret. Maintain optimistic outlook.

Take sharp right-hand turn at bottom of cliff when should go opposite direction. Shout for partners.

Witness spectacular sunset over faraway saltwater. Turn on headlamp and continue in wrong direction.

Continue shouting for partners, puzzled at failure to find them or the desired route back to food, potable water, comfortable bedding, and free-flowing conversation.

Wish drinking water were available. Wish a toothbrush were part of emergency kit. Eat two packages of Gu instead. Maintain world-weary, philosophical attitude about this.

Wrap self securely. Place head on handy rock. Drift off to sleep for an hour or two at a time while sliding steadily downhill toward cliff. Awaken periodically, shivering mightily. Imitate inchworm crawling uphill to the handy rock. Practice isometric exercises within constrictive Mylar sheath to generate warmth. Repeat as necessary until morning.

Note morning light. Shiver some more. Poke head out, sniffing the air. Note that Mylar has shredded to the point where legs were outside in the cold for much of the night. Note frost on surrounding heather. Try to resume sleeping fitfully until frost disappears.

Decide all evidence suggests that life goes on. Clamber to feet, groaning loudly. Stagger around a bit. Marvel at the fact that it is effortful and far from hazard-free to extricate self from this spot, even now in full light of day. Marvel that one could navigate

Run out of drinking water. Eat last of solid food. Permit slight fraying of optimistic outlook.

Stumble around by dim light of headlamp up and down sections of steep, crampon-worthy heather, impenetrable krummholz, heinous scree fields, and short bits of class 4 rock. Do this for a minimum of two hours without making noteworthy progress.

Recognize that something is askew when all directions lead to cliff-tops surrounded by infinite, black space.

Do not fall off cliffs, nor tumble down slippery heather, nor

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The heartbeat of Cascadia

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Deep, Uninterrupted Sleep such terrain in darkness without breaking leg, poking eye out, or plummeting off cliff to certain death. Note distinct adrenal slam in extremities, faint metallic taste in mouth. Resume asserting positive attitude, although not without a few misgivings.

hour. Lie down and indulge in hard-earned whimpering for at least 10 minutes. Begin downhill amble which should end at forest service road mid-afternoon, then public highway by early evening.

Trudge slowly through broken alpine terrain in the general direction which should have been taken last night. Note distinct dryness of mouth. Find melt-water stream below glacial remnant high in cirque. Fill water container and drink fully. Evade random thoughts about cryptosporidium, giardia, campylobacter, and leptospirosis.

Act suitably welcoming when accosted by sheriff’s deputy, who is leading relieved partners in remarkably comfortable 4x4 truck.

Eat heartily of the food they brought. Drink appreciatively of their hot coffee. Describe certain obvious lessons which an observant participant with battered ankles, knees, and self esteem might learn from the previous night’s adventure.

Arrive at proper route in approximately three hours. Interact with kindly souls who inform that they have met partners, who are worried and have departed to call for Mountain Rescue services.

Cringe, and hope this is not true. Imagine name in local media in this connection. Cringe some more.

Accept delivery home by late afternoon. Do not look in mirror, take off shoes, or check email. Lie down….dreaming sleep, dreaming life, dreaming mountain-song, dreaming endless starlight and the timeless kharmic dances by which we are - perhaps - rendered eventually whole.

Arrive at trailhead along logging road in approximately another

Rest.

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ANW

The heartbeat of Cascadia

37

The Mountains You Remember

38

The heartbeat of Cascadia

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Finding My Place in the North Cascades Story by Molly Baker

Photo by Grant Gunderson

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The heartbeat of Cascadia

39

It had been over a year since I left the North Cascades.

Since then I’ve been busy losing my way and then finding it again in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Slovenia, Japan, Indonesia, New Zealand, and other places in the world that feel nothing like the volcanoes and old growth of the Pacific Northwest. This past September, I returned to these mountains and joined dear friends for a hike up the trail from Schrieber’s Meadow, everyone with a bottle of wine in hand. Delighted to be footloose in these splendid mountains, we half-jogged, half-walked to the bottom of the Easton Glacier. As the sun went down I toasted these special places that played such a fundamental role in making me who I am.

A rush of memories swept over me as the sun retreated, memories of the places and people and moments that had given form and purpose to my life.

Beneath the Heavens

Photo by Grant Gunderson

Mt. Baker Rim When I met him, he was renting a room in a house in the Mt. Baker Rim community outside of Glacier. His space was divided from the rest of the common area by a bed sheet, a classic ski bum arrangement.

Aboard the David B

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The heartbeat of Cascadia

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Skiing was his life.

I was based in Salt Lake City at the time - tired of pollution and traffic. I’d recently broken up with my boyfriend in Utah and a photographer friend had invited me to Mt. Baker, at the time describing it as “a tiny ski area in Washington to visit and clear the head.” That “tiny ski area” ended up defining the next six years of my life.

It wasn’t long after falling in love with him on the Shuksan Arm, following his tracks down the undulating sweetness of the Mt. Baker terrain, and sharing his cheap pasta concoction of tomato sauce and cheddar cheese that I called my employers in Salt Lake City and told them I wasn’t coming back. Ever.

I stayed with him for weeks, until the season began to slow down, hitchhiking to the mountain and following him into all the secret places that would have taken me years to find on my own. I pushed myself harder physically in those days than I ever have since, airing off fallen tree stumps that lay in the forest because that’s where his tracks led me. Hiking the Shuksan Arm for the fifth, even sixth time, until the lifts stopped turning and the sun was setting, because he was going out for another run. It was on these snowcovered slopes that I found my place in the world. Nothing would ever be the same.

The Northwest Couloir, Mt. Shuksan After settling on a small farm off Highway 20 and working for Cascadian

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The heartbeat of Cascadia

41

Farms selling blueberries for the summer, my first full season in the Cascades began.

I’ve enjoyed many ski seasons in the years since then, but that first year at Mt. Baker occupies a special place in my memory.

In early December we set out for Mt. Shuksan’s Northwest Couloir. First skied by Rene Crawshaw in the spring of 1999, it was a line that remained protected, valued, and respected by all of the locals. Shuksan is a sacred peak. To this day, I don’t feel the same about any other mountain in the world.

We started in the moonlight, skied in the alpenglow, and walked out by the glow of headlamps under the moonlit sky.

There were three of us, a trio that would provide the cast of characters for some of my most brilliant days in the Cascades, people that I trusted like no others, the mountain partners of a lifetime.

The Northwest Couloir was icy at the top on that day. I fell once before entering the Couloir and thought for sure I would never stop sliding, keenly

the bottom. It wasn’t just a day in the mountains for me. It was a life-affirming moment and one of the only times in my thirty-one years that I didn’t doubt what I wanted or what I was doing.

The Mt. Baker Parking Lot

Home, Sweet Home: Living Large in a Tiny House Photo by Grant Gunderson

aware of the yawning crevasses in the glacier below.

The ice led to soft, sloughing powder in the apron and I hooted and hollered and cried under my goggles at

Animal Spirits:

Enjoying the Nightlife with Amy Armitage You may like my paintings if, as a child, you begged your mother to howl like a coyote, or favored the zoo over Disneyland, or read National Geographic with a flashlight in bed.

You may like my paintings, if, as an adult, you prefer the call of a loon to a symphony or the smell of wet dog to perfume, or even, if you are a little bit interested in the interconnectedness of all beings.

You may like my paintings, if, at times you are the predator, at times you are the prey, and at times, you know you are both.

It was December 21, 2012. The world (or just the calendar) was supposed to end. At the time we were living in a 112-square foot cabin built on a car trailer, situated in the parking lot of the Mt. Baker Ski Area. We had our sights set on a few days of uninterrupted skiing before Christmas.

We started our day by digging a walking path from the front door of the tiny house through the four feet of snow that had fallen overnight. It was not an easy task, but one isn’t given an option when the front door is blocked by a snow bank. Other than our tiny house, the parking lot was empty except for a plow, disappearing behind waves of snow.

The art of nature

eARTh

Clockwise from right: Paradoxes, Fire, Surprise, Summer Night, Arroyo Park at Midnight, Keep Your Head Down.

View more of Amy’s artwork at armitagepaintings.com

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The heartbeat of Cascadia

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A winter storm had arrived, promising upwards of 10 feet of snow in the higher elevations.

We spent three glorious days, skiing like there was no tomorrow (it turned out that - despite the Mayan Calendar - the world kept spinning). Day after day, we lost ourselves, whooshing through the silent forest, climbing back to the top, and then down through the soft powder. We were blissfully alone just us, the snow-mantled trees, and a million snowflakes.

Eventually the Department of Transportation finished clearing the one-hundred-plus trees that had fallen across Highway 542 during the colossal storm. Upon the re-opening of the road, a flood of skiers arrived. It was time for us to leave.

We excavated the tiny house and pulled out of the parking lot on Christmas Eve, heading down the mountain towards Christmas dinner.

Zack Giffin, Molly Baker and Tom Murphy enjoying a quiet moment

Photo by Grant Gunderson

f

f

f

It was these - and other - moments that wove a fabric, creating my life ever since out of whole cloth.

When I left in the spring of 2014, I supposed that I had outgrown that “tiny ski area� in the North Cascades. I felt an ir-

resistible yearning to experience the unfamiliar, to see with fresh eyes.

Now, as the last light of day played on the Easton Glacier, I felt like I had come full circle.

Sometimes it is distance that draws you closer.

ANW

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43

Profiles in the North Cascades: Kassandra Barnedt

By Christian Martin

R

aised on a farm in Concrete, Kassandra Barnedt and her younger siblings spent days building forts and taking mud baths.

Her father taught her how to bait a hook when she was seven and shoot a rifle at age nine. She learned about her wider neighborhood by hunting grouse and deer up Jackman Creek and fishing for trout on Lake Shannon.

Concrete is a small community of around seven hundred, first platted in 1890 at the junction of the Baker and Skagit rivers. It sits halfway between the bustling Skagit Valley lowlands and the loneliness of the mountains up-valley. Most everyone knows each other, sometimes going back several generations. Barnedt graduated in a high school class of only twenty-three.

Barnedt fondly remembers growing up in a tight-knit community: “We always had adults looking out for us, so it felt like I had more than one set of parents.” But she also felt the limitations. “Because I wasn’t exposed to that many different ways of living, it felt like my dreams of what I could do were limited,” she explains. “Most people I knew worked in traditional careers like logging and fishing, and I sometimes felt stuck, like I didn’t know what else I could strive toward.”

Though Barnedt spent most of her early years in the foothills of the North Cascades, it wasn’t until she was fifteen that she really got to know her wild backyard. A park ranger’s presentation to her junior class inspired her to sign up for the North Cascades Institute’s twelveday backcountry program that teaches high school students about stewardship, 44

The heartbeat of Cascadia

wilderness skills, and leadership.

“I wanted the challenge of spending two weeks with people who came from somewhere other than my hometown,” she explains, “to hang out with teenagers who have different perspectives.”

Barnedt’s group of eight happened to all be girls, including teens recently immigrated from Ethiopia, Gambia, and Mexico.

The group backpacked and canoed on Ross Lake, and the wilderness, so new to the girls, brought them together quickly. “Living together 24/7 with no private space, sleeping in the same tents, preparing food together, learning outdoor skills none of us had ever done . . . we dropped being shy and got hon-

Kassandra teaches at North Cascades Institute’s Youth Leadership Adventures Program Photo by Codi Hamblin

est and open with each other,” Barnedt recalls. “It got deep pretty quick.” Some opened up about troubled family lives, others about leaving their home countries and trying to establish new roots.

It wasn’t all talking and tears though. The young women dug into stewardship work such as brushing trail, building tread, and moving wind-fallen trees. Their days were full of physical labor and they had to figure out how to work together as a team: “Everything was so large and we were so small!”

When Barnedt returned home, she had made a significant shift. “I got a lot more courage and became more outspoken. ‘It’s OK to love nature,’ I

told myself, ‘and spending time in it is valuable.’”

The experience changed Barnedt’s life trajectory too. She decided to pursue a degree in environmental education, landed a position at the Marblemount Native Plant Nursery with the Youth Conservation Corps for two summers, and then was hired by the national park’s maintenance department.

“How can we make environmental issues personal, make them matter, to students my age?” Barnedt asks. “Ideally everyone would get the opportunity to spend time in the wilderness, but you don’t have to go canoeing for two weeks; we can start here at home, in our neighborhoods and our schools.”

To that end, Barnedt has led campground cleanups and has taken local high school students to popular Cascade Pass to plant kinnikinnick and mountain heather where thousands of hiking boots have trampled the fragile alpine ecosystem. And she began recruiting the next generation of North Cascades Institute participants from Skagit Valley schools. “Being able to share my stories with students while wearing the official green park uniform,” she recalls, “that was really cool.”

Barnedt’s outlook for her generation is upbeat: “It’s hard to be discouraged when you live so close to beautiful places, working with such amazing people.

Spending time in the North Cascades is a constant refuel for me. I think that if we’re really determined to change things for the better, there will be doors that open for us. We can’t get defeated. We need to keep moving forward.” ANW Reprinted from The North Cascades: Finding Beauty and Renewal in the Wild Nearby published by Mountaineers Books To learn more about North Cascades Institute’s Youth Leadership Adventures Program, visit www.ncascades.org/youth. >>> Go to AdventuresNW.com

to read ANW

Gear Spotlight:

Best Ski Boots for Baker

by Chris Gerston At Backcountry Essentials, we’ve expanded into alpine skiing with more services and boot-fitting. Now in addition to carrying the best of backcountry ski boots, we also carry boots for inbounds skiing that will provide the performance and comfort you’re looking for. And we guarantee that fit when you buy boots and custom footbeds (come in to learn more)!

Wherever you ski, the ski boot is your point of control and comfort, and - we think - the most important component of your ski gear. I divide boots on two axis: first, where do you want to go; and second, what type of foot do you have? The boots below are men’s models, but the same rules apply to the women’s models.

Are you skiing volcanoes and doing long traverses where efficient travel is most important? The Dynafit TLT 6 or Atomic Backlands are both made to be extremely efficient, both in weight and in the range of motion that their walk-mode allows. The main difference between these boots is the foot shape that they fit best.

If you will mostly be in the ski area, but want to leave the door open for some touring capability, or are willing to take on more weight to ski in the backcountry, check out the Tecnica Cochise 120 or Scarpa Freedom. These two are compatible with all alpine and AT ski bindings. Again, one of the main differences here is the type of foot shape that will best fit the shell.

Chris Gerston owns Backcountry Essentials, an outdoor specialty shop located at 214 W. Holly in Bellingham, WA. (L - R) Scarpa Freedom, Tecnica Cochise 120 and Atomic Backlands

Cascadia Gear: Essentials for your next Adventure MSR Windburner Backpacking Stove Backpacking stoves continue to evolve. Way back in 2001, Jet Boil introduced the concept of an integrated cooking system, where the pot - mounted on a heat exchanger - attaches to the stove. It was a breakthrough in backcountry cooking efficiency (if by ‘cooking’ you mean ‘boiling water’) . With the Windburner™, MSR® has upped the ante by engineering a built-in wind screen, successfully addressing the biggest flaw of most integrated canister stoves. Even in light to moderate wind, stove efficiency is greatly improved by the windscreen, which means faster boils and less fuel consumption. An eight-ounce fuel canister will last about an hour and a half with the Windburner and you can boil a liter of water in about two and a half minutes. At almost 15 ounces, it’s not the lightest stove on the market but the increased efficiency offered by the windscreen means you’ll need to bring less fuel.

Construction of the stove is about what you’d expect from MSR, the standard-bearer for backpacking stoves for many a moon.

There’s no igniter, so you’ll need to use a match or a lighter but let’s face it - sooner or later stove igniters always fail. In the evolution of the backpacking stove, the Windburner represents the next step.

More info: www.msrgear.com

Patagonia R3 Fleece Hoody

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

There’s nothing like fleece. Sure, those micropuff jackets are lighter and warmer, but fleece is just so comfortable and cozy. Patagonia has always had a way with the stuff and the R3® Hoody is no exception. It’s reversible - one side offers an outer layer for cool temperatures and the other transforms the jacket into a cold weather mid-layer.

The secret is Polartec® High Loft™ Fleece, which provides amazing warmth, excellent breathability and is quick to dry.

At 18 ounces, the R3 isn’t winning any Ultralight awards, but the combination of radiant warmth and versatility is brilliant.

Patagonia has established itself as a company that does well by doing good. The R3 Fleece Hoody is a case-in-point. The R3 incorporates significant percentages of recycled fiber and is Bluesign® approved. Bluesign Technologies, based in Switzerland, works within the textile industry to approve chemicals, processes, materials, and products that are safe for the environment, workers, and end-users. Good mojo all around.

More info: : www.patagonia.com

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ADVENTURES NW>>> magazine The heartbeat of Cascadia

45

Race I Play I Experience NOVEMBER >>>

14 November - 13 February 2016

Thursday, 19 November

Saturday, 14 November RUN/WALK 5K Winter Trail Run Series––Bellingham BMX, 10:00 am – 11:00 am.

5K Cross country trail runs at the bmx park in Bellingham.

SNOW Avalanche Awareness Workshop––Backcountry Essentials, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Learn basics of Avalanche Safety with professional guide John Minier.

JANUARY 2016 >>> Sunday, 10 January

DISCOVER The Arts in Bellingham No matter the season, you’ll find loads of year-round attractions to enjoy in our Free Arts and Culture Guide Available at the Gallery — 1418 Cornwall Ave. in downtown Bellingham or at locations throughout Whatcom County.

More information at www.alliedarts.org or 866.650.9317 Watch for these upcoming events from Allied Arts… holiday festival of the arts november 20 – december 24, 2015 rare – recycled arts and resource expo april 1 & 2, 2016 bellstock september, 2016

TOURISM COMMISSION

RUN/WALK Lake Samish Runs––Lake Samish Lodge, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm. Welcome to the 39th Annual Lake Samish Runs. This years race will take place on Sunday January 10th, 2016. The 13.1 mile race will start at 10:00 AM & the 6.5 mile race will start at 10:15 AM. Online registration for this event will open Monday, November 9th, 2015 & close January 7th, 2016 at 11:59 AM, three days before the race. This race is limited to 300 participants. More details at: http://gbrc. net/lake_samish_runs.php

Saturday, 23 January CYCLING The Stinky Spoke, Powered by Carter Subaru––Redhook Brewery, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. The Stinky Spoke is a mountain bike poker ride on one of the most rotten days of the year. Riders ride a loop on local trails, starting and finishing at Redhook Brewery in Woodinville. They collect playing cards along the way, hoping to have a good enough hand to win a prize at the end. All riders get a beanie, beer glass, beverage and a schwag bag, plus the party at the end!

FEBRUARY 2016 >>> Saturday, 13 February RUN/WALK Two for the Road 5K Run––Whatcom Falls Park,10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Two for the road is a 5K race that takes place in Whatcom Falls Park. You can run solo or with a partner (team must finish together) There will be ribbons for the top 4 in these (8) categories. Male and

Where will you run?

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 September 3rd ..............LK Padden Relays ..............4X2.6 Miles (relay event) November 19th ............Turkey Trot .........................5K December 3rd ...............Fairhaven Frosty.................5k, 10k

Greater Bellingham Running Club • 10 races • $30-$50 Annual Memberships • 501(c)(3) non-profit • gbrc.net 46

race | play | experience

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Race I Play I Experience

13 February (cont.) - 26 June 2016 female solo runners, stroller (solo), 2 guys, 2 girls, guy/girl, siblings/cousins, and parent/child. We will have as many prizes as we can round up for top finishers and random prizes.

Friday, 26 February SPECIAL Recreation Northwest EXPO ––4:00 pm – 8:00 pm. This is your chance to connect with the active outdoor community. The EXPO brings recreation retailers and manufacturers, outdoor media, tourism representatives, land managers, race directors, stewardship and trail building organizations and others from across the state to inspire a thriving outdoor recreation culture.

MARCH 2016 >>> Sunday, 6 March RUN/WALK Padden Mudfest– –Lake Padden Park, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. The Padden Mudfest is a 6 mile trail race taking place on wooded single track trails in Lake Padden Park in Bellingham. This race is unique in

event listings at AdventuresNW.com

offering some of the muddy conditions and challenging hill climbs usually only found in ultra runs. If you like trails, mud, and hills, give this run a try.

APRIL 2016 >>> Sunday, 24 April RUN/WALK Mt. Si Relay & Ultra Runs––Snoqualmie Elementary School, 6:00 am – 5:00 pm. 5 Person Relay, 50k and 50 miler on scenic Snoqualmie Valley Trail.

Saturday-Sunday, 30 April - 1 May RUN/WALK Eugene Marathon & Half Marathon––Hayward Field, 7:00 am – 2:00 pm. This premier event in TrackTown USA includes a Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Run. The courses are beautiful, flat and fast – taking participants by numerous parks and miles of riverfront before reaching the

spectacular finish inside historic Hayward Field.

Don’t miss the 10th anniversary of one of the fastest and unique certified races in the country! Run in Eugene, OR and run in the footsteps of LEGENDS.

JUNE 2016 >>> Sunday, 26 June SPECIAL Bellingham KIDS Traverse ––Squalicum Creek Park, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Get Hooked on the Bellingham KIDS Traverse, a fun relay race that celebrates the journey of wild salmon. 6 – 12 year olds form solo, tandem and relay teams to run, bike and compete on an obstacle course through Bellingham’s Squalicum Creek Park. The course includes a Run, Mountain Bike, Obstacle Course, Team TREK.

West coast’s largest bareboat charter sailing fleet and sailing school. Local ownership, personalized service!

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

race | play | experience

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race I play I experience JULY 2016 >>> Sunday, 10 July RUN/WALK Missoula Marathon ––Missoula Marathon, 6:00 am – 1:30

pm. Voted by Runner’s World Readers as the best marathon in the US in 2010.

3 days of events including Beer Run, 5K, Kids Marathon, Half Marathon and Full Marathon. Celebrating our 10th Year Running in 2016. Scenic & fast course.

Finish in the heart of downtown Missoula. Great event organization and incredible community support. A fantastic way to experience Big Sky Country.

10 July - 17 September 2016 promises stunning views as you traverse the Cascade mountains with amazing support and unforgettable camaraderie. Known as a boutique ride, the food and fun are a balance for the challenging climbs and exhilarating descents. We can’t wait for you to join us!

SEPTEMBER 2016 >>>

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.)

ANW

Saturday, 17 September SPECIAL Bellingham Traverse ––12:00 am – 5:00 pm. Get Hooked on the Vital Choice Bellingham Traverse, a

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

AUGUST 2016 >>> Saturday, 6 August CYCLING Courage Classic Bicycle Tour ––7:00 am – 1:00 pm. Pedal for the Kids! Join the 25th Anniversary Courage Classic Bicycle Tour that benefits the Child Abuse Intervention Department at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. This 3-day ride

Advertiser Index

EMPOWERING GIRLS Girls on the Run Begins in March 2016.

Register your 3rd-5th grade daughter today.

WHATCOM FAMILY YMCA 48

race | play | experience

www.whatcomymca.org

Adventures NW - 2016 Calendar.............. 33 Adventures NW - Chara Stuart................. 45 Allied Arts - Holiday Festival......................... 6 Allied Arts - Discover the Arts................... 46 American Alpine Institute............................. 13 Appel Farms & The Cheese Shop................. 4 Appliance Depot............................................ 30 Backcountry Essentials.................................. 45 Barlean’s Fishery............................................. 23 Bellingham Frameworks................................ 16 Birchwood Engineering LLC........................ 29 Boundary Bay Brewery................................. 21 Brandon Nelson Partners.............................. 5 Busara Thai Cuisine........................................ 31 Chara Stuart - Bellwether Real Estate...... 24 Coldwell Banker - San Juan Islands............ 40 Colophon Cafe............................................... 31 D’Anna’s Cafe Italiano................................... 15 Danne Neill - Muljat Group......................... 29 Dave Mauro - UBS Financial........................ 51 Dawn Durand - Windermere Real Estate........................ 15 Elevation: The Art of Cascadia..................... 25 Erinn Noble - eXp Realty............................... 4 Fun with the Fuzz........................................... 48 Gato Verde Adventure Sailing...................... 31 GBRC................................................................ 46 Heritage Bank................................................. 14 Homebridge Financial...................................... 7 iClean................................................................ 43 JM Electric........................................................ 30 Josh Feyen - ReMax....................................... 23 Ken Harrison - Coldwell Banker Bain....... 43 Kulshan Brewery............................................ 52 LFS Marine & Outdoor................................. 12

Lithtex NW..................................................... 45 Mallard Ice Cream.......................................... 20 MBBC/Chuckanut Century.......................... 47 Mount Baker Mountain Guides................... 35 North Cascade Institute............................... 43 North Cascade Mountain Guides.............. 48 North Fork Brewery..................................... 41 Northwest Behavorial................................... 41 Northwest Navigation.................................. 40 NW European Autoworks............................. 7 Peace Health..................................................... 2 Peoples Bank..................................................... 3 Recreation NW.............................................. 49 Sally Farrell - Coldwell Bain Real Estate...................... 33 San Juan Sailing................................................ 47 Skagit Valley Food Co-op................................ 6 Springhill Suites............................................... 16 SRBEIC - Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center....................................... 21 Stayatmtbaker.com......................................... 13 Susan Templeton - Movement Mortgage.......22 Terra.................................................................. 33 Terra Firma Design........................................ 15 Tourism Ucluelet............................................ 17 The Bagelry..................................................... 43 The ReStore.................................................... 23 Village Books................................................... 31 WCW Enterprises......................................... 37 Whatcom Educational Credit Union......... 35 Whatcom Family YMCA............................... 48 Whatcom Land Trust..................................... 37 Whiskey Landing Lodge................................ 41 Yeager’s Sporting Goods.............................. 40 Yoga Northwest............................................. 29 Yoga with Susan D’Onofrio......................... 30 Zaremba Paxton PS....................................... 32

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

EXPO

Recreation Northwest BASECAMP

SUMMIT

EXCURSIONS

Bellingham, WA BASECAMP

Thursday, February 25th. Invite only party for outdoor recreation industry professionals at Boundary

Bay’s Mountain Room.

SUMMIT

Friday, February 26th. Start your day networking and learning with your fellow recreationists at an exclusive half-day conference for exhibitors to share ideas on growing Washington’s thriving outdoor recreation economy.

26th 4-8pm EXPO Friday, February Four Points Sheraton

Recreation Northwest

Free to the Public

This is your chance to connect with the active outdoor community.

75 exhibitors and 700 runners, bikers, sailors, paddlers, and others who are looking for new ways to play outside.

Register at RecreationNorthwest.org The EXPO will bring recreation retailers and manufacturers, outdoor media, tourism representatives, land managers, race directors, stewardship and trail building organizations and others from across the state to inspire a thriving outdoor recreation culture.

Sign-up online or onsite to win great DOOR PRIZES!

EXCURSIONS

Saturday, February 27th. Join regional businesses, manufacturers and retailers for excursions,

demos and tours!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Adventures NW Magazine, Bellingham Whatcom Chamber, Village Books event listings at AdventuresNW.com

race | play | experience

49

the

Next

Adventure

On the Edge photo by KENNI MERRITT Early on a cold, clear winter morning, we snowshoed in deep powder up to about 5,250 feet in the Mt. Baker backcountry. It was a gorgeous bluebird day. Heavy snowfall overnight had sculpted huge cornices. Two cross-country skiers, backlit by billowing clouds, were ascending the ridge. With the cornice under the ridge, it looked like they were climbing on a cloud. In making this photograph, I wanted to communicate the power and the allure of nature and what it feels like to be in the backcountry on a cold winter morning.

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The heartbeat of Cascadia

Lama Geeshi

Across the globe. Across the country.

Across the kitchen table.

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 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