Mount Baker Experience Winter 2010 by Point Roberts Press

Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

FEATURES

CONTENTS

Winter 2010

4 How the Northwest Was One Featuring local riders and scenery, a group of local, ambitious film makers have created a snowboarding film with an actual plot line.

6 Of avalanches & tree wells All of this fresh snow brings more than fun and winter recreation, it can also bring tragedy down in seconds. Here’s a reminder of those dangers...

9 A greener way to the white

There’s a new ride to the mountain. It’s cheap, it’s green and it’s easier than driving the old beater through the snowdrifts. It’s the Baker Bus.

13 Where to stay Let’s face it – who ever really wants to rough it after a day on the mountain? Here’s a list of some mighty fine places to put your feet up and your head down.

15 Peak Performance You got into shape for the season – what are you doing now to achieve peak performance? Hint – it’s all in the hips.

THE USUAL 19 Regional Map

FIND IT ONLINE

On the Cover

www.mountbakerexperience.com: Read the current issue of Mount Baker Experience here, and find all the archives as well.

www.mtbakerchamber.org: Discover the area’s businesses.

Photo by Grant Gunderson

www.weather.com: Get all the weather you need. www.mtbaker.us: Find the latest information about the Mt. Baker Ski Area, including snow amounts, events and trails.

Page 2 photo by Grant Gunderson

www.wsdot.wa.gov/regions/northwest/traffic/bordercams: Need to know about border delays? Find out here.

MOUNT BAKER

e perience Printed in Canada Vol XXIV No. 1 Winter 2010 edition

Address: 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Fax: 360/332-2777 Email: info@mountbakerexperience.com Web: www.mountbakerexperience.com Next edition: February 1, 2010 Ads due: January 22

Welcome to the Mount Baker Experience, the newspaper for and about the Mt. Baker area, published by Point Roberts Press, Inc. Locally owned and operated, the company also publishes The Northern Light, All Point Bulletin, Pacific Coast Weddings and Waterside in Blaine, Washington. Point Roberts Press is a member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, chambers of commerce in Whatcom County and the Bellingham/Mt. Baker Convention and Visitors Bureau. The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and are offered for the general interest of readers. We welcome your letters; however, the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. For circulation and rate information, or to send your letters, please address to: Mount Baker Experience, 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230, fax them to 360/332-2777 or email info@mountbakerexperience.com. Publisher/Managing Editor Patrick J. Grubb Associate Publisher/Advertising Manager Louise H. Mugar Editor/Layout Pat Grubb Graphic Design Karena Crotto Reporters Jack Kintner, Tara Nelson Contributors Margot Griffiths, Grant Gunderson, Lyle Haugsven,

Dylan Hart, Ryan Duclos, Ty Mitchell Advertising Sales Martha Alvarado Classified Sales Janet McCall Office Manager Heidi Holmes

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Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

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By Tara Nelson The year is 2012 and the economy has crashed, bringing the state of Washington back to the times of the wild west. With the snowboarding industry non-existent, a group of out-

laws and renegades still find their will to live through their passion for riding. Meanwhile, so-called bounty filmmakers compete to capture footage of the Pacific Northwest’s best riders.

This is the story behind the new snowboarding adventure film How The Northwest Was One. The project is the first film produced by Wild Card, a newly-formed collaborative comprised of local filmmaker Jeremy Dub’s Funner Films production company, Sound Strait films and Sakedat Funk, of Seattle. With stunning cinematography, gun battles, bar fights and plenty of humor (bounty filmers starting their snowmobiles that make horse sounds) the film successfully straddles two time periods almost believably. In this, Dubs and Sound Straight filmmaker Kurt Jenson said they were able to capture the feeling of Northwest hardcore snowboarding culture — something many snowboard films fail to do — and also make the film more appealing to broader audiences. “We were trying to bring some comedy back into the snowboarding culture,” Dubs said. “A lot of movies these days are really serious – they just show trick after trick after trick and then the movie is over. We wanted to tie everything together and it all worked out really cool, the story really works with snowboarding and every moment in the movie has some kind of meaning.” Jenson added that the storyline of How The Northwest Was One was partially inspired by their previously competing film production companies that went into multiple projects unaware that they would form a collaborative team in the end. “That was kind of the underlying inspiration for the whole concept, Please see One, page 5

Mount Baker Experience -

One..

Continued from page 4

that and our company always wanted to do a spaghetti western movie. I saw the fact we were coming together to make a movie whereas before we were all competing,” he said. “We figured it would be a better film if we all just collaborated and I’m really happy with the way it turned out.” Dubs agreed. “It’s kind of meant to show one thing and it may mean something else, the whole movie features bounty filmmakers because in the future, they need to get these shots so they can get the bounty and com-

pile the footage of the best riders in the backcountry,” he said. “This leads to conflicts and battles, in the end our main filmer has it all on one tape and sells it to the bartender. It’s basically showing all the riders were competing against each other and in the end, they realize they were working together to make one movie so it kind of almost relates to the story of our production company where we were all competing against each other and then when we all came together as one. That is how the Northwest is able to go above and beyond what was. We said, hey, if we work together we can take this to the next

s Riders hitting the slopes in an early start to the season.

A great start to the season! The Mt. Baker Ski Area has had a tremendous beginning, including the second earliest opening day ever, 200 inches of snow in November and a record day for attendance, November 21, when over 5,000 skiers arrived and the upper parking lots closed. “So far, so good,” said Duncan Howat, ski area manager for the past 42 years. The Yakima native said that in 1984 the area opened earlier but that they’d had “only” 112 inches of snow by November 30. In that year as well as this, Howat said that skiers need to be extracautious when there’s a large early season snowfall as it sets the area up for a primo avalanche season as well. After last year’s introduction of a brand new quad replacing the venerable old chair one, the oldest lift on the mountain dating back 45 years, a lot of what’s new at the area this year is pretty subtle. “We addressed some grooming issues, but they’re pretty well covered up by now,” Howat said. One nagging sore point for some

skiers is gone, the up-hill cat track off chair one when heading west toward Austin Pass. Food service has been slightly modified at the Raven, giving it more room and an up-dated menu. Business-wise it’s been an interesting start, Howat said, in that the sale of season passes was slow until the area opened early on a sunny November 12 after a classic midseason Baker dump, “Then sales really picked up,” Howat said, “and since then have set a record pace. And our film festival in October at the Mt. Baker Theatre sold out. I guess it’s about more people staying closer to home, enjoying what we have here in Whatcom County.” Howat said he couldn’t really predict what would happen at Baker because of the Winter Olympics happening in Vancouver. “The Legendary Banked Slalom is a week before the Olympics and we don’t expect much effect one way or the other,” Howat said, “but it’s hard to say. The other area operators I know say the same thing.”

level, we can take our strong points and really work on those.” The name Wild Card was inspired by the company’s attempt to feature local amateur riders along with professionals to give them a push forward in their career. Jenson said many of the amateurs are just as good as proriders but aren’t recognized because of lack of exposure. Much of How The Northwest Was One was filmed in backcountry around Mount Baker and Stevens Pass but the film also includes clips from Lake Tahoe, Chile and the entire West Coast. Local riders featured include Nick Ennen, Patrick McCarthy, Andy Stern and Nate Lind. Dubs has extensive experience capturing the Northwest hardcore scene through Funner Films. His Sentimental Values film, for example, profiles local legend Lucas Debari who, at age 18, became the youngest person ever to win the Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom, beating out Olympic Gold medalist Seth Wescott. The film follows Debari and other local pros such as Lind and Eric Jackson in what Dubs calls an ‘epic adventure’ of yearround snowboarding and tracking the deepest snow in the world from Mt. Baker to Chile, Argentina and exotic locales such as Easter Island. The film will be presented during a preview event at 9 p.m. January 7

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at the Wild Buffalo in Bellingham. The film is also available for purchase at Yorky’s gas stations as well as Maple Fuels in Maple Falls, iTunes, Zumiez,

Winter 2010

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Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

Playing hard but safe By Jack Kintner Avalanches are like mile-wide freight trains, their destructive potential and danger obvious to anyone. Tree wells are like quicksand, hidden but just as fatal. Once a victim falls into a well it’s virtually impossible to get out. In an experiment conducted several seasons ago by the Mt. Baker Ski area, ten young, vigorous and experienced outdoor volunteers were placed in tree wells and none of them could selfrescue. Seems odd, because most of us have fallen skiing or boarding ending up in a tangle of equipment semi-buried in the powder but have gotten out of it. The danger of tree wells has to do with their depth and that they’re like rattlesnakes, hidden, hard to spot and usually discovered just as it’s too late to do anything about it. You have to give a wide berth to areas that might have them. They form as a result of the pocket around the trunk getting less snow than falls immediately outside the tree’s circumference. They’re usually as deep as the snow, which at Baker can be very deep: there’s already been about 20 feet of snow this season.

Tree wells can occur around any tree, even one on a groomed run. One ominous sign: a tree whose lower branches are laden with a recent dump and touching the snow. Significantly, most snow-related deaths at the Mt. Baker Ski Area involve a victim upside-down in deep snow with little or no breathing space around his face. It takes a cool head to resist the urge to struggle violently and instead focus on making a breathing space around your face. Gentle rocking can then make the space around your body bigger. One critical safeguard to skiing or boarding through the trees in deep powder is to do it with a partner who keeps you in sight at all times, even if it means stopping and waiting while your partner goes ahead, then taking your turn while your partner watches you descend. John Adams, co-owner and operator of the Glacier Ski Shop, escaped and survived an avalanche in 2006 because he had a partner, Charlie Heggem, who saw him fall and was close enough to dig him out in a timely manner. In most cases, as with the death of a Canadian man on the Artist Point road earlier this season, partners were separated by terrain or weath-

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s Mt. Shuksan shines in the mid-November sun. er or both and were not in close enough your head. Respiratory arrest comes contact to know someone was in trou- on quickly, followed by cardiac arrest ble or to effect a rescue, reporting their and death. Adams has found a breathing appamissing friend after skiing or boarding all the way down to the bottom ratus that promises to give avalanche of the hill. The same weather and victims a fighting chance, the Avalsnow conditions that kill also often ung by the Utah ski equipment makbreak contact between skiing part- er Black Diamond. It’s essentially a ners, meaning you’re entirely on your snorkel breathing device that exhausts own and therefore helpless should your exhaled air around the small of anything happen. It’s like bungee- your back and brings in fresh air from a kind of fabric strainer that allows jumping without the bungee. The usual safety list for back coun- you to draw fresh breathable air out try travel includes a transceiver, shov- of the snow. It can be used alone or contained el, probe and whistle – and removing your wrists from your pole straps, inside a Black Diamond Pack that since in deep snow they can act like also has handy pockets for storing other essentials needed when in avahandcuffs. Adams agrees with this tip, know- lanche country. The mouthpiece is ing first hand what many victims find on a flexible breathing tube that can out only shortly before they succumb, be placed conveniently near your that typically you’ll be upside down mouth to be ready quickly if needed with your arms extended and encased or even used to breathe before someinside the white concrete of a snow thing happens while descending a slide. Your breathing can only come questionable slope or skiing in facein short gasps, and before long you choking powder. Get Smart use up your available oxygen as the Smart riders know taking a course snow around your face becomes saturated with carbon dioxide, melting can be the difference between life and and then refreezing into an ice mask death. The Mountain Education Centhat might as well be a plastic bag over ter (MEC), part of the Mt. Baker Ski

Area, offers a one-day, seven hour basic avalanche and back country awareness course called Introductory 100 Level for $35 on Saturday, December 12, Thursday, December 31, Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 31. MEC also offers Intermediate 200 Level, a 21-hour snow safety skills course including in-depth discussions about evaluating hazards. Outdoor field time is half of the total course. Info: www.mtbaker.us/mec.php. The American Alpine Institute in Bellingham hosts three-day alpine safety classes ten times in December and January, three times in February and once in March. Day one is in their Bellingham classroom, day two and three are at the Mt. Baker Ski Area, and the course culminates in a backcountry ski tour. Info: www.mtn guide.com. Northwest Avalanche Center has weather and condition reports, and a sobering list of reported accidents for the 2007-2008 winter season. Go to www.nwac.us.

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Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

Recycled buildings make way for new Mt. Baker Highway bridge By Jack Kintner To make way for building a higher and more flood resistant bridge over Gallop Creek the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)auctioned off the Glacier Creek Motel and Cabins last August. The 3.4 acre complex of 22 small cabins, a trailer and the old wooden lodge/office/restaurant/hot tub sat on a narrow finger of land between Glacier and Gallop Creeks near the east end of the village of Glacier and for many years served skiers in the winter, hikers in the summer and fishermen all year along. Many of the smaller structures, some under 500 square feet, went for $5, the minimum bid, and quickly, or nearly so, disappeared into the woods to become cabins or additions. The biggest structure, the old lodge, went to Gary Graham. He plans to use it to house his Contemporary Design Company (CDC), manufacturer of his patented shuttle systems that are used for exercise and rehabilitation. The auction for the two-story 2,151 square foot lodge was inconclusive because of uncertainties about getting a permit from WSDOT to actually move such a heavy structure across a bridge, necessary to move it either west across Glacier Creek as Graham planned or east across Gallop Creek as Graham’s competitor for the property, a partnership of Dennis Flaherty and Marcel Dolak, would do in moving it to the Mt. Baker Rim complex to use as a private home. A third bidder dropped out around the $3,000 mark, and after that Graham and Flaherty decided to work together “We decided that if only one of us got a permit to move it, he’d pay the other guy $10,000 for expenses in preparing to go for the permits. If both of us got permits then we planned to have a coin flip the next day at high noon on the front steps of Graham’s Store,” said Graham, whose family once owned and operated the store and restaurant. The two split the state’s required $25,000 performance bond guaranteeing that the structure would actually be moved once someone acquired title to it at the auction. The flip-off never came off, though, since Flaherty agreed to let Graham have the structure, saying that it would be better to keep it in Glacier. “We then began waiting for permits, and more than once we’d get permission to take a step in all this right at the last moment,” Graham said, “it’s been very much a cliff-hanger the whole way along.” The permits to move the building were finally secured in September, the good news, but the move had to be accomplished in five days, the bad news. “We had three or four crews working day and night to empty the

building, flatten and compact the lot, remove the foundation and part of the external structure,” said Graham, “but we made it. We’re still not sure what happened to the hot tub.” The actual move took only three hours on Sunday morning, September 18. The building, once at 10036 Mount Baker Highway, is now is at 9946 Mount Baker Highway near the western edge of the village. When remodeled the main floor will nearly double in size giving Graham a roughly 4,500 square foot structure at a bargain price. “We’ll have a lot more room,” Graham said, “and a better facility than we do now, and nothing much got thrown away. It’s a creative solution that kept a lot of material out of landfills.” The weathered wood fir and cedar structure looks imposing, sitting on temporary cribbing high off the ground

across from the Glacier fire station, but once a foundation is built it will be lowered to about five feet above grade and will provide offices, meeting space and manufacturing areas. Of course, all those good intentions to put the building to use need permitting as well, so in the meantime Graham’s plodding ahead. The state is too, clearing the former motel site in preparation for building the new $11.7 million bridge over Gallop Creek. The problem is that as more and more rocks and debris wash into Gallop Creek the river itself rises, threatening the current. Two of the three spans under the bridge are clogged with gravel, and fisheries rules prohibit dredging. The new bridge will eliminate the need to annually clear the stream bed with a backhoe, which will benefit spawning fish as well. The new structure will be started next year and be

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completed in 2011. WSDOT bought the motel property and structures for $744,500, but instead of having to spend another $110,000 to haul off the cabins and dispose of them, the agency actually made money that it will funnel back into its budget. “This is a little kinder to the environment,” said WSDOT’s Cris

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Blankenship, “because lots of people up here near Glacier have property, but either don’t have cabins or want more cabins. They had expressed an interest...This is an unusual twist on our (WSDOT’s) sustainability program. While we routinely recycle concrete, gravel and dirt, recycling a home is a little different but the benefits are clear.”

s The new world headquarters headquarters of Gary Graham’s Contemporary Design Company.

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is the perfect stop on Mt. Baker Highway 542 when headed to and from Mt. Baker Ski Area. Plan on stopping for a bite to eat at one of several restaurants, pick up some groceries, and even fill up the gas tank. Maps of the area are available free at the Mt. Baker Foothills Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, located on the northwest corner of 542 and Silver Lake Rd. “A vast array of homemade food with an international flair” Everything from Scratch

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Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

Hire a guide and go climb a mountain

The Mt. Baker backcountry offers some of the best off-piste skiing n the western US. Photo by Lyle Haugsven

By Tara Nelson Anyone who has looked up at Mt. Baker from a distance may have wondered what it might be like to summit the smoldering, snow-covered giant or ski down its pristine backcountry slopes. Fortunately, such adventures don’t have to be out of reach for those of us who aren’t career athletes or professional mountaineers. With a little physical training and minimal back-

packing experience, even armchair recreationalists could find themselves conquering a mountain as part of a guided trip. And what better place to start than one’s own backyard? “Everybody in Bellingham sees Mt. Baker and a lot of people don’t realize that is attainable for pretty much anyone who wants to spend a little bit of time to get in decent shape,” said Coley Gentzel, a guide with the American Alpine Institute in Bellingham. “That’s not to say it won’t feel

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like work. But it is very doable for the average person. That’s one good thing about moderate mountaineering, it’s very accessible to a lot of people; it’s basically walking uphill for many hours at a time, which most people are pretty capable of.” The organization offers a variety of guided mountaineering trips in 16 states and six countries around the globe from South America to Africa and Antarctica. But founding owner Dunham Gooding says some of the best terrain is located right here in the North Cascades area where AAI conducts many of their avalanche safety courses, backcountry skiing excursions, and water ice climbing during the winter months. Gooding said it is the area’s access to wilderness and proximity of to major population centers, complexity and diversity of the microclimates, not to mention the sheer beauty of the North Cascades, that make Washington stand out among other regions. “It’s the perfect location for the base of an international guide service,” Gooding said. “There are tremendous opportunities throughout the year for planning and backpacking in the summer and climbing, skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. The variety is great and the accessibility is excellent.” “Places like the Sierra-Nevada Mountains and the Rockies have glaciers but they are little and they don’t exhibit the complexity of big mountains because they’re so tiny and they don’t move around much,” he said. “But at Baker, the things you see here and learn how to cope with are the same things you’ll find in the biggest mountain ranges in the world so you can expose people to everything. You can take the skills and knowledge you acquire here and go anywhere in the world.” The organization was founded in

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1975 as the Mt. Baker Guide Service under Gooding’s direction. Since then, it boasts nearly 30 guides and completes an average of 15 trips per year. It has also won rave reviews from media establishments such as Forbes Magazine, USA Today, Men’s Journal and The New York Times, which called it “The Harvard of climbing schools.” Most winter mountaineering courses require participants to have a minimum of one overnight backpacking experience under their belt, but others, such as the level I and level II avalanche safety courses, are taught in the classroom and during day trips within the Mt. Baker Ski area. The avalanche safety courses are geared for backcountry users such as snowboarders, skiers, snow shoers or, as Gentzel put it: “ basically anyone who wants to go walk around in the snow during the wintertime.” Snow camping trips, meanwhile, (also called winter mountaineering), are scheduled on a private basis as requested and can be tailored to individuals and groups. For example, last year Gentzel said he arranged a private winter mountaineering trip as a sort-of baby shower for a group of six women, one of whom was pregnant. “It was an interesting concept,” Gentzel said. “We took them out and taught them how to make snow caves and how to set up a tent in the winter. They all had summer backpacking experience and were fairly proficient skiers and they had a blast.” The organization is also one of a few local agencies to offer guided water ice climbing trips during the winter months. Although thought by many to be a “fringe”-type of outdoor activity, ice climbing can be one of the most challenging and exciting winter pursuits. Because it is formed from frozen waterfalls and seeps, it is a sport that may be pursued in many venues

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throughout the country. The course is offered on its own or as a two-day segment within a comprehensive winter skills program and is often conducted within the Mt. Baker ski area at Pan Dome Falls or Table Mountain, near Artist Point. Most of their courses, however, are taught during the summer. Gentzel said their most popular trip is a threeday adventure to the 10,778-foot summit on Mt. Baker and offers stunning views of the Cascades, British Columbia and the San Juan Islands. Winter courses with AAI Backcountry skiing Location: North Cascades Length: 2 or 5 days. Season: December through April. Prerequisites: Good level of physical fitness. Cost: $350. Avalanche Training Location: Mount Baker ski area Length: 3 or 4 days, depending on level. Season: December through March. Cost: $290 to $490, depending on level. Guided Ski Ascents & Tours Location: Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan Length: 1 day and up Season: December through May Cost: $190 and up For more information or for a complete list of programs and guided expeditions, visit www.aai.cc or call 360/671-1505. The office is at 1515 12th Street in Bellingham’s Fairhaven district. Equipment rental and gear shop may be found at www. guideschoice.com.

Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

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Take the green way to the mountain Those wanting an affordable, eco-friendly way to head up to the slopes this season are in luck. Cascade Adventures recently launched its Baker Bus, providing a low-cost, community supported transportation service to help reduce emissions and vehicle traffic on the Mt. Baker Highway and Nooksack River watershed. The program has been supported by donations from several local businesses such as Graham’s Store, The Inn at Mt. Baker, Sportsman Chalet, Mt. Baker

Lodging, Crossroads Grocery, Joowana, Boundary Bay Brewery, Il Caffe Rifugio, Fairhaven Bike & Ski, Glacier Ski Shop,The Hair Stream, Scott’s Ski Service and Wild & Scenic River Tours. Trips are made to and from the Mt. Baker ski area and are $10 from Bellingham on weekends onlyl or $5 from Kendall on weekdays only. Season boarding and frequent riders passes are available. For more info, visit www.wildandscenic.com/bakerbus or call 360/599-3115.

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Leaving Mt. Baker Ski Area White Salmon Day Lodge: 4:15 p.m. Glacier - Chando parking lot: 5 p.m. Glacier downtown: 5:05 p.m. Maple Falls – Harvest Moon Bakery: 5:15 p.m. Kendall -Valero Station: 5:25 p.m. *Deming – Il Caffe Rifugio: 5:45 p.m. *Bellingham - Sunset Square Cost Cutter: 6 p.m. *Bellingham – Lincoln Creek Park: 6:10 p.m.

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315 CHERRY ST. SUMAS, WA

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SERVING ALL OF WHATCOM COUNTY SUMAS AUTO CARE CENTER

• Pull-thrus • Full hookups w/ cable TV • Beautiful nature views

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Visit British Columbia for the 2010 Winter Olympics

A tranquil & scenic retreat Under New Management

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360-988-4702 24 HOURS

9600 Easterbrook Road, Sumas, WA

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Photographs on left page by Grant Gunderson. For more images, go to www.grantgunderson.com In one of the best openings at Mt. Baker Ski Area in recent years, photographers Grant Gunderson, Ty Mitchell and Ryan Duclos captured some unforgettable shots.

Right top page images by Ty Mitchell. Go to www.tmitchellphoto.com. Right bottom page images by Ryan Duclos. Go to www.duclosstudio2.com

Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

get outside

EQUIPMENT GUIDE

A-LOTTA $1,150 One of the widest skis on the market, its 140 mm waist making it ideal for Mt. Baker powder, is the A-Lotta by Fat-Ypus with a backcountry Duke binding by Marker, at the Glacier Ski Shop.

SHAMAN $600 Shaman by Icelantic, in addition to being one of the best powder skis available, features Parr graphics based on eyeballs, discounted to $600 at the Glacier Ski Shop.

I/O BY SMITH OPTICS $200 I/O by Smith Optics are the ultimate in fog free interchangeability, at Sportsman Chalet.

JAMIE LYNN PHOENIX $500 Snowboard by Lib Tech features Banana Traction, reverse camber and magnetraction profile, discounted at Mt. Baker Snowboard Shop that has a Jamie Lynn mural on their front wall.

CHAKRA $17 Form-fitting top of 200 weight New Zealand Merino wool, the warmest breathable inner layer available, and much drier than polypropolene, at Mountain Magic.

ALPINE TRACKER BY BACKCOUNTRY ACCESS $75 Converts any alpine binding into a backcountry climber by allowing heels to lift. Remove at the top of your climb and carry (one pair weighs 2 pounds). Glacier Ski Shop.

Fairhaven Bike & Ski, 1106 11th St., Bellingham 360/733-4433 Glacier Ski Shop, 9966 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier 360/599-1943 Mt. Baker Snowboard Shop, 9996 Forest St., Glacier 360/599-2008 Mountain Magic, 2393 King George Hwy, Surrey, 604/535-5182 Sportsman Chalet, 114 West Holly St., Bellingham 360/671-1044

SNOWTRIP $310 3-way jacket by Salomon (France), all three layers are waterproof and breathable, Fairhaven Bike & Ski.

VITA SENOR $430 Rossignol women’s boot is designed to accommodate a woman’s foot, and has an inner liner that can be heated to conform to the individual’s foot, at Sportsman Chalet.

CARTEL BINDING BY BURTON $215 Snowboard binding in purple features full bed cushioning, nylon baseplate and recycled components to reduce waste, discounted at Mt. Baker Snowboard Shop.

EUREKA LED $19 185 lumen lantern becomes a flashlight with the flip of a lever, burns for 25 hours on two AA batteries, by Cree, at Mountain Magic.

PARK PICKLE BY GNU $489 Features banana traction (BTX), and a serrated magnetraction edge with a differential sidecut to provide the same effort on either the tow or heel side, at Mt. Baker Snowboard Shop.

REVIVEX $10 Spraying your pants or jacket with this water repellent is by far the most effective way to restore even old outer wear garments, at Mountain Magic.

Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

Where To Stay While Playing At Mt. Baker... With the 2010 Winter Olympics right around the corner, Foothills residents are gearing up for what could prove to be the season of a lifetime. With the only motel – Glacier Creek Lodge - removed from its foundation earlier this year, one business owner, Dan Graham hopes to capitalize on the market niche for last minute stays. Graham, who operates Mt. Baker Lodging in Maple Falls, said he will be offering expanded office hours until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights as well as last minute and one-night stays.Mt. Baker Lodging offers nearly 100 units throughout the Maple Falls and Glacier area. The following is a list of places to get a good night’s sleep before a big day in the snow: Aaron’s Mt. Baker Cabins Glacier 360/599-2299 mtbakercabins.com Twelve unique cabins offer fireplaces, satellite TV, Wi-Fi and private hot tubs. $149 to $339. Their chaletstyle lodge features southwest style décor and a casual atmosphere. Rooms available for $80 to $110.

s Dan Graham of Mt. Baker Lodging can set you up with anything from a cabin to an executive vacation home rental. The Inn at Mt. Baker Glacier 360/599-1776 theinnatmtbaker.com Cited as one of “1,000 Places to See Before You Die,” The Inn at Mt. Baker is a quiet bed and breakfast

Please see Lodging, page 14

•

s Time for breakfast at The Inn at Mt. Baker.

mountain retreat with uninterrupted views of Mount Baker, surrounding mountains and the Nooksack River Valley. The inn offers European style bed and breakfast service featuring fresh-

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Provisioning, shopping, errands, deliveries, transportation & more! Serving all of Whatcom County • Brinda Clemons

(360) 224-4225 • www.todoforyou.biz •

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360.715.8585 • FX 360.715.0067 • H

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: MON-FRI 10AM-7PM; SAT & URS S

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“Traditional Service Meeting Modern Needs.”

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DisLodge at Mt. Baker Glacier 360/599-1781 dislodgeatmtbaker.com DisLodge provides a cozy, private setting, with no surrounding neighbors. 17 miles from the Mt. Baker ski area, DisLodge sits on five acres with views of Slide Mountain. No smoking. Amenities include gourmet kitchen, three bedrooms, two bath, hot tub, wood stove, out door fir pit, washer/dryer, and covered parking. Accommodates up to eight people. $195 and up.

Lynden • Ferndale 360-354-4471 Mount Vernon 360-424-4471

• Canyon Creek Chalets Glacier 360/599-9574 canyoncreekchalets.com Canyon Creek Chalets is a private vacation rental located in Glacier Springs. Two cabins are designed for the comfort and pleasure of guests, including hot tub and Egyption cotton sheets. Each chalet can sleep up to six people.

Proudly Serving Whatcom, Skagit, Island and Snohomish Counties

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Baker Accommodations Glacier 360/599-1017 bakeraccommodations.com One bedroom and two bedroom condos available for weekly and nightly rental. The condos sleep five to seven people and are located in the Snowater Resort. Amenities include tennis courts, river trails, squash courts, and two indoor pools with hot tubs. $99 to $175.

Weekend and Full-Time Parents Wanted. Catholic Community Services treatment foster care program wants to train and license you (singles & couples) to become part of an existing team of professionals who provide an elite level of care to children & youth served by the CHAP program. 24/7 support provided. Competitive reimbursement rates.

Help make a difference! Call 360-676-2164 for more information.

Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

Out & About WHAT’S HAPPENING LAKE WHATCOM SANTA TRAIN: December 12, and 19, 9:30 a.m., noon, and 2:30 p.m. 90 minute ride on the 100-year-old train which leaves from Wichersham Junction. By reservation only, 360/595-2218. Adults $18, under age 18 $9, under 2 free. For info: www.lakewhatcomrailway.com. GRAHAM’S RESTAURANT MUSIC PERFORMANCES: December 17, Bent Grass; December 29, Daffodils; January 16, Native Gorilla. All shows start at 9 p.m. Must be 21+ to attend. www.grahamsrestaurant.com or call 360/599-1964. 9989 Mt. Baker Highway, Glacier. HELL’S BELLES NEW YEARS EVE PERFORMANCE: December 31, 9 p.m. Graham’s Restaurant, 9989 Mt. Baker Highway, Glacier. Call 360/599-1964 for tickets EAGLES AND SALMON WORKSHOP: December 12, January 16, 8 a.m. Examine the intertwined biology of salmon and eagles and their migratory patterns on the upper Skagit river. For info and registration, contact North Cascades Institute, www.ncascades.org 2009 JINGLE BELL RUN/WALK: Saturday, December 12, 8:30 a.m. Start at Cornwall and York streets and finishes at Bellingham High School. Proceeds go to the Arthritis Foundation. For info: Nicole Keller at (360) 733-2866 or nkeller@arthritis.org. MT. BAKER CLUB SNOW OUTING: Saturday, December 19. This trip is suitable for both snowshoers and cross-country skiers. Location depends on snow conditions and access.Moderate level of fitness. Meet at 8:30 at Sunnyland Elementary School. Call Paul for details. 676-9843. BOOK SALE: December 12, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Everson McBeath Community Library, 104 Kirsch Drive, Everson. TAKE THE PLUNGE: Ring of Fire & Hope, Thursday, December 31, 7 p.m. Meet at BIrch Bay Visitor Center, 7900 BIrch Bay Drive. Event Starts at 6 p.m. for flare distribution. Light flares at 7 p.m. Polar Bear Plunge, Friday, January 1, 2009, noon. Dress up in costumes for judging. (Registration starts at 9:30 a.m.). 360/371-5004. www.birchbaychamber.com COMMUNITY PANCAKE BREAKFAST: Sunday, January 3, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. pancakes, french toast, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee biscuits & gravy Adults $5; Kids 6-10 $2; Kids 5 & under FREE Rome Grange is located at 2821 Mt. Baker Hwy, about 1/2 mile east of the Y Road. SNOWSHOE DAY TRIP: January 9, 8 a.m. Spend a day snowshoing in the Cascade Mountains. $30 WWU students, $40 guests. Price includes snowshoes, hiking poles and guides and transportaton. For info, email as.oc.excursions@wwwu.edu. BRIDAL INSPIRATIONS WEDDING EXPO: January 10, noon – 5 p.m. Best Western Lakeway Inn, 714 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham. Over 45 exhibitors and the Northwest’s largest fashion show at 4 p.m. Register online at www.bridalinspirations.info or call Alicia’s Bridal 360/733-2563. BACKCOUNTRY EDUCATION DAY & BEACON RALLY: January 10, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Mt. Baker. Free two hour workshop devoted to basic skills education followed by a beacon rally. Info: www.rei.com/bellingham. NOOKSACK SNOWSHOE EXCURSION: January 17, 8 a.m. Explore the Mt. Baker area with two naturalists experienced in winter travel. A low-impact excursion while learning winter mountain ecology and more. No previous experience is necessary. $95 includes snowshoe rental . North Cascades Institute, for info: ncascades.org MT BAKER SKI AREA LOCAL QUALIFIER: January 18. Mt. Baker Legendary banked slalom local qualifier. www.mtbaker.us for info. 2010 MT. BAKER LEGENDARY BANKED SLALOM: February 5 – 7. www.mtbaker.us for info.

ONGOING MEETINGS/EVENTS EVERGREEN WATER & SEWER DISTRICT: Monthly commissioner’s meeting is the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m., district office, 6229 Azure Way. For more info, call 360/599-1699. EVERSON/NOOKSACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING: Fourth Tuesday, noon, Everson Senior Center. For more info, call 360/966-3407 or www.eversonnooksackchamber.org.

Lodging.. Continued from page 13

cut flowers, feather beds with down comforters and outdoor hot tub. Spa services are also available. Lodgings are close to the Mt. Baker ski area and the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. $155 and up. The Glacier Guest Suites 8040 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599 2927 mt-baker.com/glacier Two 500-square-foot units with handcrafted wood furniture and views of Mt. Baker and Nooksack River. Located on 100+ acres. No pets. The Logs Resort 7577 Canyon View Drive Glacier 360/599-2711 thelogs.com Situated on Canyon Creek and the north fork of the Nooksack River, The Logs Resort offers cozy log cabins widely spaced along the creek and among the trees, for the ultimate in privacy and relaxation. $125 and up. Midweek specials. Mt. Baker Lodging 7463 Mt. Baker Highway Maple Falls 800/709-7669 or 360/599-2453 mtbakerlodging.com Mt. Baker Lodging offers cabin, cottage, condo, chalet, and executive vacation home rentals. Most units include a washer, dryer, telephone with free local calls, kitchen and fireplaces. $149 and up. Mt. Baker Vacation Home 360/647-7469 mtbakervacationhome.com This two bedroom town home sleeps four. Full kitchen, telephone with free local calls, fireplace, hot tub, deck and indoor pool. $130 and up. Winter Creek B&B 9253 Cornell Creek Road Glacier 360/599-2526 Winter Creek offers two available

bedrooms with double beds, two living rooms with fireplaces, sauna and Wi-Fi internet access. Pets welcome with additional charge. $100 per room, per night and includes full breakfast. Mt. Baker View Guest House Glacier mtbakerviewguesthouse.com 360/599-2155 Secluded accommodations sleep up to 15 people. Fully furnished, fireplaces, full kitchens. No smoking or pets. Located in Glacier. $100 - $500 Pinnacle Lodge at Mt Baker 7509 Canyon View Drive Glacier 206/546-2476 Three-bedroom, two-bath, 3,000square foot log home situated on the Nooksack River with beautiful views of Mt. Baker. Snowater Timeshare Rentals Glacier 360/599-2724 snowater.org Snowater is a townhouse condominium development just east of Glacier, surrounded on three sides by the north fork of the Nooksack River. Most units have mountain views from the individual decks. All units have kitchens, washer, dryer, dishwasher, grill, CD player and fireplace. One and two bedrooms are available. Mt. Baker Ski & Recreational Lodging Glacier 360/671-5383 mtbakervacationrentals.com   A variety of homes, cabins and condominiums. Winter Creek B&B Glacier 360/599-2526 wintercreekbandb.com Winter Creek offers two available bedrooms with double beds, two living rooms with fireplaces, sauna and Wi-Fi internet access. Pets welcome with additional charge. $100 per room, per night and includes full breakfast.

FRIENDS OF THE DEMING LIBRARY MEETING: Fourth Tuesday, 7p.m., Deming Library.Info: 592-2422. GLACIER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING: Third Tuesday, 7 p.m., Glacier Visitor Center, 9973 Mt. Baker hwy. www.glacierchamber.org. Email: info@glacierchamber.org or 599-2299. KNIT NIGHT AT EVERSON LIBRARY: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Bring your knitting, crocheting or other portable hand work to enjoy a casual evening doing something you love. Everson-McBeath Library; 104 Kirsch Dr. Everson. For more info, call 360/966-5100. NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK HEADQUARTERS INFO STATION: Weekdays, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (maps, trail conditions & more) 810 State Route 20, Sedro Woolley. 360/854-7200 or www.nps.gov/noca. MT. BAKER FOOTHILLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING: First Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Inn at Mt. Baker. Info: call 360/599-1518 or www.mtbakerchamber.org. MT. BAKER FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION: Meets third Wednesday, 7 p.m., Kendall Elementary School. For info, email nuqualum@gte.net. MT. BAKER FOOTHILLS VISITOR CENTER: Wednesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., 7802 N. Silver Lake Rd., Maple Falls. For info, call 360/599-1518 or www.mtbakerchamber.org. MT. BAKER HIKING CLUB ACTIVITIES: Participate in hiking and other activities. For info and costs, call 360/734-4461 or visit their website at www.mountbakerclub.org. SUMAS BINGO: Sundays, 12:40 p.m.; Mondays & Thursdays, 6:40 p.m., Sumas Legion Hall, 134 Harrison St. For more info, call 360/966-4971.

s Jim and Juli Evangelista at Mt. Baker View Guest House offer warm lodgings close to the action on the mountain and in Glacier.

Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

Peak Performance: Are You Hip To The Hips? By PJ Wren The human body is an intricate system of processes working synergistically. Much like a work of art whose composition must be balanced to be pleasing to the eye, the muscular system of the human body needs to be in equilibrium to reach maximum potential. If this equilibrium is not present, these imbalances will lead to a loss of flexibility, decreased energy and strength in the muscles and, eventually, pain and discomfort. While there are many muscles that we should focus on to help maintain this equilibrium, there is one group in particular that needs our attention for winter sports - the outer hip muscles.

X walks with tubing Step on tubing with both feet and criss-cross the handles. Pull your shoulder blades back and stand tall. From here make big side steps 15-20 times in one direction, and then 15-20 times the other way. Make sure both knees are tracking straight ahead, incorporating knee bends with each step. Aim for 2-3 sets with a 30 second rest in between each set.

The outer hip muscles comprise of the hip abductors, the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and tensor fasciae latae muscles. These muscles are responsible for moving the leg out and away and they play a key role in stabilizing our pelvis, low back and knees. Strong muscles of the outer hip help prevent IT band syndrome, bursitis of the hip, osteoarthritis of the hip, patellofemoral and low back pain as well as an inhanced performance on the slopes. Try the following exercises 1-2 times a week to not only strengthen your hips, but to also aid in maintaining a fit, balanced and injury-free body.

Clams with leg lift Lie on your side, against a wall and begin with your knees bent, forward of the body and your feet together. Lift the top knee up and down, while keeping your hips stacked and core engaged. After you have completed 20 repetitions, immediately straighten both of your legs, slide your body back so that the entire rear side of your body is pressing against the wall. Lift your straightened top leg up and down 20 times. Keep contact with your heel against the wall throughout the entire set. Follow with an Outer Leg Lift and then switch sides and perform a set with the other leg. Aim for 2 sets with a 30 second rest in-between each set.

It is best to stretch after your workout. Research has shown that stretching before, as well as during a workout, can impede on performance and possibly set yourself up for injury. Try these two stretches after your workout, as well as after a day out on the slopes. Outer Hip Stretch Lay on the floor on your back. Cross the right foot over the left knee, keeping the right knee bent. Use your left hand to pull the right knee across your body, while the other arm anchors the opposite shoulder on the ground. Hold for between 10 and 30 seconds. Single Leg Squat onto Bench Here the outer hip muscles are used to stabilize the hips in this challenging balance and strength exercise. Stand in front of a chair, or weight bench at the gym, and lift your left leg up off the floor. Staring straight ahead to aid with your balance, bend your right knee and slowly come down into a sitting position pressing your butt back and making sure your knee tracks with your foot and stays behind the toes. Come all the way down onto the chair, or bench, and then press yourself back up to your start position. Perform 10 times and then switch legs. Aim for 1-2 sets with 30 seconds rest in between sets.

Standing Outer Hip Stretch Stand side on to a wall with the leg to be stretched crossed behind the other. Balance yourself using one hand on the wall. Push your hips towards the wall, keeping the knees straight. Hold for between 10 and 30 seconds.

PJ Wren is a fitness trainer and writer with over 14 years experience.

Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

It’s time to eat!

The weather is cold and you need something to fill your belly. Lucky you because bar and restaurant owners in the Mt. Baker foothills are ready to serve you and your family and friends some delicious food and drinks until you cry Uncle! Following is a list of hotspots that you can hit before and after a day of playing in the snow. Il Caffé Rifugio 5415 Mount Baker Highway Deming 360/592-2888 Richard Balogh and his wife Candice opened the café just east of Deming by the Eagle Park in the former Carol’s Coffee Cup. It features great food with an ethnic twist and local artwork. Works currently on display include Tommy Thompson canvas black and white artistic landscape photography. The café serves breakfast and lunch items such as espresso, soups and paninis, but with slight variations and an immaculate presentation that make them stand out. A must-try is the grilled turkey Panini sandwich with thinly sliced red onion, gruyere cheese and tarragon mayonnaise. Their cinnamon rolls are based on the popular recipe of former Carol’s Coffee Cup, which was graciously handed down by the café’s owner Carol Vander Yacht. Balogh said he had made slight revisions to the original recipe to make it his own, including a version that uses Nutella, the Italian chocolate and hazelnut spread, as a filling ($2.99). Il Caffé Rifugio is open 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Their website is www.ilcafferifugio. com.

17th Annual

Bridal Inspirations

WEDDING EXPO

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2010 12-5 PM Best Western Lakeway Inn, 714 Lakeway Dr. Bellingham, WA Everything for planning your perfect wedding with over 45 exhibitors and the Northwest’s largest fashion show at 4 pm. Register & pay online today at www.bridalinspirations.info or call Alicia’s Bridal at 360.733.2563 Presented by

S Il Caffé Rifugio (left & far left): This delightful restaurant opens early for breakfast and now serves dinner on Friday and Saturday. Try their signature frittata and eggs benedict – poached eggs served on potato cake with lemon cayenne hollandaise as well as (pictured) cinnamon roll, bread pudding and sweet and savory scones.

T Blue Mountain Grill: Open for lunch and dinner, this friendly family style restaurant has a great view and game room. Don’t miss the Prime Rib on Friday and Saturday nights.

S Everybody’s Store: Jeff and Amy Margolis have created what one enthusiastic customer calls, “a whole town in a store.” Stop in for a deli sandwich and you’ll be greeted by food, wine, jewelry and gift items from around the world. Blue Mountain Grill 974 Valley Hwy Acme 360/595-2200 The menu features burgers, steaks, and other classic road food but with a hand-made approach that has won over many locals here. Best bets include the chicken kaiser sandwich, fish and chips, the Texicali burger, clam chowder and the Blue Mountain cobbler, available in peach or four-berry, and topped with vanilla ice cream. Blue Mountain Grill is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Everybody’s Store Highway 9 Van Zandt 360/592-2297 Check out their selection of unusual wines, cheeses and sausages as well as their amazing sandwiches that offer a ridiculous number of fillings – 18 different cheeses is just the beginning – from which to choose. www.everybodys.com. See Eateries, page 17

Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

S North Fork Brewery: There is nothing finer than a North Fork pizza and their own brew, made on premises.

Eateries..

Continued from page 16

The North Fork Brewery 6186 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2337 Possibly the best beer and pizza in Whatcom County. The micro-brewery – which could very well double as a beer museum – is the brainchild of Vicky and Sandy Savage, two Bay area natives who had a passion for beer and a love of community. The bar offers a rotating selection of microbrews such as the Scotch ale, which is available all winter. For a meal, try the stout-infused French onion soup made with veggie stock, or the Mediterranean pizza with an olive oil, garlic sauce and sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta cheese and parmesan on a hand-tossed ale crust. They are open Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., and weekends from noon to 9 p.m. Harvest Moon Bakery 7466 Mt. Baker Highway Maple Falls 360/599-1347 Harvest Moon bakes cinnamon rolls, fresh pastries, soups, sandwiches, cookies and cakes based on the recipes of owner Jennifer Beal’s mother Betsy Swanson, who was a long-time cook at Milano’s restaurant. Their made-from-scratch biscuits and gravy are delicious (served on weekends only) but the must-try is their chicken empanada lunch special. The dish is a flaky pastry filled with chicken and potatoes

and has been so popular, they now sell it daily by request from locals. Inside, the café is cozy and artfully decorated with orange, yellow accents and rustic décor with hand-made yellow cedar tables. The bakery also sells custom-made wedding and specialty cakes. Harvest Moon Bakery is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Frosty Inn Restaurant and Lounge Maple Falls 360/599-2594 New owners, the Ortiz family, welcome customers to this long-time restaurant to enjoy the newly installed jukebox and new menu items including grilled chicken Caesar wrap, scallops and chicken cordon bleu. Also, burgers, pizza, steak, prime rib, and pasta dishes. Frosty Inn is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. Joowana 7471 Mt. Baker Highway Maple Falls 360/599-9800 This little restaurant in Maple Falls offers healthy fare for a more than fair price. Owner and chef Kelly Jo Legaz is a life-long snowboarder and a legendary chef among the locals here. Try the chicken taco salad that comes piled with crunchy cabbage, sour cream, pico de gallo, a variety of fresh vegetables and black beans. Try the newly added Thai dishes. They are open weekdays from noon to 9 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. S Harvest Moon: The warm and cozy ambience has a European flair. Order pastries straight from the display case with a cup of Moka Joe coffee or ask John for a sandwich created with their own fresh baked bread.

S Frosty’s: This group of friends from Lynden enjoy tunes from the jukebox.

Maple Fuels 7797 Silver Lake Road Maple Falls 360/599-2222 There is nothing small about this food and fuel stop in Maple Falls. The long-time favorite nearly tripled in size last year and features an expanded deli that includes soups, sandwiches, breakfast items, locally roasted organic coffee, a new seating area and wireless internet. Maple Fuels is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Milano’s Restaurant 9990 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2863 Tom DeBari opened this gem of a restaurant on a lonely stretch of road on the Mount Baker Highway in 1990. Since then, he has been spoiling locals and visitors here with some of the best Italian food in the county, possibly in the state. The hand-made pasta here makes Milano’s a stand-out restaurant in a world of limp noodles. Try the Foriana, a dish that includes fresh-made linguini pasta and hefty amounts of garlic, raisins, roma tomatoes, anchovies, chilies, pine nuts and olive oil that results in an unusual combination of spicy, sweet and pungent flavors. Other best bets are the Pasta Tuscano, a hearty dish of fusilli pasta with a red wine sauce, caramelized onions, roasted roma tomatoes, Italian sausage medallions, topped with chopped fresh spinach and gorgonzola cheese, that arrives bubbling hot. Monday through Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Graham’s Restaurant 9989 Mt. Baker Highway Glacier 360/599-1964 www.grahamsrestaurant.com If you’re looking for pool and entertainment, Graham’s is your place. Recent shows have included the Bellingham funk band Acorn Project, The Loyal Sinners, Gertrude’s Hearst, and Graham’s house band Bentgrass, which plays every other Thursday. But the real reason to visit Graham’s is the great food (try the Phish Tacos or the organic salad greens with their house-made hemp dressing for starters) and microbrews on tap. Grahams is open for their winter dinner hours from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and for lunch on weekends from noon to 9 p.m. The bar is open until closing. Graham’s Store 9989 Mt. Baker Highway Glacier 360/599-2665 When you don't have time to sit down, come into Graham's Store for a bagel sandwich and espresso. The ice cream is always great year round. The store carries a pretty good selection of wine and beer in case you need to wash that sandwich down with something wet and refreshing.

Wake N’ Bakery 9966 Mt. Baker Highway (inside Glacier Ski Shop) Ready to greet the riders on their way up and down the mountain, lots

of great drinks and delicious homemade pastries. Great selection of sweatshirts and mugs.

S Wake N’ Bakery: Rebecca is ready to greet the riders on their way up and down the mountain with lots of great drinks and delicious homemade pastries. Great selection of sweatshirts and mugs. S Joowana: Kelly Jo makes everything from scratch. Her breakfasts are popular, and are served from 8 a.m. on weekends – here she’s serving waffles and eggs Benedict, which often get paired with a pint size Bloody Mary. International flavors abound for dinner, from Mexican and Thai to the Jo Burger and Mac ‘n Cheese. T Graham’s Store: The dynamic duo, Abby and Anne, say their most requested sandwich is an ‘everything’ bagel with smoked salmon, cream cheese and the works, called the 542. Or choose a smoothie made with fresh fruit. S Graham’s: Chris stands at the mahogany bar that came from San Francisco in 1908. The stove will warm you up after a day on the mountain, and the rotating beers on tap will refresh your thirst. Something for everyone on the menu from Phish Tacos to the Gable T-Bone steak (inset). Milano’s: T You can always count on Milano’s for serving spectacular Italian food 7 days a week. Here’s Jeannie DeBari with Smoked Tomato Risotto with seared scallops, wild salmon and mussels created by Tom at the stove.

S Maple Fuels: Bagels and sandwiches are popular here and the ice cream too!

Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

MAKE SURE YOUR BUSINESS IS ON THE NEW 2010/2011

MAP!

By Margot Griffiths

Everyone’s Favorite! What makes our map so useful? T Detailed street maps & directory T Large format when unfolded - 27”x19” T Folded, conveniently fits in glove compartment T Business display ads T Advertiser’s place of business located on the map T Calendar of events T Useful community phone numbers T Advertiser directory by category T Mile Posts T Area history T Trailheads

Distribution

T 20,000 copies distributed to visitor centers throughout the county as well as high traffic locations and at advertisers. Full listing and location on map starting at $150.

Reserve early! Space is limited. Ad Deadline

March 31 Contact Louise at the Mount Baker Experience 360/332-1777 lmugar@mountbakerexperience.com

Mt. Baker Homes & Lands, Inc. Residential Appraisal, Inc.

Review: Border Songs by Jim Lynch For the book lovers on your list, a Christmas present extraordinaire – a novel set in Blaine, WA. In Border Songs, author Jim Lynch tells an outstanding story about the once sleepy town, whose main vice was an adult book store. Now that town is home to a pivotal border where pot smugglers and terrorists have the populace on red alert. Lynch’s first novel, The Highest Tide, was an award winning best seller, adapted for the stage. Border Songs shows equal promise. Lynch’s characters are the highlight of this story. They’re quirky, they’re downtrodden, they’re hilariously eclectic. And the pathos of the central character, Brandon Vanderkool, anchors this remarkable cast. Not at all cool, Brandon is a 6'8" twenty-something, who wants nothing more than to milk the cows on the family dairy farm. But his father wants more for his son, and pushes Brandon into becoming a Border Patrol agent. The ditch between two countries that he once jumped as a kid, he now watches for drug smugglers and worse. How someone so severely dyslexic manages his job puts some strain on credibility, but that is soon absorbed by the pull of the plot, and eventually it all becomes stunningly clear.

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more than Christmas itself ”. On a good day, he can spot 63 different species before breakfast. With his remarkable powers of observation, he seems to “see everything at a glance” – an ability that allows him to spot smugglers with equal ease. And what Brandon sees is a pretty fascinating look at what’s going on under the

noses of the locals, as B.C. bud claims the honor of being the world’s best weed. Brandon also sees his father slowly losing his dairy herd to a mysterious ailment (bovine flu?), and his bright, sensitive mother slowly losing her mind. Meanwhile, back on a ranch across the border, just a ditch away, Madeleine Rousseau’s green thumb is bearing financial fruit. Her father, a retired UBC prof, keeps up a leftist rant that grows more rabid by the hour. Smoking “medical marijuana” in plain sight of the Border Patrol makes his day. And then there’s the masseuse whose psychic powers are a match for Brandon’s when something’s awry on the 49th. Though border dramas ignite this story, there’s a deeper message here – one that connects the reader to universals like family, loyalty, the budding of new love and above all, the healing power of nature. Lynch’s prose is laden with descriptions of the natural world, yet he still manages to keep it lean, in service of the plot. He also has a keen eye for the details of Blaine. When he describes driving down H Street hill and crossing the railroad tracks to watch the birds circle the marina in Semiahmoo Bay, there’s a thrill of recognition. When a writer this talented chooses our little neck of the woods, it’s a gift – one worth sharing this Christmas with friends and family. Go to www.jimlynchbooks.com

REAL ESTATE

R EAL E STATE SALES Janette Owens & Nanette Lloyd

Brandon, the proverbial gentle giant, is on the job at dawn in too small shoes. (Size 19 is the biggest the government has on offer.) But what he really wants, as the sun breaks over the mountains in the east, is to hear the morning chorus of birds. An artist, a sculptor and a birder, Brandon “looks forward to the Christmas bird count

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Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

Map directory 1 BLUE MOUNTAIN GRILL 974 Hwy 9, Acme • 595-2200 2 ACME GENERAL STORE Hwy 9, Acme • 595-2146 3 EVERYBODY’S STORE Hwy 9, Van Zandt • 592-2297 4 DODSON’S IGA 3705 Mt. Baker Hwy, Nugent’s Corner • 592-5351 5 KELLEY INSURANCE 103 W. Main St., Everson • 966-3732 619 Cherry St., Sumas • 988-2462 6 IL CAFFÉ RIFUGIO 5415 Mt. Baker Hwy, Deming • 592-2888

7 NORTH FORK BREWERY 6186 Mt. Baker Hwy, Deming • 599-2337 8 MISTY MOUNTAINS REALTY 8193 Kendall Rd., Maple Falls • 599-2659 9 MT. BAKER LODGING 7463 Mt. Baker Hwy, Maple Falls • 599-2463 10 HARVEST MOON BAKERY 7466 Mt. Baker Hwy, Maple Falls • 599-1347

13 CROSS ROADS GROCERY & VIDEO 7802 Silver Lake Rd, Maple Falls • 599-9657

17 HAIRSTREAM 9970 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-2443

14 INN AT MT. BAKER 8174 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-1776 or 877/567-5526

18 MT. BAKER VIEW GUESTHOUSE 6920 Central Ave., Glacier • 599-2155

15 CANYON CREEK CHALETS 7474 Miller Way, Glacier • 599-9574 15 THE LOGS 7577 Canyon View Dr., Glacier • 599-2711 16 SCOTT’S SKI SERVICE 9935 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-WAXX

11 JOOWANA RESTAURANT 7471 Mt. Baker Hwy, Maple Falls • 599-9800

16 MT. BAKER HOMES & LAND 9937 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier 599-1900 or 599-1135

12 MAPLE FUELS WASH-A-TON Corner of Mt. Baker Hwy & Silver Lake Rd. Maple Falls 599-2222

17 GLACIER SKI SHOP / WAKE N’ BAKERY 9966 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-1943

18 MT. BAKER SNOWBOARD SHOP 9996 Forest St., Glacier • 599-2008 19 MILANO’S RESTAURANT 9990 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-2863 20 GRAHAM’S STORE 9989 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-2665 20 GRAHAM’S RESTAURANT 9989 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-1964

map key 1 Business Location 37 Mile Post

Mt. Baker Highway mile posts Mile 1: Junction of I-5 and Mt. Baker Hwy., Sunset Drive. Mile 3: View of Coast Mountain Range in Canada (left). Mile 8: Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Dept. (Right). The headquarters offers a rest area with picnic tables, restrooms and a view of Mt. Baker, elevation 10,778 feet. 360/7332900. Mile 9: Deming Logging Show – second weekend in June. Two-day show: log rolling, tree climbing and axe throwing. Nooksack River Bridge – great fishing spots can be found. Mile 10: Community of Nugent's Corner. Groceries, gas, bank (ATM), bakery, cafe, crafts and other services. Mile 11: U-pick berry farms (right and left). Strawberries in June, raspberries in July and blueberries in August. Christmas tree farms (right and left). Mount Baker Vineyards (left). Tasting room/gift shop open Wednesday – Sunday. Grape Stomp Festival in September. Mile 12: Community of Deming. Stewart Mountain – elev. 3,087 feet (right). Sumas Mountain – elev. 3,430 feet (left). Mile 14: Highway 9 South Junction (right). South to Van Zandt, Acme, Wickersham and Skagit Valley. Attractions: B&B, general store, mushroom farm, and train ride. Nooksack River Forks (right). Nooksack River forks into three segments: the North Fork, which Mt. Baker Highway parallels; the Middle Fork, which heads southeast to the southern face of Mt. Baker; and the South Fork, which heads south into the Skagit Valley. Hwy. 9 follows the South Fork.

Mile 16: Mosquito Lake Road – Bald Eagle Viewing Spot (right). Dec. – Feb. Turn right onto Mosquito Lake Road, drive to the first bridge that crosses the North Fork Nooksack. Park on left shoulder of Mosquito Lake Road Look for eagles. Mile 18: Community of Welcome (left). Grocery store, fire station, senior center and other services. Mile 21: Kendall Creek Hatchery (right). Turn right onto Fish Hatchery Road. The hatchery raises chinook, coho and chum salmon as well as steelhead, rainbow and cutthroat trout. Mile 22: Slide Mountain – elevation 4,884 feet (right). Named for a landslide on its north face that may have dammed up the Nooksack River in ancient times. Highway 547 North Junction/Kendall Road (left). North to Kendall, peaceful Valley, Paradise Lakes, Columbia and Sumas. Gas, groceries, golf, tavern. Mile 23: Community of Kendall. Grocery store and gas (left). Mile 25: Community of Maple Falls, post office, pay phones, cabin rentals, lodging, restaurants, gas, groceries, liquor, library. Silver Lake Park, Silver Lake Road, 3.5 miles north (left). Park sits on 411 acres around Silver Lake. Mile 27: Farm stand (right). Fresh produce, gourmet foodstuffs. Mile 29: View of Nooksack River (right). Highway ascends a ledge overlooking the North Fork of the Nooksack River. Mile 30: Mt. Baker Scenic Turnout (right). Mile 33: Glacier – elev. 932 feet. Last community along the highway. Fire department, post office, library, general store, restaurants, snowboard shop, lodging, phones. Mile 34: Gallup Creek Picnic Area (right). Picnic tables and

trash cans; no restroom. Glacier Public Service Center (right). Open Memorial Day to October. Rangers assist with hikes and camp planning, and issues permits. Restrooms , picnic area. 360/599-2714, www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs. Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Boundary National Forest Scenic Byway. Glacier Creek Road (Rd. #39) to Mt. Baker Vista (right). Mostly paved, 9.5 mile road leads to Mt. Baker view. Mile 36: Douglas Fir Campground (left). National forest camp built by the CCC in the 1930s. Fees charged. Reservations accepted: 1-877-444-6777 or at www.recreation.gov. Horseshoe Bend Trail (right). Access for guided river rafting tours. Washington State Sno-Park (left). Permit required for snow mobiling or cross-country skiing. Mile 37: Church Mountain – elevation 6,245 feet (left). High elevation trails on the southern slope are often the first in the area to open for summer hiking. Turnouts to view North Fork Nooksack River (right). Mile 40: Excelsior Group Camp (right). National Forest Campground. No water. Fee charged. Reservations only:1-877-4446777 or at www.recreation.gov. Nooksack Falls, Wells Creek Road Road #33 (right). Take Wells Creek Road a half mile down to parking area and fenced viewpoint. Fall plummets 100 feet. Mile 41: Excelsior Pass Trail (left). Mile 43: North Fork Nooksack Research Natural Area (left). Established in 1937, this is a 1,400-acre preserve of old-growth

Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Western Red Cedar. Mile 44: Nooksack River Viewpoint (right). Mile 46: Twin Lakes Road (Road #3065) at Shuksan Highway Maintenance Sheds (left). Twin Lakes is not accessible until early to mid-August. Hannegan Pass Road (Road #32) (left). Popular cross-country skiing area in winter. Shuksan Picnic Area – Hannegan Pass Road (left). Tables, a restroom, Nooksack River views. Mining cabin nearby. Silver Fir Campground (right). Fees charged. Reservations accepted: 1-877-444-6777 or at www.recreation.gov. Mile 47: Goat Mountain – elevation 6,891 feet. (N.E.). Summer grazing range for one of four bands of mountain goats. Mile 49: View Mt. Shuksan – elevation 9,038 feet. (East). Mile 50: View Mt. Sefrit – elevation 6,015 feet. (Southeast). Mile 52: Mt. Baker Ski area White Salmon Day Lodge (left). Mile 53: Entrance to Heather Meadows. Mile 55: Picture Lake (road forks – stay to the right). Picture Lake – elevation 4,100 feet, provides a postcard view of Mt. Shuksan – elev. 9,038 feet. Vista picnic area (right). Picnic area; no restrooms. Mile 56: Austin Pass Picnic Area (right). CCC-built area sits in a bowl-shaped valley with glorious views. Heather Meadows Visitor Center (right). Open mid-July to September. Mile 58: Artist Point – elev. 5,140 feet. (End of highway). Parking lot surrounded by Mt. Baker’s peak (south), Mt. Shuksan (east) and Table Mountain – elev. 5,628 feet.

Mount Baker Experience - Winter 2010

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