Mount Baker Experience Winter 2016

WINTER 2015/16

ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

FAT-TIRE BIKING

Not just for the fringe

ADVENTURE MACHINES Campers, trucks & van life

BC BACKCOUNTRY

Splitting the Waddington Hut MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTHERN LIGHT

Imagine...

ACTION

Take exit 260.

Just 4 minutes west of I-5.

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Award Winning Hotel • Beautiful Views Indoor Pool

DINING

6 Diverse Dining Options Multiple Award-Winning Steak House

BLISS Massages • Facials Manicures • Pedicures

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

AvAlAnche courses THIS COURSE COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Avalanche Courses Mt. Baker & Bellingham

3-day programs on weekends Dec-Feb AIARE Levels 1 & 2

Backcountry Ski & Splitboard Clinics & Tours – Basic to Extreme

For Details Or To Purchase Online, Visit Us At w w w . m t b a k e r. u s

www.mtbaker.us

Mt. Baker Ski Area

360-734-6771

Rent your equipment here!

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

WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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The Shortest Distance to Far Away ®

The Shortest Distance to Far Away ® is closer than you think!

Just 70 short miles from the border!

Experience easy going islands, year round. Discover friendly towns, sandy beaches, intimate cafes, art galleries, stunning views, wineries, and impressive state parks. Just 70 miles from the Canadian border, you can drive onto either island, any time. That’s right, no ferry lines when you arrive from the north. Find fall and winter lodging specials on our website. Plan your getaway today!

Free maps, guides, lodging and event info at

WhidbeyCamanoIslands.com 4

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

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EXPO

Recreation Northwest BASECAMP

SUMMIT

EXCURSIONS

Bellingham, WA BASECAMP

Thursday, February 25th.

Invite only party for outdoor recreation industry professionals at Boundary Bay’s Mountain Room.

SUMMIT

Friday, February 26th.

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

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

Recreation Northwest

Free to the Public

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

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

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

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

EXCURSIONS Saturday, February 27th.

Join regional businesses, manufacturers and retailers for excursions, demos and tours!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Adventures NW Magazine, Bellingham Whatcom Chamber, Village Books WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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Winter2016

Publisher’s NOTE BY PAT GRUBB

in this issue

A

x

30 ADVENTURE MACHINES

Campers, vans & truck houses

10

TOLKIEN’S COLD MOUNTAINS The Brian Waddington Hut

PHOTO\RORY SAVATGY

18

14 PHOTO\METHOW VALLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO\JEANNIE DEBARI

FAT TIRE BIKING

NEPAL EARTHQUAKE

Not just for the fringe

A local’s perspective

8

3 RIVERS, MANY EAGLES Winter eagle viewing spots

12 STRETCHING STRATEGIES

A comprehensive guide to stretching

Warm winter cocktails

16 COLD DAYS, HOT TODDIES 20 GRAIN THAT DEFINES

N-Grained artist studio

PHOTO\SPENCER PAXSON

32 HIKE TO MONTANA

On the Pacific Northwest Trail

34 KONA COMES TO B’HAM

36 PHOTO\RICHARD RIQUELME COLLECTION

AVALANCHE RESCUE Shoveling techniques

23 PHOTO GALLERY

Local adventure photos

MTB company opens flagship store

37 HOW TO BUILD A TRAIL

Recreation NW has big plans

38 WINTER GEAR GUIDE

Awesome gear for the cold season

40 EAT AND SLEEP

Dining and lodging guide

42 WINTER EVENTS

SHUKSAN

Official Mascot of Mount Baker Experience

6

Happenings and shindigs

46 ROLLING THUNDER

22 SLIPPERY ROOTS

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

Mountain bike mastery

Bowling and the people who like it

48 THE LAST VIEW

Cold winter night

PHOTO\JASON HUMMEL

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

PHOTO\JASON HUMMEL

s I write this introduction, another in a series of storms is brewing off-shore bringing with it plenty of moisture that will fall as snow on Mt. Baker and the Cascade Mountain range. The ski area’s latest report says they’re hoping to open the mountain midway through next week. If so, this will be earlier than the average opening date which is usually just before the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend.

This news sure gladdens the hearts of all of us who want to forget last year’s dismal snowfall and just get back on those skis, snowboards, snowshoes or even toboggans.

They’re not the only happy people – there are lots of small business owners who depend on the winter season for their livelihoods and had a tough time of it last year. Many of those businesses advertise in this magazine and they and all the others would sure appreciate your patronage. So please spread the joy (and the cash!) and buy your beer and groceries and restaurant dinners and lodges with the people who make this area so special.

There’s lots to read and see in this issue. Great shots from the best photographers in the Pacific Northwest and terrific stories from equally talented local writers. Take a hut trip in British Columbia, learn how to strategically shovel your partner out, take a stretch, apply the concept of mastery to your downhill run. Let us know what you think of this issue and what you’d like to see in the next issue in February.

In the meantime, have a great season!

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE PUBLISHERS Patrick Grubb and Louise Mugar EDITOR Ian Ferguson PUBLICATION DESIGN Doug De Visser COPY EDITOR Kara Furr OFFICE MANAGER Amy Weaver

STAFF WRITERS Steven Guntli • Kara Furr

ADVERTISING DESIGN Ruth Lauman • Doug De Visser ADVERTISING SALES Catherine Darkenwald • Janet McCall Molly Ernst • Judy Fjellman

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE: Brad Andrew, Andy Basabe, Brian Chapel, Wayne Diaz, Jason Griffith, Grant Gunderson, Jason Hummel, Patrick Kennedy, Jason Martin, Tyler Mitchell, Amanda Nayfield, Spencer Paxson, David Riffle, Rory Savatgy, Teresa Schmidt EMAIL: info@mountbakerexperience.com WEB: www.mountbakerexperience.com

CONTRIBUTORS CONTRIBUTORS MBE WINTER 2016

bradANDREW

Brad Andrew is a Bellingham based freelance action sports photographer. He spends his winters chasing the snow looking for the perfect spot to make the perfect image. He is a husband, father and a student of life.

iNSTAGRAM: instagram.com/mtbakerexp 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. XXIX, No. 4. Printed in Canada. ©2015 POINT ROBERTS PRESS 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 TEL: 360/332-1777 NEXT ISSUE Spring 2016 • Out late February Backcountry • Bike • Hike • Paddle Ad reservation deadine: January 15

ON THE COVER Adam Ü cruises down a blank slope, making fresh tracks at Mt. Baker.

Photo by Grant Gunderson. grantgunderson.com

Andy is an educator in Whatcom County. Some of his days are best for words, others for walking. Everyday for eating.

FAT-TIRE BIKING

Not just for the fringe

ADVENTURE MACHINES Campers, trucks & van life

amandaNAYFIELD Amanda is a physical therapist at CorePhysio in Bellingham. When she’s not at work you can find her climbing, hiking, skiing and running in the mountains.

jasonGRIFFITH Based in Mount Vernon, Jason is a Fisheries Biologist, member of Skagit Mountain Rescue, husband and father of two young boys. In other words, accidents aren’t allowed when he heads to the hills with the Choss Dawgs.

spencerPAXSON Spencer is a Bellingham local and Pacific Northwest native who rides professionally for The Kona Bicycle Company.

grantGUNDERSON One of the ski industry’s pre-eminent photographers, Grant has shot for every major snow sports and outdoor publication worldwide.

Grantgunderson.com

jasonHUMMEL Jason is an outdoor photographer from Washington who has documented numerous first descents in the North Cascades.

Alpinestateofmind.com

davidRIFFLE David is an avid photographer of all venues, but especially wildlife in our local area. He is retired from the U.S. Coast Guard, Lockheed Martin and ARINC Inc, having also owned a travel agency and a consultancy company.

rorySAVATGY patrickKENNEDY The only passion that rivals Patrick’s board sport obsession is the need to explore. Sometimes a lucky camera goes along for the ride.

WINTER 2015/16

ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

If he’s not busy shooting a wedding, Tyler is either coaching T&F at Mount Baker HS, fly fishing or running up a mountain. He’s currently sponsored by Icebug Shoes & Fairhaven Runners. Check out his portfolio- TMitchellPhoto.com.

andyBASABE

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/mtbakerexperience TWITTER: twitter.com/MB_Experience

tylerMITCHELL

jasonMARTIN Jason is a mountain guide, general manager at American Alpine Institute and a widely published outdoor writer. He lives in Bellingham with his wife and two young children.

Longtime Bellingham local. Real estate, athletics, and adventure photographer. Always down for a photo shoot.

teresaSCHMIDT Teresa is a freelance writer who moved to Bellingham 13 years ago to hike, camp, paddle, ski, run in the woods and write. She’s never leaving.

BC BACKCOUNTRY

Splitting the Waddington Hut MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTHERN LIGHT

WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

7

THREE RIVERS,

many eagles

PHOTO\DAVID RIFFLE

PHOTO\WAYNE DIAZ

BY IAN FERGUSON

PHOTO\WAYNE DIAZ

PHOTO\DAVID RIFFLE

In

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MAKE EVERY TRIP A ROUND TRIP www.nwac.us before heading out.

Located just north of Squamish and 70km north of Vancouver, Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park is located along the Squamish River. It is closed to recreation during the winter months to protect the unique and delicate ecosystem. Viewing facilities are provided just outside the park boundary on the municipality dyke, across from the Easter Seal Camp on Government Road in Brackendale.

More info: env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/brackendale_eagles/

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Check the weather and avalanche forecast at

SQUAMISH RIVER

“Top

PHOTO\DAVID RIFFLE

winter, the riparian areas around northwest rivers provide prime habitat for nesting eagles. Three rivers – the Squamish, Nooksack and Skagit – offer great opportunities for the public to view and photograph throngs of these majestic raptors without disturbing their habitat.

Eagle viewing is a great family activity, and it’s at its peak on local rivers from mid-December to mid-January, when runs of spawning chum salmon ramp up. Early mornings are the best time to see the eagles hanging out in the trees. Around 11 a.m. is when they are most active for feeding. Try to go on a cloudy day; when the sun is shining, eagles tend to soar on thermals high in the sky. Bring your binoculars, and bundle up!

*not intended to solicit property already listed • 15 years experience!

Glacier Springs • Snowline • Mt Baker Rim • Snowater

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Ad Space Courtesy of Mt Baker Experience Photo © Grant Gunderson

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

PHOTO\DAVID RIFFLE

SKAGIT RIVER

NOOKSACK RIVER There are several good viewing spots along the Nooksack River in Deming. Take a right onto Mosquito Lake Road off the Mt. Baker Highway, and you’ll soon cross a bridge over the river in an area where eagles are known to nest.

Deming Homestead Eagle Park, a Whatcom County park with a path and interpretive signs along the floodplain, is another good site that offers easy access. Turn right onto Truck Road near milepost 15 on the Mt. Baker Highway, and go another half mile. The park is on the right.

More info: whatcomcounty.us/2065/Deming-Homestead-Eagle-Park

Follow Highway 20 to Rockport, and check out several great eagle viewing sites along the way. The Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center in Rockport offers guided walks in Howard Miller Steelhead Park.

Howard Miller Steelhead Park is located in Rockport, and is accessible from Alfred Street or from SR530 near the bridge over the Skagit River. Marblemount Fish Hatchery and the milepost 100 rest area along Highway 20 are two other options, and all three have trained eagle watcher volunteers from North Cascades Institute and the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on site to answer questions.

More info: skagiteagle.org/wordpress

mtbakerguides.com 360-319-1160

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THIS WINTER EXPLORE THE W I L D NEARBY

NORTH CASCADES INSTITUTE Snowshoeing • Winter Tracking • Night Photography Birding Birch Bay & the Skagit Delta • Blockprinting

Backcountry Skiing Avalanche Courses Ice Climbing

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(360) 854-2599

Photo Credit: Dave Brown

2015-2016

Backcountry Connect with PROGRAMS us @ManningPark SKI New Program–Japan Powder Deep powder skiing in the Far East

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Connect with us @ManningPark WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

9

TOLKIEN'S COLD MOUNTAINS Exploring B.C.’s Brian Waddington Hut

BY ANDY BASABE

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

I

I couldn’t afford to go to Japan, but I had to go somewhere.

By Christmas 2014, I had spent enough time touring around Twin Lakes Road and needed a road trip. The ski area had opened only a few days prior, claiming 22 inches of snow.

It was slim pickings in Washington, where some resorts wouldn’t open all year. Fortunately, lots of people have time off for the holidays, and I convinced my friend Nick to spend half of his yearly vacation sniffing out snow wherever we could find it.

Nick and I used to ride the chairs at Baker together growing up, but a ski company in Seattle snatched him up to make boots, and we don’t get as many opportunities to be in the mountains together as we used to. Knowing nothing about backcountry huts in British Columbia, we packed up everything we thought we might need and drove up to Squamish to confer with another friend who had spent some time in the Coast Mountains. He wasn’t home, but he did have a copy of John Baldwin’s “Exploring the Coast Mountains on Skis,” a comprehensive guide to all the public huts in B.C., on his coffee table. We looked through the book, learning that most operated on a reservation system and if one wanted to reserve a spot during the holidays, advance notice was required.

The Varsity Outdoor Club (VOC), a group of University of British Columbia students with outdoor recreation tendencies, runs the Brian Waddington Hut above Phelix Creek north of Pemberton. The hut had a no-reservation policy, although it stated that VOC trips have priority during the holidays. It seemed to be our best shot at sleeping inside, so we hit the road north to Pemberton and beyond. As we drove though Whistler, the rain turned to snow, Iron Maiden pounded the gas pedal and we found the stoke!

Nick carefully drove us up the logging road to the trailhead. We jumped out of the truck and loaded up for a 6-mile skin to the hut. It was cold. As we walked, the sun broke through the clouds, and the trail began to shine. A few miles on an old logging road led us to the beginning of the uphill trail through the trees. This part was fun, with steep corners, heavy packs and reliance on “veggie belay” (pulling on trees and bushes to make it through rough terrain). We had started a bit late, and rounded the last few switchbacks in the glow of our headlamps. The lake opened up before us, and we quickly skinned across to a two-story A-frame building, lit up and inviting. It was December 27 and three other people were using the hut. A storm cycle had just passed over. We were looking ahead to days of cold, clear weather and fresh snow.

Inside, I happily put on my down booties that my mother had given me for Christmas a few days before and laid out my zero degree down bag in preparation for a cold night. Temperatures were predicted to fall below zero – definitely colder than most of my nights out in the Cascades. Nick made some comment about how comfortable my new footwear looked, as he laid out his old 20-degree synthetic sleep sack while wearing his ski boot liners. During the drive up he had told me that he had grabbed new boots to test that would probably hurt a bit as he broke them in. We cooked food in the jet-

boil, ate hunched into our jackets and chatted with the other guests about snow stability and where to ride.

Our first day out, we skinned back across the lake and hiked up towards Peregrine Peak, planning on riding the north face. Maps in the hut called this area “Cabin Hill.” We found lower-angle tree runs with pillows, very similar to terrain at home, yet the numbing weather kept the snow perfectly poofy. It was good to get my legs moving, as I began to shiver otherwise. The cold made for lots of arm swinging at transitions. The visibility was poor that day, and we were unable to see the rest of the peaks in the area.

Back at the hut, Nick showed me the black spot that had been a toenail that morning. He also mentioned that he had been a “little cold” the night before, and hadn’t really warmed up during the day, but would probably be fine when the sun came out.

We awoke the next morning to sunny skies and popped out of the hut early to scope potential lines. People had begun to arrive for a New Year’s Eve party. A couloir above the hut was clearly the line of the day, and we hustled over to the base. The sun brought some warmth, but our pits indicated stability, and we booted up. The ridge above was wide and flat, providing a vantage point to the surrounding mountains.

The area had been named with a “Lord of the Rings” theme: Shadowfax, Gandalf and Aragorn were the prominent peaks. People at the hut had been telling us about a line called “Return of the King,” leading down from the upper lakes back towards the hut. We could see that line, along with beautiful faces off the top of Peregrine along the high ridge across the valley.

The ride down was sunny, fast and safe. After a quick lunch inside we headed back out to tour behind the hut, an area known as “Northwest Knob.” This was more tree riding, with some great alpine turns above. We caught the sunset, and then headed back inside. The hut was getting crowded, and we listened to a few harrowing approach stories from the newcomers. A ski was broken in half, held together with duct tape, and one man was upstairs sleeping off his 15-hour misadventure getting to the hut.

The call of the party brought people with minimal snow experience, and the trail tore them up a bit. Nick’s discomfort was becoming more and more obvious, and given the crowd, we decided that the following day would be our last. The hut was so full that people were sleeping on and under the tables, and some would have to stay outside.

Our final day was clear and sunny, and we skinned up to the ridge across the valley, leading up to the backside of Peregrine Peak, at 7,402 feet. Ours were the first tracks to the top, and it looked good.

Some hesitant poking around off the summit led us to a line that looked like it went all the way back to the hut, 2,000 feet below. The angle was steeper at the top, pushing 45 degrees, and mellowed out at the bottom. The whole valley is composed of granite, with large erratics littering the open faces, creating takeoffs everywhere. As the face opened up

towards the bottom, we hoped to enter a gully littered with these boulders to rip around and over.

Nick took the first few turns off the ridge below the summit to look over the roll and make sure we were where we intended. Stopping at what looked to be the edge of the world, he beckoned for me to ride down, calling impatiently so he could take his turn. I rode down, passing Nick as the slope steepened, rode off a boulder and landed in hero snow, hollering my way down the mountain ripping steep turns in a series of perfect moments. The splitboard was my spaceship, lofting in low gravity. These were the turns that carried me through the rest of winter.

Nick followed, laughing and probably forgetting about the torture pinpoint inside his boot. We continued back to the cabin, playing ‘catch me if you can’ through the gully, riding high on the walls, tearing the snow and leaving our mark.

Back in the cabin, we packed up, picking our way around happy conversations and tired VOC-ers. Once packed, we walked outside, looking up at the line from the day. We were the only ones to let loose from the top, leaving two prominent traces through the snow, arcing in the evening light towards the spaghetti lines of the others lower down the mountain. We skinned down the trail, passing many more partygoers headed up for a raucous night to pass into the New Year, and reached the truck right before dark. Back on the road, Nick admitted the skiing that day had been the best he could have hoped for, but he had been pretty miserable the whole time due to the cold. I smiled, and we spent some time talking about warm sleeping bags on the drive back to Bellingham.

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QUICK AND DIRTY DETAILS NAME: Brian Waddington Hut LOCATION: North of Pemberton, B.C. APPROACH: 6.2 miles (10 km) with 3,200 feet (1,000m) elevation gain RESERVATIONS: Not necessary, but VOC trips take precedent. Check the VOC registration page: ubc- voc.com/wiki/ VOC_hut_registration FEE: S10 donation per person per night.

Mail in or leave on-site.

AMENITIES: Water outside in stream, pit toilet out back. No heat, no beds.

TERRAIN: Intermediate to expert, strenuous approach.

WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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Stretching Strategies Stretching is something we have all done at points in our lives, whether it was for a team sport or on our own to improve flexibility and performance. While it is generally accepted that stretching should be part of a well-rounded exercise routine, controversy still lingers on when and how to stretch.

As a physical therapist, I am frequently asked how to stretch and whether or not it is helpful for injury healing or injury prevention.

Does it help with injury healing? Well, it depends on the circumstances, but stretching should never cause pain or increased symptoms. Typically, stretching should be an adjunct to other rehabilitation therapies, as stretching alone does not appear to speed healing along.

Can it prevent injury? The jury is still out on this one. The right amount of stretching may improve a person’s tolerance to muscle stretch, possibly reducing the risk of muscle strain. On the other hand, overstretching a muscle can cause functional weakness contributing to injury. We will explore what research recommends for stretching.

In addition to understanding when stretching is helpful and appropriate, it is essential to know how to perform the stretch properly. Muscle imbalances lead to compensatory movements, and if you do not know the proper form of specific stretches and how they should feel, you might fall into a strategy that contradicts your purpose. For example, someone with tight hamstrings may flex in their low back (compensatory movement) during a hamstring stretch, which limits the amount of hamstring stretching that occurs and contributes to excessive stress in the spine.

Research literature explores three types of stretching: static, dynamic and contract-relax. Static stretching is holding a stretch at end range without movement for a certain period of time, whereas dynamic stretching involves moving the muscle through a full range repetitively. Contract-relax stretching involves contracting the muscle for a few seconds before applying a gentle stretch of the

BY AMANDA NAYFIELD

muscle while it relaxes. The different types of stretching are appropriate for different circumstances.

What stretching strategy is best for you? To gain the most out of stretching, identify what you’re looking for.

R

1. WELL-ROUNDED EXERCISE AND WELLNESS: Static or contract/relax stretching following an active warm up is recommended for general exercise programs. How long to hold a stretch is debatable, but my recommendation is to hold the stretch comfortably for 30–60 seconds and repeat 2–3 times in one sitting.

Stretching should be a regular part of your workout routine.

HAMSTRING STRETCH: The most common compensation with hamstring stretching is to round your low back during the stretch. Try to hinge from your hips and keep your spine in a neutral position. You should feel this stretch in the back of your thigh and possibly behind your knee.

2. PERFORMANCE:

If you are an athlete participating in a power sport (sprinting, cyclocross, etc.), warming up your muscles with some brief dynamic stretching is helpful, but too much stretching or prolonged stretching can cause weakness. Of course it is wise to move around prior to a powerful event, but be cautious not to stretch too much before your performance. Examples of dynamic stretching as a warm up include high knees, leg swings and walking lunges. After your workout, some moderate dynamic and static stretching can be beneficial for recovery.

3. REHABILITATION:

If your goal is to improve the range of motion of a restricted joint due to shortening of a muscle, then contract-relax and frequent static stretching are recommended. Remember, loss of motion is usually caused by a combination of joint restrictions, muscle shortening and neuromuscular dysfunction.

Stretching the muscles around a joint should never be painful, and you may need a professional to address all the elements to achieve pain-free range of motion.

How do you know if you are performing a stretch correctly? Here are some examples of common stretches with examples of correct and incorrect form.

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T

PIRIFORMIS STRETCH: Try to prevent your pelvis from rotating to one side or the other. Keep it square during the stretch. You’ll feel this one in the outer hip and buttock region.

HIP FLEXOR STRETCHES: People tend to arch the back when doing this stretch, making it less effective on the hip flexor. While in this stretch, keep your hips square and gently tuck your tailbone so you aren’t arching in your low back.

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WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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FATBIKING: not just for the fringe

BY SPENCER PAXSON

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he cynics have called it an “abomination of the noblest invention.” The visionaries have deemed it a portal to unobstructed adventure. It is the fat-tired bicycle, the recently popularized phenomenon that is enabling riders around the world to explore new environments and new seasons on two wheels.

“Fat bikes,” as they are popularly known, are a great example of action sport’s long history of innovation fueled by its most eccentric, intrepid characters. These balloon-tired behemoths were pioneered in the 1990s by adventurers in extreme climates, from competitors in Alaska’s snowy Iditabike challenge, to explorers in the desert Southwest. Eager to solve the unique challenge of riding on soft, slippery surfaces like snow, sand and mud, early designers sought to widen the footprint of their tires as much as possible.

Over a century since John Boyd Dunlap of Scotland patented the pneumatic bicycle tire, major innovations are still happening. Whereas most mountain bikes have tires ranging from 2 to 2.5 inches wide, modern fat bike tires are typically 4 inches wide or greater. Fat bike tires are run at very low pressures, <10psi, compared to normal off-road bicycle tires, 20–35psi. The combination of low pressure and wide tire profile allows a fat bike to float across otherwise impassable surfaces.

Several years of tinkering later, and fat bikes are now one of the fastest growing segments in the bicycle industry. One can find $6,000 state-of-the-art carbon fiber beauties at specialty bike shops, and $250 steel clunkers at Target. Fat bikes are even popular among the race crowd; the inaugural “Fat Bike National Championships” was held on

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specially groomed snow trails in Ogden, Utah in February 2014.

For the novice rider, fat bikes are easy to maneuver and balance, especially at slow speeds.

For the experienced rider, the massive tires give turning and descending a whole new level of entertainment. Whether you have a penchant for quirky adventures such as riding a bike in the snow or sand dunes, looking for an answer to year-round exercising and commuting or you are just plain curious, fat bikes are worth a look.

Many hardcore mountain bikers from west of the coastal mountain ranges might roll their eyes at fat bikes, and that is understandable. Here in Cascadia we are blessed with an environment that allows us mountain bikers to ride world-class dirt trails year-round. Those inclined to shred the dirt will typically do so on more slender tires, or they will pull out their skis once the snow flies. That said, plenty of people live in places where year-round riding is hampered by sand or snow.

In fact, just east of the Cascades lies one of the premier recreational fat biking resources in the country. Between the towns of Mazama and Winthrop, Methow Trails has allowed fat biking on a portion of its 120-mile Nordic ski trail system for the past two winters. It was one of the first trail systems in the nation to open up to fat tire biking, and according to marketing director Kristen Smith, it was not without a big uproar from the local cross-country ski community.

“We had strongly worded emails, letters to the editor in the local paper, you name it,” Smith said. “There was fear that the bikes would damage the trails, but in fact they are far less destructive than someone on skis. Now, we’re finding that a lot of those people who were against it are some of the most passionate fat bikers.”

Smith said it’s hard not to enjoy the feeling of riding a fat tire bike on snow.

“It’s funny, you put someone on a fat bike for the first time and they just start laughing because it’s so fun,” Smith said.

Along with local businesses like Methow Cycle & Sport, Methow Trails is leading the charge for fat bike advocacy regionally and nationally, partnering with local non-profits, public agencies and the Methow community to provide pristine groomed single-track, and advocating for winter access to the region’s state parks.

Should you find yourself east of the Cascades this winter, or if you need a change of pace to deal with the effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, consider adding fat biking to your bucket list. Visit your local bike shop to learn more, and if you’re in the Methow Valley, fat bikes are available for rent at Methow Cycle & Sport, Goat’s Beard Mountain Supplies and North Cascades Cycle Werks. Reservations are recommended!

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W

hile I’m all for a good Tom and Jerry on a cold winter day, so many more hot cocktails are just as perfect to curl up with after playing out in the snow.

Here are six drink recipes to warm you up this winter.

BOURBON APPLE CIDER

MULLED WINE (Makes six servings) 1 bottle good (not great) red wine ½ cup sugar Zest & juice of 1 large orange 1 cinnamon stick 5 whole cloves 3 star anise ¼ t ground nutmeg

COLD DAYS, HOT TODDIES Warm up with these winter cocktails

BY KARA FURR

Combine all ingredients in a large, nonaluminum pot.

Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Strain through a finemeshed sieve and serve immediately.

Mulled wine is almost infinitely customizable. Start with this recipe and then customize the spices and juice to your taste; try adding ¼ cup of brandy.

(Makes four servings) 3 cups apple cider 3 T dark brown sugar 5 whole cloves 1 cinnamon stick ¼ t ground nutmeg ¾ cup bourbon

HOT BUTTERED RUM 1 small pat of butter 1 t brown sugar 2 oz. dark rum Hot water Dash vanilla Ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice to taste Stir together all ingredients except water in a mug.

Top off with hot water.

Bring first five ingredients to a simmer in a saucepan. Remove from heat, cover and steep for 15 minutes.

Add bourbon and stir. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and serve hot.

Do it the easy way for one by topping off a steaming mug of your favorite brand of spiced apple cider with 1.5 ounces of bourbon.

Have you had a particularly active day? Add a small pat of butter to each mug – you’ve earned it.

BOOZY HOT CHOCOLATE 1.5 oz. of your chosen liquor 6 ounces hot chocolate Our favorite additions: Bailey’s Irish Cream Peppermint schnapps Grand Marnier Caramel sauce and either bourbon or whiskey

IRISH COFFEE 1.5 ounces Irish whiskey 1 T brown sugar Freshly brewed hot coffee Heavy cream, softly whipped Pour whiskey and sugar into a mug, top off with coffee and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Top with whipped cream.

HOT TODDY 1 oz. good bourbon, brandy or scotch 1 T honey 2 t lemon juice Boiled water Combine liquor, honey and lemon juice in a small mug.

Top off with boiled water. Stir until the honey dissolves. Make it more interesting: Use brewed chai tea instead of water.

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In their words: THE

NEPAL

EARTHQUAKE Two local women tell their story of living through one of Nepal’s greatest tragedies

J

eannie DeBari and Doreen Richmond were nearing the end of the trip of a lifetime, trekking through the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal, when a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the region.

Though isolated at the time, they soon learned of the widespread devastation the earthquake had caused.

The April 2015 earthquake killed more than 9,000 people, injured more than 23,000 people and destroyed large numbers of irreplaceable cultural and religious monuments.

Six months after coming home, DeBari and Richmond shared their side of the story with MBE.

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE (MBE): Why were you in Nepal, who were you with and where were you trekking? How long were you planning on being there?

JEANNIE DEBARI (JD): I have wanted to go to Nepal since I was 18 years old. Of course, life got in the way: family, our Glacier restaurant Milano’s, etc.

This year, two friends were going. They had been there before and were open to me coming along.

Jim and Doreen from Lummi Island have been my friends for 30 years. We did the ski patrol together at Mt. Baker for 25 years.

I was psyched to go, but definitely a little nervous.

We were going to check out a new area where not many people travel. It is in the far east near the border of Sikkim in India. We would go to the base camp of Kanchenjunga and over a high pass to the base camp of Makalu. We saw eight Westerners the whole trip. We planned to trek for 45 days. I was stoked!

MBE: Where were you when the earthquake hit?

Can you describe that moment?

JD: We had been trekking for a few weeks and it was incredible. It was beyond my expectations (and I had just been on Denali the year before with my kids). The people, the smiles, the simplicity and, of course, the mountains. We were at Lumba Sumba pass at 5,200 meters when the earthquake happened.

It is a really remote area, maybe 5 miles from the Tibetan border. We knew we had at least three days of traveling without seeing any villages. We were camping at night and totally self-supported.

It was about 2 in the afternoon and we were setting up camp. We were a group of six people: the three of us, two porters and our guide. I was outside cooking on the stove when the dome tent hit me in the head.

The whole earth moved.

I looked up and saw the guides running. I did not quite understand at first, never having been in an earthquake, but saw the look on their faces and realized what was going on. They were scared. As they say, ignorance is bliss.

After a minute, we got together and talked about the earthquake that happened. The main reaction was, “Holy shit!”

MBE: What did you do immediately after the earthquake struck?

JD: We checked out the immediate area and figured out that we were in a safe zone if more tremors were to happen. We talked about where we were going the next day and wondered if we would even see anyone.

MBE: Tell us about the next few days. What stands out in your mind?

AFTERMATH IN KATHMANDU. PHOTO\DOREEN RICHMOND 18

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

JD: We had no clue as to what had happened in the rest of Nepal. It was all we could do to climb the pass and deal with the elevation and weather. We were camping in these yak camps, and there was no outside information. So, we were enjoying our trek.

MBE: People back home didn’t hear from you right

away. When were you finally able to contact family to let them know you were safe?

JD: After another four days of trekking, we arrived to the town of Hatiya. We met this traveler from Pokahara and he said, “Did you feel the earthquake?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Do you know what happened?”

“No, what?”

“Katmandu is destroyed, and the Kombu, and the Langtang.”

My reaction was, “Holy shit, I have to call home.”

There were no phones in the town, but he had a cell phone and offered it to us for a quick call. First, I called my mom who is 93 years old. She freaked out. Everybody was worried about us. My son was talking to The North Face athletes trying to find out if anyone was in the area and what was going on. The newspaper was saying we were lost. The conversation was short and sweet, but word got out that we were OK and doing fine.

We had four more days of trekking before we could get to the road to get back to Katmandu. We told the family we would be in touch then.

The next day, the whole mountainside came down on the trail in front of us. If we had been an hour earlier we would have been caught. We had to climb about two hours extra to get around it.

That’s when it started hitting me – reality struck. I made it back to Kathmandu. I was scared to be in the city with the aftershocks. Luckily, I got to the airport and they let me fly on standby back to Vancouver. My son Lucas picked me up. He had newspapers from Bellingham and stories to tell about us being missing.

I knew nothing. I got on the Internet and couldn’t believe it. Everybody was so worried and we were in heaven, hiking in the most beautiful mountains in the world, oblivious to all of it.

DOREEN RICHMOND (DR): My 83-year-old mother in New York was hysterically crying when she heard from me, and my brother was telling me we were all over Facebook. We realized then it was a much bigger deal than we thought. Our guide Lokpa’s family was living in a tent in Kathmandu and one of our porters, Ram, didn’t know what was up with his family. We encouraged Lokpa and Ram to go back to Kathmandu to be with their families, even though they felt obligated to stay with us.

Jeannie decided to go home too, and Jim and I decided to continue on and walk from Tumlingar towards Everest Base Camp with Mingma, our porter. His parents lived in Cheram and we would go see them. We were psyched – he told us about the great dal bhat and chang (millet wine) his mom made.

We got to Cheram and saw his parents working in the field when the second earthquake hit on May 13.

It was really strong and we all fell to the ground. We watched Mingma’s house sway back and forth while his mother knelt down and prayed. The aftershocks were so strong that we slept in the bamboo potato shed the next two days. Mingma and his parents slept on the floor and we were on the table. It was surreal, but the house survived and nobody was hurt, so after two days we continued on towards Lukla.

From that point on we started seeing more and more destruction and people living in tents. Everything was destroyed and there were no Westerners around.

That trail gets 70,000 people passing through each year, and we were the only ones trekking.

We went a little farther than Pangboche but then decided to turn back. It was too depressing. We trekked back to Salleri and then took a jeep ride back to Kathmandu. It was a ride from Hell – the scariest part of the trip.

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When we got back to Kathmandu it was more than a month after the first earthquake and there was still a lot of destruction everywhere. We wound up helping out doing relief work with an NGO we hooked up with.

It felt good to do something. It was a crazy time, and still is, over there.

MBE: Did the experience of living through that event change you in any way?

JD: First of all, the experience of being where I was has had a huge impact on my life. It has changed the way I think and see the world. Those people are so beautiful and real, and coming home to all the love of the people who care for me was overwhelming.

I am humbled, and after seeing the Nepalese people losing so much, it makes me appreciate how great my life is and what a great place I live in. All I know is I want to go back!

DR: It made me appreciate life more.

When I saw how much destruction there was and how much people lost and how many lives were lost or changed, I really realized how precious life is and how it can change in an instant. Coming home, I was taken aback by how much love and support the community has shown us, and how much we were loved and appreciated. It made me want to try to continue to live up to that image and made me really appreciate and love the community I live in.

MBE: It’s been about six months since the earthquake. Do you know how Nepal’s

recovery efforts are going?

DR: I have heard that things are not going very well at all due to many different factors.

There are issues of corruption within the government, with supplies being blocked or stalled, money not getting to the people it was promised to, and problems due to the adoption of the new constitution. Some of the problems have resulted in disputes between Nepal and India, with border blockades for fuel and food.

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MBE: How can people help?

DR: If people want to send money, they should send it directly with people who are going over there to help. That will ensure the money will get to the people it is intended for. Or else they should be sure the organizations they are donating to will use 100 percent of those donations towards rebuilding efforts or helping out the Nepalese people in other ways.

We have raised over $6,600 so far from the Lummi Island community and are supporting schools and rebuilding efforts in Nepal in different areas. If anyone wants to donate, I will be going back at the end of November and will be taking donations to support schools in the lower Everest region in conjunction with REED (Rural Education and Environmental Development), an organization of the Australian Himalayan Association with whom I’ll be volunteering.

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THE GRAIN THAT DEFINES

BY BRAD ANDREW “As a snowboarder, Landvik has carved out a living doing what he loves, and this career path also helped plant the seed that grew into N-Grained Inc.”

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

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F

rom the outside, the unassuming white stucco-clad building on the corner of Flora Street and Grand Avenue in downtown Bellingham looks no different than the monotonous rows of storefronts and office spaces surrounding it.

What lies within the confines of these utilitarian walls, however, most certainly sets it apart. Once you pass through the glass storefront doors and step onto the terrazzo tile, you are stepping out of a world of bland monotony and escaping into a world of inspiration and beauty, the walls before you adorned with unique woodwork, vibrant paintings and photographs. You are stepping into the world of N-Grained Inc., a workshop, gallery and collaborative space for an evolving community of like-minded artists.

N-Grained Inc. is the brainchild of Bellingham resident Mark Landvik, one of the top professional snowboarders in the world. Landvik travels the globe every year in search of exotic locales and the perfect snow. His exploits on the snowboard can be seen in Brainfarm Production’s films, The Art of Flight and That’s it That’s All. Landvik has carved out a living doing what he loves, and this career path also helped plant the seed that grew into N-Grained Inc. While filming for The Art of Flight in 2010, Landvik suffered a catastrophic knee injury that turned his world upside down. During the downtime after the injury, he took to woodworking to ease his mind. He emptied out his garage and turned it into a wood shop, building custom furniture for clients and friends with beautiful live-edge slabs of wood.

It was the grain in the very first piece of live-edge spalted maple he purchased that lit the bulb for what would become N-Grained Inc. The singularity and beauty of the grain in the wood inspired Landvik, and he realized it could never be replicated. Neither could the works he was creating; their uniqueness was deeply embedded, ingrained in the wood itself. The name N-Grained Inc. was born, but it wouldn’t be until the summer of 2015 that Landvik’s busy lifestyle would afford him the time to fully realize the vision.

In June 2015, Landvik invited snowboard legend and world-renowned artist Jamie Lynn to his home to help with the design of his 2016 Lib Tech Signature Model snowboard graphic.

Instead of working on the graphic as intended, they just created art together, spawning inspiration off one another, crossing mediums and letting the art evolve between them. This synergy of collaborative efforts is what Landvik was looking for, and he knew it was time to act.

A few days later Landvik flew his childhood friend James Johnson up from his current home in Arizona to get involved in the process. Johnson and Landvik parted ways after high school but reconnected a few years ago over social media, after Johnson’s astonishing Native American masks and Tlingit formline art caught Landvik’s eye. Johnson immediately went to

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work in Landvik’s shop, adding bold formline to a live edge slab of spalted maple while Landvik added handcut copper accents to Johnson’s work. The collaborative approach once again led to a sum greater than the parts involved. The art was flowing and needed to be shared.

Landvik leased a space downtown and Johnson designed a website and set up an online store.

In September 2015, N-Grained Inc. opened the doors at 201 Grand Avenue for its downtown workspace. The workspace includes a gallery to showcase current artwork and hold special events, and two workshop rooms to store the wood, tools and art supplies that enable live art exhibitions in the main room.

Where N-Grained Inc. is going from here is unknown, and that is how Landvik wants to keep it. As a constantly evolving collaborative of world-class artists, N-Grained Inc. is a living organism set on creating authenticity and inspiration through raw and honest self-expression. If you ever find yourself needing to be inspired or wanting to own a unique work of art, swing by N-Grained Inc. at 201 Grand Avenue in Bellingham, Washington or visit them online at ngrainedinc.com.

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21

Musings on

SLIPPERY

ROOTS

BY SPENCER PAXSON

“It’s about the act of mastery at any scale, whether it’s a single piece of music, or a single trail on a mountain.”

PHOTO\BRIAN CHAPEL

22

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

T

he other night I was winding things down, attempting a productive review of the upcoming week’s training sessions and weather forecast. I was listening to the rain pour down and trying not to imagine how cold and wet the trails were going to be the next day.

The evening’s radio program was showcasing a set of Chopin’s études. It was a familiar sound and, with my focus drifting away from the deluge outside, a particular piece caught my ear and gave me that goosebump feeling only a good set of notes can do. It sent me back to what it was like to practice that kind of music on the piano and, in general, what it was like to practice anything so intricate and expressive. Étude is a French word meaning “study,” and in the musical context, denotes a short, technically difficult piece of music designed for practicing a specific musical skill, while also being expressive and beautiful. It’s not the kind of thing you can just sit down and churn out. It takes interpretation and practice.

Playing an étude is to music what riding a technical section of single-track is to mountain biking, whereas structured interval riding is more analogous to the rigid arpeggios and scales compulsory to any student of classical music. Each type of exercise is important in its own right, but it’s the études that keep the spirit healthy … which got me thinking about the week’s training plan.

“Seven times in a row,” my piano teacher used to tell me.

“That is how many times you should practice a difficult movement to commit it to memory.” Seven may have been an arbitrary number – I remember it taking many more than seven repetitions to truly master a difficult piece of music. Yet that bit of advice has stuck with me because, at least for me, the “seven times in a row” invokes the calculated persistence required to sincerely master something. When I look back at those 10 years of piano lessons, I realize music was a tremendous medium through which to absorb (and appreciate) the concept of mastery.

Coming back to the next day’s workout, I thought of riding a trail that would be equivalent to playing an étude, and decided to pedal out to the Chuckanuts to practice a 1k section of especially gnarled, twisted, rooty single-track seven times in a row. Each loop was only about 2k, with a steep climb between each round.

The trees were dripping from the night’s rainstorm, and full of dense fog. I had rolled my way through the trail before, but never taken time to study it. The first time through, the roots and steep rollovers seemed unrelenting. I was clumsy, dabbing all over the place, fixating on each obstacle, hesitating, slipping everywhere. Everything was piecemeal and cumbersome. It was like facing the dense string of notes on a page of music for the first time. At first they pose a mass of discouraging obstacles, but after enough times through, you grasp the way they go together. Eventually the notes disappear, and it’s just music.

By the fourth time through, I was down to two dabs. On the fifth, I cleaned it and rode it faster than I ever had before.

Rounds six and seven I discovered even smoother, faster lines.

Persistence, with music, mountain biking or any other passion, brings the reward of mastering a piece enough to make the act of playing not just an exercise, but a rich, personal experience. Eventually you’ve done something that perhaps you’ve never done before, or in a new way, and the momentum carries you on to the next bit. Nothing feels so effortless and satisfying. To master a piece of music is not just to hit each successive note on the page, but to express, in your own way, the whole of all the notes together, to the point where the notes and the pages disappear and the motion of your hands across the keys is as much an expression of yourself as it is the music at hand.

For me, mastery is a relative experience. It’s not so much about being a “master” of something, but rather about the act of mastery at any scale, whether it’s a single piece of music or a single trail on a mountain. I was by no means a great pianist, but I certainly did master a few pieces of music. Devotion to mastery is, for me at least, the hallmark of sport. The discipline and inspiration to do something you’ve never done before is a form of that devotion.

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MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

GALLERY

Above: The aptly named Illumination Rock lights up the morning as a climber works his way towards the Reid Headwall on Mount Hood. Jason Griffith photo.

Below: Backcountry skiers hike through a lush forest on the Painted Traverse in Glacier Peak Wilderness. Jason Hummel photo.

WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

23

Clockwise from above: Airing onto a snowy Japanese beach. Jason Hummel photo. | Tyler Mitchell trail running below Mt.Shuksan. Tyler Mitchell photo. | Chuck Foster leads a winter ascent of the NW couloir of Eldorado Peak. Jason Griffith photo. | Late winter skiing at Washington Pass. Jason Hummel photo.

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

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WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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Summit campsite on the Painted Traverse, Glacier Peak Wilderness.

Jason Hummel photo.

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

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Clockwise from left: Dogs and skiers on Green Mountain. Jason Griffith photo | Corn snow turns on Mt. Rainier. Jason Hummel photo. | Ski mountaineering in the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Jason Hummel photo. | Transitioning for the downhill in the Baker backcountry. Rylan Schoen photo | Nathan Lind throws a method on Church Mountain. Patrick Kennedy photo.

WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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F

ADVENTURE MACHINES

rom ski area parking lots to highway pull-offs across the continent, the van lifestyle made popular in the ’60s is experiencing a massive resurgence. Adventure hounds of all ages have found that the lack of rent afforded by a home on wheels allows them to chase powder all winter and live at the base of their favorite crag all summer. Weekend warriors are branching out from the offwhite RV to more quirky, stylish or cheaper options for family getaways. Meanwhile, droves of people are downsizing to tiny homes to eschew big mortgages and enjoy a life that is simpler and less driven by consumption.

Several of these enlightened nomads circled their rigs for a gypsy-style gathering at the 5Point Film Festival’s “Van Life Rally” in Bellingham in October. Here’s a look at a few of the rigs that were there, along with some thoughts from people who have left mortgages, rents or hotel rooms in the dust of their rolling home.

Van life can make your powder-chasing dreams a reality

BY IAN FERGUSON

PHOTO\RORY SAVATGY

VANS AND BUSES

Van life may have been perfected with the VW Westfalia pop-top camper, but many other options are out there to fit your budget and needs. From a fully hooked-up Mercedes Sprinter to a beat up old Astro Van, all vans provide the benefit of an enclosed, weatherproof space to work with. Customization is only limited by your imagination.

THE SPORTS CAR OF CAMPERVANS VEHICLE: 2004 Sprinter 140 with five-cylinder diesel engine.

SETUP: Mercedes Sprinters are the envy of every van-lifer because they’re so well made.

PROS: Dependability, performance, comfort, aesthetics, safety and low cost of maintenance.

CONS: Steep sticker price. May induce drool from onlookers.

OWNERS: Chad and Brooke Wurtz and two sons.

USE: Family mountain biking, skiing and climbing trips.

ADVICE: “For us, modular is better. Being able to push things aside to fit bikes and gear is helpful. Also, save money by doing the work yourself.” – Chad Wurtz

THE CLASSIC VEHICLE: 1971 VW Vanagon converted into a camper.

SETUP: Along with the unique style and quirky air-cooled engine comes admission into the friendly VW community.

PROS: Efficient, reliable and modular German design with plenty of comforts and hippy vibes.

CONS: Can be pricey to purchase and fix. Speed and safety are limited by old school technology.

OWNERS: Dylan and Jen Kilmer and 1-year-old daughter Hazel.

USE: Weekend and vacation adventures.

ACE-IN-THE-HOLE: Dylan is a mechanic.

ADVICE: “Remember, it’s about the journey, not the destination… ‘cause the journey takes a long time!” – Jen Kilmer

THE SCHOOL BUS VEHICLE: 34-foot Blue Bird bus with Chevy 450 four-block engine SETUP: Short or long, buses provide a bigger space than vans to customize for your needs PROS: Room for activities CONS: Poor gas mileage, hard to park OWNER: McKai Morgan USE: Home TIME SPENT LIVING IN BUS: Seven months COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS: McKai got a great deal up front, paying $3,500 for a good running bus with wood interior paneling already installed. This is offset by the increased cost of road trips at 7 mpg, but without a monthly rent payment, McKai comes out way ahead.

FUTURE PLANS: A winter trip up the powder highway for skiing, and a summer trip to Haida Gwaii for surfing.

ADVICE: “Find a bus that has been fleet-maintained by a school district to make sure it’s in good shape mechanically.” – McKai Morgan

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

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TRUCK HOUSES AND CAMPERS

THE BED ON WHEELS SETUP: A simple plywood platform in the bed of a pickup truck, with a canopy for a roof, gives you a sheltered bed with storage space underneath.

PROS: Simple, efficient and cheap.

CONS: The space is your bedroom, making the world your living room. Or is that a pro?

VEHICLE: Ford F-150 OWNER: Kelsey Ball VEHICLE NAME: Pepper USE: Home, kitchen, gear shed and ongoing art project.

TIME SPENT LIVING OUT OF THE TRUCK: One year.

WORD TO THE WISE: “Check for leaks!

My topper was a junkyard find and the gaskets were shot (something I found out under heavy rains while camped out in the redwoods last winter). I have had good luck with silicone sealant lining the window gaskets and roof rack bolts. You'll need to replace the sealant after about a year, as it tends to shrink in the summer.”

– Kelsey Ball.

The bed of a pickup truck is a handy foundation for a variety of homes. With a little vision and some determination, you can build a custom truck house to suit your needs.

THE TRUCK SHANTY SETUP: A rough and rugged truck bed camper built with scrap 2x4s and plywood.

PROS: Quick and cheap to build. Standing room, a wide bed and many homey comforts in a 5'x 6’ space.

CONS: Meticulous construction takes a backseat to getting it built before the rainy season.

VEHICLE: 1996 Mazda pickup.

OWNER: Stamati Anagnostou.

USE: Home and base for climbing trips.

TIME SPENT LIVING OUT OF THE TRUCK: Four months.

FAVORITE CLIMB SENT AT INDEX WHILE LIVING OUT OF TRUCK: “Model Worker [5.11c] for sure. Sonny Trotter saw me on it and said that it looked awesome. Huge compliment.” – Stamati Anagnostou

THE CRAFT PROJECT

THE CAMPER TRUCK

SETUP: Fine woodworking and creative designs maximize space and lightness on a pickup truck bed.

PROS: Light and leak-proof; conversation starter.

CONS: A time-consuming labor of love that is never truly finished.

VEHICLE: 1998 Ford F-150.

OWNERS: Seth and Elise Daily.

USE: Former home.

SETUP: Prefabricated camper trucks are as varied as their homemade cousins.

PROS: Built-in plumbing, heating and furniture add convenience and luxury to the go-anywhere 4x4 transporter.

CONS: Can be pricey to purchase and maintain.

VEHICLE: 1982 Toyota Chinook 4x4 Diesel Pop-Top.

TIME SPENT LIVING OUT OF TRUCK: 2 years.

STORY BEHIND THE ROUND DOOR: “One buddy was a big Lord of the Rings fan, and he said to build a round door. Another buddy said it would be a huge headache, and to just build a normal rectangular door. I flipped a coin and the round door won.” – Seth Daily

OWNER: Dana Thornton.

USE: Adventure assault vehicle and home base.

QUOTE: “It gets great gas mileage and it can go anywhere. It needs a little work, but that’s part of the adventure.”

– Dana Thornton

WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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HIKE to MONTANA

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On the Pacific Northwest Trail

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BY TERESA SCHMIDT

K

ona Bikes, a Whatcom County-bred manufacturing company with a global following, is several months into its bold decision to open a flagship retail outlet in the heart of Bellingham.

The Kona Bike Shop opened in June at 1622 North State Street, close to downtown and just a few miles from the world-class trails at Galbraith Mountain.

“So far, so good,” said store manager Matt Hoffmeyer. Shop staffers are still adding some finishing touches, including installing a large-screen TV to stream inspirational videos of locals and legends shredding trails, all with their trusty Konas between their knees.

According to Hoffmeyer, launching the bike shop in Bellingham just made sense, mostly because Kona has been headquartered up the road in Ferndale since 1988, the year owners Jake Heilbron and Dan Gerhard founded the company. Hoffmeyer happily moved up from Seattle to run the shop, which serves as a showroom for the entire Kona line and is emerging as a de facto Bellingham welcome center for mountain, road and cyclocross enthusiasts eager to check out the local bike scene.

Walking into the brightly lit shop, you might be struck at the sheer size – with 6,000 square feet of retail space, it has room for more than 70 models of Kona bikes, arranged on handcrafted yellow cedar displays. The walls feature big, colorful graphics designed to get you in the mood for riding, and bikes are everywhere you look.

The Kona Bike Shop also features a full-on service and repair shop, where every brand is welcomed for tune-ups, suspension service, overhauls or whatever you may need.

So far, the new shop has been plenty busy. Staffers are seeing lots of Kona brand loyalists, who are jumping at the chance to check out a top-of-the-line Supreme Operator ($7,599 retail), a mid-range Process 134DL ($3,799) or the new Private Jake cyclocross racer ($1,999).

They’re also welcoming local and regional dealers like Jack’s Bicycles and Skagit Cycle Center to demo Konas on the trails, so they can provide firsthand reports to their customers.

Whether you’re a pro, a fanatic or a beginner, the Kona Bike Shop is a wide open and inviting place to explore the possibilities presented by two wheels, a frame and some handlebars.

Wherever and whatever you’re planning to ride, The Kona Bike Shop is where you can see, touch, compare or test ride the goods.

Whether you end up buying a bike there or not, The Kona Bike Shop has fulfilled its mission: you got to see their entire line in one place. This showroom concept is not new – Giant has such a store across the border in Vancouver – but it’s new for Bellingham, and Kona isn’t alone. Transition, another well-loved bike company that was born and raised in Ferndale, is also bringing a showroom to Bellingham. The build-out of its Bellingham shop and demo center should be wrapping up this winter.

Kona’s brand has always been about people who love bikes and love to ride. The owners

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and employees build bikes that work for them, which translates into bikes that work for all kinds of people.

The Kona Bike Shop staffers are experienced riders, and each brings his or her passion and deep product knowledge to work every day. They have different backgrounds and expertise, from downhill mountain riding to touring and bikepacking. Hoffmeyer, a Kona brand loyalist since 2003, said he rides in the Chuckanuts four or five times a week. He recently rode Squamish, B.C. and reports it was “one of my best times ever on a mountain bike. And the scariest!”

You don’t have to be an everyday shredder or a racer to feel welcome at The Kona Bike Shop; but there’s a good chance the staff ’s enthusiasm for getting outdoors, getting dirty and having fun in the woods or on the road will make you one, even as winter rolls in.

Winter riding brings its own fun, as well as a few challenges. But according to Hoffmeyer, as long as you’re prepared with the right gear, you can ride every day of the year in the temperate zone that is Whatcom County. True, as the days get shorter, it’s not as easy to pedal up to Galbraith after work and hit Cedar Dust, Golden Spike, SST and Back Door Descent. But we find solace in knowing the weather shift can make for muddier trails.

Opening the retail shop brings opportunities for Kona Bikes to become more involved in the company’s hometown cycling community. They’ve adopted the Devil Cross trail on Galbraith, and are looking forward to sponsoring workdays this winter.

Future plans call for more service clinics and classes, including women’s riding nights led by staffer Amanda Bryan. Hoffmeyer said the company also wants to increase its support of junior cycling development with Rad Racing; and for grown-up racers, the shop will be taking its demo show on the road to the MFG Cyclocross Series, offering support, answers and opportunities to ride the 2016 Private Jake.

It looks like mountain biking in Bellingham is only going to get bigger, and the ability to nerd out over so many Kona models in one place will certainly help draw additional attention to the area. Bellingham has a nice selection of bike shops, each specializing (forgive the pun) in a much-loved brand or two. When you add in epic trails and scenic roads on which to ride, as well as Bellingham’s growing craft brewery scene to fulfill every possible hydration need, it becomes obvious: it’s been built, and they will come.

And if the new Kona Bike Shop has any say in the matter, Bellingham will be joining Moab, Tahoe, Sedona and Bend as a premier mountain biking destination. Some would say it already has.

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35

STRATEGIC SHOVELING

BY JASON D. MARTIN

Rescuing someone from an avalanche is deadly serious, but practicing rescue techniques can be fun. Background: Jason D. Martin. Right: Richard Riquelme Collection.

A

Avalanches are terrifying.

Like many backcountry travelers, I’ve had a few close calls, but others have been through something far worse. They’ve been caught, or have had to rescue a partner who was caught in an avalanche.

The modern winter backcountry traveler has an arsenal of tools to locate a buried avalanche victim: a transceiver to approximate the location of the victim, a probe to pinpoint the location, and finally, a shovel to dig the victim free. A strong rescuer who has extensively practiced will be able to locate her companion quickly with a transceiver and probe. The digging part though, requires planning and hard work. It’s not uncommon for rescuers in practice scenarios to take up to 30 minutes to free a mock victim. This is way too slow.

The statistics tell us that most recreational avalanche victims are buried between 1 and 1.3 meters deep. To the uninitiated, this doesn’t sound that deep, but the reality is surprising. A burial at this depth requires the rescuer to remove up to one-and-a-half tons of snow! The proper digging strate-

gy can mean the difference between life and death.

Choosing the right spot to start digging is essential. If you select the wrong spot you have to move significantly more snow, while simultaneously leaving the victim buried for a longer period of time. Once the probe strikes the victim, many rescuers are inclined to start digging straight down.

There are three problems with this. First, if you’re standing right on top of the victim, you might collapse any air pockets that he was able to create during the avalanche. Second, digging straight down requires one to remove a great deal more snow than other strategies. And third, it’s very difficult to do first aid in a vertical hole in the ground.

Once you’ve hit the victim with the probe, leave the probe in. This will help you to estimate where you need to dig. In a shallow burial (less than 1 meter), the rescuer should dig just downhill of the probe-strike. Think of it as digging toward the victim, instead of down to the victim.

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hole toward the victim 1.5 times the burial depth downhill of the probe-strike. The depth should be apparent to the rescuer from the probe-strike.

Start with a small hole, approximately as wide as your extended arms. If there is more than one rescuer, then the starter hole can be as wide as a body-length. Begin the excavation by digging on your knees and throwing snow off to the side. If you throw snow behind you it will create a mound that you may have to move again. You never want to move snow twice! However, if it’s a deeper burial, it’s possible that you will eventually have to terrace the hole and throw snow behind you.

This usually happens once you get down approximately waist deep.

Keep the avalanche probe in sight. Don’t bury it or move it. The last thing you want to do is dig in the wrong spot or dig below the victim.

Once you’ve found the victim, focus on clearing snow from the head. Once you can reach the victim’s face, check the mouth and airway for compacted snow that may obstruct breathing.

Rescuing someone from an avalanche is hard work. Be sure that once you know where the victim is, you have a solid digging strategy. The less dialed your strategy is, the more likely it is that your partner will die.

Avalanches are terrifying.

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HOW TO BUILD A TRAIL 8 Questions for Todd Elsworth, director of Recreation Northwest

Shredder of red tape. When it comes to building trails, the box of paperwork that precedes any digging is just as important as shovels and excavators.

Todd Elsworth shows what it took to build the 18th Street Connector Trail at Fairhaven Park.

T

he Bellingham-based non-profit Recreation Northwest expanded its role from race organizer to environmental steward in 2014, and less than a year later, their first trail build looks like it has always been there. The 18th Street Connector Trail in Fairhaven Park is the first step in making Fairhaven Park a better place to play. The hope is to find a balance between recreation, stewardship and even education.

MBE: How did Recreation Northwest become stewards of Fairhaven Park?

TODD ELSWORTH: Two years ago, we knew stewardship was going to be an important part of the work we were doing, we just didn’t know what that meant. I sat down and had a conversation with Saul Weisberg, the founder of North Cascades Institute, who I idolize because of his amazing work around conservation and stewardship. He said to just pick a place and start taking care of it, and I thought, wow, that’s a great idea.

The most logical place for us to choose was Fairhaven Park, because we’ve been running the Bellingham Traverse through there for the last 10 years and our mission is to take care of the places where we play.

MBE: Tell me about the trail.

TE: It’s 750 feet. It’s not a long trail but

it’s significant because of the connectivity it provides between 18th Street and Fairhaven Park. Before, it was a muddy mess. No one was going in there, and now it’s a 6-foot wide gravel path that’s wheelchair accessible. We moved the trail up out of the wetlands and found the best path to make the connection between 18th street and Fairhaven Park.

MBE: What kind of permitting had to be

done before construction?

TE: Perry Welch of Welch Environmental did our wetland delineation, and Andy Law at Wilson Engineering as our surveyor. With Perry’s report and Law’s report, I filled out two city permits: a critical areas permit and a stormwater permit. That whole process was educational, and I thank Kim Weil and Jason Porter at the city of Bellingham for their help.

MBE: How did you raise money for the project?

TE: Recreation Northwest’s staff and board reached out to friends and family, past participants of our events and people

Burlington

around town. We had over 90 donors, and we raised more than $30,000 of cash and in-kind services by the end of the year. Hats off to each of our contractors, because they each donated a portion of their time and expertise.

I owe a big “Thank You” to the Fairhaven Lions. They came in with an $8,300 donation at the end to help us meet our goal. And I am also now a proud Fairhaven Lion!

MBE: What was the construction process like?

TE: The leading role in all this is Gerry Wilbour. He owns Northwest Trails, and he’s been building trails for decades all over the country and the world. The great thing about working with Gerry is, because of his experience, we’re able to build the most rewarding experience for people visually and movement wise.

After we figured out the best path, I came through and cleared a bunch of stuff out of the way so Gerry could get in there with his equipment, and then he basically went in there and plowed a line through. He did all his work on the weekends, pulling his crew and guys from around the state to come back and do this stuff. We had over 100 volunteers come in over the course of five weeks.

Q Laundry and the Alcoa Foundation, with the Intalco plant in Ferndale, brought their crews in for works days which were really fun. Then we had Boy Scouts putting moss on the side of the trail, and now if you go there it looks like it’s been there for years.

MBE: What’s next?

TE: Phase Two, as we’re calling it, is to

cross the wetland. There’s an old trail that over the years has gotten wider and wider because people keep going around the mud.

We’re going to move the trail to the east so it comes up into a whole other wetland forest with huge trees but a beautiful open canopy.

After that, we’ll continue to work with the forest district, the parks department and the community to develop a master plan for the whole park.

MBE: Will there be mountain biking

trails?

TE: Our plan is to get a group of middle schoolers together to work with Eric Brown at Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC) and the forest district, and they’re going to help design and build mountain bike trails in an area that was once a gravel pit. EB and I are going to get together and start formulating how we’re going to do this, but we’re thinking the middle schoolers will be able to design the trails with guidance from EB and Bill Hasenjaeger, who is the BPRD liaison to the forest district. The kids will also do most of the actual building.

MBE: Why are trails important?

TE: The biggest thing is access: to pro-

vide access for people to get out and get a little touch of nature in an urban forest. This is an urban forest that we’re lucky to have.

You can get out there and it’s immediately peaceful.

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SMITH OPTICS I/OS WOOLRICH VINTAGE GEO (WOMEN’S) Features fast strap adjustments with clip buckle, helmet compatibility, spherical carbonic-x lens, women’s medium fit (available with Asian fit) and quick release lens system. $180

smithoptics.com

A modular high performance ski boot system that combines a snowboard boot and a nano fiber exoskeleton and features a heat moldable, Thinsulate-lined inner boot, a Vibram sole, dual Boa adjustable closure system, along with an external tongue designed for smoother fit and closure as well as shedding water. Apex ski boots provide warmth and walkability without sacrificing performance. Simply step out of the outer chassis and walk straight into the lodge or drive home after a long day on the hill without the need for a separate pair of boots. Additionally, the inner boots can also be used separately for snowboarding - great for dual sport athletes. $895

apexskiboots.com

HELLY HANSEN NORSE PARKA You don’t have to wear your expensive slopeside jacket everywhere – change it up with this water resistant, windproof and breathable parka. Faux fur lined hoods and insulation will keep you warm, dry and comfortable walking the city. $400.

hellyhansen.com

MSR WINDBURNER PERSONAL STOVE SYSTEM Out in the backcountry? Nothing warms you up faster on a cold day than a cup of tea.

MSR’s ‘git-er-dun’ Reactor technology will boil water in about 2 minutes! $129.95

msrgear.com

WINTER GEAR GEMINI ICELANTIC SPLITBOARD

DAKINE MERCER JACKET

John from Glacier Ski Shop: “Super durable, and outstanding in all conditions and terrain. Made in the U.S.A. and comes with a 3-year warranty.” In-store special: was $999, now $599.

What does the ski patrol know that you don’t know? They know to pull on a new Mercer Jacket and Prospect Bib from Dakine, designed specifically for the Mt. Baker ski patrol. 3L Gore-Tex fabric, bonded seams, wrist gaiters and powder skirt complements the Prospect bib with articulated knees, water resistant zippers and long side zippers for easy egress. $450

glacierskishop.com

dakine.com

ICELANTIC NOMAD RKR John calls this the “best Baker do-all for the snowboarder turned skier turned powder farmer. It’s a great Billy Goat ski!” Was $699, now $385

glacierskishop.com

HELLY HANSEN HH WOOL GRAPHIC LS & W HH WOOL GRAPHIC 1/2 ZIP & PANT Look hot while keeping warm.

Helly Hansen’s base layer option contains 100 percent merino wool and uses flatlock stitching. $100.

hellyhansen.com

MARKER KINGPIN John: “Brand new for 2016, the Marker Kingpin is the first hybrid tech touring binding. Tech toe, traditional heel. Stays light, with tremendous power transmission from toe and heel.” $600.

glacierskishop.com

BE LOCAL, BUY LOCAL. We encourage you to support your local retailers. These winter items can be found at American Alpine Institute, Backcountry Essentials, Comor Sports, Fairhaven Bike & Ski, Glacier Ski Shop, Hidden Wave Boardshop, LFS Marine & Outdoor, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Mt. Baker Snowboard Shop, Northshore Ski & Board, REI, Skiis & Biikes, Valhalla Pure Sports, West Coast Sports, WWS Boardshop, Yeager’s Sporting Goods and other quality retailers in Washington and British Columbia.

WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

39

Where to Eat ACME/VAN ZANDT ACME DINER

2045 Valley Highway (Hwy 9) 360/595-0150 acme-diner.com This ’50s-style diner’s friendly staff is ready to serve you great home-cooked food; fresh ground hamburgers, daily dinner specials, gluten free meals, pizza, espresso, homemade desserts and Acme ice cream.

BLUE MOUNTAIN GRILL

974 Valley Highway (Hwy 9) 360/595-2200 bluemountaingrill.com Fresh, homemade fare, including baked bread and desserts made daily, steaks and burgers. Open for lunch and dinner every day, and breakfast on weekends. Enjoy a beautiful view of the Twin Sisters.

BELLINGHAM BELLEWOOD ACRES

6140 Guide Meridian, Lynden 360/318-7720 bellewoodfarms.com Visit the distillery, farm, country store and bistro for artisan food products and Northwest gifts.

Visit the website for a full list of entertainment and family activities.

BOUNDARY BAY BREWERY & BISTRO

1107 Railroad Avenue 360/647-5593 bbaybrewery.com In business since 1995, catering to locals and outof-towners alike. Ten house brews on tap paired with a menu of fresh Northwest locally sourced pub food. Family friendly establishment with daily live entertainment.

CHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHEN

601 W. Holly Street 360/752-3377 chuckanutbreweryandkitchen.com Enjoy world-class European-style awardwinning lagers and ales, and a local-centric menu of fresh American cuisine including woodstone pizzas, burgers, seafood, salads and more.

KEENAN’S AT THE PIER INSIDE THE CHRYSALIS INN & SPA

804 10th Street 360/392-5510 thechrysalisinn.com Featuring a seasonal menu, full bar and terrace

Family-owned pizza restaurant focusing on fresh, homemade quality Italian fare. Friendly service, helpful information and great food combine for an unforgettable experience.

bar open for happy hour every day, 3–6 p.m. Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner daily with a view of Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands from every table.

KULSHAN BREWING CO.

2238 James Street 360/389-5348 kulshanbrewing.com Enjoy great beer in a comfortable taproom with a view of the brewery. Bring your own food or order from on-site food trucks at this neighborhood gem.

K2

1538 Kentucky Street 360/389-5348 kulshanbrewing.com Enjoy great beer in a comfortable taproom with a view of the brewery. Bring your own food or order from on-site food trucks at this neighborhood gem.

WESTSIDE PIZZA

7260 Cordata Parkway, Suite 107 360/756-5055 Pizza made with only the best ingredients available, and dough made fresh every day. The perfect place to stop after a long, hungry day of adventuring.

BURLINGTON SKAGIT’S OWN FISH MARKET

18042 Hwy 20 360/707-2722 skagitfish.com Offering the highest quality in local seafood.

Daily lunch specials freshly prepared. Local jams, jellies, salsas, honey and sauces. Visit them on Facebook.

CONCRETE 5B’S BAKERY

45597 Main Street 360/853-8700 5bsbakery.com Skagit County’s premier bakeshop serving homestyle breads as well as a full array of fresh baked goods and classic American desserts. Dedicated gluten free. Great food for everyone. Open 7 a.m.– 5 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.

ANNIE’S PIZZA STATION 44568 State Route 20 360/853-7227 anniespizzastation.com

DEMING RIFUGIO’S COUNTRY ITALIAN CUISINE

5415 Mt. Baker Highway 360/592-2888 ilcafferifugio.com Gourmet full-service menu, serving wine, beer and espresso at reasonable prices. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Thursday–Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

15 minutes from Bellingham. New drive-up bar.

Live music and events. Last stop for WiFi.

THE NORTH FORK BREWERY AND BEER SHRINE

9989 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-9883 Grab a stool at the legendary bar and enjoy rotating selections of fine craft beers, ciders and wine. New menu specials – appetizers, sandwiches and dinner. Breakfast weekends.

MILANO’S TAPAS & COCKTAIL BAR

9990 A Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2863 milanostapasbar.com An elegant, cozy space in the foothills to enjoy a craft cocktail, a unique and delicious wine, a local or exclusive beer, and tapas and small plates. The new not-to-be-missed restaurant/bar in the area.

MILANO’S PIZZA

6186 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2337 northforkbrewery.com Looking for marriage or a pint of fresh ale and hand-tossed pizza? Our pizzeria, brewery, wedding chapel and beer museum is your place!

Open to all. Monday–Friday: dinner; Saturday– Sunday: lunch and dinner.

EVERSON HERB NIEMANN’S STEAK HOUSE RESTAURANT

203 W. Main Street 360/966-2855 eversonsteakhouse.com Nestled in the middle of Everson, serving a mouth-watering array of steaks, Bavarian specialties, seafood and desserts to customers since 1993. Offers atmospheres for adults and families alike, including parties up to 50.

FERNDALE

1 Bourne Street, 9990 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-3300 milanospizzadelivery.com Came back from a long hike? All day skiing?

Don’t want to leave the cabin? Hungry? Call Milano’s Pizza. Highest quality ingredients, baked to perfection and delivered to your door. Just call 360/599-3300.

MILANO’S RESTAURANT

9990 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2863 milanosrestaurantbar.com For 25 years Milano’s has been a landmark of the Mt Baker foothills. Now you get our improved traditional Italian recipes plus daily specials to make you remember us. A feast for all senses.

MTN ACRES AND FAT BEAR

Mt. Baker Highway mtnacres.com Glacier’s locally sourced food court. Find us on Facebook.

WAKE ‘N BAKERY

SILVER REEF HOTEL CASINO SPA

4876 Haxton Way Exit 260, I-5 866/383-0777 silverreefcasino.com Six diverse dining options and a multiple awardwinning Steak House.

GLACIER CHAIR 9 WOODSTONE PIZZA AND BAR

GRAHAM’S RESTAURANT

6903 Bourne Street 360/599-9378 getsconed.com Open daily 7:30 a.m. to 5ish p.m. Serving breakfast burritos, quiche, soup, lunch wraps and freshly baked goods. Savory and sweet gluten-free options. Organic espresso and coffee. Indoor and outdoor seating. Dine in or take out.

MAPLE FALLS

10459 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2511 chair9.com The perfect place to enjoy a great family meal or a brew after a day on the mountain. Bands play weekends. Try the “Canuck’s Deluxe” pizza, a staff favorite. Open for lunch and dinner. Dine in or take out. Check music events on Facebook.

CRAVE ’N BURGERS AND BREW

7471 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-9595 Stop in and enjoy a variety of signature 100% Angus burgers, or build your own. Served with hand-cut French fries. Try a local tap beer and wings. “Feed your crave’n.” Open daily for lunch and dinner.

New to Maple Falls, Crave’n Burgers & Brew

C

Co-owner Cory Wilson, center, with chef Jeremy Moxley and server Stephanie Rambo.

40

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

ory Wilson and brother Marc Wilson decided to open up Crave’n Burgers & Brew to fill the need for a restaurant in Maple Falls. “We wanted to create a friendly, affordable place to gather and eat good food.” As the name suggests, Crave’n Burgers & Brew primarily features signature burgers using 100% Angus beef – you can even “build your own.” The fries are hand-cut and all the sauces are made on premises. Pulled pork, Tri-tip sandwiches, and a variety of freshly made salads round out the menu. As well, Chicken Wings can be prepared with 8 different sauces such as Chili Garlic Lime, Honey Mustard, Cajun and Cambodian Blend. On tap are local beers such as Aslan, Kulshan and Boundary Bay. The first thing you’ll notice when you walk in is how clean and neat the restaurant looks. Cory Wilson wouldn’t have

it any other way. Families are welcome and kids can select from the kids menu. Feed your crave’n. Located at 7471 Mt. Baker Highway in Maple Falls. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

x

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

located in the heart of the Mt. Baker Recreational Area. Perfect for hitting the slopes and relaxing.

Where to Stay BELLINGHAM

GLACIER

THE CHRYSALIS INN & SPA

A CHALET AT MT. BAKER

804 10th Street 360/756-1005 thechrysalisinn.com Each guest room overlooks a spectacular Northwest seascape. Spacious rooms feature fireplace, down comforters, luxury amenities and a two-person bath elegantly set in natural slate.

Three distinctive room types offer increasing levels of luxury.

FERNDALE SILVER REEF HOTEL CASINO SPA

4876 Haxton Way 866/383-0777 silverreefcasino.com An award-winning hotel, casino and spa.

Beautiful Mt. Baker views, complimentary breakfast and Wi-Fi. You’re sure to enjoy your stay.

MT. BAKER VACATION RENTALS

360/671-5383 mtbakervacationrentals.com Come stay with us! All our properties are located in and around the Glacier area, a short drive to Mt. Baker. Winter, Summer or in between. Get up here… “Top of the Mountain to you!”

7087 Bluet Pass 360/367-0963 chaletatmtbaker.com Enjoy all things outdoors. Chalet is warm and inviting with lots of beautiful wood and a cozy wood-burning stove. Sleeps 4–6. Hot tub on outdoor deck, fire pit area. Great rates!

BLUE T LODGE

10459 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-9944 bluetlodge.com Conveniently located behind Chair 9 Woodstone Pizza and Bar, this six-room inn is ideal for families or groups. Clean rooms have queen-sized beds, a full bathroom and private small patios as well as access to a meeting space.

LUXURY GETAWAYS

9989 Mt. Baker Highway 360/398-9590 or 877/90-BAKER stayatmtbaker.com From mountain chalets to waterfront lodges, Luxury Getaways offers overnight accommodations in newly built vacation homes

THE LOGS AT CANYON CREEK

7577 Canyon View Dr., Glacier Springs 360/599-2711 thelogs.com Cozy log cabins with kitchens and fireplaces.

SNOWATER RESORT AND CONDOMINIUMS

10500 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2724 snowater.org One and two-bedroom rentals available.

Recreation centers with indoor pools and sauna.

Indoor/outdoor racquetball courts.

MAPLE FALLS BAKER ACCOMMODATIONS

7425 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2999 or 888/695-7533 bakeraccommodations.com Baker Accommodations offers cabins and condos in the resort developments of Snowater, Snowline and Mt. Baker Rim, conveniently located just east of Glacier.

542 - The Music Highway

Chair 9 Woodside Pizza & Bar Glacier A magnet for Seattle and local bands on weekends.

Plenty of space for dancing.

Graham’s Restaurant Glacier The legendary bar provides a great venue for live music and open mic nights.

MT. BAKER LODGING

7463 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2453 or 800/709-7669 mtbakerlodging.com Mt. Baker Lodging offers cabins, condos, chalets and executive rental home accommodations. A number of selected units are pet friendly. Walk-in reservations and one-night stays available.

WINTHROP CHEWUCH INN

223 White Avenue 800/747-3107 chewuchinn.com Guest rooms for romantic getaways, seasonal travelers and outdoor enthusiasts. The relaxed atmosphere of a B&B with the privacy of a hotel.

Centrally located for an abundance of outdoor adventures in the surrounding wilderness areas.

MANNING PARK, B.C. MANNING PARK RESORT

7500 Highway #3 800/330-3321 or 604/688-5922 manningpark.com Manning Park Resort is a four-season family resort 45 minutes east of Hope, B.C., Canada, that offers year-round camping and accommodation, hiking, canoeing, skiing/boarding, 64 km of Nordic trails, snowshoeing and an outdoor ice rink.

Lucky us! Live music flows along the Mt. Baker Highway, especially during the winter season. Check the FB pages for these venues to find who’s performing.

Rifugio’s Country Italian Deming Variety of classical, folk, and country perform dinner shows.

R: Clarinetist David Kappele performing at Rifugio’s.

Bentgrass, the iconic east county string band, performs the first Thursday of every month at Graham’s Restaurant in Glacier and across the street at Milano’s Restaurant every third Thursday.

Follow the band on FB for other appearances.

Milano’s Restaurant - Glacier With new ownership and the addition of Milano’s Tapas & Cocktail Bar next door, a variety of musical performances will appear.

WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

41

Events - find more events and submit your own at mountbakerexperience.com NOVEMBER

your own mushrooms. More info: cascadiamushrooms.com

SKAGIT WINE & BEER FESTIVAL: November 21, Mount Vernon. Wines, beer and spirits from throughout Washington, with appetizers and more. More info: mountvernonchamber.com/events

FRASER VALLEY CROSS COUNTRY RAMBLE: November 22, Abbotsford, BC.

Trail running race in the Fraser Valley.

More info: peninsularunners.com/events

LA CONNER TURKEY TROT: November 26, La Conner. Run to benefit the high school. More info: laconnerchamber.com WINTER CAMPING BASICS: November

30, Bellingham REI. Learn how to plan, stay warm, select appropriate gear and what to expect when winter camping.

More info: rei.com/stores/bellingham

BAKER BACKCOUNTRY BASICS: De-

cember 8, Bellingham REI. The Mount Baker area of the North Cascades offers endless backcountry ski and snowboard lines for those with the right tools, experience and knowledge. More info: rei.com/ stores/Bellingham

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING BASICS: De-

cember 9, Bellingham REI. Free your heel and your mind will follow. More info: rei. com/stores/bellingham

MT. BAKER SANTA PHOTOS: December 12-13, Mt. Baker Ski Area. Get the best holiday photo ever, on the ski slopes with Santa and Mrs. Claus. More info: mtbaker.us

DECEMBER FADE TO WINTER SKI FILM PREMIERE: Decem-

ber 3, Bellingham. Grab your buds and head to Aslan Brewing Co. for the premiere of MSP’s new ski film Fade to Winter. With beer and food from Aslan and a gear raffle after the show, all proceeds benefit Bellingham Mountain Rescue Council and Northwest Avalanche Center. Sponsored by Mount Baker Experience. Check our FB page for details.

NOOKSACK NORDIC MEETING: Decem-

ber 3, Bellingham. Meet with fellow Nordic ski and snowshoe enthusiasts to plan trips and protect local trails. More info: nooksacknordicskiclub.com

INTRO TO AVALANCHE AWARENESS:

December 15, Bellingham REI. Introduction to recognizing avalanche danger and reducing the risk. More info: rei.com

JANUARY

race to qualify for the Legendary Banked Slalom. More info: mtbaker.us

POLAR BEAR PLUNGE: January 1, Birch Bay. Start the New Year off right and take a cold dip in the Salish Sea. More info: bakerbirchbay.com

FEBRUARY

RESOLUTION RUN: January 1, White Rock BC. 4k and 8k trail runs to ring in the New Year. More info: peninsularunners.com/events NOOKSACK NORDIC MEETING: January

7, Bellingham. Meet with fellow Nordic ski and snowshoe enthusiasts to plan trips and protect local trails. More info: nooksacknordicskiclub.com

ARC’TERYX DEEP WINTER PHOTO CHALLENGE: January 10, Whistler BC.

The best winter sports photographers from around the world brave the elements to capture the essence of winter at Whistler and compile the winning slideshow for the voting public. More info: deepwinterphoto.com

JINGLE TRAIL 5K RUN/WALK: Decem-

ber 5, Coupeville. Cross country fun run through Fort Casey State Park. More info: coupevillechamber.com

JINGLE BELL RUN: December 5, Burlington. 5k run/walk, kids fun run and dog trot. More info: skagitjinglebellrun.org

MUSHROOM WORKSHOP CASCADIA MUSHROOMS:

WITH

December 5, Bellingham. Learn to grow

42

BAKER RALLY:

MOUNT RAINIER SNOWSHOEING: Jan-

uary 10, Mount Rainier National Park.

Join REI instructors and guides for a snowshoe tour at Mt. Rainier. More info: rei.com/stores/bellingham

MLK LOCAL’S RACE: January 18, Mt. Baker Ski Area. Local snowboarders can

VALENTINE DINNER: February 13, Mt.

Baker Ski Area. Enjoy a romantic fireside dinner at the Raven Hut Lodge after a day of skiing or riding the snowy slopes. More info: mtbaker.us

30TH ANNUAL LEGENDARY BANKED SLALOM: February 18, Mt. Baker Ski

Area. Join the best snowboarders from around the world to celebrate 30 years of the race that started it all at Mt. Baker.

DASH AND SPLASH: February 27, Ana-

cortes. 5k fun run and polar plunge in Seafarer’s Park. More info: members.anacortes.org/events

MARCH KOMO KIDS CARNIVAL: March 5-6, Mt.

Baker Ski Area. Celebrate the Komo Kids Ski Program with barbeque, prizes, tugof-war and more. More info: mtbaker.us

SEATTLE BIKE SHOW: March 5-6, Seattle.

Join the biggest bike expo in the northwest at CenturyLink Field Event Center.

More info: seattlebikeshow.com

IFSA JUNIOR REGIONAL FREERIDE:

BEACON

March 19-20, Mt. Baker Ski Area. The best junior freeskiers show their skills on Mt. Baker’s legendary terrain. More info: mtbaker.us

December 19, Mt. Baker Ski Area. Practice your avalanche rescue skills, racing to locate buried transceivers to win cool prizes. More info: mtbaker.us

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

ary 4, Bellingham. Meet with fellow Nordic ski and snowshoe enthusiasts to plan trips and protect local trails. More info: nooksacknordicskiclub.com

RECREATION NORTHWEST EXPO: February 25-26, Bellingham.

A networking party for outdoor industry professionals, combined with a free-to-the-public expo for the outdoor recreation community. More info: recreationnorthwest.com

GUNNAR SHAW MEMORIAL CROSS COUNTRY: December 5, Vancouver BC.

5k and 10k trail runs in memory of Gunnar Shaw. More info: lgrr.com

NOOKSACK NORDIC MEETING: Febru-

GOLDEN EGG HUNT: March 26, Mt. Bak-

er Ski Area. Find the golden egg to win a season’s pass to Mt. Baker next winter.

More info: mtbaker.us

PHOTO/PAT KENNEDY

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

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Aslan Brewing Co.

Sunday, January 24, 2016 • 12–5 pm

1330 N. Forest St. • Bellingham, WA

Thursday, December 3rd Doors at 6 p.m.

•

Film at 7:30

$10 suggested donation at the door.

GEAR RAFFLE after the film to benefit: RAFFLE DONORS:

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by Sheraton, Tickets only $12 and everyone 17 &Lakeway underInn is FREE 714 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham, WA

FOR TICKETS & PARKING VISIT SEATTLEBIKESHOW.COM CARPOOL PACKAGE AVAILABLE To register, purchase tickets or get more information, visit www.bridalinspirationsexpo.com or call 360-733-2563 Performance Area • Main Stage • Dirt Zone and Pump Track • Have a beer and explore the show

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WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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MATIAS EVANGELISTA SPINS A THREE ON A BLUEBIRD POWDER DAY AT MT. BAKER. PHOTO BY GRANT GUNDERSON.

44

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

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WINTER 2016 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

45

Rolling THUNDER: AN INSIDE LOOK AT BOWLING AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIKE IT

BY STEVE GUNTLI

T

his is the story of how I went bowling and drank beer with my friends.

Now, there are some who may decry the very premise of this article as me using valuable work hours to slack off. There may even be some cynics out there who, having read my previous Mount Baker Experience work, believe that I’m taking a mundane, everyday activity and inflating it to the level of being newsworthy, just so I wouldn’t have to hike up another steep hill.

But I am a journalist, dedicated to getting to the truth of the matter, and like Hunter S. Thompson, George Plimpton and Nellie Bly before me, I am immersing myself in the world of my subjects to give an intimate, in-depth view of the secret world of casual bowlers.

Despite my overwhelming journalistic integrity, the pitch for the article still took some selling. Why would we, an outdoor magazine, want to focus on something as mundane as bowling? Everyone does it, everyone basically likes it and there’s very little new or controversial to say about the sport

It’s an inside deal, now for everyone.*

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

of rolling a heavy ball towards a row of pins.

Even with my God-like gift for hyperbole, I could only summon so many interesting things to say about it. But once I inspected this particular gift horse and found its gums and teeth in impeccable condition, I decided to just roll with it (pun!). After all, I was an amateur bowling against people who were slightly better than me. Surely an underdog story would emerge.

I’m not a bowler. My experience with bowling is minimal at best, the product of a few birthday parties over the years. I have much more experience with the Wii Sports version of bowling, but it hardly recreates the experience. It’s like listening to a song on the radio compared to seeing it performed live.

The first challenge I faced was finding a suitable crew with whom to conduct my social experiment. After many scheduling snafus and rejected text messages, I had secured a diverse group with varying levels of experience: my long-suffering wife Nicole Vettese; my friend Joella Ortega, who next to me has the most minimal bowling experience; and Joella’s boyfriend, Nathan Dalla Santa, who has his own custom bowling ball and shoes.

Just the sight of Nathan’s bowling ball bag, which was clean and orderly but still scuffed with use, fueled a sudden and unexpected competitive spirit in me. He had instantly assumed the role of the smug expert just begging to be taken down by me, the scrappy underdog. Nathan, laid-back and effortlessly cool, was perfectly OK assuming that role, which diminished the dramatic odds a bit. I promised him that if we ran any photos, I would Photoshop in a few popped collars and fraternity letters onto his shirt to drive my point home.

The site of our great contest would be 20th Century Bowling, located in downtown Bellingham. The building should be next to any definitions of “bowling alley” in the dictionary or on the Internet. It is the default setting, everything you would associate with the sport: a confluence of shabby and shiny, rich with the smells of oil, grease and sweat, fueled by competition both casual and fierce. On any given night, you’ll see teenagers on dates, drunken middle-aged men picking fights and kids having birthday parties. It is a slice of Americana simultaneously familiar and bizarre.

Bowlers, like all athletes, are slaves to tradition and ritual, and one of the central facets of the casual-bowler lifestyle is alcohol consumption. In the spirit of gonzo journalism (which, you’ll recall, is totally what I was doing, not slacking off), I decided to partake, you know, just to see what all the fuss was about. We brought over a pitcher to split, and then another, and then another.

I was starting to feel what bowlers refer to as “drunk,” but remarkably, it didn’t seem to be

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negatively affecting my game.

We played three games overall, which was good, because even my skill for overinflating unimportant events was feeling the strain during those first two games. In game one, Nathan dominated easily, with me coming in a distant second, Joella third and Nicole last. Game two was even worse; despite my cartoonish promises to give Nathan his come-uppance, I threw garbage all 10 frames, coming in dead last with a paltry 70-something. My hopes of framing myself as the underdog were dashed.

For the third game, however, things heated up. Maybe it was the alcohol coursing through our veins, or maybe we finally were feeling the competitive spirit I was so desperately hoping for. Whatever the reason, everyone brought their A-game, throwing strikes and spares in even competition with one another the entire game.

As the game stretched on, I kept pace as best as I could. I experimented with techniques for throwing consistent strikes. Some seemed to work (focusing intently on one single pin), others were a bust (I don’t know how to curve the ball). Eventually, my experimentation caught up with me, and a few gutterballs sealed my doom. I felt I’d failed both myself and the art of journalism (of which I was totally immersed in, remember).

But while I was obsessed with trying to write this underdog narrative for myself, a real one was taking shape: Nicole and Nathan were neck and neck for first place.

A bit of backstory: Nicole has been a little sensitive about her bowling performances in the past, and that sensitivity has not been assuaged by her marriage to a braying jackass who likes to make fun of her. Undeterred, though, she’s been putting in time, playing with coworkers in their Wednesday morning league and gradually building up her average. A win tonight, against a seasoned and talented player like Nathan, would be a big deal for her.

Resigning to our fate as also-rans, Joella and I settled back between frames to watch the unfolding drama and polish off the rest of the beer. Nathan was too laid back to show any outward indication that Nicole was making him nervous, but I promised to Photoshop oversized beads of sweat onto him, maybe even shaky cartoon lines around his knees. Nicole, despite the beer, had the eye of the tiger. She saw that her chance had come, and she wasn’t about to waste it.

Joella and I continued to bowl. The final frame crept up on me, mostly because I was drunk and I misread the screen. My final score on my final game: 111. Joella’s: 108. Whatever shook out between Nicole and Nathan, I was going to be in third place, a rather ignominious end to my high journalistic ambitions. But this story wasn’t about me anymore, and maybe it never was.

Nicole and Nathan continued to throw, and I, with heart in my throat, finished our third pitcher of beer.

I’d love to say the underdog triumphed, but sadly it wasn’t to be: Nathan ended up squeaking out a win by a paltry six points. He would go on to a lucrative bowling sponsorship, untold riches and international acclaim. But Nicole? She earned something much more valuable. She learned to believe in herself. Probably.

And what did I learn from this experience? I learned that I am willing to do anything for my craft, even if that means drinking beer and bowling with friends. Tune in next time, when I will attempt to binge-watch an entire season of “Breaking Bad.” There’s nothing I won’t do for the sake of journalism.

x

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COZY CAMPSITE ON A WINTER NIGHT IN THE GLACIER PEAK WILDERNESS. PHOTO BY JASON HUMMEL. MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2016

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