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WHEN MOUNTAINS MOVE MT. DANIEL TO BIG SNOW SKI ALASKA
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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE Since 1986
Special publication of The Northern Light and All Point Bulletin PUBLISHERS Patrick Grubb and Louise Mugar EDITOR Ian Haupt
CONTRIBUTORS
PUBLICATION DESIGN Doug De Visser
NICKBELCASTER
COPY EDITOR Grace McCarthy
MBE Winter 2021/2022
ADVERTISING DESIGN Ruth Lauman • Doug De Visser
Based in Bellingham, Nick Belcaster is an adventure journalist who enjoys breaking tree line, carrying as little as necessary and long walks across the country.
TONYMOCERI Tony is a freelance writer who loves to get out and explore the world with his family. He shares his journey @adventurewithinreach and tonymoceri.com.
ADVERTISING SALES Gary Lee • Molly Ernst CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE: Brad Andrew, Nick Belcaster, Sherri Button, Jason Griffith, Grant Gunderson, Jason Hummel, Liza Kimberly, Eric Lucas, Jason Martin, Tony Moceri, Meg Olson, Marcus Paladino, Alex Rupp, Rylan Schoen, Evan Skoczenski, David Summers, Matthew Tangeman, Luca Williams EMAIL: info@mountbakerexperience.com WEB: www.mountbakerexperience.com FACEBOOK: facebook.com/mtbakerexperience
JASONGRIFFITH Jason is a fisheries biologist who would rather be on a summit than down by the river. When he isn’t fiddling with his camera in the mountains, he lives in Mount Vernon with his wife and two boys.
GRANTGUNDERSON One of the ski industry’s preeminent photographers, Grant has shot for every major snow sports and outdoor publication worldwide. Grantgunderson.com
TWITTER: twitter.com/MB_Experience INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/mtbakerexp
JASONHUMMEL
If you can see Mt. Baker, you’re part of the experience. Mount Baker Experience is an outdoor recreation guide for and about the Mt. Baker region, distributed from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. and published by Point Roberts Press, Inc. Locally owned, the company also publishes The Northern Light, All Point Bulletin, Pacific Coast Weddings, Waterside and area maps. Vol. XXXVI, No. 1. Printed in Canada. ©2021 POINT ROBERTS PRESS 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 TEL: 360/332-1777 NEXT ISSUE Spring 2022 • On stands March Ad reservation deadline: Feb 17 ON THE COVER Kyle Smaine skiing at Mt. Baker Ski Area on a powder day. Grant Gunderson photo.
Jason is an outdoor adventure photographer based in Gig Harbor. He’s currently working to ski every named glacier in Washington State. Find his stories and imagery at Jasonhummelphotography.com
LIZAKIMBERLY When Liza isn’t teaching geology at WCC, you can find her seeking alpine powder turns, winding through forests on a bicycle or writing in a notebook and drinking kombucha.
ERICLUCAS Eric is the author of the Michelin guide to Alaska. He lives on a small farm on San Juan Island, where he grows organic hay, garlic, apples and beans. Trailnot4sissies.com/
MEGOLSON Meg is the co-owner of the Kingfisher Bookstore in Coupeville, which has a bit of everything but specializes in the natural and human history of the Pacific Northwest. She likes to explore, in person or on pages.
MARCUSPALADINO Marcus Paladino is a surf and outdoor photographer living in Tofino, B.C. He strives to have simple descriptions like ‘surf shot’ or ‘nature photo’ fall short. That’s when his work becomes art. Marcuspaladino.com
EVANSKOCZENSKI Evan Skoczenski is a lifestyle and landscape photographer born in Bellingham. He spends almost all his time chasing light and the next adventure.
DAVESUMMERS Dave, avid alpinist, entrepreneur, business owner and hobby photographer lives in Seattle and Leavenworth with his family. His love of mountains began in Boulder and expanded to mountain ranges all over the world.
MATTHEWTANGEMAN Matthew is an adventure photographer with a passion for deep powder, alpine granite and not making it back to the trailhead until way after dark. Mtangeman.com
WINTER 2021/2022
ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
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JASONMARTIN Jason is the executive director at the American Alpine Institute, a mountain guide and a widely published outdoor writer. He lives in Bellingham with his wife and two kids.
LUCAWILLIAMS Luca Williams is a certified rolfer in Glacier. She helps snowboarders, skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts get aligned and out of pain. Website: lucasrolfing.com Blog: movingwithgravity.wordpress.com
WHEN MOUNTAINS MOVE MT. DANIEL TO BIG SNOW SKI ALASKA
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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2021/2022
MountBakerExperience.com
PUBLISHER’S NOTE by Pat Grubb
W
elcome back, Canadians! You were certainly missed, that’s for sure. For the foreseeable future (is there even such a thing these days?), you’ll need to grab as much fun as you can in under 72 hours unless you want to add the cost of a Covid-19 test to the price of a lift ticket. While the pandemic restrictions at the Mt. Baker Ski Area should be less onerous this year, there will still be rules to follow. Last year, the mountains south of us instituted a reservation system and those people who didn’t get tickets down there drove north to Baker to get their snow fix. As a consequence, lineups on the weekends were brutal, unlike the usual Baker experience. While Snoqualmie will have a reservation system, Stevens Pass isn’t, at least for the moment. But, because tickets are bought online, they can limit capacity. We will remain positive and hope the lift lines aren’t as grueling as they were last season. What’s in this issue of the Mount Baker Experience? Great photos by great photographers? Check. Great stories by great local writers? Check. Product Guide for good stuff available at local independent retailers? Another check. Read on and enjoy the best of the Pacific Northwest. Have a safe and thrilling winter 2021/2022.
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36
A KIND OF WAY
Skiing from Mt. Daniel to Big Snow Mountain
31
OUR USE OF NAMES
SPLITBOARD GUIDING
SKI ALASKA
Contemplating Mt. McKinley vs. Denali and others
Jere Burrell is riding the wave
And the Great Land of the White
10 NEWSROOM News from around the region
CAMPING 16 TRUCK A night in the flatbed with the fam
SHUKSAN
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REVIEWS AND LODGING 20 BOOK 44 DINING Pacific Northwest mountaineer books Staying plump in Cascadia GALLERY 22 PHOTO Winter adventure shots
29 CENTER Foot exercises to improve skiing
PROJECT 34 PARKING 140 spots on south Galbraith by spring
GUIDE 42 GEAR Wax up and strap in
45 EVENTS They’re back!
40
PHOTO 43 HISTORICAL Table Mountain back in the day
AVALANCHE EDUCATION Warnings from professionals
GREATER RANGES Traversing the NW Coulior
WINTER 2021/2022 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE
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Newsroom Notes big and small from around the region Washington Sno-Park fees increase for first time since 2009 Washington state parks will be increasing the price of its Sno-Park permits this year, which went on sale November 1. The seasonal permit fee is now $50, and the daily permit is $25. It’s the first time the rates have been raised since 2009. The increased rates will go toward the rising costs of operations, according to an October 5 state parks news release, including the replacement of aging equipment. Sno-Park users gain access to cleared parking lots; groomed ski, skate-ski and snowmobile trails; regularly sanitized bathrooms and avalanche beacon check stations in some backcountry areas during the winter. Over the last 12 years, the self-funded program has opened several new permanent SnoParks around the state and created temporary Sno-Parks to meet customer demand. SnoPark use reached an all time high during the 2020-21 season, according to the news release, and the Winter Recreation Program anticipates a similar level of usage this season. BREEZE LT GTX #7376
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The Sno-Park permit fees for the 2021-22 season are: Seasonal permit: $50 (up from $40) Annual snowmobile permit: $50 (up from $40) Special Groomed Trail Sticker: $70 (up from $40) Daily Sno Park permit: $25 (up from $20) There are more than 120 Sno-Parks – parking lots cleared of snow – across Washington, according to the state parks website. About 80 are designated primarily for snowmobiling. A Discover Pass is not needed for parking at Sno-Parks. Visit epermits.parks.wa.gov.
North Cascades Highway closed for winter Every year State Route 20, North Cascades Highway, closes around mid-November for the winter. This year the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) closed it Ross Lake, North Cascades. AP photo November 10 due to risk of a possible avalanche. The road that connects Whatcom and Skagit counties with eastern Washington was scheduled to close November 15, but WSDOT said it may close earlier depending on the amount of snow and ice that arrives beforehand. “In the past, the seasonal closure date has been assessed on a case-by-case basis,” the release read. WSDOT set a closure date this year to allow travelers to plan ahead with more certainty, but was forced to close the road earlier due to the avalanche risk. The closure on the west side is at milepost 134, east of Newhalem at the Ross Dam Trailhead, and milepost 171, at the Silver Star Mountain gate, on the east side. Winter recreationists can still access the closed portion of the highway during winter. WSDOT asks hikers, skier and snowmobilers to park in designated parking areas to allow plow drivers the space they need to clear snow around the closed road’s access gates. Those traveling to eastern Washington during the winter months can use U.S. 2 while the North Cascades Highway closure is in place. WSDOT typically reopens the mountain pass in early May.
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GALBRAITH PARKING LOT PROJECT GETS FUNDING Safe public parking available spring 2022
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by Ian Haupt
n October, Recreation Northwest executive director Todd Elsworth presented the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC) with a check for $100,000, helping to complete their goal to build a safe public parking lot on South Samish Way. The $100,000 was donated on behalf of an anonymous donor, according to a Recreation Northwest press release, and presented at the Shoot the Trails fundraising event October 9 at the Kulshan Trackside Beer Garden. “With the parking lot complete, we won’t have little kids trying to exit their parents’ cars on a road where people often drive 50 mph (or faster) and road riders will have more of a shoulder to safely ride their bikes again,” said Eric Brown, WMBC executive director, in the
Ian Haupt photo
press release. “The issue of safe access has reached a critical point for safety concerns.” The purpose of the new $425,000 parking lot is to provide safer access to the south entrance of Galbraith Mountain and the Lake Padden trails for bikers and hikers. On any given weekend, cars and trucks overflow the current small parking lot off of South Samish Way. Most end up parking on the side of the roadway, putting them in danger of passing traffic. With 140 spots, the new lot will offer four times the parking space. It will also have longer stalls to accommodate for longer vehicles and bike racks, two vault toilets, and a kiosk with maps and information. WMBC raised more than $180,000 through individual donations and received an $86,000 donation from the Rotary Club of BellingContinued on Page 34
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In Reasonable Time Outdoor Spaces and the Names We Give Them Story and photos by Jason D. Martin Caustic, a route in Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas, previously called “Caustic Cock.”
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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2021/2022
MountBakerExperience.com
Denali, formerly known as Mt. McKinley.
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s a climbing guidebook author, I’ve had to make some hard choices. Which grade should I choose to represent a route? The historic grade or the consensus grade? Which opinion matters more? The opinion of a first ascensionist that did a route 20 or 30 years ago, or the opinion of the local climbing community? And perhaps the most difficult decision of all: Should I honor a route’s historic name? What if that route’s historic name is foul? What if the name is sexist or racist, homophobic or transphobic…? Do I have a right to revise that route’s name? After writing four guidebooks, I’ve made the decision that I do have the right to subvert these original names. And I’ve decided that I’m okay with the backlash I’ll receive when I make this kind of decision. There is a movement to recognize that the names of certain routes, trails and mountains are offensive. In some cases the name is offensive to a marginalized group, and in others it erases the native history of an outdoor space. The first person to complete a rock climb has the honor of naming it. Modern rock climbing started as a countercultural movement primarily made up of white men in the 1960s and ’70s. This resulted in some deeply problematic names that a modern and more diverse climbing community finds abhorrent. Racist, sexist and homophobic names were deeply ingrained in the culture. Some may not see a problem with names like “Squaws in Heat” or “Slave Driver” or “Clean Shaven Girls,” or a myriad of other names. But for others, this made the sport exclusive, misogynistic and racist. In recent months, there has been a movement pioneered by MountainProject.com, a website where new routes are reported, to flag offensive names. The names are reviewed and then – if found to be offensive – changed or modified. Obviously, this has come with a lot of debate and pushback. Facebook groups and internet forums are swamped with debate about this practice of “erasing history.” Rock climbing is not the only place where insensitive names are found, though. Ski runs, ski lifts, mountain bike runs, rapids and even trails have been identified as having names that are problematic. In Moab, Utah, a popular canyon was originally dubbed “N*gger Bill Canyon,” for a mixed race cowboy by the name
of William Grandstaff who ran cattle in the area in the 1800s. It was renamed in the 1960s to “Negro Bill Canyon,” and then in 2017, to Grandstaff Canyon. Each new name was an attempt to atone for the racially charged nature of the previous name. In 1896, a Chinese cook who worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway was bet 50 dollars that he couldn’t climb a peak just out of Canmore in 10 hours. Ha Ling won that bet when he placed a flag atop the mountain. Chinaman’s Peak was born that day, but thankfully – after much consternation and debate – it was renamed Ha Ling Peak in 1997. Squaw Valley Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe, home to the 1960 Olympic Games, acknowledged that the name of the resort was hurtful and offensive in 2020. The resort’s ownership officially changed its name to Palisades Tahoe in the summer of 2021. Each of these name changes was mired in controversy, but none of them hold a candle to the controversy around the name of the tallest mountain in North America. The original Native American name for this mountain was Denali. In 1896, however, a gold prospector who loved then President William McKinley, started calling the mountain Mt. McKinley to spite his friends who preferred McKinley’s political rivals. He certainly didn’t care how this renaming of the mountain affected the Native communities around it. In 1916, when the mountain became the centerpiece of a new national park, locals argued that the name Denali should come back. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Those who thought the mountain’s name should hold the name of a president, even though said president never visited the mountain, were overruled. They argued that the name “Denali” didn’t mean anything, that it wasn’t descriptive enough, that it didn’t have value, even though it had been known by the name for hundreds of years. In 1975, the state of Alaska petitioned the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (USBGN) to change the name. But as President McKinley was from Ohio, the Ohio congressional delegation wasn’t about to allow that. In 1980, the name of the park was officially changed to Denali National Park, but the mountain remained McKinley, once again due to pressure from the Ohio delegation. It wasn’t until 2015 that the mountain officially became Denali once more. The Secretary of the Interior under Pres-
ident Obama, Sally Jewel, used an archaic law that empowers the Secretary of the Interior to act when the USBGN doesn’t act within a “reasonable time.” The original 1975 request from the State of Alaska was still on the books, so the board had certainly not acted within a “reasonable time.” Many on the nation’s political right saw the mountain’s renaming as an overreach by the Obama administration. So today, even though the name has officially changed, it has not been universally accepted. In our partisan political environment, the use of the mountain’s name is thought to be a code for a political alliance with President Obama. Trolls arguing that the name of the mountain is still McKinley inundate message boards that promote scenic flights or climbs of the mountain. And too often the trolling is tainted with racism. As the Denali controversy spanned several generations, it provides a window into how a name can become entrenched, and how any attempt to change the name is held up as a politically motivated erasure of history. The city of Tacoma and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians have both made attempts to restore Mt. Rainier’s native name to Tahoma or Tacoma. It seems unlikely that this will happen in the near – or far – future. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t refer to the mountain by its indigenous name, or at least recognize that the mountain has many names. Similarly, we can honor the native roots of Mt. Baker’s native name by referring to it as Kulshan or Komo Kulshan. Within the outdoor industry, there is a movement to bring more people into the fold, to give more people access to the sports that we love. The core idea is that if we bring more people into our community, there will be more people out there that will help to protect the fragile places where we recreate. There are countless other rock climbs, ski runs, mountains and trails that continue to harbor controversial names. Some of these are offensive to marginalized populations and others erase the native history of an area. If we believe that outdoor recreation is valuable, and if we believe that more people with diverse backgrounds should have access to the outdoors, then we have to recognize that names of the places where we play are important and that they have an impact on people.
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WINTER 2021/2022 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE
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Truck Camping (in the Snow)
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Story and photos by Tony Moceri
he Pacific Northwest is a camper's paradise giving those of us that like to leave our houses behind endless options to explore new locations and return to old favorites. Whether sheltered amongst large fir trees, eating your dinner next to a rushing creek, or bedding down with a bay view, the opportunity for stunning places to make a temporary home are endless. As a family of three, and sometimes four if Milly the poodle tags along, camping is one of our favorite things to do. Whether part of a more extensive road trip or heading out for a night or two, camping produces an instant vacation allowing us to live differently. TV is replaced by the dance of the fire and our hands hold whittling sticks instead of electronic devices. Camping opens a world of culinary options that never seem quite right at home, and nowhere else does a stiff drink or a cup of hot coffee taste better than when sitting around the campfire. With so many of our favorite family memories having been created on camping trips, we do all we can to fit in as many trips as possible only to be reminded that the other part of living in the Pacific Northwest is the weather which, at best, can be unreliable, and at worst, can be downright nasty. We have tried various camping options to extend the season and pushed the limits on what may be considered enjoyable camping weather. We have tested our rain fly in Mazama, strung up tarps at Fort Ebey and hunkered down during thunderstorms in Leavenworth. We don't learn quickly, but we do learn. Over the years, we have modified the way we camp and added gear to make the less-than-ideal camping season, or the surprise summer storm, a little more comfortable. Our current camping setup is centered around a Four Wheel Camper Project M, which lives on the back of our Toyota Tacoma. Truck canopy by day and pop up camper by night, this camper doesn't come
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with many creature comforts, but it does give us a dry place to hang out and sleep when the weather turns on us. With snow falling on Mt. Baker and the surrounding areas, we decided it was time to see if our new setup would actually extend our camping season deep into fall and winter. Armed with a Little Buddy propane heater, sleeping bags, Rumpl Blankets and a thermos of hot chocolate, we loaded up and set off to find a snowy place to call home. The weekend prior, we had seen snow covering the foothills surrounding Mt. Baker, so we planned to find a fairly low elevation spot to set up camp, put our sleds to work, and sit around watching the snowfall. As it turns out, Mother Nature had other plans. The day we had planned to go camping, something called an atmospheric river was occurring. I'm no meteorologist, but that appeared to mean a ton of rain accompanied by a dramatic increase in temperatures. This weather pattern washed the snow from the foothills, swelling the forks of the Nooksack River to impressive levels. Not to be deterred, we figured we could both find snow and hopefully escape the rain if we could get high enough. As we drove out the Mt. Baker Highway, with windshield wipers going, it was clear we would be pushing well past the town of Glacier to find snow. Approaching the WSDOT maintenance shed, there was still no sign of snow, so we turned up the road that leads to Twin Lakes. Knowing this road gained elevation quickly and that snow prevented access for much of the year, I assumed it would be a safe bet. Within a mile, we began to see patches of snow and were quickly driving in sloppy slush. We passed a couple of vehicles on our way up, but as the gravel road quickly became nothing more than slippery compact snow and ice, the odds of finding more people willing to risk getting stuck became lower and lower. Now in four-wheel drive and our truck occasionally slipping, my wife, daughter, and dog not so subtly urged me to stop. I chose to push on a bit wanting to find a better spot and eager to test the truck's capabilities. We found a place where the snow was 12-18 inches, and there was room to both turnaround and set up camp. The snow was a combination of wet and crusty, but hey, it was snow. We threw snowballs and played on the sleds having the kind of fun one can only have in the snow. As we played, the rain began to fall then turned into an all-out downpour. We sheltered in the back of the truck and cracked open the thermos, being warmed from the inside by the hot chocolate and from the outside by the propane heater as we listened to the rain, played games, and ate freeze dried meals cooked with our Jet Boil in water pouring off the hill. There wasn't much exploring as the conditions were, frankly, not great, but with no service, there were also no distractions to keep us from just being where we were, and sitting on a mountain in the snow is never a bad place to be. The warmer than expected temperatures meant that our bedding was plenty to keep us warm, not needing to use the propane heater past bedtime. This was a quick trip, but a memorable one, as who doesn't remember being trapped with their family on a mountain in the rain accompanied by thoughts of getting stuck in the snow or sliding off the road. Having had our fill of this wet adventure, we packed up, lowered the top, and began the slippery descent toward Mt. Baker Highway. Once my wife's nerves settled from the drive down, we started planning our next adventure as we headed toward the comforts of home.
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Story by Nick Belcaster Photos by Alex Rupp
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t’s breaking blue over the shark’s fin of Shuksan, a cloud ripper of a summit pyramid that can often be seen cruising the low tide fogs that swirl about the range. Halfway through a high orbit of the peak is Jere Burrell, taking the helm and keeping this ship on a steadfast course. Behind him are the rest of his American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) ski guide exam cohort, a cadre of sharply honed individuals who have been training for this day for years and can each turn a ski like it’s a brush across a canvas. He’s leading the team on one of their final objectives to test their skills as potential AMGA-certified ski guides, navigating the transition from the Sulphide to the Crystal glacier when an awkward impasse presents itself: A drawn out and low angle traverse. Normally not a problem, but like so many times before, Burrell finds himself odd man out. Everyone around him has two planks strapped to their feet. He has one. Positioning himself a few meters upslope of the rest of the crew and calculating his fall line, Burrell leads off cross slope and pulls it off without a hitch, and no one else seems to notice. For Jere, that’s the point. As a splitboarder, he’s often under a higher power microscope to perform when it comes to mixed company, and more so when he’s being paid to be the professional in the room. It’s not an unfamiliar situation for Burrell. Every job he’s guided, he’s also been the only splitbboarder on staff. Now, as only the 10th AMGA-certified ski guide to have done so on a splitboard, it’s a career path that he has navigated without much in the way of mentors. Burrell has, in large part, kicked in the skintrack on his own. To many yet in the ski guide industry, skis are simply the superior tool for backcountry guiding. They are believed to tour better, are more easily willed into adhesion on the slippery surface of rain crust skin tracks, shuffled and sidestepped up awkward humps, quicker to flip the switch from
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up to down and back again. They are seen to be in many ways more efficient, assuredly making them the tool for the job. And that, coupled with still lingering ski resort rivalries, has meant that while ski guiding has enjoyed a long and storied history, splitboard guiding has struggled in the margins. But as an explosion of new backcountry users has surged across the country, the need for splitboard guides is only growing, which has many rethinking what splitboarders can really do. But ask the man who built himself up scraping for whatever tool he could find kicking around the toolbox. He’d probably tell you that if all you have is a hammer, everything damn well probably looks like a nail. He’d say there’s more than one way to skin this slope. When Burrell began dipping his toes into the backcountry, splitboards were still firmly seated in the realm of garage science. Where anyone with enough gumption or at least a six pack could take a circular saw to their snowboard and turn it into two, ending up with a machine that goes both up and down hills, but did neither exceptionally well. Thus, his first forays into the backcountry were by way of the exposed rocky ridges of Colorado, strapping snowshoes on his feet and his board on his back to pseudo-guide friends into the hills. “Snowshoeing was arduous. In order to get my friends to come where I wanted to go, I would spend days putting in a snowshoe track. Go up one day, go as far as I could, come down, go back up the next day, put it further up the mountain, and then I could say: ‘The track is in, let’s go,’” Burrell says. “To me it was worth it.” But as his 30th year came, and Burrell by then resolutely certain of his desire to become a snowboard guide, so came the 161-centimeter Venture Storm splitboard. He had the budding proficiency, but now he had the efficiency. Soon af-
MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2021/2022
ter came a move to the snowboarding center of the universe that is Mt. Baker, as well as enrollment in AMGA courses, which, while not required in the U.S. to become a mountain guide, are an excellent way to become a highly-capable mountain leader. The occupation of splitboard guide likely winked into existence in the early 2000s, when splitboard pioneer and Burton designer Dave Downing put a board into the hands of snowboarding icon and Mt. Baker local Craig Kelly. Kelly had recently turned his back to the international contests and video parts that had made his name famous and faced fully into the mountains, beginning to guide as a snowboarder for British Columbia’s Baldface Lodge in 2001. That same year Kelly began training to become certified as a Canadian Mountain Guide, but tragically lost his life in an avalanche in 2003. Burrell sees the history of splitboard guiding as disjointed, like an engine sputtering to start. While many across the country were making their own way, they existed in their own bubbles, lacking mentors or ability to follow anyone who had blazed the path before them. “I remember thinking. I don’t know how to do this, and I don’t know anybody that does, but I’ve got to figure this out. We’re just writing the story now, that’s what it felt like,” Burrell says. “There’s no book here.” For many years, the AMGA did not accept splitboards to be used to receive full ski guide certification, which led some snowboarders to pivot to skiing in order to begin guiding. Then, in 2014 the AMGA announced that they would allow splitboards, opening a door of legitimacy to many who had previously been given the choice: Learn to ski, or learn to make a living doing something else. The following year saw its first two splitboard guides pass the exam: Brendan Burns and Eric Layton, with a handful of others in the years following. While Burrell was working through his AMGA courses he MountBakerExperience.com
began work as a guide for Baker Mountain Guides, where on one of his first tours with clients he received what likely must have felt like a snowboarding Oscar: “Dude, you’re like one of the most organized splitboarders I’ve ever seen.” “You leave them with that impression, and they don’t have to question if you’re skiing or snowboarding,” Burrell says. “The tool is different, but this person has it together.” Being absolutely dialed in every other aspect assuaged any doubt in his clients’ mind, letting his riding and guiding speak for him. Burrell put in two winters under the Baker Mountain Guides banner, then pivoted to North Bend’s Pro Guiding Service, where he enjoyed the role of “the dude” when it came to splitboarding and was handed the keys to create all of the splitboard course programming for the outfit. It was also around this time when Burrell says he began to feel that the pressure was really on to eke out every last efficiency in his systems. Jason Speer knows this dilemma all too well. Speer, an avalanche course instructor and splitboard guide for the American Alpine Institute, is also aiming for his AMGA Ski Guide certification, but certainly doesn’t have his wires crossed when it comes to what tool he’ll be completing his exam on. “Skis are very practical, and that’s part of the reason snowboarding is better. Skiing, if you go back to the beginning, was about being practical travel from A to B in the mountains. There’s always going to be some portion of it that’s about practical travel,” Speer says. “Snowboarding was never bothered with being practical. It didn’t have to get you from A to B, it had to be fun.” Essentially, nobody commutes on a surfboard. The lineage of board sports simply aren’t cut from the same transportation cloth that saw skis of wood and horsehair traversing the rough taiga, and splitboarding has long dealt with a single weak point in the soft boots that many bring over from snowboarding. While exceptional for the way down, soft boots while climbing are just that: soft, providing poor power transfer while on edge. Something with a bit more backbone is needed for truly easy backcountry touring, and new technology is getting
us damn near close. Well, not exactly new. As sure as there’s nothing novel under the sun, ski boots (or, as splitters like to call them, hardboots) are finding their way back onto snowboarders feet. The early years saw intrepid splitboarders who were pushing further into the mountains grabbing off the shelf touring boots and having at them with whatever sharp implement they could get their mitts on, often drilling holes and cutting slits in the plastic cuffs in an attempt to loosen up the lateral flex. These Frankenboots have now given way to the first commercial hardboot for splitboarders, the Phantom Slipper, which brings with it, a newfound touring ability that brings splitboards directly on par with their ski pals. “As soon as I put them on, I knew this was easier,” Burrell says. “Your stride length is longer, the effort that you use is less, the range of motion in your kick turns is much bigger, the pivot of your toe is much larger. Everything that contributes to energy efficiency is there.” It’s unsurprising that many of those who aim to push higher and further into the mountains on splitboards are making the switch, guide or not. Following Burrell’s completion of his ski guide exam in spring 2021 he was certified as an AMGA Ski Guide, putting him in rare company. In a parking lot conversation last season, Burrell and Speer attempted to tally up the number of splitboard guides in the state, AMGA-certified or not, and failed to employ a second hand. Burrell has now completed season one of his own guide service, Guided Exposure, where he successfully took out a slate of skiers and splitboarders into the hills last winter, and now considers it part of his trajectory to create more splitboard guides. Though the industry as a whole has been slow to adopt the occupation, the need has never been greater, and while accumulating more pins and badges than an Eagle Scout isn’t very punk rock, splitboard guiding is still in a way riding that counterculture wave that spurred snowboarding in the first place. It’s backcountry touring, on their terms.
What is the AMGA? The American Mountain Guides Association is an educational nonprofit and the sole U.S. representative of the International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations, dedicated to the education, advocacy and certification of mountain guides in the U.S. Mountain guide certification isn’t required to work in the U.S., but the AMGA acts as a standard bearer, and ensures that guides that are certified through them meet or exceed the technical skills required to safely lead teams into the mountains. Its guide programs certify alpine, rock and ski mountaineering guides. An AMGA Ski Guide will have completed a total of 33 to 38 days in field instruction and often years of personal refinement, concluding in a final exam where aspirants will demonstrate their skills to AMGA instructors.
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WINTER 2021/2022 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE
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Written in the Snows: Across Time on Skis in the Pacific Northwest
: w e i oks v e R rs Bo
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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2021/2022
Lowell Skoog Mountaineers Books As I was describing Lowell Skoog’s detail-rich chronicle “Written in the Snows: Across Time on Skis in the Pacific Northwest” to a fellow bookseller, he gave a knowing nod. “It’s like Game of Thrones, but skiing!” Mining archives and interviewing veteran skiers, Skoog has written a sweeping history of skiing in the Northwest, focusing on Washington. From miners wearing “Norwegian snowshoes” in the 1800s, through the development of ski mountaineering, establishment of lodges and resorts, and the thrill-seeking, high-risk skiers, it is as comprehensive a history of skiing in the region one could hope to find. The book weaves the history of skiing with that of the Pacific Northwest, drawing out how the Scandinavian idea of frilutsliv, or open-air living, is part of our regional culture. The cast of characters is dizzying, a parade of explorers, mountaineers, racers, developers, soldiers and rescuers. Their stories make the book feel more like a saga than a reference book. A group of young Depression-era skiers go to work in their ski clothes the next day after the train leaves them behind in the mountains. Newlyweds man the Three Fingers Lookout where lightning electrifies the cables holding the tiny building to the summit, and use short skis to fly across the snowfield for supplies. Ski patrol volunteers defuse bombs on Navy planes crashed high in the Olympic Mountains. “Human-powered skiing” and ski mountaineering are the focus of the book, but it also chronicles the development of ski resorts and the evolution of equipment, such as the emergence of the snowboard and the role of Mt. Baker as the cradle of the popular sport. In making “Written in the Snows,” Skoog spent 20 years researching and occasionally reviving skiing history. He helped bring back the Patrol Race, a 20-mile race from Stampede Pass to Snoqualmie Pass, founded in the 1930s by The Mountaineers, a nonprofit organization. After tracking down tin markers on trees to establish the original route, he led a group on the race route, getting a send off from Wolf Bauer whose 1936 record for the race still stood. “The trick is to die young,” Bauer advised the group, “as late as possible.” In 2016, Skoog was part of the team that broke Bauer’s record in the revived Patrol Race, a month after Bauer’s death at 103. As passionate as it is meticulous, and filled with wonderful photographs, the book is a celebration of a sport that one young convert in 1938 described in a letter to Scholastic as “like the measles. I was exposed about three years ago to the most glorious winter sport there is,” and it kept spreading. MountBakerExperience.com
Hut to Hut USA: The Complete Guide for Hikers, Bikers and Skiers Laurel Bradley and Sam Demas Mountaineers Books When I think of a system of shelters strung along the mountaintops welcoming weary trekkers I think of the European Alps, or maybe the Appalachian Trail. “Hut to Hut USA” introduced me to hut systems in our own backyard. Author Sam Demas is a self-professed “hut nut,” bitten by the hut bug after a 42-day walk in the Alps. He and coauthor Laurel Bradley explored Europe, South America and New Zealand on foot, hut to hut, and then turned their boots homeward only to find information about hut systems in the U.S. was scarce. Demas started www.hut2hut.info to share what he learned visiting hut systems and interviewing owners, operators and users. “Hut to Hut USA” is a guide to 16 hut systems in the U.S. and a tool for planning your own hut adventure. It is also an introduction to hut culture, from the zen of a multi-day walk, bike or ski, to the sense of community sharing a rustic shelter with fellow travelers. Close to home are the Rendezvous Huts, part of the Methow Trails near Winthrop, Washington. The Methow Trails offer 125 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails. The 21-mile, four day, three night itinerary described in the book is appropriate for novice to intermediate skiers. The cozy wood framed huts accommodate 8 to twelve people. Mount Tahoma Trails near Ashford, Washington accommodate skiers in winter and hikers in summer. There are four huts that, according to Demas, “defy notions of modest scale and rudimentary amenities conjured by the term hut.” They even have hut slippers!
Cascadia Revealed: A Guide to the Plants, Animals and Geology of the Pacific Northwest Mountains Daniel Mathews Timber Press We have a whole wall of field guides and natural histories of the Pacific Northwest in our bookstore, so why add another one? Because, while Cascadia Revealed is both of those things in one sturdy volume, it is also a rich and thoughtful trailside reader. Beyond answering the question “what is that?” author Daniel Mathews shares the stories of the plants, animals and people of the region. Under the entry for Douglas squirrel, you can learn that in late summer the ubiquitous treetop chatterer harvests young Douglas fir cones, running along branches, “nipping off cones, 12 per minute,” so the green cones drop with their seeds still inside. Then they haul them off to cold storage in a hole in the ground, a cavity under a tree, to be nibbled at later. In the lupine section, Mathews tells that Alpine lupines were the first prolific colonists of the ash fields after the eruption of Mount Saint Helens, likely growing from scraps of root left after the blast since their pea-shaped seeds wouldn’t have come in on the wind. The nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live in the plant’s roots gave it a strong advantage in nutrient poor ash. The Makah practice of using Indian Paintbrush to lure hummingbirds into traps for use as charms for whaling is a distinctive addition to the entry for that group of plants. Sprinkled throughout the guide are biographical snapshots of naturalists and explorers that studied our region, as well as practical advice such as how to avoid mosquito bites. Filled with solid science and irresistible whimsy, having Cascadia Revealed along on your adventures in the Northwest mountains is like popping a charming and knowledgeable friend in your pack.
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on scenic Whidbey Island Come for the day or weekend and experience a slower pace with fresh air, friendly people and amazing sunsets. DECEMBER 4 - Breakfast w. Santa / Holiday Craft Fair / Tree Lighting DECEMBER 11 - Holiday Lighted Boat Parade
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GALLERY 22-23: Clockwise from left: On Mt. Baker, Kael Martin tries to decide if he should watch the sunset or shred? The choice was obvious. Jason Hummel photo. | Professional photographer Colton Jacobs switches roles and takes flight through the forests of Raging River. Jason Hummel photo. | Ben Johnson near the summit of Colfax Peak, Mt. Baker Wilderness, with the sprawl of the Deming Glacier below. Matthew Tangeman photo. | Sam Cohen at North Cascade Heli-Skiing near Mazama. Grant Gunderson photo.
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24-25: Clockwise from top left: Graham Clark Telemark skiing on Mt. Shuksan. Rylan Schoen photo. | Tatsu Ota scoping the line on Mt. Matier, Pemberton, B.C. Matthew Tangeman photo. | Zack Griffin hucking himself on Shuksan Arm. Matthew Tangeman photo. | Michael Darling coasts a little one in Tofino. Marcus Paladino photo. | Patrick McCarthy with a proper Northwest salute in the backcountry. Brad Andrew photo. | Micah Evangelista on Hemispheres. Grant Gunderson photo.
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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2021/2022
MountBakerExperience.com
GALLERY
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26-27: Clockwise from top left: The warm glow of a fireplace silhouettes the yurt-tent hauled up to ski deep powder for a week in the heart of the North Cascades. Dave Summers photo. | Michael Grazewski back for seconds on a perfect spring day up the White Salmon Glacier of Mt. Shuksan. Dave Summers photo. | Fall storms cover the trees near Mt. Baker. Evan Skoczenski photo. | Pete Devries on the coastline in Tofino. Marcus Paladino photo. | Aidan Button and Alex Hall made the most of the flooding in Blaine. Sherri Button photo.
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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2021/2022
MountBakerExperience.com
GALLERY
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28: (top) Daniel Hassell pays respects to Baker near Winnie’s Slide on Mt. Shuksan. Matthew Tangeman photo. | (bottom) Charlie Lynch skiing Joffre Coulior near Pemberton, B.C. Matthew Tangeman photo.
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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2021/2022
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Center
Foot exercises to improve your skiing Story by Luca Williams
I find myself mimicking them. But it’s scary to ski on one foot, this late in the game. Instead, foot exercises in my boots or at home really help me to ground myself, to center, to feel my feet, to be in the moment, to get out of my head. If I’m in the house I like to do these foot exercises barefoot, but they can be done in boots just as well. Just make sure that your toes aren’t squished or overly cold. First, stand up with your feet about hip distance apart. Close your eyes and notice how you stand. Second, lean forward and feel your weight on your toes. Then lean backward and feel your heels. Third, lean from side to side feeling how your weight shifts from the inner part of your foot to the outer foot. Finally, turn right and left and notice how the weight shifts from foot to foot, inside to outside. In particular, notice if one foot feels more stable and balanced than the other. This gives you valuable information, not only about your feet, but your upper body as well. If you are skiing or snowboarding you can do the following exercises on the beginner or intermediate slope. Traverse across a slope to the right and to the left as you normally would, but really pay attention to your feet. How does that feel? On the next traverse, bend your knees slightly and slowly lean forward and curl your toes. How does this change your skiing? Now ski across the slope and lean backward onto your heels. Notice that as you pay more attention to your feet you feel more aware of your surroundings? Once we improve our awareness, not only do we ski better, but we are more centered, more grounded, more alive. I’m not sure that foot exercises will ever help me feel comfortable in a crowd, but I do know that they help my skiing and that is all that truly matters.
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Ryan Gordon photo
Do it slowly, slowly, so slowly that it will be boring. When you begin to become bored, you will find that it really is not so boring. ~ Moshe Feldenkrais Feet are tattletales. Every imbalance at higher levels shows unmistakably in feet and ankles. ~ Dr. Ida Rolf
“C
enter,” I heard my friend say then exhale with a slow, long whoosh at the top of Chair 6 in the middle of a Baker blizzard. The sizzling energy of the storm and the anticipation of the snowboarders and skiers surrounding us whipped in the air. He strapped his back leg in his board and then headed downhill as if his feet were rooted deep into the center of the earth. At the same time it seemed as if he was floating, hovering above the snow. How did he do that? I rarely felt that way. Centered. Instead, I usually felt like a junk show, like all my parts and pieces moved in opposite directions and although I snowboarded in the general downhill direction, I rarely felt like I floated. All of the storm and the people’s energy just seemed to make me feel scattered. As this memory came to me, I asked my husband what he does to center himself on the crowded storm days when it feels like the air buzzes all around the ski area. He looked at me strangely, “What do you mean? What do I do?” I understood immediately. He would always feel centered in a crowd of people waiting for the lifts to open up, for we grew up completely differently. He grew up in the suburbs of Ohio in a large Catholic family with seven brothers and sisters and over 24 cousins who gathered for summer vacations, birthday parties, Easter, Christmas and Thanksgivings. Meanwhile, I grew up on the edge of the Panamanian jungle with a small family with few visitors, where the loudest thing I heard regularly was my brother screaming when I tortured him, or a bird or a monkey screeching from the trees. My husband knows how to center when electricity and excitement are in the air. And I still have so much to learn. One of the few ways I know how to center besides breathing is to focus on my feet, which is easier said than done. On Sundays, I love to watch the race team kids ski downhill on one ski sensing their one foot, the quality of the snow, and their ski. How is the weight distributed on the sole of their foot? How does the pressure shift during a turn? Where is their weight during a traverse? Do they ski more on the inside or the outside of that particular foot? That focus on their feet helps them center without even realizing it.
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Northwest Avalanche Center
Thank you for your support! Thank you to the businesses and individuals that donated prizes to the fundraiser for Northwest Avalanche Center at Twin Sisters Brewing Company in Bellingham on October 14. And thank you to everyone who supported the fundraiser through raffle purchases for a great cause!
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Make every trip a round trip. Before heading out, check the weather and avalanche forecast at www.nwac.us
Become a member of NWAC and support the service.
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SkiAlaska Story by Eric Lucas Photos courtesy Alyeska Resort
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t’s a long way down from the top of Alyeska Ski Resort. In fact, when you reach the base, you swap out your skis for a board. Surfboard, that is. This is only a slight exaggeration — the lay of the land at Alaska’s largest ski mountain includes, well, land and sea. The lift base is at 250 feet above sea level, and Turnagain Arm is just a quarter-mile away. That’s the same Turnagain Arm world-famous for a bore tide that skilled surfers can ride for miles as it surges down the fjord toward Cook Inlet, coincidentally sluicing past Beluga whales. I wouldn’t try that — it’s for sub-Arctic experts only — but I have certainly savored the scenery from the 2,750-foot top of the ski slope, from which sharp-eyed skiers can sometimes spy the bore tide. Calling this a big-mountain resort is linguistic understatement: It’s a very big mountain in a Brobdingnagian landscape in a state whose name is derived from the Aleut term that, yes, is the same as the ski resort. And what does that mean? Great Land of the White. No dispute with that is possible. Alaska has a global rep for big, remote, exotic, wild, free, untrammeled, matchless adventure. Did I say big? So why am I, a week later, chugging up a birch-clad ridge outside Fairbanks in a modest old yellow schoolbus along with a dozen other happy skiers? I’ve ski boots on my feet, Rossignols racked on the side of the bus. We are making use of what the ski area calls “variable capacity turbo-charged terrestrial trams.” The buses trudge uphill from bottom to
top every 5-10 minutes, and the occupants cannot help scoffing at a journey that’s actually delightful. “No kissing, now, or I’ll call teacher!” “I’m in trouble tomorrow, the dog ate my homework.” “Mom, I can’t go to school today, it’s too cold.” This is Moose Mountain Ski Resort, a moniker that makes liberal use of the final word. No uphill lifts here; a modest base lodge; hardly any beginner territory. But when it is too cold (this is Interior Alaska) every bus ride warms you right back up. Can’t say that for some high-speed, six-pack chair in Montana, can you? At Moose, the runs wend their way down through birch glades, and there are quite a few long, intermediate coasters dropping down the not-inconsiderable 1,300 feet of vertical
drop. The crisp, below-zero snowpack is aurally and texturally unique. Alyeska represents Alaska well: 1,760 acres, 650 inches of snowfall, 76 runs, 7 lifts, 2500 vertical feet, and the world’s longest double-black run. The latter beast — actually, an entire separate slope called the North Face — runs directly beneath the 60-passenger Alyeska tram, so skiers such as me heading for more reasonable terrain on the other side can gawk at the mega-experts picking their way down the 40-degree slope of sub-runs named Big Doo Doo or Wyatt’s Burp. The tram docks at a ridgetop lodge featuring what may be Alaska’s best restaurant, Seven Glaciers; and its base is next to a massive luxury hotel that is the only slope side lodging north of southern British Columbia. But Moose Mountain is equally Alaskan, its quirky adaptations to Northland life mirroring many other aspects of the Great Land ethos. This is a state where large numbers of residents happily live in off-the-grid cabins with no indoor plumbing; these are called “dry cabins” and tenure in them is something to be proud of, not embarrassed by. Many Alaskans have been raised on moose and caribou meat and never tasted beef until they went to college. They toss Frisbees at 40 below in shorts and T-shirts, just to prove they can. No one graduates from the University of Alaska Fairbanks without a picture of them beside the U’s famous temperature sign, posing in swimsuits at 30 below or more. I’m not a UAF grad, so I keep my jacket on to document my visit at 32 below. Then off I go for Nordic skiing at Continued on Page 34
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e h t n , e e h v W ns mo i a ? t e f n a u s mo we stay n a c how Story
berly m i K a by Liz
Maya Hunger photo (right) Lee Lazzara photo
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nowflakes are flying, and snow enthusiasts are flocking to the hills. The season of snow sliding has arrived at Mt. Baker. But as these falling snowflakes undergo temperature changes, morph under pressure, and change their crystal structures, the fluffy snow-stars that stick to our eyelashes can become destructive, unpredictable slabs and slurries of snow. And each year, an increasing number of skiers and snowboarders are venturing into the backcountry in search of untracked powder fields. Whether we’re backcountry novices or veterans, it is crucial that we all take the time to refresh our avalanche knowledge and rescue skills at the start of every season. I had a chance to pick the brains of four local avalanche professionals about avalanche preparedness and education. Lee Lazzara and Andrew Kiefer are the two Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) forecasters for the Mt. Baker region; Zack McGill is a backcountry ski guide and avalanche educator with Bellingham-based guiding outfit Baker Mountain Guides; and Maya Hunger is a professional ski patroller with the Mt. Baker Ski Area. Here’s what they said. The winter environment is complex and ever-changing. Folks getting into backcountry travel for the first time should ease into it. “You’re unconsciously incompetent (you don’t know what you don’t know),” McGill said. Whether jaunting to Artist Point for a picnic on snowshoes, dipping right outside the ski area boundary for just a few turns, or skiing a couloir on Mt. Shuksan, having basic rescue equipment and the know-how to use it is essential. Lazzara and Kiefer note that backcountry travelers also need
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to be able to identify avalanche terrain, make and relate observations of instability, and comprehend an avalanche forecast. Level 1 avalanche courses are the most common way to introduce these fundamental skills, but it’s only the first step in a lifelong pursuit of avalanche education. “I think folks think that taking an avalanche course or two will give them the golden ticket to get out there and send it in avalanche terrain,” McGill said. “In the U.S., if you take both recreationist level courses, that's seven days of professional level education. That's nothing. Would you trust a pilot to take off and land a massive airliner after seven days of instruction? Courses are meant as a framework to introduce and formalize a decision making process for you and your squad so that you can go out and gain good experience.” What does good experience look like? For the NWAC crew, it’s actually clocking time in the mountains and moving through avalanche terrain while minimizing risk. An avalanche course might teach you the concepts of wind-loading and rapid warming, but it’s impossible to see how snow conditions change from one slope to another and through time without experiencing it for yourself. Those just coming off their first avalanche course should start simple: Go out on days with less avalanche danger and stick to areas that have easy to identify avalanche terrain, Lazzara and Kiefer recommended. And regardless of your experience, it’s paramount to find partners you can trust and clearly communicate with as you assess risk and make decisions. McGill warned of the various cognitive biases and social forces that can cloud judgment in the backcountry.
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“All avalanche fatalities occur because a human chose to be in avalanche terrain,” he said. “We talk ourselves into the darnedest things when the reward of deep pow and face shots is within sight. Knowledge of avalanches and how they work is important, but knowing yourself and your team and how you make decisions together is the most important thing.” “Please remember that there is no ski run in the world, no powder, no feature, that is worth dying for,” Hunger added. “Your safety is not ever guaranteed but you should always be conscious of the level of risk you are exposing to yourself and others (including rescuers, if it comes to that).” Characterized as a “wicked learning environment,” the backcountry does not offer immediate feedback to its students without significant repercussions – you either trigger an avalanche or you don’t, and you rarely know if you narrowly avoided one. That risk amplifies the importance of debriefing each day you travel through the backcountry. What did your group do well and what could have been done differently? Where did you put yourselves in the most risk, and how can you mitigate that next time? Did we make the right decisions or did you just get lucky? Learn from the day instead of making the same errors next time. It is also worth noting that unlike other popular backcountry zones, the majority of the Mt. Baker backcountry is within, adjacent to, or in the run-out of terrain where avalanches can occur. There are very few places to backcountry ski that do not have the potential to slide — popular spots like the Shuksan Arm, Table Mountain, Mazama Bowl, Hemispheres and Mount Herman are all considered “prime” avalanche terrain. Their slopes are the ideal 35-45 degrees (the slope MountBakerExperience.com
angle where most avalanches occur), they’re unsupported, and they have long run-outs, often with hazardous gullies and cliffs (i.e. “terrain traps”). “We often get complacent in the Baker backcountry with where and how we travel because, most of the time, we get to ski or ride in avalanche terrain,” McGill said. “Some of the most used skin tracks in our area are in avalanche terrain.” Some misconceptions about avalanches and backcountry travel Lazzara and Kiefer: “One misconception would be that a high level of skiing/riding ability or fitness is an indication of a high level of avalanche savvy. Another is that an airbag pack is a golden ticket out of an avalanche. It turns out they save some folks, but plenty of others have been killed wearing avalanche airbag packs when caught. “One mentality that sneaks up backcountry travelers is having simplified rules about danger ratings and terrain. It’s a fallacy to take the avalanche danger rating for a day and make your terrain choices based solely on if it’s ‘yellow or orange.’ The best practice is to understand the nature of the problem and where it is in the terrain.” Hunger: “In general, our community no longer gives the snowpack a day to settle before we push it. I’m not always seeing partners ski slopes one at a time, frequently a very experienced party will go ski something they’ve skied literal 100 times and a novice group will follow their tracks without much idea of what they’re getting themselves into. “I worry that the complexities of wind loading aren’t being considered and I’m fairly certain that lots of backcountry travelers are not thinking hard enough about the entrance point they choose when they decide they are skiing a slope. “I think it’s imperative that people know that if NWAC is forecasting a reactive layer in the snowpack, or your snow pit shows a reactive layer, and you see someone ski a line on the arm or Mt. Herman that should have slid and nothing happened, that does not mean the weak layer doesn’t exist,
and it also doesn’t mean the person who skied that line knows what they’re doing.” All four agreed that books, podcasts, avalanche course materials, and videos are great resources for refreshing your backcountry and avalanche knowledge at the start of every season. McGill recommended reading “Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain” by Bruce Tremper. The Avalanche Review (TAR) is another great publication that compiles the latest and greatest research and perspectives in the field. “Get mentorship from professionals,” McGill suggested. “At Baker Mountain Guides, we offer all our avalanche course alumni affordable scheduled tours ($50) where folks get to take the lead and get feedback from their peers and a professional on their process.” NWAC hosts a slew of classes, workshops, and events as well, including the highly anticipated “Laying Tracks Workshop.” This 4-part series will focus on the fundamentals of backcountry travel in the winter, and it will take place through Zoom meetings with NWAC staff. More details can be found at nwac.us. Lazzara and Kiefer also describe a mighty sharp tool to
keep at the top of your mental toolbox. “The biggest mindset shift I’ve had over the years is remembering I can always shift to terrain with less exposure to avalanche danger,” they said. “If something isn’t adding up or it just doesn’t feel right then it's time to stop and fix it. Just because you think your chosen route is reasonable doesn’t mean you have to keep going that way once you make the plan. If your observations are different from what you expected, or it just plain feels wrong, then make a change. It’s amazing how easy this is to say yet how difficult to do.” Here’s to a safe winter filled with powder, alpenglow, and an abundance of the simple giddiness that is so unique to linking effortless turns through powder, in the mountains, with friends.
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Alaska continued from Page 31 Creamer’s Field, a marvelous park where you can ski over a sublimely picturesque footbridge in snowy woods, just like in a movie. Alyeska and Moose are joined in downhill distinction by Ski Land, north of Fairbanks, which is the northernmost lift-served downhill area in North America. The view from the top here literally encompasses the Arctic Circle about 50 miles away. East of Fairbanks, military staff and family members at Fort Wainwright take to their own on-base slope, Birch Hill … How cool is that? And Eaglecrest, near Juneau, has sensational mountain and sea views to match Alyeska, and shares with it the saltwater air found at virtually no other ski resorts on Earth. None of these places are crowded. Anchorage and Fairbanks are 4 hours by plane from Seattle, and farther still from anywhere else. You have to fly to Juneau — no road reaches Alaska’s capital. Theoretically, you can drive to Fairbanks and on to Anchorage on the Alaska Highway. Suffice to say that ski travelers who do come this far north will never risk being flattened by an L.A. hotshot going 90 mph whose 5 cans of Monster Nitro dissolved his brain at 9 a.m. But they can savor the sight, scent and sound of hoarfrost in birch woods on a 10 below morning — balmy for Fairbanks. They can take a last run, duck in the lodge for hot chocolate and come back out an hour later to scan for the Northern Lights. You may even see a moose at Moose Mountain. They’re not allowed on the school buses, though.
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Photo courtesy Eaglecrest Ski Area/Travel Juneau
Eric Lucas is the author of the Michelin guide to Alaska. He lives on a small farm on San Juan Island, where he grows organic hay, garlic, apples and beans.
Parking continued from Page 12 ham, among other sources. The project will be completed by spring 2022. The second phase of the project wrapped at the end of November, reopening the original lot for the winter. The third phase is scheduled to begin March 2022. WMBC board president Bill Hasenjaeger said the project’s completion is dependent on temperature and when the construction contractor can lay asphalt. During the winter, a handful of small tasks will be done to prep the lot for the final phase. Ram Construction General Contractors will then lay asphalt in the spring when temperatures are right. “Laying asphalt will be the last thing done, which is weather dependent,” Hasenjaeger said. He also said Whatcom County will be installing a lighted crosswalk on Samish Way from the new parking lot to Galbraith Lane. This will connect the Lake Padden trails with Galbraith Mountain. At the time of publication, the county had yet to approve the crosswalk. “Recreation Northwest and WMBC have worked together over the years to help further our shared values as related to our complimentary mission statements,” Ellsworth said in the release. “When our Angel donor offered to help our friends get their parking lot to the finish line, we were ecstatic to be able to offer the gift.” For more information on the project, visit wmbcmtb.org/galbraithparking.
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Plans for the new parking lot project. Courtesy WMBC (below) The project site on November 22, 2021. Ian Haupt photo
Recreation NW executive director Todd Elsworth presents WMBC with a $100,000 check at Shoot the Trails October 9, 2021. Photo courtesy Recreation NW
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Mt. Daniel to Big Snow Traverse Story and photos by Jason Hummel Alex Kollar (1993-2021) Adventures are like bus stops on the way down memory lane. One stop in particular has become all too familiar. It was a rare mid-winter ski traverse through the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness with my friend Alex Kollar. What we found together was a Shangri La bathed in sunshine and endless fields of powder. More importantly, what I found was a new friend worth planning future adventures with, a rare individual who enjoyed my brand of suffering and exhilaration in the mountains. Alex was a guy who smiled after he went headfirst into a creek and grinned when I explained I'd gone ass over teakettle through the forest. When we finished our four-day traverse and prepared to drive out, Alex saw a father and son stuck on a muddy side road. He didn't hesitate to wade through the mud barefoot to push them out, and laughed like a maniac when we got stuck in the same predicament a few moments later. I will never forget Alex's go-to "Yeah, buddy" on a great downhill run. I'm sure he brought that same enthusiasm to the Deschutes River in Oregon. Sadly, he never made it out this October.
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So now, when I'm riding down memory lane, I find myself stopping on this adventure. Step off the bus with me, and enjoy the journey! As snows fall and winter winds march across the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, this mecca so many hikers tread and trod from one end to the other reverts back to a nomans land, winter bound and silent except, that is, for the occasional backcountry skier, like myself. For us, winter isn’t a barrier but a means to an end. Snowbound valleys become canvases to cut fresh trails across and snow-coated mountains become playgrounds to summit and descend from. When it comes to winter wonderlands, few places curl up in my soul and become a part of me through and through as much as the Alpine Lakes Wilderness has. A direct result of not only my fascination with its sharpened pinnacles and bejeweled valley’s full of sparkling lakes, but because I get to visit this region over and again, year after year, and see the shift and shuffle of change in the world without, while time remains frozen in the wilderness within. Variations of the Alpine Lakes Traverse have long interested me, but inspiration to
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tackle this particular version, which goes from Mt. Daniel to Big Snow Mountain, came from my need to visit glaciers for my Washington Glacier Ski Project. These glaciers included the Dip Top, Iron Cap and Pendant glaciers. March 9: Deception Pass Trailhead to Pea Soup Lake, Mt. Daniel Summit Under the heels of an angry snowmobile, 11 miles of road swept by in a spray of ice that thwapped my head. The praying sort would ask not to be keeled under sled tracks or dragged hogtied by a heavy pack across the icy road, but I like danger, it turns out, for about 10 miles. Only 11 miles of road later, Jake and Matt, who piloted Alex and I to the trailhead on their stallions, finally pulled up at the end of the road. Jake and Matt joined us on the ascent of Mount Daniel. While there are many approaches to the summit, for expediency’s sake, we bypassed Cathedral Peak and made a direct ascent of the mountain. We toured past Hyas Lake (Hyas means ‘big’ or ‘great’ in Chinook jargon) and ascended a couloir I dubbed Killer Cornice Couloir because, of course, it’s as much a killer place to
have lunch as standing under a crane that’s moving a piano to the top story of a city apartment. Some few hours later, in a cold huddle near the top of Mt. Daniel, Alex and I split ways with Jake and Matt who were returning to their stallions and town, to cold beers and warm beds. While they vanished into wind and fog, Alex and I continued upward, soon becoming lost in the white miasma. Having been to the summit of Daniel a dozen or more times, I set out confident that I knew the way. Only, in reality, I didn’t. When we reached a summit we discovered that it wasn’t actually the summit at all, but the top of the east peak of Mt. Daniel. With the help of the ‘of course, you’re right’ GPS, we made our way to the actual summit. Bruised dignity aside, the slow shuffle around the summit towers brought me back to the present. A distracted mind could, say, be unknowingly walking the plank, since cliffs abounded above and below, appearing in and out of the fog like ghouls. All day (even with evidence to the contrary) our expectation was that the sun would grace us with her light. Instead reality provided a face full of graupel and the MountBakerExperience.com
omnipresent buzzing of metal that comes with a charged atmosphere. A sure sign that it’s time to not be standing on the highest point around. Even so, I yelled to Alex, “Look at those beautiful lakes and how about that Lynch Glacier? What a view!” We laughed and retreated to a small pass just above the aforementioned glacier and from there dropped toward Pea Soup Lake. Like two sea captains, we piloted our skis through the fog and somehow remained standing. After we arrived at Pea Soup Lake, I canonized the moment by saying to Alex, “How appropriate to arrive at Pea Soup Lake in a pea soup fog.” In the wind and snow I couldn’t tell if he laughed or groaned. Midway across Pea Soup Lake, fog retreated and revealed our descent tracks. They were as if two children were given a white wall and markers to scribble with. Alex quelled my embarrassment over our ski signatures when he assured me that, “The snow will cover them by morning.” March 10: Pea Soup Lake to Pea Soup Lake to Iron Cap Pass, Mt. Hinman Summit Calm winter mornings are as silent as they come. Attempting to not break that peace and quiet, I crept out from the tent like a child from his room on Christmas morning. My present was a solo side trip to Dip Top Glacier. On my way
there, the slopes unwrapped from behind ridges. As I crept up powder-filled slopes, I felt the kind of thrill only the unexpected fulfills. Atop Dip Top Gap I skied onto the now-stagnant north facing Dip Top Glacier toward Jade Lake. In the midst, alone among all that disappearing ice, looking out onto a horizon of peaks, I felt that I was among friends, however non-corporeal they may be. Friends are always there for you, as are these peaks. Back at camp, I rejoined Alex and we herded our gear into packs and descended from Pea Soup Lake to the valley below in a daze. For, there it was, that sunny powder we’d been jiffed of the day before. Our surging thrill came in waves, like the snow that was sent flying with each turn. Hearts quieted after a short but earned for descent. After which we climbed the Lower Foss Glacier and the gentle slopes of Mt. Hinman whose slopes I’ve found unusual. Glaciers tend to create steeper north faces than south faces, in
general. Hinman bucks the trend. When we arrived to the crest of the ridge, the views assaulted us like scantily dressed ladies at a ball. We tore ourselves from the views and traversed Hinman Peak until we descended to La Bohn Lakes. As I skied toward a blind rollover, I thought Alex waved me on. Just a few feet before the edge, I hockey stopped on icy snow, the worst we had the entire trip, and only then learned from Alex that his wave was telling me to stop. Because I couldn’t help myself, I did some quick and dirty math and my former trajectory didn’t add up to anything pretty. With my excitement sufficiently checked, we descended the remaining slopes to Necklace Valley and from 4,900 feet we climbed onto the Pendant Glacier. Cloud shadows chased us across my second un-skied glacier of the trip. While I’d hiked through this terrain often, I find skiing through it so very different. In the winter, the high country reverts to its natural self: Wild and untrammeled. Across Upper Tank Lakes was only recognized as a lake as I’d been there in summer. About halfway to Iron Cap, along a gentle bench, the views of the mountains grabbed us up and steered our skis to the rim of the valley. By the time the glamour was broke, dusk and sunset were upon us, so we decided to drop packs and camp. Sometimes stopping is worth hurrying into, the only distance worth gaining. When going further doesn’t get you anywhere that matters.
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March 10: Iron Cap Pass to Gold Lake, Iron Cap Summit A lazy and tranquil morning drew out the hours and before we knew it, noon was fast approaching. Since a warm day was bad for a crossing beneath Iron Cap, our tardiness was a regrettable oversight. Fortunately, conditions remained stable, but by then worry had already lit a fire under our asses, so we made short work of the mile-long traverse and boot pack to the crest of the north ridge. Slower, though, was the serpentine ridge to the summit; we couldn’t help but stop every 10 feet to take in the views ahead and behind us. Immediately below us was the Iron Cap Glacier, which is stagnant ice today. The lake at the bottom is one of those newly formed in recent decades, a left over from glacier retreat much as the lower altitude lakes were leftovers from the last glacial surge of the Puget Arm of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet about 16,900 years ago. Instead of wrapping around the shoulder of Iron Cap Peak, we decided to ascend 500 vertical feet over a ridge for a direct descent to Chetwoot Lake. At the top once more, another field of powder lay below, just as drool-worthy as the last, and after we ate up the vertical like starving shipwrecked survivors, we coasted onto the lake. All along the way sun speared through clouds, snow blasted around skis and we found ourselves suddenly stopped, feeling lighter no matter our heavy packs. While we could either go over Wild Goat Peak or around it, we chose the more conservative route. It turned out to be the right decision. We found terrible snow on our ski to Gold Lake. We pitched camp on the lake ice and after the sun went down, I watched the starlight glint on snow crystals as I cooked a mountain feast fit for only hungry climbers. March 11: Gold Lake to Dingford Creek Trailhead, Big Snow Summit Morning awoke to light spreading across Big Snow Mountain and Gold Lake. Alex and I didn’t budge a muscle until it rolled over us like a slow rising tide. Eventually, resigned to our last day, we gathered gear and skinned across the lake toward a serpentine streambed. This led us from the flat, frozen lake toward gently rising and rolling terrain, which offered easy access to the uppermost slopes of Big Snow Mountain. I’d like to say that a summit doesn’t attract me, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t. What’s more is that the best traverses in my mind are those that add summits and descents in conjunction with horizontal movement across or along mountain ranges. That’s why going over the summit of Big Snow was part of this adventure. It shows how much work there is to do out here in this tiny corner of the Cascade Mountains. These (big) little peaks that surrounded us have character; different moods and faces that keep all of us guessing as to their true nature. Once our boards were snapped on, our reward besides the views, which were kid in
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a candy store kind of ‘google-eyed’ awesomeness we never get enough of, was the descent. Striking down the west shoulder of the mountain was a beauty of a line that would be the gobstopper of the trip. Usually I would take photos of such a descent, at least a few, but this time I put my camera away. Even a few shots can distract me from having fun of my own. Besides, soul turns mean soul turns. And on the descent my ‘soul’ sang. Sadly, what also sang, except out of tune, were my legs. Not wanting to stop, I careened down the slope like a runaway train. Somehow I didn’t yard sale. Neither did Alex. After our final turn, we pointed our skis back up at the line. As it came into view, smiles grew, and I silently promised to get more ‘soul turns’ in the near future. Every valley in Washington begins in the Cascade Mountains and every mountain in the Cascades Mountains ends in a valley. So it was that we descended into the forest. Between losing the trail and for the fact that there wasn’t quite enough snow to cover logs, rocks and debris, we were like a ski ballet troupe doing never ending practice rounds where we ducked and stepped, bent and danced, tripped and fell and, well, you get the point. There was a point when Alex, caught up in the rhythm of our race down trail, when he was swept up by the rocks and cast sidelong into a creek. Swimming and skiing don’t usually go hand in hand, so when it happens there’s a full helping of laughing, moaning and, after which, the race goes on. A few hundred yards before the end of our trip, I laid down my skis after going far too long on too little snow (something I’m more proud of than I should be), and waited for Alex. It’s important to take a moment to look over any adventure you’re on and take it all in — to give it its due in the moment, not after, when you’re home. It’s been a crazy year with Covid-19, and ski adventures took a back seat for the first time in my life. That is why this adventure felt rejuvenating for me, a reminder of why I still push myself to go to these places. Yet, it also reminded me how much they mean to me, not in that I can’t exist without it kinda way, but in that I feel at home out here kinda way. When Alex arrived, we walked the final yards to the truck and to beers of our very own. Later, as we were helping a stuck father and son pull their rig from their proposed camping spot above the Middle Fork Snoqualmie, sans shoes and in ski clothes, Alex and I had to laugh when our kindness resulted in us also getting stuck. “At least we have our camping gear,” I told Alex. Fortune was with us, though. A couple with a winch drove by just as dusk was falling. With their help we were once again on our way, mud splattered and thankful. It just goes to show, the adventure isn’t over even after you’ve returned to civilization. Find a video Alex made of the trip online at mountbakerexperience.com.
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Greater Ranges A winter ascent in North Cascades National Park Story and photos by Jason Griffith
T
he North Cascades are notoriously rugged. Even in summer, steep terrain combines with thick brush, unmaintained trails and changeable weather to challenge the strongest mountaineer. In winter, the range is even less kind. Wreathed in storms for weeks at a time, riven by avalanches that can break old growth trees like matchsticks, the heart of the North Cascades remains a mystery, especially those areas distant from highways 542 and 20. This started to change when John Scurlock built his tiny yellow plane nearly 20 years ago and took to the skies over the North Cascades. He documented wild winter vistas that the rest of us could hardly believe were in our backyard. And so, a new generation of climbers was transfixed, transformed and mobilized to seek out the challenges that the range offers in winter. I was one of those climbers, familiar with the North Cascades in summer, but mostly considering it off limits during the short days of midwinter. However, the combination of John’s images and the up-to-date information on the message board “CascadeClimbers.com” had a way of slowly drawing me in. Image after image, trip report after trip report, my fear began to wane until I found myself looking at the long-range forecast in February of 2015, wondering how the NW Couloir of Eldorado Peak was looking. Wondering, that is the operative word. Snow and ice are fickle mediums. It is often hard to know exactly how a climb will be unless you take the gear for a walk and see for yourself. I was lucky that I had a few others in my circle that also didn’t mind going on long, potentially fruitless walks in the middle of winter. This included Chuck and Tim, former ultra-marathoners and keen climbers, who, like me, were eager to see the North Cascades in their winter glory. Chuck and I left the Eldorado climber’s lot Saturday morning at a reasonable hour, beginning to trudge over a vertical mile up to the base of the East Ridge of the mountain. Tim maintained that he would meet us at high camp early on Sunday, but we carried enough gear that we could complete the climb if he didn’t make it in time. The “trail” up to Eldorado isn’t much of one, more a straight up boot beaten line that tells you where
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to go. Where it fades into a boulderfield, we punched through shallow snow, trying to keep from twisting a knee on our way to camp. In the North Cascades, often the crux of the trip takes place below treeline, and winter doesn’t make the lower elevations any easier. Chuck had forgotten his ski poles, so he grabbed a sturdy stick in the forest and broke it off to length. As we climbed higher and stepped onto the glacier, the sight of him plodding along with his stick made me smile. Or maybe it was the views? Across the valley, the grand sweep of the north face of Johannesburg was impossible to ignore, with her hanging glaciers and snow flutings looking to avalanche at any second. To the east, the graceful pyramid of Forbidden was even more beautiful than usual, its normally bare rocks almost completely plastered in a veneer of snow and ice. But the light was fading fast, and we had to stamp out a platform for the tent, melt many liters of snow, and battle the rising wind and spindrift. This is the part of winter climbing/camping that I don’t relish. It is hard, cold work. Thankfully, as we tended to camp chores, our friends Jason and Krissy pleasantly surprised us. They were returning from a successful one-day ascent of the standard East Ridge of Eldorado. We chatted for a few minutes, but they couldn’t linger. Chuck and I settled in for a long, wind blasted night at the base of the East Ridge, wondering if Tim would meet us the next morning. A bright moon lit the scene brightly. A headlamp wasn’t needed, but the cold wind chased us into our bags early. I slept fitfully, as I often do before uncertain climbs. Would the snow be firm enough … the ice solid enough … the clear weather hold long enough … would we find the rappel anchors? So many questions we wouldn’t know answers to until we committed to the climb. The day dawned clear, as forecasted, but high clouds were scudding across the sky from the west, heralding the next storm system. As we prepared breakfast we kept glancing south across the glacier, looking for Tim. We could only wait so long, and so we began to slowly stow our gear and put on our harnesses. We were pretty sure he wasn’t going to make it. And who could blame him? This was pretty ridiculous, and maybe even point-
MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2021/2022
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less. The NW Couloir wasn’t certain to be in good shape, but Chuck and I thought we could always go up Eldorado’s normal route as a consolation prize. Having a plan B is always a good idea in the North Cascades, even more so in the winter. Then, just as we were turning to leave, a dot appeared far across the glacier, moving rapidly toward us. Tim was practically jogging and was soon at our camp, psyched for the day ahead despite the 2 a.m. start from his van. He grabbed one of our ropes and some of the pickets (snow stakes for protecting steep snow while climbing) and we set off across the glacier to find the rappel that would drop us near the base of the route. I grabbed a ski pole as we left camp, and Chuck grabbed his stick. Was he planning on packing it the whole way up and down the peak? I didn’t have to wonder long, since the rappel anchor was less than a mile from camp. Tim and I quickly set up the rappel, threading both ropes through the anchor, and tossing them to the glacier 60 meters below. Chuck unceremoniously threw his stick to the side, threaded his belay device onto the ropes, and disappeared over the edge. I laughed, imagining climbers stumbling upon this stick next summer, so far from the forests below. Once we touched down on the glacier, we had a view of the route, and it looked good. Consolidated snow and ice shone in the morning light just a short distance away. Our instincts had paid off. Quickly, I led out toward the couloir, roped to Chuck and Tim in case I punched through into a hidden crevasse. There were no tracks but ours, our senses fully awake to the possibilities, both good and bad. At the base of the couloir, where it steepened,
I stamped out a platform, sunk a picket into the icy snow and belayed Chuck and Tim up to me. Chuck grabbed the remaining pickets, ice screws, and draws and immediately started up. There is no time to waste in the winter and you must keep moving to stay warm. He soon began to encounter more challenging bits, primarily icy bulges over rock steps. As Chuck swung his ice tools, snow and ice chunks rained down, careening off the sides of the couloir. Tim and I huddled to the side as best we could, shifting right and left to dodge the biggest bits, and stamping our feet to stay warm. This was repeated for several rope lengths as we worked our way up the couloir, Tim and Chuck taking turns to lead the team higher and higher in the cold shade of the gully while I trailed, taking photos. In all, we had found the climb in relatively “easy” conditions. This was just fine with us. We were in the heart of the range in the middle of winter, without another soul around. The jagged peaks around us held snow on their impossibly steep sides looking more like the greater ranges than the modest summits of our backyard. Above, as the climbing difficulties eased, we smiled and shook hands as we stowed gear for the final steps to the summit. It was rewarding to have snuck into the range on a whim and have it pay off so handsomely. But the rising wind and the thickening clouds tempered our enthusiasm. We didn’t linger on the summit. We snapped a few photos and carefully descended back to camp to pack up and hustle down before the weather arrived. Tired, but satisfied, all three of us were lost in our thoughts as we trudged across the glacier in the late afternoon. The window we had used to sneak into the crystal fortress was about to slam shut.
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GLACIER SKI SHOP D-VICE SKIS $649 The Glacier Ski Shop D-vice ski combines all-mountain, freeride, powder jibbing and freestyle performance in one ski. Designed as a one-ski quiver for almost every level of skier, the gurus at Fat-ypus gave the D-vice a poppy, playful feel and super durable construction and is available in five sizes. Skiing first chair powder, mid-day groomers and afternoon ski touring the D-vice is both heavy and light enough to flow through all conditions. glacierskishop.com
HELLY HANSEN W WHITEWALL LIFALOFT 20 $375 The warmest and most protective jacket in the ULLR ski collection, with a longer silhouette and Lifaloft insulation. This jacket will keep you warm without feeling weighed down in this super snug women’s ski jacket. HellyHansen.com
BCA FLOAT 42 AVALANCHE AIRBAG 2.0 $699.95 This airbag is designed for pros and those who are serious backcountry travelers. Plenty of space for gear, first aid kit and supplies. backcountryaccess.com
MEN’S SOREL EXPLORER BOOT & WOMEN’S SOREL EXPLORER II $140
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$24.95 Walk tall and proud and safe this winter with Korkers Ultra Ice Cleats. Stretchy, durable rubber and an adjustable heel strap offer a secure, custom fit from running shoes to outdoor boots. Sixteen replaceable push-through steel spikes add traction to every slippery step. rei.com
E D I U G F F U T S GOOD
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Portland’s Sorel boot company excels at winter boots that repel the cold. These feature waterproof uppers with plenty of insulation to keep those toesies cozy with a very grippy EVA outsole. stowesshoesandclothing.com The Mount Baker Experience is an independent, family-owned publication. Please patronize independent and member-owned cooperative retailers – they work long and hard to offer competitive prices and service. Their families thank you. We thank you.
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A lone skier heads toward Table Mountain, photo by Emil Jacobson. Historical photo courtesy Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA.
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EATS
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BLAINE DRAYTON HARBOR OYSTER CO. 685 Peace Portal Drive 360/656-5958 draytonharboroysters.com Farm fresh oysters served raw, grilled, fried, stewed and other delicious seafood specials. Local craft beers on tap.
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THE RUSTIC FORK EATERY 442 Peace Portal Drive 360/224-6714 therusticforkeatery.com Italian pastas, salads, sandwiches and firebaked artisan style pizzas.
GATEWAY 1890 TAPHOUSE & GRILL 429 Peace Portal Drive gateway1890taphouse-grill.com Over 40 craft beers on tap, Fish & Chips, Monster Burgers, International “twist” plates.
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MAGAZINE
ANNIE’S PIZZA STATION 44568 State Route 20 360/853-7227 anniespizzastation.com Family-owned pizza restaurant focusing on fresh, homemade quality Italian fare. Friendly service, helpful information and great food combine for an unforgettable experience.
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EVENTS
35TH ANNUAL LEGENDARY BANKED SLALOM: February 11-13,
2022, What started out as a challenge organized by Bob Barci to beat snowboard pioneer Tom Sims in a slalom race in 1985 quickly became one of snowboardings most highly regarded gatherings. To this day the race holds a special place for locals and legends alike and offers the simplest form of competition pitting each rider against the clock on the same banks, berms and bumps to see who can ride the course faster than the rest. For more information, go to lbs. mtbaker.us.
FROSTY MOSS RELAY: Saturday, February 26, 2022, Experience the green season on the Olympic Peninsula. Frosty Moss Relay is an 80-mile running relay on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The course takes place on the paved Olympic Discovery Trail as well as the singletrack Olympic Adventure Trail. Teams of 3 or 5, 15 legs, finish line party and meal at the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Casino. In addition, the 30-mile Mini Moss Relay covers the eastern 30 miles of the Frosty Moss course. Teams of 2-4, 8 legs, same super fun finish line party! For information go to frostymossrelay.com. MUSSELS IN THE KETTLES: Saturday, March 5, 2022, Mussels in the Kettles is a non-competitive mountain bike ride and poker ride in Coupeville. You pick your pace and your route, 3 courses set up from 10 mile easy trails mostly double track, 15 miles of moderate trails double and single track, and 20 miles of expert trails mostly single track. Three card station set up with the final card station at the bike corral in Coupeville at the Mussel Festival where you will receive a token for a free ice cream or adult beverage. For more information, go to whidbeyislandbicycleclub.org/mussels-inthe-kettles.
CHUCKANUT 50K: Saturday, March 19, The Chuckanut 50k is a lollipop-shaped course. The first 10k and last 10k repeat on the Interurban Trail with smooth, relatively flat running. The middle 30k is what this race is known for — you get to climb (5,000ft), traverse and descend the famous Chuckanut Mountain Ridge amongst beautiful Pacific Northwest terrain. For more information go to chuckanut50krace.com.
OAT RUN (OLYMPIC ADVENTURE TRAIL RUN): Saturday, April
16, 2022, OAT (Olympic Adventure Trail) Run is a 12K and half marathon trail race on the Olympic Peninsula. The point-to-point courses takes place on the singletrack Olympic Adventure Trail, with a post-race party at Harbinger Winery in Port Angeles. For more information go to peninsulaadventuresports.com/events/oat-run.
GRAVEL UNRAVEL: Hoh-ly Roller, Saturday, May 14, Jon Pass Out, June 18, Sol Grinder, July 16. This endurance cycling event is designed for those who wish to challenge their physical abilities to the maximum while enjoying the lushness of Olympic National Forest. Participants can ride short (25-35 miles), medium (45-55 miles), or long (65-80 miles) distances on a combination of paved and unpaved surfaces, while enjoying towering evergreens and vivid green moss and ferns. For more information go to peninsulaadventuresports. com/events/quilcene-gravel-unravel. SKI TO SEA: Sunday, May 29, 2022, Reg-
istration opens January 1, 2022. Ski to Sea is the original multisport relay race, from Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay. Organize your team and join us on Memorial Day weekend. For more information or to register, go to skitosea.com.
find more events and submit your own at mountbakerexperience.com
Sat. Dec. 11, 21
SANTA 5K AT CORDATA: Sunday, December 19, Run, skip, or walk in our Santa-themed 5K at the fabulous new Cordata Park. Participants are welcome to run as fast as humanly possible or take an hour while enjoying a coffee and chat with friends. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. For more information, go to bit.ly/30UTrrS. *No day of race registration.*
NGLE COME JI !
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