Mount Baker Experience Spring 2013

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MOUNT MOU T BAKER BA BA AKER AK KER ER

e perience Adventures in the Pacific Northwest | Spring 2013

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COntents

SPRING 2013

snowy tours

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04

Cold & Bold

A winter traverse of the Twin Sisters

10 Total Commitment

A daring Isolation Traverse

14

Snowshoeing 101

Dual Adventure

A primer on winter’s most accessible sport

16

A human-powered approach to Ruth Mountain

17

Randonnée Repairs

Field improv from an alpine McGyver

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36 Hitting the Trail Enjoying scenic winter touring

changing nature

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Glacial Retreat

Climate change and the future of skiing

Photos (clockwise from top): Jay Goodrich, Jason MArtin, Jay Goodrich, Mark Turner

26 Between Land and Sea Springtime tide pools are full of life 28 Frost Flowers

Magic happens on the forest floor

great guides 12 Living the Dream

Becoming a professional mountain guide

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18

Shredding the Gnar

Guide to mountain terms 30 Mt. Baker Mountain Guides New guide service launches in Bellingham

32 Three Rivers, Many Hours

Triad River Tour guides master the art 34 Spring Gear The latest for adventure seekers

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Photo Gallery

locally known

23 Collective Purpose INNATE boosts community spirit 24 Music Highway Get into the groove on 542

27 The Coal Pad Building Glacier Skate Park

29 Serving Up Splitboards Serafino retrofits boards for the backcountry

Mount Baker Experience Publishers Patrick Grubb and Louise Mugar, Point Roberts Press, Inc. Managing Director Kathy McGee Art Director Charlie Hagan Advertising Design Charlie Hagan, Ruth Lauman Advertising Sales Molly Ernst, Judy Fjellman, Janet McCall Office Manager Amy Weaver staff writers Ian Ferguson, Brandy Kiger Contributors Brad Andrew, Hassen Basagic, Molly Baker, Jon Brunk, Nicole Doornbos, Ryan Duclos, Josh Durias, Gary Fortenberry, Jay Goodrich, Andrew Grubb, Grant Gunderson, Dylan Hallett, Dylan Hart, Jason Hummel, Patrick Kennedy, Justin Kious, Aubrey Laurence, Sue Madsen, Jason D. Martin, Joe Meche, Jake Merrill, Jeremy Miller, John Minier, Jenni Pelc, Matt Primomo, Travis Rambo, Rylan Schoen, John Sculrock, Jared Smith, Peter Sundberg, Kat Thorney, Mark Turner ©2013 Point Roberts Press 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 email: info@mountbakerexperience.com web: mountbakerexperience.com facebook: facebook.com/mtbakerexperience PINTEREST: pinterest.com/mtbakerexp TWITTER: twitter.com/mb_experience

31 Annie’s Pizza Station A Concrete fixture

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Spring Events/Activities

get racy 36

Bragging Rights

Two Ski to Sea teams compete for the cup

37 Race of Legend Riding the Banked Slalom

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MOUNT MOU T BAKER BA BA AKER AK KER ER

e perience ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST | SPRING 2013

If you can see Mt. Baker, you’re part of the experience. Mount Baker Experience is a quarterly recreation guide for and about the Mt. Baker area, 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. XXVII, No. 2. Printed in Canada.

About the Cover Matt Steinman and Byron Bagwell, along with their trusty dogs Bogey and Tima, ascend Table Mountain.

Photo: Dylan Hart dylanhart.com

SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTHERN LIGHT

Next edition: may 2013 | Ads due: april 17, 2013

SPRING 2013 | Mount Baker Experience

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cold & bold

in Sisters A winter traverse of the Tw

Peter Sun dberg

By Jake Merrill

T

Peter Sundberg

he Twin Sisters, lower than both Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker, stretch from Mt. Baker Highway roughly 45 miles south to Highway 20. The range has been traversed by ski several times in the warmer seasons, but according to record, a winter traverse has not been completed before.

Dustin Byrne, Peter Sundberg and I set out for the traverse on January 2, with a plan to come out in Hamilton sometime in the evening on January 3. We were dropped off on Mosquito Lake Road at about 6 a.m. Low temperatures and heavy packs were a small worry compared to the logging trucks whizzing past us. We proceeded upward, tech bindings gliding silently, accompanied by the squeaking of Peter’s telemark bindings.

We are blessed here in the Northwest with huge amounts of snow, and the weight of the recent snowfall had begun to bend the backs of trees, as if they intended to stretch their heads to the ground and create a tunnel of heavy, snow-laden boughs.

We skinned and reached the west ridge of the north twin around noon. As the sun slowly crept its way along the south face of the peak, we worked our way upward, sweating under heavy loads, yet freezing whenever we stopped for water. As we drew closer to the summit, the terrain became steeper and steeper. With only 50 meters to go, we pulled our skis and climbed to the summit of the north twin, arriving just after 1 p.m. The perfectly clear day sprang out at us, with the San Juan islands sitting lazily on the horizon, and the north face of the south twin staring at us, as if to say, “climb me!” A light breeze came up, crisp and clear, prompting a scramble to the true summit to examine our intended route to the south side of the twin. Rime ice crunched under our boots,

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Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

and the gaping maw of the couloir stretched out beneath us, full of teeth – like rocks and boulders – with an unclear finish between the north and south twin.

Despite having rappel gear with us, the unclear exit was daunting – extra hours of rappelling and ascending up ropes in the case of a cliff out was not appealing. By 2 p.m. we were saddled up and ready for the first true descent of the traverse. This is why we do it – the north face of the north twin was home to wind-packed fluff, just begging to be skied. All our aches and fatigue washed away with each steep turn, spindrift flying around our faces and beckoning us ever further. We were in pursuit of a couloir to the southeast side of the north twin. Further and further down the ridge we skied. With each impassable couloir and decreasing daylight, our hopes dwindled.

Finally we came upon an opening that appeared to go all the way, and we decided to take it. A narrow entrance with an equally narrow exit awaited us, yet we had found a way through. A whole new perspective on the Sisters range opened up before us, with the mellow east side of the crest stretching away in undulating rolls, all the way to the toes of Mt. Baker.

Despite being roughly 3 p.m. by this time, we decided to push for the far side of the south twin before making camp.

We approached the north face of the south twin with steel in our eyes, ready to do battle with steep snow climbing ahead. A nasty wind crust awaited us, and each boot step would break off a large chunk of hard wind slab and send it rocketing down the hard surface to the valley floor below us. Sunset was rapidly approaching, and we knew our ski down the south face would be significantly more difficult with little light to guide the way. As the summit neared, our cold muscles warmed and the pitch became even steeper. By the time we reached the summit, a magnificent sunset had begun, a breathtaking rendition stretched before us, reds and pinks spilled from the corners of the horizon, and lit up Mt. Baker behind us with a warm pink glow. Our awe at the spectacular color palette before us caused a brief pause in our hasty switch back to the descent, and for just a moment, one of the few in the entire traverse, we stood perfectly still and admired the masterpiece displayed before us.

After a quick ski down tight, wind-rimed chutes, we made our camp in the drainage to the southwest of the south twin.

We settled into an evening of melting water, digging a snow cave and planning a route for the following day. By 9:30 p.m. we were settled into our cozy snow cave ripe with anticipation for the morning, our long day of skinning and skiing rewarding us with a deep sleep.

Dawn reared its ugly head and ushered us from our frozen chamber. There is perhaps nothing more unpleasant than frozen ski boots first thing in the morning. After filling in our snow cave, we were moving by 8:30 a.m. After only a

quarter hour of skinning it was yet another bout of steep snow climbing and a quick transition to ski and traverse the next bowl. As we skinned our way toward what turned out to be the last pass through the notch of the traverse, we listened to the complete silence of the Twin Sisters – whistling wind, the glide of our skins and our labored breathing were the only sounds to be heard – a welcome change from the everyday bustle and noise of modern affairs.

As we reached the col, we realized it was the first pass that we had actually skinned all the way up for the whole trip!

As we exchanged high fives and transitioned to ski mode we admired the wide-open terrain of the south Twin Sisters.

A whole new perspective on the Sisters range opened up before us, with the mellow east side of the crest stretching away in undulating rolls, all the way to the toes of Mt. Baker.

Mellow and long, the exit valley stretched as far as our eyes could see toward the Highway 20 valley, a swath of light trees and rolling, gully-ridden terrain – a skier’s paradise. A clear route toward our intended logging road exit presented itself to us in a series of stretching, traversing ridgelines, and we began our final and longest descent toward the valley floor. Whoops and screams accompanied our every turn, and despite occasional wind crust and sun-cupped snow, we pushed onward and downward. We were enjoying the freedom of constant dynamic motion, the cold of the morning and fatigue of day two being put on temporary hold as we gobbled up vertical feet in our long sweeping traverse.

We reached the valley floor, skinning up one smaller nob through a clear cut and skied down to a snow laden logging road at last. Adventure tree skiing followed in short order.

With our final logging road visible at the bottom of the valley, we decided to ski the tight trees instead of wandering the road systems and looking for our exit road. An intended short ski turned into two hours of fighting trees and adventure creek skiing. We followed a creek bed for miles, guessing that it would eventually connect with our logging road.

Snow bridges collapsing and trees dumping loads of snow down our backs were a serious hit to morale. After an hour and a half our creek skiing gamble paid off, as we found the logging road and enjoyed a half hour of road skiing until we finally ran out of snow. With mixed feelings we pulled our skis and searched our packs for our buried running shoes.

We had finally hit dirt at 2:30 p.m. As we began our long walk down the road we were welcomed to the Highway 20 valley by a herd of elk, which fled up the steep moss covered hillside flicking their tails.

Four hours later, after frozen creeks and logging roads devoid of logging trucks for a hopeful hitchhiking pickup,

we returned to cell phone service only to receive bad news: The gate in Lyman was locked, and we had another four miles to slog. We were pushing 30 miles by ski in the last 48 hours, and we walked through the pitch black with bowed heads.

At last, about 7:30 p.m. on January 3, we saw a twinkle of light winking at us through the trees. It was the gate, and our trip was over. After 48 hours, 12,000 feet in elevation gain, and roughly 35 miles of travel, we had completed the traverse. At times it was cold and fatiguing, and at times our minds wandered to other places we could be. Despite all this, the rugged and silent terrain made it all worth it. The Twin Sisters offers

some pristine alpine terrain comparable in aesthetics and ski potential to much larger ranges. What it lacks in vertical height, it makes up for in remoteness.

I hope to return to the Sisters soon – they welcomed us with open arms, allowed us safe passage and showed us beautiful sights that will not soon be forgotten. X Jake Merrill is a Pacific Northwest local born and bred. He enjoys skiing and climbing in the North Cascades and is currently a senior in the outdoor recreation program at Western Washington University.

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J. E. Booen Hassan Basagic

1892

t a e r t e r l a ci a Gl ture of skiing Climate change and the fu

2012 ABOVE PHOTOS: Portland State University glacier researcher Hassan Basagic has made a series of photographs based on archival images of glaciers in the Cascades. This comparison taken along the Boulder Glacier route shows remarkable melting of the Boulder glacier on Mt. Baker’s east flank. The 1892 photo by J.E. Booen is from the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

By Ian Ferguson

T

he smell of a ski lodge triggers one of my earliest memories. You know the smell – the musty odor of old woodwork, generations of sweaty boots and gloves warmed by the fire, hot chocolate, beer and fried food. It’s the smell of people coming in from the cold. It reminds me of a night of skiing when I was four years old at my hometown ski area – King Pine in Madison, New Hampshire. I remember standing next to my dad, looking out the picture windows of the lodge at the lit up rope-tow hill we had skied, and feeling very good about it.

Over the years I became fanatical about skiing, and the sport brought me many things – a high school racing championship, employment as a snowmaker and ski instructor, and the impetus to move to Washington state. Last year, winter never came to New Hampshire. In a land where it’s rare not to have a white Christmas, fall lasted from October to March, and the ski season was abysmal. So I headed for the mountain with the most snowfall in the world, and here I am a year later, a season pass-holder to Mt. Baker’s white room, which is open for business on an extremely reliable basis.

Two photographs I saw on the wall of Village Books in Fairhaven reminded me that although I had run from snowless winters, my future ski seasons (and those of my progeny) are not secure.

The photos were elevations of Mt. Baker taken from the same vantage 100 years apart.

One was taken in 1912 by E.D. Welsh, the other in 2012 by John Scurlock. The glaciers in the most recent image have receded far upslope from the earlier photo, and that simple combination of images illustrated as well as anything that the future of skiing is in jeopardy.

If you spend enough time in the hills, you learn that the only thing permanent up there is change. The mountains themselves were uplifted by monumental geologic forces and are constantly being worn down by weather and ice. The Old Man of the Mountain, New Hampshire’s state symbol, crumpled off the mountain two years ago, and the largest known rock deposited by a melting glacier is a house-sized hunk of granite called the Madison Boulder.

It’s a few miles from where I grew up. My grade school teachers informed me that glaciers carve the landscape as they advance and retreat in accordance to how warm or cold the climate is, which makes them both the cheese graters and the thermometers of the earth.

Soon after seeing the photos at Village Books, I watched the documentary “Chasing Ice” at the Pickford Theater, in which the photographer James Balog documents the melting of arctic glaciers. After superhuman effort, trial and error, and blown-out knees, he captures

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Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

stunning time-lapse footage of gigantic glaciers disappearing before our eyes. Aside from the irony of a guy who flies thousands of miles in jet-fueled airplanes to get this footage, the documentary succeeded in illustrating the colossal power of climate change. I wanted to stand up in the movie theater afterward and yell to the audience, “Sell your SUVs! Buy a bike and invest the balance in alternative energy stocks!”

I needed to talk to some scientists about climate change to learn about the future of skiing. The North Cascades are home to more glaciers than can be found in Glacier National Park, and our region attracts some of the best climate scientists in the world. These people study glaciers, climate and geology all day, everyday, because it’s their job and their passion.

If anyone can tell me about the future of winter, it’s a North Cascades geologist.

Runaway train. Mauri Pelto directs the North Cascade Glacier Climate Project from Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts. He has been traveling to glaciers in the North Cascades every year since 1984 to measure their annual mass balance, which is the difference between how much mass a glacier gains in the winter and how much it loses in the summer. He explained that glaciers are fluid objects that advance and retreat depending on yearly snowfall and temperature. A glacier that loses more mass to snowmelt in the summer than it gains in winter snowfall is out of equilibrium, and will retreat if the negative balance is sustained.

“Annual mass balance is the most sensitive climate indicator on a glacier,” Pelto explained, “because it is affected by changes in both temperature and snowfall.”

His study of 10 glaciers in the North Cascades, including Rainbow and Easton glaciers on Mt. Baker, shows a cumulative loss of more than 43 feet in glacier thickness since 1984.

“The cause of the negative mass balances is temperature rise,” he said. “Precipitation has actually increased over that time period, but snowpack has not, which would indicate more winter rain and melt events.”

More rain and less snow make me nervous about the future of skiing, but what does a New Englander know? I talked to an expert from the Northwest. Andrew Fountain is a professor of glacial geology at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. He conducted his doctoral dissertation on the South Cascade glacier just outside of Darrington, Washington.

Fountain and his colleagues use ground and aerial photography to analyze change in

surface area of glaciers across the western U.S. They study the correlation between this data and changes in local, regional and global climate.

Fountain said the glaciers on Mt. Baker have lost an average of 25 percent of their surface area since 1900. Mt. Baker’s glaciers have fared better than those in the surrounding Cascade Range, most of which have lost closer to 50 percent of their surface area. At 10,781 feet, Mt. Baker stands much higher than the surrounding peaks, so it gets snowfall even when the surrounding peaks are getting rain.

That high-elevation snowfall sustains Mt. Baker’s glaciers, but the line between snow and rain is moving up the mountain.

“Precipitation hasn’t really changed that much in the last 100 years,” he said. “What’s changed is air temperature. In the Pacific Northwest, snow is fairly warm compared to places like Utah, so we might have a ton of precipitation that falls as rain at the lower elevations, but as the regional temperature rises, the elevation at which rain turns to snow also rises. At the same time, summers are getting warmer, so glaciers are melting more each summer.”

Fountain pointed out that this level of melting is not unprecedented in our region. He said

Asked how climate change would affect the future of skiing, Fountain said, “You know, we’re on a runaway train.” the glaciers on Mt. Baker were the same size or smaller than they are now in the late 1940s. Glaciers generally retreated from around 1900 until the 1950s, and actually advanced from the ’50s to the early ’80s as the climate cooled slightly, before receding again. There is evidence of rapid melting of the ice caps as the Earth warmed after the last Ice Age, and dozens of recorded advancements and recessions in the glacial record since then.

What’s different about this melting period, Fountain said, is the cause.

“In the past, the fingerprint of change has been natural, because humans weren’t around. But now, the change is human-caused.”

I asked Fountain how climate change would affect the future of skiing. “You know,” he said, “We’re on a runaway train. If you took humans away right now, the earth would still warm up for 100 years because of a lag effect. If we continue to burn fossil fuels at our current rate, we’re talking five

or six degrees of warming. There wouldn’t be any more glaciers.

Forget the ski industry – it’s gone.

In general, wet places will get wetter, dry places will get dryer, but it’s hard to accurately predict the type of havoc that amount of warming would wreak on air currents and weather systems. When they get into the five to nine degree models, I just stop reading,” he said. “It’s too depressing.”

Fountain was hopeful that the status quo scenario is unlikely to continue as people begin to wake up to climate change and make efforts to reduce their energy consumption. He mentioned habits like turning out lights, carpooling, bicycling more and making energy-conscious purchases.

“These are all small, dopey sounding things,” he said. “But if everybody does them, they can have a major impact.” As an example, Fountain said he rides his bike the five miles to work when continued on next page

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continued from previous page

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Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

1912

John Scurlock

Global problem. Doug Clark, a geology professor at Western Washington University, is our local glacier expert and a lifelong skier. He has skied Mt. Shuksan – that sharp, craggy spire to your left as you ride up Chair 8 at Mt. Baker Ski Area. Clark has brought students to the terminus of the Easton glacier every spring for 10 years, and the images he’s collected every year since 2000 show the bulbous, 20-foot cliff face at the head of the glacier not only retreating up the mountain, but also wasting away until it is a tapered plane of ice angling to the dirt.

Clark reiterated that the glaciers on Mt. Baker have melted beyond this point before, and that glaciers always cycle between growth and recession. But he said the current warming period, from about 1900 on, is significant because it isn’t natural.

“If you look at all the natural factors in the backdrop, things like changes in the solar output, changes in El NiñoLa Niña cycles, Pacific decadal oscillation, and the other natural climatic input, we should have been on a cooling trend over that whole period, and instead what we’re seeing is dramatic warming,” Clark said.

“If no major changes are made, where do you see the ski industry in 100 years?” I asked.

“Probably not at Heather Meadows,” he said. “I don’t know, that’s a really good question. Even in the higher elevations, it’s going to be really hard to imagine a viable ski industry with good snowpack every year as opposed to rain.

There will be a few higher elevation ski areas that might make it, or maybe you’ll have to go to Alaska if you want to ski. But that’s looking at the status quo, and I think there’s a lot we can do to prevent that.”

I asked him if he meant turning out the lights.

“I think the small things can work to a degree, and we all have to take part in sharing the effort, but fundamentally, it’s a global problem,” he said. “We really do need to, at some point, address it as a global community.”

When asked about the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal, Clark said there were a lot of reasons the terminal is a bad idea locally, but his primary concern was that the terminal would promulgate the burning of coal, which is the worst offender for CO2 output.

“Yeah, China will probably get it from somewhere else if it’s not through us,” he said. “But they’ll have to pay more, and that will motivate them to find a more sustainable source of energy. Anything we can do right now to end the burning of coal will be good for the planet in the long run.”

Clark admitted that he has become a bit evangelistic about climate change over the years. “I’m trying to be reasonable about this. I’m a logical scientist, not an emotional tree hugger, but this is important stuff that’s going to affect my kids, my grandkids and everybody on a global scale, and it’s frightening to the people who work on it.”

Clark compared climate change denial to the debate over cigarettes in the ’70s, when Big Tobacco paid so-called experts to testify before congressional committees that cigarettes are safe.

“It’s egregious,” he said. “Status quo is not a viable option for anybody who studies climate. The survivability of human society – I won’t say humans as a species – but as a modern, functioning society, is headed for a pretty nasty cliff.”

And skiing is a part of that society.

“I love skiing,” Clark said. “I grew up skiing, and I would hate for my kids or my grandkids not to have it. It’s wonderful recreation, it’s clean, and it’s part of the human experience. I don’t think it’s trivial at all. But it’s linked to the health of our climate, and that’s under threat.”

Clark made a point of stressing that all is not lost when it comes to our climate and the future of skiing.

“We can make the necessary changes,” he said. “It will be a challenge, and it will take a collective effort.”

Emil Welsh

it’s not raining or freezing outside. “In the grand scheme of things, it may not make a difference, but at least I can consider myself part of a larger movement to reduce my energy footprint.”

2012 ABOVE PHOTOS: Photographer John Scurlock took a photo from the same vantage point as Emil Derixon Welsh’s 1912 image of Mt. Baker from the summit of Loomis Mountain. The images show that the Easton Glacier on Mt. Baker’s south flank has shrunk dramatically over the last 100 years. A poster of the paired images is available from the Mount Baker Volcano Research Center in Bellingham. For more info contact research@mbvrc.wwu.edu.

Coming in from the cold. When I was 18,

I took my six-year-old brother to the rope-tow hill at King Pine, the same place I learned to ski. I was more of a big brother than a teacher: “Okay, Jesse, just point the skis downhill and stand up tall.” He flew down the slope carrying speed toward the lodge, and I yelled at him to fall down before he ran into the building. Luckily he did, and despite the scare, he fell in love with the sport just like I did. It’s a joy to hear Jesse’s stories about tooling around the hill with his 10-year-old buddies now, and the idea that our grandchildren won’t be doing the same is a sad one.

I bought a used bike the other day. It’s purple and rusty, and the gears don’t always shift when I want them to. But it feels good to ride it around town, and after a cold bike ride in the Pacific Northwest winter, any building I go into feels like a ski lodge. X

Whatcom Museum is planning an exhibition on art and climate change called Vanishing Ice: Alpine and Polar Landscapes in Art 1775-2012. Offering an extraordinary look at the rich artistic legacy of the planet’s threatened, frozen frontiers, the show spans more than 200 years with 75 works of art from both poles and alpine terrain worldwide. Collectively, the exhibition represents an unprecedented scope and level of scholarship on the topic of our changing climate. Opening day is set for November 1, 2013, and runs through March 2, 2014.

Ian Ferguson is a writer from New Hampshire who recently moved to Bellingham. An avid climber and skier, he is consistently blown away by the beauty of the North Cascades.

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John Minier

By John Minier

traversing is simple – ski from point A to point B, with point B being some number of days away and preferably on the other side of a mountain range.

Often, the reality can be a bit more complex. Timing a traverse can be tricky, especially with fickle coastal weather. Given the relatively stable Cascade snowpack, ski traverses are often feasible during winter and spring, but you do need a few consecutive sunny days to actually pull one off – a tall order in the Northwest. Throw in people’s schedules and the whole process can get messy in a hurry.

“OK, brake is up this time,” I say. Jenni wrinkles her brow and gives me a concerned look. “But brake is down,” she responds.

“Well, normally yes, but we’re using a munter hitch to rappel, so the braking action is opposite of what it normally is.” I go on to explain the mechanics behind the munter hitch. We’re on day two of the Isolation Traverse, and our route requires us to rappel a short step between the McAllister Glacier and the Backbone Ridge. Jenni has rappelled before, but never with a munter. She just gives me a pissed off look. “No, brake is down,” she insists. I choose my response carefully. “I guess I could lower you?” With this she applies an upward brake, and leans back on the rope. “See you at the bottom.” Problem solved.

Matt watches us from the bottom. Mellow, quiet and unassuming, it would be easy to mistake him for a zookeeper rather than a studious avalanche forecaster/splitboarder extraordinaire. Known amongst close friends as Primomo, or simply Momo, he has a reputation for walking softly and carrying a big Voile Split Decision stick. During the summer months he works as an avalanche forecaster for a mine in Chile, only to fly north in the fall to ski guide and instruct avalanche courses out of Salt Lake City. He knows only winter.

I rap down, pull the rope and turn to Matt. “What’s this next section look like?” I ask. He pulls out the map. “Seems like a long glide track traverse out the ridge,” he says. I comment on how that’s going to really suck on a snowboard. Matt just smiles, strips his skins and drops a knee off the ridge in split mode. Touché, Primomo.

This is Jenni’s first ski traverse, and given her enthusiasm, I’d say she’s taking to it well.

I’ve got a handful under my belt, and Matt probably lost count years ago. The whole idea of

Remote viewing. The rewards are great and warrant the spontaneous abuse of sick days. For a skier, there is something remarkably compelling about a one-way journey through the serene, wintry mountains. It harkens back to a time when life wasn’t so easy – when small groups of brave men crossed mountains not for pleasure, but for the simple purpose of reaching the other side. Even today, self-reliance is an integral aspect of ski traverses.

Successful trips still depend entirely on the tenacity and strength of individuals within the group; however, Gore-Tex and goose down make for a more comfortable experience. In some ways, a lot has changed since pioneers first pushed over the Cascades, but there is something still very romantic and strangely natural about heading to the hills and skiing into the sunset.

In other ways, very little has changed. Traverses grant us the opportunity to ski and travel through terrain that would be impossible to access otherwise, but the elements that make for a memorable traverse are more subtle. Details, such as the low hiss of a campstove under a starry sky or the view from the summit at sunrise, are what make for a truly successful trip.

Traverses also provide the opportunity to worry about real problems: Will we have to ration fuel? I hope we get a good freeze tonight. Is the barometer still dropping? Should we hurry?”

These concerns are only compounded by the remoteness. Even with today’s advanced communications, the safety net on ski traverses is a little thinner, and small errors can have large consequences. We mitigate risk as best we can, but adventure is still the primary goal, and there is no adventure without a little uncertainty.

What isn’t uncertain is that some of the best ski traversing exists right here in our backyard. The North Cascades boast all the key elements of spectacular traverses – remote, rugged, steep and snowy. Few roads bisect the range, but the ones that do tend to be at regular intervals and make for excellent starting and ending points. Thus far, the high routes that closely follow the Cascade crest have all been explored and skied. There are still numerous other east to west variations as well as massive link ups that can be done. With enough time, motivation and dehydrated food, one could conceivably head up the Suiattle River Road with a pair of skis and emerge weeks later, battered and bearded, at the Hannegan Pass Trailhead. To date nobody has skied the entire crest, Baker to Rainier, in a single push.

Matt Primomo

Halfway point.

The Isolation Traverse is a relatively small segment between the Cascade River Road and Highway 20. In our current position, halfway out the Backbone Ridge, we’re beginning to feel as though it’s aptly named. Eldorado Peak, the main attraction and a generally popular objective, is hours behind us. Soon it will be days. Sometime in the next 24 to 36 hours we will reach the halfway point, and it will be safer to continue forward than to turn back. This is why we chose the Isolation – total commitment and big remote ski descents.

I take over trail breaking from Matt and head up toward a narrow notch in the ridge.

We’ve been inspecting possible descents off the north side of the backbone for the last hour or so, with no reasonable options. Traversing northeast under the ripsaw skyline of pinnacles and peaks, it’s hard to imagine what ski lines drop off the other side. I skin through the notch. Towers of granite rise precipitously on both sides, like walking through the gates of

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Mordor. I cautiously approach the edge and gaze over at 3,000 feet of fall line powder skiing. “Whoop, whoop,” I yell back to Matt and Jenni. “It’s good to go. I’m calling dibs on this one.”

We gather on the edge of the run and take our first real look at the terrain we will encounter in the days ahead. Miles and miles of ridges, slopes and summits stretch northward toward Isolation and Snowfield peaks. Beyond lies the Picket Range, Mt. Baker, Shuksan and Canada. “Oh my, so much to ski,” I whisper under my breath.

By tomorrow evening we will be camped on the edge of Snowfield Peak looking south toward Backbone Ridge, and somebody will pretend that they can almost see our tracks.

I drop the line first and figure out where all the crevasses are. I stop several hundred feet down and pull out the camera. “Have at it, and stay right on my tracks!” I yell. Matt makes a beautiful second descent, using Perdition Peak as a backdrop for his line. He may be unassuming, but he knows how to produce a good Kodak moment.

Jenni drops in last. Her style is indicative of someone who grew up pounding bumps and bashing gates at Snowbowl and Telluride.

When somebody comments on her skiing and asks her where she’s from, they rarely expect “Arizona” to be the answer. She skis like she argues – with purpose and confidence, tearing the slope open with wide GS turns. Watching her ski is like falling in love all over again.

Jenni and Matt lead the way to camp and we dig in for the evening. Far to the southeast, McAllister Glacier stubbornly refuses to give up its last few rays of sunshine.

We laugh and joke, relive the day and worry about tomorrow.

Jenni, who is now completely addicted to ski traversing.

Plans are made for a repeat offense. “Same time, same place, next year?” I ask, but who really knows when or even if we will all assemble again for a similar adventure. Ski traverses are naturally ethereal, and no amount of scheming will force one. Occasionally,

opportunities spontaneously materialize with the perfect storm of good weather, stable snow and willing partners. When that happens, drop everything and go. X John Minier is the owner and lead guide of Mt. Baker Mountain Guides, Bellingham’s biggest little guide service. Visit him at mtbakerguides.com.

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Living the Dream

mountain guide Becoming a professional American Al pine Institut e

By Jason D. Martin

I

These are the days that we dream about. Indeed, these are the days that we all live for.

Now imagine doing all that – and getting paid for it. Welcome to the world of the professional mountain guide.

Obviously it’s not all splitter cracks and champagne powder.

Most guides don’t make much money. They spend a significant amount of time away from home and a lot of that time is spent trying to guide or instruct in the cold, the wind and the rain. But regardless of the hardships, there are many people out there who would like to get a taste of what it might be like to guide.

As the operations manager at the American Alpine Institute I field one or two calls a week from individuals who would like to work as guides. We receive between 100 and 200 guide applications every year; and we are generally only trying to fill two to six slots.

My friends at other guide services have confirmed that this is pretty normal. There aren’t many positions available, but there are a lot of people who would like to fill them. Everybody, it seems, wants to figure out a way to “live the dream.”

When I speak to individuals who aspire to guide, I tell them that getting into the industry is often the hardest part. Once you get in with a reputable guide service, you’re in. After a year or so of working in the field you’ll have the experience and the network to change employers easily.

12

Getting in.

So how do you get in? There are three things that hiring managers at the larger Pacific Northwest guide services are looking for: technical ability, mountain education/certifications and diverse interests.

First and foremost, you have to show that you meet the prerequisites for working as a guide.

Can you demonstrate that you put in enough time suffering in the mountains and building your climbing and skiing skills that you have something to offer? Nobody wants to hire someone who has never had an epic in the mountains. Those types of learning experiences should take place before you’re hired for a position.

A common perception is that guides are superhuman climbers and skiers; that they can get up – or down – anything. The reality is that guiding in the mountains requires a wide array of skills.

Guides must be able to climb or ski moderate terrain effectively and with good style, but are seldom required to work “high-end” terrain.

Most professionals aren’t superclimbers, but have solid technical skills. Mountain guides can usually lead 5.10 on rock and WI 4 on ice (for non-climbers, that’s hard, but not too hard). Ski guides should be able to ski 50-degree terrain in variable conditions. An aspiring guide’s climbing and skiing resume should demonstrate that he or she has these skills by listing dozens of routes and mountain experiences that show mastery.

Certainly there are guides who focus on one medium and only

Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

work in that medium. If you aren’t really a climber, but want to be a ski guide, there are jobs out there. The same is true for the individual who wants to guide on rock, but doesn’t want to work on glaciers or snow. However, when you only focus on one medium, your skills generally have to be that much better, because you are commonly competing with others who also only focus on that one medium.

Get certified. Second, an aspiring guide has to have certain certifications to work, and others to be competitive. Every guide has to have, at minimum, a Wilderness First Responder first aid certification. Some guides hold an Outdoor Emergency Care cert (a ski patrol certification) or an EMT certification. Without one of these, you are unemployable in the professional guiding industry.

The American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) is the organization that oversees guide training, certification and accreditation in the U.S. Guides don’t often start with guide certifications, but tend to obtain them early in their careers. And while AMGA courses and certifications aren’t required for guides just starting out, they are helpful. Those who have taken guide-training courses through the AMGA have a leg up on their competitors in the hiring process. The most prestigious guide services in the U.S. are AMGA-accredited. To be accredited, a guide service must

Jason Martin

magine dropping into a perfect pillow of powder as you rip down a steep mountain chute … swinging your ice tool so it bites deeply into the clear blue of a frozen waterfall … stuffing your hands into a laser-straight crack between two shields of flawless granite as you make your way up a rock face.

show that members of its staff are either certified or are on track to become certified. This makes those who have taken AMGA courses extremely desirable.

There are a number of other items that a hiring manager might look at when trying to staff a guide position. Does an applicant have a Leave No Trace certification? It’s becoming popular for national parks and other land managers to require these. Does an applicant have any avalanche training? There are avalanches in the mountains, you know. Does an applicant have any search and rescue training? Guides are often first responders at accident sites. Does an applicant have any experience teaching? Much of a guide’s work revolves around teaching skills.

And lastly, is the individual high profile? Sponsored athletes and guides who have made a name for themselves as climbers or skiers attract customers.

Diversify.

Third, hiring managers are looking for intelligent applicants with diverse interests. People from all walks of life hire guides and many trips are more than a day or two long. Most people are incredibly interested in the skills that the guide has to teach, but when it’s time to sit

down for dinner, they often want to talk about movies or music or politics or other outdoor adventures. At the end of the day, most are done talking about skiing and climbing. They usually want to talk about their other passions. It’s important to find guides who can do this, who can talk intelligently and enjoy the company of those who haven’t placed climbing and skiing at the center of their existence.

For some, an article like this may make guides look elite. Indeed, it can make an attempt to enter the profession seem intimidating or even impossible.

This perception is not true.

Anybody who really wants to can be a mountain guide. You may feel like you won’t be a competitive candidate right now, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t build your climbing and skiing resume to be competitive. Anybody who puts in the time and energy can make a career as a mountain guide.

It just takes a little effort.

Believe me, the payoff is more than worth it. X Jason D. Martin is an AMGA Certified Rock Guide and the operations director at the American Alpine Institute. In addition to working as a mountain guide, Martin is a freelance writer.

Andrew Grubb

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1 0 1 ing e o h s w Sno cessible sport ac t os m r’s te in w on er im A pr

Nicole Doornbos

Nicole Doornbos

By Aubrey Laurence

W

hen I first moved to Bellingham from Colorado, someone in a bar told me that if I could survive two winters here, I would be OK. “It’s kind of like Little Alaska here,” he said. “To keep yourself from getting too depressed during the dark and rainy winters, you have to force yourself to stay active outside.”

I took the advice to heart, and my wife and I now spend many winter days on snowshoes. It’s a lot of fun, it’s a great form of low-impact aerobic exercise, it’s relatively inexpensive, and it requires little skill.

You’ll often hear people say, “If you can walk, you can snowshoe.” And while that is true for the most part, here are some tips to help you get started.

Snowshoes.

Snowshoes range in price from $75 to $300 or more, and they vary greatly in size, weight, frame construction and materials. Some snowshoes are even tailored to specific activities, such as snow jogging. If you’re not ready to fully commit to the activity, many outdoor stores – as well as some ski resorts – rent snowshoes. (See sidebar on where to rent).

Flotation. The less you weigh (including your backpack) and the more surface area your snowshoes have, the more flotation you will have. In other words, you will stay on top of deep, powdery snow when lesser-equipped folks will posthole and sink. Snowshoe retailers can help you find the proper size, fit and type of snowshoes.

Technique.

Walking in snowshoes is similar to hiking, though you will need to employ a slightly wider stance so that you will not trip on your snowshoes. Going uphill, you will gain the best purchase by kicking steps with your toes, engaging your crampons or cleats into the snow. Going downhill, keep your center of gravity slightly forward and over the balls of your feet. If you lean back too far, the backs of your snowshoes may act like skis.

Clothing & Gear. Always wear synthetic or Me-

rino wool base layers and insulating layers, breathable and moisture-resistant outer layers, and sturdy, insulated and waterproof boots. Gaiters help to keep snow out of your boots. And be sure to carry light and heavy pairs of gloves, a warm hat and/or balaclava, sunglasses and ski goggles.

Adjustable trekking poles with “baskets” help with balance and leveraging. It’s best to shorten your poles on ascents and lengthen them on descents.

14

Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

Difficulty. Keep in mind, snowshoeing is much more physically demanding than hiking, plus you will be walking with 2 to 5-pound snowshoes strapped to your feet (plus any snow that builds up on top of them), so don’t exceed your abilities regarding distance, elevation gain and terrain.

feet, accesses the Anderson Butte/Watson Lakes trail area.

The first few miles past the Sno-Park are along the road, with great views after a mile or so. Before going, check the USFS website for road conditions and Washington State Parks (parks.wa.gov) for Sno Park permit information.

Etiquette.

When possible, do not tromp across ski tracks, whether they are cross country tracks or alpine touring tracks. On shared groomed trails, hike on the edge of the trail, allowing skate skiers to use the groomed section in the middle. In ski areas, stay as far off the ski runs as possible, and snowshoe along the sides of the runs while keeping an eye uphill.

Stevens Pass is another great place to snowshoe. Across

SafetY. Only snowshoe in backcountry areas if you have taken an avalanche course (alpineinstitute.com), have studied the local avalanche and weather forecast on the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center’s website (nwac.us) and have packed the necessary gear with you (beacon, probe, shovel, etc.). Steer clear of tree and rock wells. Bring extra clothing, first-aid, food and water. And beware of crossing frozen creeks or lakes, as there are many geothermal areas in the North Cascades, such as hot springs, which can melt areas of frozen bodies of water.

Crystal Mountain offers guided snowshoe tours that include food and gondola rides (crystalmountainresort.com/Activities/Guided-Snowshoe-Tours) if you’re not quite ready to venture out on your own.

Where to Go.

The possibilities are endless, but here are a few of my favorite places to snowshoe.

Huntoon Point is the place to go when the weather is agree-

able. From the upper parking lot of the Mt. Baker Ski Area, you’ll gain almost 1,300 feet over about 3 miles (6 miles round trip). After snowshoeing up to the Artist Point area, head left (east) and follow the ridge crest (avoiding the cornices on either side of the ridge) for another half-mile or so to Huntoon Point. From this vantage point, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of Mt. Shuksan and North Cascades National Park to the east, Mt. Baker to the southwest and Table Mountain directly to the west-northwest.

Baker Lake area off Highway 20 also offers great snowshoe-

ing. Anderson Mountain, which has a Sno-Park at 2,500

Highway 2 from the Stevens Pass Ski Area, you can snowshoe north up a tree-covered ridge to Skyline Lake (about 3 miles round trip with 1,100 feet of gain), or you can drive about 5 miles east of Stevens Pass and snowshoe on the maintained and signed trails at the Stevens Pass Nordic Center. Passes are $12 for adults.

British Columbia has many snowshoe friendly ski resorts as well. In fact, in October 2012, Snowshoe Magazine included two B.C. ski resorts in its article, “North America’s Top 10 Snowshoe-friendly Ski Resorts.” Mt. Seymour (mountseymour.com) took first place and Grouse Mountain (grousemountain.com/snowshoe) placed ninth.

Manning Park Resort (manningpark.com) past Hope offers

guided snowshoe tours on a daily basis (guides are $25/hour and take you deeper into the backcountry to teach you about the flora and fauna) as well as a full moon snowshoe tour every month.

I’m now well into my third Bellingham winter, so I suppose I have made it, but I am still only beginning to scratch the surface of what this region offers. And with so many world-class snowshoeing options nearby, I’m beginning to wonder if that guy in the bar was actually trying to discourage me while keeping these secrets for himself. X

Aubrey Laurence spends as much time in the mountains as possible.

He lives in Bellingham with his wife and two cats.

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e r u t n e v Ad l a Du to Ruth Mountain ch oa pr ap ed er ow -p an m A hu n D. Martin

so Story and Photos By Ja

M

y friend said he wanted to ride a bike to Mt. Baker, ski it and ride home in one day. Riding up to the mountain and skiing seemed reasonable, but doing it in a day sounded a little extreme.

Human-powered mountain adventure is becoming popular, but I hadn’t given it much thought until a coworker did something amazing.

In July 2010, mountain guide Lyle Haugsven rode his bike 110 miles from Seattle to Paradise on Mt. Rainier. He then climbed Rainier with his partner Dan Peterson, and the two rode their bikes back to Seattle. Haugsven took three days to complete his adventure.

Then Randall Nordfors rode 58 miles from Bellingham to the Mt. Shuksan trailhead. He climbed the peak via Fisher Chimneys, traversed to Mt. Baker, climbed Park Headwall, descended via Coleman Glacier and rode his bike back to Bellingham. His entire adventure took 33 hours and 29 minutes. It involved 15 volunteers, four hired hands and two years of meticulous planning.

“It was pretty cool,” he told me in a subdued way. “I got on the news.”

Definitely cool, but this wasn’t Nordfors’ first time around the block. In 2008, the former bike racer started at sea level at the terminus of the Nisqually River and made his way up to Mt. Rainier. Less than 12 hours after he got onto his bike, he stood on the summit.

Nordfors’ feats were beyond anything that I had imagined.

But that’s not to say others haven’t dreamed about multisport human-powered mountain adventure. This subgenre of climbing and bicycling has slowly become a specialty sport of its own.

Back in the day. In the 1920s and 1930s, poor climbers rode their bicycles from their hometowns in Europe to attempt serious faces in the Alps, largely because they couldn’t afford train tickets. Indeed, one of the most

16

Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

famous tragedies in mountaineering history started with a bike approach. Tony Kurtz and Andreas Hinterstoisser approached the Eiger Norwand on bicycles. Unfortunately, both men perished in their attempt of the famous face.

In the mid-90s, Goran Kropp rode his bicycle 8,000 miles from Stockholm, Sweden to the base of Mt. Everest. It took him more than seven months, but on May 23, 1996, Kropp stood on top of the world’s tallest mountain.

Kropp’s friend Erden Eruc, a Seattle-based climber, rode his bicycle from Seattle to Denali National Park in 2003.

He then hiked 67 miles to basecamp, before reaching the 20,320-foot summit of North America’s tallest mountain 118 days after he left home.

The 18 miles to the Hannegan Pass Trailhead were slower.

It took me two hours and 45 minutes to make the trailhead and my camp, gaining 2,500 feet on the way. The total approach on bike was 51 miles with 3,000 feet of elevation gain.

I arrived at camp at 9 p.m., put up my tent and went to sleep. The following morning, I woke at 4 a.m. and was hiking 15 minutes later.

Human-powered adventures are becoming more common all the time.

Modified plan.

I’m no Nordfors, Kropp or Eruc.

Those guys are real athletes. I’m a mountain guide who bikes from here to there sometimes.

So I came up with my own plan – I decided I would climb Mt. Ruth because I wanted to start with something a little easier than Mt. Baker.

I’ve guided Mt. Ruth four times. It’s a pleasant beginner peak with a small glacier on its flanks. The views are absolutely stellar. You can see Mt. Shuksan the entire way up. As you get higher, Mt. Baker, Mt. Slesse, Glacier Peak and the Northern Pickets all come into view.

One Friday last summer, I left work and by 2:30 p.m., I was on my bike, pulling a cart full of gear up Mt. Baker Highway.

I rode the 33 miles from Bellingham to Glacier in about three hours. I stopped in Glacier for dinner, then continued up the highway.

After traveling a total of 56 miles and gaining 7,000 feet of elevation, I stood on the summit of Ruth Mountain at 8:15 a.m. It took me four hours from camp to reach the summit.

All told, it took nine hours and 45 minutes to get from Bellingham to the summit of Mt. Ruth, excluding time spent on breaks and sleep. I don’t believe this was any kind of speed record, but I was proud to have made the ascent.

I took my time bicycling back to Bellingham, arriving home about 5:30 p.m. The total time from house-to-house was 27 hours.

This adventure was by no means as big as what Kropp, Eruc, Haugsven and Nordfors did, but it was big for me.

A Mt. Baker dual-adventure is still on my radar. I feel that skiing the mountain in a day with a bike approach is definitely feasible.

I just need to do a lot more of this stuff to determine if it’s feasible for me. X Jason D. Martin is a mountain guide and freelance writer.

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M

ark Cionek is a program coordinator and guide for the American Alpine Institute who has logged over 100 Mt. Rainier summits, climbed Denali and Aconcagua multiple times, and been, in general, an alpine badass all over the world. He has more mountain experience in his ring toe than all my buddies and me combined.

On a touring trip to Mt. Ruth via Hannegan Pass in December, Mark impressed us not only through his knowledge of avalanche terrain, but also in his ability to make field repairs of broken equipment.

First, Mark’s pole lost a basket.

When skinning through deep snow, a basketless pole is useless because it offers no resistance to help with balance or forward propulsion.

“No problem,” Mark said, as he proceeded to crush a beer can, stab it with the pole and secure it with duct tape. The “beer basket” lasted all day, and I believe it is still on the pole.

Next, the sticky side of my skins got covered with snow when I took them off to ski a downhill section en route to our objective.

Wet skins don’t stick to skis, and mine don’t have a clip for the tail end. Fortunately, Mark knew that the strip of fabric running down the center of Black Diamond skins can be removed to expose some fresh, sticky skin surface. I pulled my center strips off, stuck the skins back on and was able to salvage a great day in the backcountry.

Mark’s own skins were giving him grief because the ancient clip system had worn out. He improvised a clip with a rubber ski strap (the kind that holds skis together) and duct tape. Aside from a few

adjustments throughout the 12mile tour, his McGyvered clip did the job. We didn’t make it to Mt. Ruth that day, but skied an adjacent, unnamed peak for 1,000 vertical feet of knee-deep pow turns, and a great time was had by all

thanks in large part to creative repair jobs.

Moral of the story, according to Mark: “Give me a lighter, some baling wire, duct tape, and a Leatherman, and I’ll build a freakin’ airplane ...” X

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SPRING 2013 | Mount Baker Experience

17

r a n G e h t Shredding n | By Ian Ferguson ai nt ou m e th at y sa le op ... And other things pe

E

ver wonder what the word bomber means when used as an adjective? What does it mean to billy-goat a line? If someone tells you to “send it,” and you’re nowhere near a post office, what should you do?

To help answer these and other questions, we’ve come up with a short list of eclectic terms you might hear in the lift line, defined and in alphabetical order. This sampling of mountain terminology will help you distinguish a “gimli” from a “gaper,” “hot cheese” from “chowder,” and a “safety break” from a “hose off.” So the next time someone invites you to go harvest some goose nectar, you won’t question their sanity.

Bomber:

Fart suit:

Bomb-hole:

Someone who appears out of place at a ski area due to their attire: jeans tucked into ski boots from the ‘80s, lack of hat or helmet, and non-water-repellent top layer. Looks can be deceiving, as even the worst-dressed skiers and snowboarders have been known to shred with the best, and the latest ski and snowboard fashion does not a great rider make.

Term for anything good or solid that garners approval. Originated in the climbing community to describe “bomb-proof ” protection, because anything attaching a climber to a cliff face should be very solid.

The cavity created by a botched landing below a cliff face or jump.

Brewski: A beer.

Chowder:

Powder snow that has been chopped up by turns becomes chunky powder, or “chowder.”

Also known as “chunder.”

Billy-goat:

Dumping, puking, nuking:

Boilerplate:

Eat it:

To hop across highly exposed terrain while traversing to an objective.

Snow that has been packed by use into an impervious ice shield that thwarts all attempts at edge control. Most often applies to East Coast conditions.

Interchangeable terms for heavy snowfall, i.e. “It’s nuking at Baker today.”

To fall, hard.

Face shots:

Powder hitting you in the face as you ski or ride through it.

A one-piece ski suit.

Gaper:

Gimli:

A rad-looking skier or rider with a massive beard.

Gnarly:

This generally positive adjective derives from the base “G.N.A.R.,” which stands for Gaffney’s Numerical Assessment of Radness. Skiers Scott Gaffney, Shane McConkey and other Squaw Valley locals came up with a game wherein participants earn points by successfully executing daring and/or hilarious stunts. An example would be doing a backflip over a cliff, with more points added if the backflipper is naked.

Thus any action on skis or snowboard that is viewed as awesome could be considered “gnarly.” “The gnar” can also be used to describe impressive lines on steep faces, as in, “Let’s go shred the gnar on Shuksan Arm.”

Safety break:

Goose nectar, hot cheese:

Shred:

Colorful terms to describe great, fresh snow.

Harvesting:

Lining up turns parallel to each other in a powder field so as to maximize each rider’s experience of fresh powder. When done properly, the face looks like undulating rows of a wheat field.

Hose-off:

What often happens in the backcountry. It means trying to outdo one another’s feats, and can lead to stupidity. Fact: Term coined by a man named Harry Johnson, and first used to describe the entire plot of “Game of Thrones.”

Huck:

To throw oneself off a jump or feature with apparent disregard for personal safety.

Juice it, stick it, milk it, send it, stomp it, shred it:

To successfully land or ride out from a line or jump. Canadian equivalent: “Give ’er.”

Kicker, booter:

HELLY HANSEN CATWALK

Large jump built with shovels (as opposed to a natural feature). If built like a large right-triangle, can be called a “cheese-wedge.”

Park rat:

Derogatory term for a skier or snowboarder who spends most of their time in the terrain park.

Rad:

Short for radical. A term first made popular in the ’90s by “The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” rad is experiencing a resurgence.

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Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

Run a train:

To hit a commonly hit feature.

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Rooster tail:

A spray of powder following a turn.

A brief excursion into the woods with skiing/riding partners to realign one’s psyche before attempting great feats of skiing or snowboarding. Can be herbally supplemented.

To ski or snowboard well.

Sketchy:

A line, face, or feature of questionable safety. Commonly applied to avalanche-prone areas that have an unconsolidated snow layer.

Slackcountry:

Out-of-bounds territory that can be accessed from the ski lift. The term combines the term “backcountry” with the term “slacker,” because it’s a lazier method of accessing backcountry zones (as opposed to hiking up from the bottom).

Steezy, dope, gangster, tall, sick:

Affirmative terms of encouragement most often used between skiers who spend time in the terrain park.

Tomahawk:

When a skier or snowboarder falls on a sufficiently steep slope at a sufficient speed, they tumble head over heels like a tomahawk thrown at an enemy. Appropriate response from viewers on the chairlift include making an Indian call or, if the person seems injured, yelling for help from ski patrol.

Tracked-out, bombed-out:

Adjective used to describe a powder field that has been obliterated by tracks.

White room:

An ever-sought, nirvana-like state of riding through powder so deep it obscures all vision.

Yard sale:

A crash that results in the loss of equipment such as skis, poles, mittens and pride. X

Forrest Burki

Byron Bagwell

Photo by Patrick Kennedy | PBASE.com/PatrickKennedy

Photo by Justin Kious | kiousphoto.com

J.J. Johnson

Wes Lemire

Photo by Brad Andrew | bradandrewphoto.com

Photo by Ryan Duclos | BellinghamPhotographer.com

A fisheye view of the backcountry.

Photo by RYLAN SCHOEN | RYLANSCHOEN.COM

Mark Kogelmann skins up for another run in the Mt. Baker backcountry.

Photo by Jay Goodrich | JAYGOODRICH.COM

The slope begins to break as Corey Felton takes the fall line on the Shuksan Arm. Photo By Grant Gunderson | GRANTGUNDERSON.COM

Kyle Miller Photo by Jason Hummel | alpinestateofmind.com

Kyle Miller

Corey Felton

Photo by Jason Hummel | alpinestateofmind.com

Photo by Dylan Hallett | DylanHallett.com

Jack Scanlan, Charlie Griffith, Ian Tefft-Meeter Photo by Dylan Hallett | DylanHallett.com

Josh Durias

Corey Warren and Dylan Warnberg

Collective Purpose

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Local screen printer boosts community spirit

By Molly Baker

B

ellingham’s streets have become a little more artistic and a whole lot more hip ever since INNATE, a screen-printing shop with a vibrant, authentic and youthful perspective, threw open its doors in 2009.

Creating a new artistic undertaking in the city they’d come to love was only natural for founders Corey Warren and Dylan Warnberg. It appears that ideas, entrepreneurship and creative flair are simply innate for them.

I meet with Corey at the Mt. Baker Ski Area to talk about the store. Corey, always observant and engaged, is quite a wordsmith himself and seems to articulate INNATE’s vision in a way that has my mind swirling.

Under the obvious function of the business are undercurrents of charity, philosophy and a recognition of what makes the community difference.

If you’ve been to Mallard Ice Cream, Mt. Baker Ski Area, Kulshan Brewing, Pickford Film Center or many other businesses in the area, you’ve probably seen designs that were first conceived in the minds of the INNATE team. From logo conception to screenprinted T-shirts and posters, INNATE has delivered unique branding for Pacific Northwest businesses.

With its strong connection to Cascadia, INNATE understands and represents the cooperative spirit that is Bellingham with its small city flavor and penchant for local and communal. The shops, events and social platforms – the genetic make-up of the community – needed a voice, and INNATE was there to articulate their purpose, place and intentions through design.

But at INNATE, they aren’t just interested in their own designs. The shop is continually inspired by the vision of local artists and has made it a stage for others to be recognized and share their work.

“INNATE was founded upon the awareness of the abundant and immediate creative resources in our community,” Corey says. “We feel the obligation to showcase it by any and all means.”

Anyone can submit their designs on the shop’s website. When Corey and Dylan see something they like,

a trial run of 25 shirts with the artist’s work is featured and sold in the shop. Through this process, mainstay products like the “Bellinghome,” “Seek the Peak” and “Powder Hound” T-shirts and sweatshirts have been popping up all over. The shop invites you to venture in, choose a shirt or sweatshirt and then select your favorite design to be printed. You leave with a locally and personally designed piece, a hot commodity in a world of big box stores.

While design may be INNATE’s forte, philanthropy is their purpose. What started as a ski and snowboard gear shop has turned into a place for creative and humanitarian minds to come together and display art – at times for the benefit of local organizations and nonprofits. Over the years INNATE has become involved in and initiated a number of events that assist groups such as the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center and Lydia Place, in addition to winter clothing drives and Earth Day clean-up projects.

“We persistently strive to progress and provide for ourselves and our community by way of positive influence,” says Corey of their community events and fundraisers. “Art shows, exhibits and social gatherings are an engaging way to do this.”

It seems that they’ve become a nucleus for community and Bellingham has gladly welcomed their arrival. In an area with no shortage of artists, outdoor lovers, students, and activists, INNATE has become a beacon of moving and shaking.

“Supporting INNATE means that you support the proliferation and power of positive message accompanied by the pride to proudly represent that which you believe in,” Corey concludes. “Isn’t that something we can all stand for?

INNATE is located at 1420 N. State Street, Bellingham. For more information, visit innations.com or call 360/392-8675. X

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23

The Music High way

Get into the groov e

on 542 | story and

photos by Travis

Rambo

singing ensued while the dance floor grew crowded, dancers whooping it up as they went.

At Graham’s, after the kitchen closes, the focus is on the 542 has long music and nothing else. In this day of DJs and dubstep, you don’t find many places where people can really connect to the moment and take something away with them.

Although some of the acts, such as Bent Grass, have played at Graham’s longer than Katie has owned it, she hasn’t missed a beat – she’s still continuing their every-other-Thursday show that has gone on for more than 10 years.

“It’s really great that we’ve been able to keep the group together in one place for so many years because I still see faces in the crowd from all over the world that we saw stompin’ and dancin’ in the crowd 10 years ago,” said veteran Bent Grass band member Jeff Panko. “To me there is something pretty special to be said about a place that can make that happen.”

Bent Grass, who has also played regularly at The Green Frog and other venues in Bellingham, is a Glacier-based group, complete with washtub bass, mandolin, banjo, two guitars and song after song of beautiful vocal harmonies.

Every other Thursday opposite Bent Grass is Graham’s open mic night.

“We just bought a brand new sound system so all the musicians in the area without a band can come on out and find other people to jam with,” Katie said. “It’s been really fun and some of my favorite nights at the bar have been the open mic nights because everything just sort of happens spontaneously. It’s a perfect time to get your feet wet playing music, that’s for sure.”

Katie smiled, and I asked her what she was smiling about.

“Talking about open mic just reminded me of probably the funniest act we’ve seen yet,” she said. “My most recent birthday happened to fall on a Tuesday, and the last song of the evening was “Happy Birthday” sung a capella by a shirtless version of the Glacier Men’s Choir. It was definitely a birthday serenade I will never forget, and I still laugh when I think about it. But hey, that’s Graham’s. You just never know what’s gonna happen.”

Types of music and showtimes can vary widely due to the huge variety of music Graham’s has throughout the week. Recently, for example, Skitnik provided the little mountain town of Glacier with a diverse, family friendly evening of magic, sword swallowing and Balkininspired music you just don’t get to see during your average night at the bar. The children were mesmerized as special guest Justincredible performed impossible feats to a background of beautiful and highly skilled ensembles. Minutes later the crowd was on its feet, with children, parents and random visitors alike, all dancing and clapping amongst the band. Wonderful moments like this along with an ever-changing lineup of bands makes Graham’s a must-see stop along the highway. Graham’s Restaurant, grahamsrestaurant.com, 9989 Mt. Baker Highway, Glacier, 360/599-3663.

Snaking its way along the Nooksack River from Bellingham to the breathtaking mountain views of Mt. Baker, Highway been one of Washington state’s greatest treasures.

T

he highway began life as a muddy trail after Jack Post and his two partners from Sumas discovered gold on Bear Mountain, having traveled many weary miles on foot with the aid of only a single mule for their provisions.

The discovery of what became known as Lone Jack Mine led to the creation of a true American highway where one can still find the sort of mom-and-pop establishments common before the days of chain stores and fast food. As you head east, you can’t help but feel as if you were being transported back in time to roadside America when things moved a bit slower and people smiled a little more for seemingly no reason at all. Just like three friends finding the hidden mine of their dreams one sunny day over 100 years ago, anyone exploring this famous highway will likely discover something special waiting in the friendly, familyowned establishments dotted along the way – the live music of 542.

Il Caffe Rifugio. As cell phone service begins to fade, you’ll know you have begun this musical journey when Il Caffe Rifugio appears in the view. Owner Richard Balogh has been increasing the frequency and variety of live music at his restaurant with winter weekend performances, such as rock, blues and country band Raintown, to the regular monthly appearance of well-known local dance band bandZandt.

Once the weather warms up, performances will be held in the newly built outdoor pavilion. With ample seating, music lovers will find themselves surrounded by natural beauty, fine dining with creative comfort cuisine and a wonderful wine and beer selection. Il Caffe Rifugio, ilcafferifugio.com, 5415 Mt. Baker Highway, Deming, 360/592-2888.

Slide Mountain Bar and Grill.

The next stop along music highway is the weekend evening music at the newly renovated Slide Mountain. Saturday nights feature jazz, blues and rock with an occasional open mic. Owner Timmer Moore, who also serves as head chef, has really upped the game at what was already a lively and welcoming place to get American-style food, such as prime rib, with inventive and flavorful twists. Outdoor seating in the summer months and cozy, family-style seating in the winter, Slide Mountain is a great place to enjoy some local music and grab a favorite mixed drink or beer. Slide Mountain, 7141 Mt. Baker Highway, Maple Falls, 360/656-5833.

Graham’s Restaurant.

The most historic and musically diverse establishment on music highway is, without doubt, Graham’s Restaurant. The building was first turned into a bar in 1908 and, with appearances from Clark Gable and Loretta Young in 1935 and Robert DeNiro’s birthday bash while filming “The Deer Hunter,” you just never quite know what to expect when walking into this little gem of highway nostalgia. Graham’s has recently taken a rather musical turn with new owner Katie O’Connell bringing her lifelong passion for live music to the town she finally calls home, after a lifetime of traveling throughout the U.S. in search of the next best live performance.

“I decided from the second I became the owner at Graham’s that it would be a chance for me to bring everything I enjoy about live music to the people of Glacier,” Katie said, as she prepared for the arrival of bluegrass legends Danny Barnes and Matt Sircely. As the evening advanced, the crowd swelled and some of the most incredibly fast and fun picking and

24

Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

Chair 9 Woodstone pizza and Bar. Because accommodations can be

tough, if not impossible, to find throughout most of the year in Glacier, the last, but certainly not least stop along this music highway is Chair 9 Woodstone Pizza and Bar. With its newly opened Blue-T Lodge (managed by Amber Hein), Chair 9 is one of the few, if not the only place in the entire area, to rent a single room for the night at a very reasonable price, with food, drinks and plenty of entertainment for the whole family right next door in their ski and snowboard-themed sports bar.

Just like its predecessor The Chandelier, Chair 9 is large and accommodating with an upper-level game area, wide screen wall projector and more booty-shaking live music happening than anywhere else. Pete Cook, an owner and the manager, has really taken pride in offering his customers live music three nights a week, even during the slower spring and fall seasons when there’s fewer tourists.

“I love having the ability to bring in music from all over as well as offer the local groups

somewhere to play in front of new people,” Cook said. “We have dance-type bands Friday and Saturday nights and acoustic music for the entire family on Sunday evening, because I want all of our local residents, as well as our guests from Canada and everywhere else, to know there is always going to be something new and exciting to do at Chair 9 – even when some of the other places around here are closed for the slow season.”

The list of bands playing Chair 9 throughout the year is huge. You can find bands such as The Listers, Vaughn Kreestoe, Snug Harbor, Swift Creek Revival and Metalmücil, all very high energy, gotta go crazy and dance types of bands, with the occasional night of more relaxed bluegrass and jazz.

“I like to keep it diverse, but something about Chair 9 always makes people want to dance so I really try to focus on music that is upbeat and fun,” Cook said. “We’ve had everything from tasteful burlesque shows to thrash metal nights with local band Metalmücil and even a full costumed band at the Halloween party this year – Swift Creek came on stage dressed as the Muppets. It’s always going to be fun here at Chair 9, and music is always on the menu Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. That’s what we’re here to do.”

When asked what he enjoyed most about playing at Chair 9, Greg Bernier, guitarist for Metalmücil, replied, “We can be a pretty loud band at times, and we really like to get in to the music, so the overall size and large stage at Chair 9 lets us put on a show the way we like to, which is all about intensity.” Metalmücil, who just released their new album “Go Home,” recently added a new female bassist named Emily Hewitt to the mix of high energy, heavy rock. “I had never played much bass before joining Metalmücil,” Hewitt said.

“I actually started music finger picking the classical guitar, so it’s really been a fun chance to just let loose and rock out with the guys.”

By day, Chair 9 provides locals and visitors with all the family style amenities one could hope for in a mountain town. Free WiFi and flat screen televisions galore playing all your favorite sports along with local art on every wall, it is a great place to sit on one of their comfy sofas and have a slice while watching the game, but as the music begins to move through the crowd and toes begin to tap, don’t be surprised to find yourself dancing the night away.

“It’s pretty funny how many times we’ve seen entire tables pay a bill and say they are leaving only to have them stick around for several more hours having a blast once the

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music starts,” Cook said. “That’s when you know there’s something more to it than just having all the good food, modern conveniences and a comfy place to sit. The music is what turns random customers into familiar faces and makes new friends out of complete strangers.

To me, that is what owning a place like Chair 9 is all about.” Chair 9 Woodstone Pizza and Bar, chair9. com, 10459 Mt. Baker Highway, Glacier, 360/599-2511.

As the sun begins to fade and you feel that inner need for some high quality entertainment in

your life, just take a drive down the beautiful Mt. Baker Highway.

Whether you are looking for a scenic and culture-filled evening out with the entire family or just a late-night place to grab a drink and shake it, 542, the music highway, will always have what you’re looking for. X Travis Rambo plays a variety of instruments with several different bands throughout Whatcom County. See him every Sunday evening playing guitar and singing at Chair 9 in Glacier. Visit him at facebook.com/musicbooking.

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Between Land and Sea full of life Springtime tide pools are

T

creative commons

he space between sea and land is a mysterious and intriguing world called the intertidal zone. Plants and animals that live on the edge need to be either tough and highly adaptable, or fast enough to avoid being stranded on land after the tide recedes. The intertidal zone is often a flat, seemingly empty beach populated by broken shells, loose bits of seaweed and the occasional sea bird. If you know where to look, a whole new world is often revealed in the tide pools that can be found at many beaches in the Northwest.

Tide pools are pockets of seawater along rocky shorelines that are created as the water retreats after high tide. They can range from shallow depressions on the tops of rocks to deep cracks filled with abundant sea life. Tide pools contain water throughout the 5 to 6 hour low tide cycle; so marine animals can survive or even thrive over the long term. Pacific Northwest tidepool denizens include ochre stars, green anemones, mussels, barnacles, chitons, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers and various species of a hardy little fish called the sculpin.

Tidepools are usually found on any coast that has a rocky shoreline, and we are fortunate there are several nearby state or provincial parks that provide excellent sites for tide pooling. One of my favorites is Larrabee State Park near Bellingham. Check out the rocks just southwest of boat launch.

Deception Pass State Park near Anacortes is also a wonderful tidepooling destination. Deception Pass actually sports a marked tidepool trail along Urchin Rocks at Rosario Beach on the northwest side of the park. I dive this area regularly and am always amazed by the abundance of orange sea cucumbers in the area. To the north, try Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver. Lighthouse Park has beach access to many small rock-rimmed coves. As an added bonus, the park also offers an abundance of hiking trails through the city’s last remaining stand of old growth Douglas fir. Lily Point in Point Roberts is also a good place to find tide pools.

The very best time to go tidepooling is on a minus tide.

The average low tide level is represented as zero, so in tide tables and charts minus tides appear as negative numbers.

Tide levels vary monthly depending on the location of the moon relative to the sun, but the lowest (and highest) tides always occur either when the moon is full (moon and sun are on exactly opposite sides of the earth) or during the new moon, when the moon is between the sun and the earth.

Tide levels also vary seasonally, with extreme low tides occurring near the solstices in December and June. In our area minus tides can be more than three feet lower than the average low tide. Tide tables can be found in guidebooks, the weather section of many newspapers or can be looked up online at freetidetables.com. The exact time of low tide var-

ies by location, so be sure to check a local source of information. The lowest tide of the day occurs in the middle of the night during the winter months, but in summer extreme low tides occur right around midday, providing the perfect excuse to get out to the beach for a picnic and some exploration. In 2013, spring minus tides will occur April 26-29, May 24-28 and June 2-26.

Tidepooling is an easy adventure for all ages. It pays to wear either knee-high rubber boots, or sandals/water shoes that can get wet. Pick footwear with a decent tread, as exposed rocks can be slippery. Watch where you step to avoid crushing or disturbing animals. Lifting a rock can often reveal interesting creatures that are hiding underneath, but take care to replace the rocks in the same position as you found them. Many tidepool creatures are delicate and use rocks for protection when their home is exposed to sunlight and high air temperatures. Many tidepool animals defend themselves against predators with spines or substances that can cause skin irritation, so it is best not to touch them. The Marine Life Center at Squalicum Harbor in Bellingham has a touching pool, great for kids and animal lovers.

Species profiles.

Ocher sea stars are generally either bright orange or a vivid purple. They have five stout legs that radiate out from a central disk that contains the mouth and internal organs. The top of this common starfish is peppered with small bumps that are actually small spines, while the bottom has hundreds of tiny tube feet. While a sea star may seem fixed in place when exposed by the tide they can actually move surprisingly quickly across the sea floor when submerged. Their feet have suckers on the ends that allow them to hang onto rocks and stay put despite the surf ’s best efforts to dislodge.

Ochre stars eat mussels, chitons, limpets and snails, and can consume larger prey by expelling their stomach outside their body from their mouth to engulf and liquefy the food item.

In turn, sea otters and seagulls eat Ochre stars. They have the ability to regenerate legs and it is not uncommon to see one with just two to three stumps.

Gary Fortenberry

By Sue Madsen

Sculpins are small bony fish with large heads and long, thin bodies that taper back to a tail with spiny fins. There are hundreds of sculpin species and most have venomous spines on both dorsal fins and pectoral fins, or gill covers. Sculpin stings are generally not deadly, but can be very painful and usually result in swelling and reddening the area of contact.

Typically, sculpins’ coloration allows them to blend in with rocks and sand, and are seen only when they dart quickly for cover. They eat small invertebrates, shrimp and worms but are eaten by larger fish and crabs, great blue herons, river otters and raccoons.

Limpets are small sea snails with conical shells. Like barnacles they cling tightly to rocks and other hard surfaces with a muscular ‘foot,’ and are able to survive periodic exposure to the air and sunlight. Limpets feed by grazing on algae that grows on the surface of rocks. They are chow for sea stars, shore birds and fish. X Sue Madsen is a fluvial geomorphologist who likes to climb, ski, backpack, sea kayak and explore the PNW’s wild places.

tide pool tips The Washington Department of Ecology offers these tips:

Green anemones are a species of intertidal anemone that can be as small as a penny or as large as a salad plate. They attach to rocks or pilings by a stalk that is often hidden by a crown of tentacles. These tentacles have stinging cells that provide protection from predators and allow them to capture prey. When exposed to air the crown closes up and looks like a soft brownish-green button, but underwater the tentacles spread and appears bright grayish green. Green anemones eat small fish and crabs and detached mussels, and they are eaten by leather sea stars, nudibranchs and snails.

• Look, learn and leave things as you found them.

• Resist the temptation to take animals or plants. Most creatures brought home from the shore die and end up smelling in the trash.

• Be careful where you step. Don’t trample intertidal plants and animals. Walk on bare sand or rocks, if possible.

Barnacles are crustaceans that attach themselves firmly to a hard rock or other shells and then grow shells consisting of a ring of hard bony plates. Their edges are sharp and can give fingers or bare feet a nasty cut. The animals live inside the shell and, when submerged in seawater, extend feathery appendages that wave in the water to draw food into the shell.

When exposed at low tide barnacles retreat back into the shell and close tightly. They eat plankton and detritus, and are eaten by snails and starfish.

• If you pick up a rock, a piece of seaweed or an animal, gently put it back in its place. This will help keep animals safe from predators and temperature extremes.

• Do not touch or disturb birds or marine mammals.

• Pick up trash

27

Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

The Coal Pad Building the Glacier Skate Park story By Jeremy Miller | Photos by Jared Smith

T

he Glacier Skate Park came about because of a need to have a place to ride. After skating Be on the lookout for fundraising events in the future, the third annual Bellingham Skate at various do-it-yourself skate parks, I saw the capability of skateboarders who built their park contest and other events. New T-shirt graphics, art shows, raffles and impromptu barown park. Many of these projects, such as the Burnside Skate park in Portland, Oregon, beque skate sessions will be in the works this spring and summer. started at unused, derelict sites underneath highway overpasses.

The GSPA is currently working on obtaining 501(c)3 status, but we are a fiscally sponUnfortunately (or fortunately), we don’t have an overpass in Glacier to shelter our project, sored nonprofit supported by the Whatcom Parks and Recreation Foundation. Receiving the but we were blessed with a concrete coal pad and a big pile of coal. With some effort, we go-ahead has been a milestone achievement for our group of advocates and the community created the Glacier Skate Park, and it’s become well-known in the DIY skateboard world. is grateful.

The project finally broke through the red tape at the end of last summer after being shut Thanks to the efforts of Dannon C. Traxler of Langabeer and Tull, Joe King, Ani Hall, down for three years. We got some work done before fall hit, which included erasing the old Josh Keiner, Bryce Niebuhr, Matt French, Phil Freitag, Bob Yaple from Sabbath Tattoo, Zac part to make way for a newer, better-built concrete skate park. Drainage has been an issue Garza, Unknown Boardshop, Washington Wind Sports and countless others for making this since we first got started, and we installed a drain in the Phase 1 area. In a way, the downtime project possible. The GSPA would like to act as an advocate and consultant for Whatcom has been good for the future of the park because it gave us time to learn more about skate County, as we would like to see more engaging skate parks get built in the county. park building and also what to build.

For more information, visit glacierskateparkassociation.org or email jeremy@glacierThis park is significant and worthwhile, not only because of the incredible location and skateparkassociation.org. X the local need, but also because having full creative control to build the most optimal thing we can come up with is crucial. Skateboarding is a creative outlet in itself, and the nature of Jeremy Miller is a Glacier resident, founder of the Glacier Skatepark Association, an avid skateboarder the activity is seeking out new and different things to ride, whether it’s a backyard swimming and advocate. pool, a concrete ledge in the streets, a drainage ditch, or in this case, organic terrain built by skateboarders. It’s exactly what “The Coal Pad” is about – meeting the needs of the community.

As soon as we had our first small piece built, people took interest and came to check it out. It became apparent how much this park was needed as families from around the county began bringing their kids to skate. It has also been popular throughout the Mt. Baker school district and with visiting skaters from near and far.

The future of the Glacier Skate Park is bright, with permits under our belt and quite a bit of set-up work done to continue construction. As soon as conditions for building get better this spring, we will be hard at work raising funds, gathering materials and the necessary tools to finish the job.

The existence of this park is based on volunteer labor, donations, out-of-pocket cash and a legal agreement between the Glacier Skate Park Association and Joe King, the landowner. Joe has been When your adventures take you through extremely gracious to allow us to build the park on his land, and untracked terrain, you’ll want to be sure you’re in many people are very grateful for his generosity. Now it’s up to the a tried and true off-road Jeep Grand Cherokee! community to ensure the construction and upkeep of what will be something special. The skate park is completely free to use and open to the public, with a “skate at your own risk” policy.

The 2013 Grand Cherokee has two available Trail The park is administered by the Glacier Skate Park Association Rated® four-wheel-drive systems, in addition to (GSPA), which was formed to administer, maintain and protect the the standard two-wheel-drive system. future of the park. We have been fairly inactive the past few years with the exception of legal work and obtaining our conditional use permit, but the GSPA will be busy raising funds to be spent on conThe most awarded SUV ever! struction and meeting the conditions stated in our permits.

Sanitation is a major concern of the skate park community, the landowner, and the county heath department. We ask that users of of Bellingham I Saved Money at RaIRdon’S the skate park respect the wishes of the landowner and use the public bathroom facilities located in Glacier. We also ask your help in 1615 Iowa Street • BellIngham • (866) 448-0086 • www.dodgechryslerjeepofbellingham.com keeping litter, graffiti and other non-skate activities at bay.

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Frost Flowers Magic happens on the forest floor

Story By Sue Madsen | Photos by Mark Turner

T

ake a walk on a cold winter day in the Pacific Northwest lowlands and you are likely to see a phenomenon considered rare in other locales – frost flowers.

The first time I saw them I was totally fascinated. Dead branches and twigs scattered across the forest floor were covered with silky white frost that looked like doll’s hair. What was this stuff? I asked around, but nobody local seemed to know. Fortunately, my training in forestry in western Montana years ago gave me a clue – when we studied forest fire behavior we learned the concept of 1,000 hour fuels.

In essence, dead sticks and branches on the forest floor that are three to eight inches in diameter take approximately 1,000 hours to dry out and come into equilibrium with the surrounding air. I speculated that the frost formations I saw were simply a visible representation of that phenomenon.

The atmospheric moisture content (think relative humidity) in our area tends to be quite high, and as a result, dead sticks and twigs in equilibrium with the atmosphere have a fairly high moisture content. When the weather turns cold and dry, the moisture content of the air drops below that of the sticks, and moisture is drawn out of the wood and into the air. Wood being porous, the water exits tiny individual pores and freezes on contact with the air, eventually developing into long strands of ice that have been “exhaled” from individual pores. Like magic, frost flowers are born.

A search of the web generally confirmed my hypothesis, as well as teaching me more about frost. Check out CalTech’s online guide to snowflakes and snow crystals at snowcrystals.com for photos and descriptions of frost flowers (also known as feather frost, hair ice or frost beard) and other interesting frost formations.

And look for frost feathers on your next winter hike – great places to see them locally are the Stimpson Reserve near Sudden Valley or forested trails in the Chuckanut and Larrabee State Park area. X

28

Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

Serving Up Splitboards

r the backcountry fo ds ar bo ow sn ts ofi tr re Local restaurateur Ferguson Story and Photo By Ian

M

aple Falls business owners Trish and Serafino Gesmundo have provided delicious, locally-grown food to hungry adventurers since opening Cafe 542 on the Mt. Baker Highway last May. Now Serafino’s passion for backcountry snowboarding has led to the growth of a second business: turning snowboards into splitboards.

Splitboards are snowboards with reconfigurable bindings that have been cut longitudinally allowing riders to use the boards like cross country skis. With skins and poles, riders can hike up slopes before reassembling their board and riding downhill as they would on any other snowboard.

Serafino was first turned onto the concept several years ago while working as a manager for the Glacier Ski Shop.

He went splitting in the backcountry a few times with rented splitboards and wanted a pair his own.

He was considering getting his brand new Never Summer snowboard retrofitted when Tim Eberly, a representative for Never Summer, suggested Serafino cut it himself. The Michigan native dove headfirst into the project.

His new splitboard worked out perfectly. Soon, friends who saw Serafino’s homemade rig were asking him to work his magic on their own boards.

“Word started getting out and it just grew organically from there,” he said. Serafino now receives several orders a week, and Mt. Baker Recycled Splitboards is steadily growing.

Using a dialed-in assembly process, Serafino turns his customers’ snowboards into light, strong, and well-balanced splitboards. First, customers bring their snowboard into Cafe 542, where they fill out paperwork describing their stance and component preferences. Then, Serafino sends the

board to a local guy who uses a water jet to cut the board in half. This half-million dollar machine creates a hairline split, removing less than 1/32 of an inch of board material in a perfect cut every time. If you hold one of Serafino’s assembled splitboards up to the light, no light shines through the crack, and the connection doesn’t wiggle no matter how hard you thrash the board.

Once back from the water jet, Gesmundo assembles the boards according to the customer’s specifications using topof-the-line components from Karakorum, Voile and Spark.

Assembly involves drilling through the board, installing inserts with p-tex backings (they mesh seamlessly with the base of the board) and mounting the components. He does the assembly in a shipping-container workshop in the parking lot of Cafe 542. He’s renting the container, which is just big enough for a couple of workbenches and a drying area, but he’s hoping to move to a bigger space above the cafe.

Turning a snowboard you already own into a splitboard is an economical way to get into backcountry snowboarding, Serafino said. New splitboards can cost up to $1,500 but, depending on the components the customer chooses, a board taken to Serafino can be had for $350 to $400. If a customer just needs a board split, Serafino will do it for $90. If he or she wants it cut and ready to accept hardware, with holes drilled and inserts installed, it will cost $250.

“I want it to be cost effective for people to get out into the backcountry,” Serafino said. “It’s a fun place to be, and I want everyone to be able to experience it, even though money is tight for a lot of people.”

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Like many residents of Maple Falls and neighboring Glacier, Serafino is fanatical about hiking for turns. Anyone visiting turns-all-year.com, the cyber-home of backcountry skiing in the Northwest, has probably seen Serafino’s silhouette on the homepage (he’s climbing Goat Mountain with a board on his back), and anyone visiting Café 542 can get all the trip information they need from the friendly guy behind the counter.

Trish and Serafino are raising their two kids, 6-year-old Canyon and 4-year-old Kaia, to be equally in love with nature. This was the impetus behind a new line of Mt. Baker Recycled Splitboards: splitboards for kids.

“It’s something nobody in the industry is doing,” Serafino said. “Some parents might want to take their kids into the backcountry but it’s also for 9 to 12-year-olds who just want to walk up the hills in their backyards and ride around the hills and trails.”

The one downside to all this business?

“Now I can’t get out splitboarding as much as I’d like,” he said. “But business is good, and I enjoy doing it. I was a builder in my past, so this gives me some self-fulfillment.”

Find Mt. Baker Recycled Splitboards on Facebook or at Café 542, located at 7466 Mt. Baker Highway, Maple Falls, 360/599-1347. X

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Mt. Baker s e id u G in a t Moun

| By Brandy Kiger m ha ng lli Be in es ch New guide service laun

O

Jenni Pelc

riginally from Alaska, and a veteran on Colorado slopes, John Minier knows his way around the backcountry, but guiding wasn’t exactly what he had in mind when he set out in search of a career path.

Little by little, he found himself entrenched in the culture. He cut his teeth by mock guiding ski trips while going to school at the University of Colorado Boulder, and then took it to the next level by working with Kling Mountain Guides in Durango, where he started teaching avalanche classes and really pursuing life on the mountain.

It wasn’t long before the lure of the Cascades drew him north.

“I’ve done a lot of different things and lived a lot of different places,” Minier said. “When I embraced the guide thing, I moved to Washington to work with International Mountain Guides on Mt. Rainier.”

Two years later, he gave up his commute from Bellingham to Rainier and decided to call Baker home. “I wanted to guide more locally and be around more and have a family and community instead of traveling the world nine months of the year, and this place had it all,” he said.

On January 1, Minier officially

launched Mt. Baker Mountain Guides, a boutique guide service offering winter activities such as backcountry skiing tours, backcountry ski courses, ski mountaineering treks, ski traverses and avalanche education courses.

He’s found Mt. Baker to be the perfect launching ground for his guide service. “It’s a great little mountain for climbing and skiing and such a fabulous peak with great access,” he said. “There’s always snow and a ton of side and backcountry use, so it’s really important for people to know what they’re doing out there.”

He and his staff not only offer guided trips, but aim to equip recreationists with the skills necessary to survive on the mountain in any kind of conditions.

High on his list of priorities is avalanche safety. “It doesn’t take a big avalanche to put you in a bad spot,” he said, so he’s set up free clinics to educate people.

“People need those companion rescue skills so they have the tools and resources if something happens,” Minier said. “I encourage people to bring their friends

along to one of our courses because they’ll be the ones digging you out.”

Minier is fully avalanche certified and has credentials as an avalanche instructor. He and Mt. Baker Mountain Guides are offering Level I AIARE avalanche courses, and he will also be offering Mt. Baker climbs and courses this summer. Courses include intro to mountaineering, advanced mountaineering, crevasse rescue clinics and ice climbing clinics.

Minier is also working through the American Mountain Guides Association certification process, and ultimately wants to become an International Federation Mountain Guides Associations-certified guide in the next few years.

“We run everything from training sessions to custom-built trips,” Minier said.

“The snowpack here is incredible. It’s relatively stable here and we can do [these kind of things] all winter.”

For more information and a full list of the courses Mt. Baker Mountain Guides is offering this winter, visit mtbakerguides.com. X

“It doesn’t take a big avalanche to put you in a bad spot.”

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oncrete, Washington, is famous for its speed trap, its role as the setting for Tobias Wolff ’s “This Boy’s Life” and for Annie’s Pizza Station. Annie’s was started by Chuck and Annie Bussiere in 1994 in a converted gas station in downtown Concrete, when Annie decided she’d had enough commuting and wanted a job that kept her closer to her family. A year later they moved to the current location just off Highway 20, where they’ve been cooking up the best pizza in the Skagit Valley ever since.

Handcrafted pizzas are the focus of the menu, and include my favorites, “Annie’s Unleaded,” a vegetarian feast of mushrooms, olives, bell peppers, garlic and artichoke hearts, “Chuck’s Diesel,” which piles on pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon and ground beef, or the “Persian Pipeline,” a Mediterranean medley of feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic and spinach.

These pizzas are more than a meal. Thick handmade crusts come loaded with meat and fresh veggies and include a generous helping of red sauce and cheese.

The menu also features an eclectic assortment of salads, sandwiches on homemade bread, calzones and

homemade soups. Annie’s son-inlaw Josh was working the counter when we visited, and provided a taste of his most recent invention – a creamy potato leek soup that blended leeks, onions, potatoes and butternut squash in a veggiebased stock finished with a touch of rosemary. Just the ticket after a cold day of hiking, skiing or snowshoeing the Baker backcountry.

Annie’s aims to please, so many items come with a vegan option or can be ordered on gluten-free crust. And best of all? They deliver! Annie’s husband Chuck is a long-time school bus driver, and for a price will bring your pie to you, often travelling as far afield as Marblemount (16 miles east), Sedro Woolley (24 miles west) or even Darrington (almost 30 miles southwest). That’s a big deal in a rural valley. This top-notch food and commitment to service are why Annie’s Pizza Station came in fifth in King 5 Evening Magazine’s Best of the Northwest in 2012.

Annie’s is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 2 to 8 p.m.; closed Mondays. It is located at 44568 State Route 20, Concrete, WA. For more information, call 360/853-7227. X

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Opened last October, Triad offers exciting whitewater trips, but they also lead calm water tours meant to provide clients with a meaningful connection to nature.

Eagle watching, vineyard tours, wine tasting and yoga during the day, dutch-oven cooked dinners and beachside campfires at twilight – these aren’t the activities of your typical rafting company. The goal in offering a fuller variety of experience, founder Luke Baugh said, is to facilitate a relationship with nature for people who don’t always have a chance to seek it out.

Baugh aims to reach people who don’t get outside much: city people, retirees and those who have occasionally thought about getting out on a river, but have shied away for various reasons.

“A lot of people have a moment when they think, ‘Maybe we’ll go river rafting this weekend,’ but they don’t,” he said. “It might be because rafting seems dangerous, or because they think they won’t enjoy it. We want to eliminate all

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that doubt. There’s something on the river for everyone.”

How do you eliminate all doubt?

By mastering your craft. Baugh and the guides at Triad take the 10,000 hour approach to guiding: spend enough time dialing-in your profession, and you will eventually become a master.

“My lead guide is on the river right now,” Baugh said. “They’re swimming in January. They don’t take seasons off or many down days. They’re on the river as much as humanly possible, and because of that, they’re solid.”

Becoming a Triad River Tour guide is no Sunday float. Baugh said 20 guides applied and went through training last season, and Triad didn’t hire a single one.

“Our guides don’t graduate from training easily,” he said. “They have to be extremely confident with Swiftwater rescue techniques, but more importantly they have to prevent accidents from happening by controlling the risk. It’s running the river a lot, and getting to know specific sections very well. I really believe in the 10,000 hour approach, especially in river guiding, where people can die.”

Only with trustworthy guides can a company begin to foster relationships with their clients, Baugh said.

“Rivers promote a certain level of trust in nature,” he said. “Our role as guides is to help build that trust.

Over the course of a trip we strive to catalyze a stronger relationship with the environment among our clients, and it’s funny how often that translates into a deeper intimacy among those sharing the experience, whether it’s a mother and daughter, a husband and wife, or a group of friends.”

With six experienced guides, top-of-the-line equipment, a 40passenger bus named “Igor,” and a partnership with Mountain River Outfitters in Idaho, Triad is poised to open a relatively untapped river system.

“On the west side of the Cascades, the rafting world is very underdeveloped,” Baugh said. “The Sauk is a magnificent river. You can go up there on a Saturday, and there’s no one up there.”

Baugh can’t believe some of the wildlife he’s seen on the Skagit. In the fall, you can look down into the clear water and see hundreds of salmon mating. In December, Baugh said Triad clients and guides counted 153 bald eagles that were feeding on the salmon.

“There’s something on the river for everybody.”

Baugh has a certified environmental educator on staff. “We learn as much as we can, so we can talk about the area’s geology, biology and human history,” he said.

And Triad’s approach to whitewater? “I would bet my left butt cheek we do whitewater as well as anyone around,” Baugh said. The Idaho native has been a licensed river guide for 13 years, and has guided rafts down rivers from east to west coast. He is a yoga instructor who brings an eastern, Zenlike philosophy to his company.

“Yoga and river rafting are not that different,” he said. “The sense of calm is similar, and it can be really beneficial to anyone who’s stressed out or overworked. It’s the people who work a lot who probably need a connection with the water the most. You get people who haven’t really done anything with their children in nature, and that’s when our job is most rewarding.

The hope is to build a company that exists for the greater good, not just the adrenaline rush.”

Visit Triad River Tours at triadrivertours.com or call 360/5101243 for more information. X

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SPRING 2013 | Mount Baker Experience

33

Spring Gear Guide

By Pat Grubb

Teva Chair 5 Teva has launched a new line of boots called the Lifty Collection. About half the weight of typical boots, the Chair 5 has a rubber outsole and a rip-stop waterproof upper. The Thinsulate liner can be removed and used indoors as a bootie.

The top compresses, making this a good choice for travel.

K2SideSeth Ski A brand-new ski for 2013, the SideSeth is a great ski for side and backcountry skiers according to Tom Wills at Sportsman Chalet. Its stiffness, coupled with a fairly big rise, gives it the chops to handle whatever is beyond the ski area ropes.

teva.com

k2skis.com

GoPro Hero 3 The latest version of the ubiquitous helmet cam (and anywhere else it can be held or attached), the Hero3 is smaller, lighter and faster.

Fairhaven Bike and Ski owner John Hauter says it’s one of his shop’s hottest items. The store carries both the black and silver editions, both of which feature Wi-Fi that can be used to control the camera using a remote (optional for silver) or a smartphone.

gopro.com

SealLine iSeries iPhone 5 Case After spending big bucks on an iPhone 5, why take a chance of ruining it in the rain or snow? Made in Seattle, the iCase is submersible, waterproof while still allowing access to the phone’s functions, and sound. Each case is tested to withstand 30 minutes of submersion in three feet of water.

cascadedesigns.com

34

Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

Live2Ride Abstract Snowboard Marcella from Mt. Baker Snowboard Shop recommends this for super-fast boarders who also want stability and forgiveness in their board. Inbounds or outbounds – this board handles almost all terrain and conditions. Live2Ride is a Pacific Northwest company.

l2rsnowboards.com

Shark Snowsurf Tiger

Tired of the same-old, same-old? Hop aboard the Shark Snowsurf and ride the hills like Tony Hawk. It’s a different kind of freedom, says Marcella. No bindings mean no access to the Mt. Baker Ski Area (as yet), but you were planning on going into the backcountry anyway, weren’t you? Shark Snowsurfs are made in Leavenworth, Washington.

sharksnowsurf.com

Jones Solution Splitboard Tom Wills at Sportsman Chalet recommends this splitboard for advanced backcountry riders who tend to pick more aggressive lines. This is one of the most popular boards in this area due to its versatility. The company, headquartered in Bellingham, was created in 2012 by pro rider Jeremy Jones who says he started it to develop the highest performance all-mountain weapons on the mountain.

jonessnowboards.com

Platypus SoftBottle Another Pacific Northwest company, Platypus has come out with a line of the most flexible water bottles around. BPAfree, the SoftBottle weighs 80 percent less than hard hydration bottles. It pretty much fits anywhere and when empty, you can roll it up and stuff it in your pocket or pack.

cascadedesigns.com

Helly Hansen Winter Tights

Spark R&D Blaze LT Splitboard bindings

Use these for running on colder days, as a base layer up on the mountain or inside a drysuit on the water. The tights have a slightly thicker fabric than regular tights and a brushed polyester interior. Great flexibility while keeping the cold at bay.

Marcella from Mt. Baker Snowboard Shop says the Blaze LT is the most popular binding on the market. It’s got a huge range of lean: 25° forward, -5° for touring. Located in the Northwest, the company aims to provide high-quality, technologically based gear made in the U.S.

hellyhansen.com

sparkrandd.com

be local, buy local. We’ve listed the manufacturer’s websites for more information, but we encourage you to support your local retailers. These winter items can be found at American Alpine Institute, Backcountry Essentials, Fairhaven Bike & Ski, Glacier Ski Shop, Hidden Wave Boardshop, Mt. Baker Snowboard Shop, Mountain Equipment Co-op, REI, Sportsman Chalet, Yeager’s Sporting Goods and other quality retailers in Washington and British Columbia.

l i a Tr e h t ing Hitt S

hush, shush, shush. The cross-country skis slip easily through the deeplygrooved tracks on the edge of the trail, and all I hear as I glide along is the brush of the blade against the hard pack snow.

When we stop, it is silent.

The trees looming over us stoop like old men under heavy burdens. The snowfall has been heavy this year, even in low-lying areas on the mountains, and the winter’s weight has settled. Here at Manning Park in B.C., the trails are well packed from constant grooming. Every now and then, I hear the creak of a branch and a tuft of powder falls to the ground.

According to Fairhaven Bike & Ski, a local rental hub for all things cross-country, we’re not the only ones who’ve found the conditions ideal to get in a little Nordic exercise.

They reported that the demand is high for the sport this season. “We’ve had a busy

rental season this year,” said sales manager Wesley O’Neill. “The stretches of no new snow have been great for Alpine skiers to get out on the cross-country tracks.”

It’s true north of the border. The trails at Manning are perfect and fast for our tour.

The classic skis glide easily, and it’s not so icy as not to be enjoyable. We hit the Beaver Pond Trail first, a 5K loop that takes us deep into the winter wilderness surrounding the resort. “It’s a great beginner trail,” said Manning Park Nordic instructor Stephanie Blue.

“It’s great for a casual ski and a nice wander through the woods.”

Gail Garmin, the Nooksack Nordic Club’s Salmon Ridge coordinator agreed. “Manning Park is a great place for beginners or people who want a day or overnight trip,” she said. “It’s pretty flat and there’s a lot of good terrain there. It’s a great place to learn.” The full-service resort (complete with cabins,

restaurant and Loon Lagoon) offers 30 kilometers (18 miles) of groomed trails and over 180 kilometers (111 miles) of backcountry trails that are suitable for beginners to the most adventurous of the Nordic crowd.

Rentals and guided tours are available, and warming huts for skiers who want to take a break en route. “There’s a free shuttle to our higher trails and there’s usually pretty primo conditions up there,” Blue said.

Those primo conditions have also found their way to Whatcom County this season, with record snowfall dumping lots of snow on lower elevation trails, meaning skiers can stay close to home. “The weather has been fantastic,” said John Hauter, Fairhaven Bike & Ski owner. “There’s lots of snow at Salmon Ridge Sno Park.” Hauter said the shop has completely rented out their inventory several times this season.

“It’s been amazing. We’ve seen a huge in-

Aubrey Laurence

| By Brandy Kiger t or sp g in ur to ic en sc Enjoying winter’s

crease in people coming out for cross-country skiing,” Garmin said. The club maintains the 15 miles (24 kilometers) cross-country trail systems at Salmon Ridge Sno Park and nearby areas off Mt. Baker Highway.

Visitors to Manning Park need to purchase a trail pass at the Nordic center office.

Washington State Sno Park permits are required for the Salmon Ridge Sno Park and Baker Lake on Highway 20. Visit manningparkresort.com or nooksacknordicskiclub. com for more information. X Brandy Kiger is a photojournalist and outdoor enthusiast. An avid skier, hiker, kayaker and runner, she spends as little time indoors as possible.

See Page 15 on where to rent cross-country skis.

Bragging Rights Two Ski to Sea teams compete for the cup | By Brandy Kiger

I Photos Courtesy of Volunteer photographers for Ski to Sea, 2012

t’s painful, it’s intense, but most of all, it’s addicting. Every year, 4,000+ racers brave the diabolically designed course that runs from the top of Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay and everywhere in between to participate in the seven-leg, 90-plus mile Ski to Sea race.

And they do it all for the bragging rights.

“There’s really only about five percent of the teams that are competing for the top overall spots,” said Ski to Sea director Mel Monkelis. “The real competition is in the division races, particularly in the Whatcom County division.”

The Whatcom County division is made up of teams that are comprised entirely of Whatcom County residents. It severely limits the racing pool and ups the competition between teams. There is a division for Whatcom men, women and mixed teams.

“Whatcom is the most coveted,” said Brian Boatman, who canoes for the Beavers Tree Service team in the men’s division. “The Open [division] you can get with money, but Whatcom you’ve got to live here. We’re all fast enough to be on the open teams, and we’ve all been approached, but it would be harder to be competitive.”

36

Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

Boatman’s team has placed either first or second for the past 15 years (even though they were disqualified in 2005). “We’re one of the best two Whatcom teams,” he said.

“It’s pretty close every year.”

Beavers Tree Service met their match in the Klicks team and formed a long-term rivalry. Disqualified from the race when their runner collapsed, they watched helplessly as the Klicks team, organized by Jim Clevenger, found its stride. “They beat us fair and square that year,” Boatman said. “It broke our streak.”

Charlie Sunderlage took on the race for the first time that year, volunteering to run the road race portion for Klicks. It was his first time competing in Ski to Sea. “I wanted to experience Ski to Sea in all its glory,” he said. “And that’s a tough leg.”

They were elated to take the win that year.

“Before then, Boatman’s team was significantly better than we were,” Sunderlage said.

“Now it’s close. It was also the first year there was a trophy for our division, so that upped the competition.”

The trophy, a three-foot tall wooden cup with the names from each year’s winning

team engraved on it, has been passed back and forth between teams since the first upset.

Since the 2007 race, the two teams have spent the weeks leading up to the event talking a little trash and getting in some friendly ribbing. “It starts about a month before the race,” Sunderlage said. “We put up our splits, and productivity slows at work [while we discuss strategy]. We pretty much take care of our customers and talk about Ski to Sea, and not a lot else happens.”

They look forward to seeing which one of them will take the cup and drink out of it at the annual party. “It’s fun to drink out of the trophy in front of the competitors you’ve just beaten,” Sunderlage said.

Last year, Klicks took the trophy home for the second year in a row. “We like to keep it in the Klicks Running & Walking store and point it out to our customers,” Sunderlage said. “It’s a really awesome trophy.”

Boatman warns his rivals not to get too comfortable. “They may have won the last two years,” he said. “But this year we’re really going for it. We’re going after them.”

Ski to Sea will be held Sunday, May 26, 2013. Visit skitosea.com for information. X

E

ach year, an audacious group of snowboarders head for the hills, say their prayers and slide through the starting hut to take a twisty, turny, hell-on-wheels ride down the Mt. Baker’s Legendary Banked Slalom (LBS).

They’re the best of the best. Each boarder has earned their entry by either outstripping their opponents’ time in the previous year’s race, qualifying in a local challenge or winning a lottery and proving they have what it takes.

The LBS is one of the longest running events (it celebrates its 28th year in 2013) in the snowboarding world, but it still retains its down home, local feel. There’s no media hype or loudspeakers blaring, just a bunch of folks who love the powder and want a steep shot of adrenaline and the chance for an award made of gold duct tape.

About 300 athletes will compete in the three-day event, taking place February 8 to 10. Here’s a look at two:

Brad Andrew

Riding the Banked Slalom | By Brandy Kiger

Aubrey Laurence

Race of Legend

Maëlle Ricker top of your game,” she said.

“I love the feeling at the bottom when you’re totally out of breath. It makes you feel like you really worked for it.”

With the gold duct tape trophies piling up in her home (“I haven’t needed that much tape for anything yet,” she said), Ricker is still hoping to pull a first-place finish this year – and maybe even a little more.

“Ultimately I would love to beat the guys,” she said. “I know that’s never going to happen but it would be fun!”

Ryan Duclos

The 34-year-old Olympic gold medalist has been shredding powder for close to 20 years (she started out riding on Whistler) and has hit some of the coolest slopes in the world, but the Legendary Banked Slalom (LBS) draws her back to Mt. Baker each year for a turn through the start hut. With six wins in the Pro Women’s division over the past six years, she’s hoping 2013 will make for lucky number seven.

“I find it fun to try to be the fastest,” Ricker said. “I guess it’s my competitive racer instinct that comes out when I’m in the start hut. What I really like is the feeling I get when I have a clean run down the course, where I whipped some of the corners and had a smooth line – that’s a great feeling.”

Ricker said the biggest challenge of the race was to get a clean line from top to bottom on the course. “It’s impossible actually. The key is to minimize the mistakes as much as possible and work the exits of the clean banks for speed when you’re on

Dylan Hart

Age: 34 Home mountain: Whistler, B.C. Division: Pro Women’s

Kevin Boyce

It was the similarity between surfing and snowboarding that first drew Kevin Boyce to the mountain. As soon as he saw a rider in action, he knew snowboarding was for him.

That was almost 20 years ago, and now Boyce is a fanatic. He’s built his life around snowboarding, and works at night to free up his days to ride the slopes of Baker. Outing after outing, he

comes back to the same mountain. “There’s really no point in going anywhere else,” he said.

“There’s familiarity and safety here, and I can ride at a level where it’s really fun every time.

This place is magic.”

At 58, he’s one of the older guys racing for the gold duct tape. “I’ve competed for 10 years,” he said. “I dreamed of doing [the Banked Slalom] when I started riding; it’s intense.”

His one win was garnered in 2008, and it’s been a highlight.

“I rode for years before I started to compete,” he said.

“The turns in banked slalom

give you a slingshot effect,” he said. “It’s such a technical course. I get tied up in the turns, and I just go ‘Wow! That’s what it’s all about.’ You have to trust that the bank is going to be there for you, even though sometimes when you go through a gate you can’t see the other side.”

Boyce said the event itself is a draw. “There are a lot of rippers riding, and it’s a great weekend to see people ride,” he said. “There are so many people having so much fun. It’s such a neat event.”

Find the REsults of this year’s race at lbs.mtbaker.us

Ryan Duclos

Brandy Kiger

Age: 58 Home mountain: Mt. Baker Division: Grand Masters

Photo: Jon Brunk Photography

Events around the mt. baker region February Legendary Banked Slalom: February 8 to 10, Mt. Baker Ski Area. lbs.mtbaker.us.

45th Annual Birch Bay Marathon: Sunday, February 17, Birch Bay State Park. This full and half-marathon is a Boston qualifier. birchbaymarathon.com.

Sledding/Inner tubing: Monday, February 18. At Picture Lake or Silver Lake Park. Info: mountbakerclub.org or Brian, 305-5570.

Tips for Women Travelers: Wednesday, February 20, 6 p.m.

Learn to confidently and safely travel. Bellingham REI. Info: Rei. com/stores/bellingham.

This Little Light of Mine: Friday, February 22. Evening 5K at Lutherwood Camp and Retreat Center. Info: facebook.com/lutherwoodtrailrace.

Outdoor Photography: Monday, February 25, 6 p.m.

Learn the principles of outdoor photography. Bellingham REI. Info: rei.com/stores/bellingham.

MARCH BC Boat/Sportsmen’s Show: Friday to Sunday, March 1 to 3.

Abbotsford, B.C. nfo: bcboatandsportsmenshow.ca.

Audubon Society visits Semiahmoo Spit: Saturday, March 2, 9 a.m. For beginning or novice birders led by Paul Woodcock. Semiahmoo Park. Info: northcascadesaudubon.org.

Vancouver Outdoor Adventure/Travel Show: Saturday and Sunday, March 2 and 3. B.C.’s largest adventure and travel show.

Info: outdooradventureshow.ca.

Wings Over Water Festival: Saturday, March 16. View birds in Blaine and Birch Bay; seminars.

Blaine Middle School Cafeteria.

Info: blainechamber.com/wow.

Runnin o’ the Green: Saturday, March 16. St. Patrick’s Day-themed, 40-minute run. Info: fairhavenrunners.com.

Fragrance Lake Hike: Saturday, March 16, 9 a.m. Easy to moderate hike in the Chuckanut Mountains. Info: mountbakerclub. org or Kay, 715-3091.

Bicycle Travelogue Series: Western Canada: Wednesday, March 20, 7 p.m. Slide show of bicycle journey, Whatcom Middle School. Info: everybodybike.com.

Sourdough Speaker Series: Saturday, March 23. Photographer David Moskowitz’s presentation on, “Wolves in the Land of Salmon,” at the North Cascades Institute. Info: ncascades.org.

Benefit Concert for KAVZ: Friday, March 29, 7:30 p.m.

The South Fork Valley Community Association is featuring the Backwoods Bistro, a performance to benefit KAVZ. The Backwoods Bistro is a three-act show with veteran balladeer Mark McCafree’s band Cross Polination Imagination, crooning songs of wonder instead of blunder. Then, longtime Southfork Valley vocalist Anna Esquibel, famous for her Latina Jazz repertoire, reunites with Bellingham guitarist and avant garde musician Jamie Starks. Closing the show is Act 3, known to those who frequent the Conway Muse, Slim Fat Lips, with Shorty and Momma Gumbo.

KAVZ LP (102.5 FM) is an east county station that plays all types of music and programs 24 hours a day, from Maple Falls to Kelly Road and from Acme to Nooksack. Local residents have put in thousands of volunteer hours on KAVZ, and the Backwoods Bistro benefit hopes to raise money to pay for repairs and upgrades to vital equipment.

Backwoods Bistro will be at Van Zandt Community Hall, 4106 State Road 9. Admisison $5. Info: Everybody’s Store, 360/592-2297.

Golden Egg Hunt: Saturday, March 30. Search for 4,000+ eggs hidden around the Mt. Baker Ski Area. One contains a 2013-14 season’s pass. Info: mt.baker.us.

april Lampshade Fundraiser: Friday, April 5. Local artists adorn lampshades; sales benefit the Allied Arts Education Project. Info: alliedarts.org.

Birch Bay Road Race: Saturday, April 6. The 8th annual 30K, 15K and 5K run and walk along the shores of scenic Birch Bay. Info: birchbayroadrace.com.

Skagit Valley Tulip Run: Saturday, April 6. 5 mile run and 2 mile run/walk. Info: skagitrunners.org/tulips.

Recycled Arts Resource Expo: Friday to Sunday, April 20 to 22. A three-day event celebrating the art of creative re-use. Various venues in downtown Bellingham. Info: alliedarts.org/rare.

Raven’s Edge Race: Saturday and Sunday, weekend TBD. Mount Baker Race Team’s dualslalom ski and snowboard race at White Salmon Lodge. Info: mtbakerraceteam.us/ravens-edge.

Vancouver Marathon: Sunday, May 5. Full and half-marathon. Info: bmovanmarathon.ca National Bike to Work and School Day: Friday, May 17.

Ride your bike to work or school and take part in city-wide bike party. Info: everybodybike.com.

Ski to Sea: Sunday, May 26.

Celebrate the 102nd year of this amazing adventure relay race covering 90 miles from the slopes of Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay. Finish party in Fairhaven. Info: skitosea.com.

Visit us online to find more events in your area!

mountbaker experience.com

May WAKE Demo Days and Gear Swap: Saturday, May 4. Test new kayaks from a variety of manufacturers, find good deals on used boats, or swap gear. Open to public. Info: wakekayak.org.

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Mount Baker Experience | SPRING 2013

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SPRING 2013 | Mount Baker Experience

39

Experience the North Cascades Gourinmget din

Wildlife

t Skagi

Natural beauty

r u o T Boat

Hikin

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Skagit Tours 2013

Ninety miles north and east of Seattle, experience the beauty, adventure, learning and fun in the North Cascades.

To learn more about what awaits you in the magical North Cascades, visit www.skagittours.com or call 360-854-2589.

Experience nature’s beauty on a scenic boat tour

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of Diablo Lake

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tour and powerhouse visit

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Learn from the experts with the popular powerhouse tours

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Take a free walking tour of historic Newhalem www.ncascades.org www.nps.gov/noca Photo credits: Rick Allen, Benj Drummond, John Harter, Elizabeth Penhollow & NEllen Regier