Mount Baker Experience, Summer 2017

SUMMER 2017

ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Ride.Every.Trail | Hiking the Sunshine Coast | Mountain Trivia

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE Special publication of The Northern Light PUBLISHERS Patrick Grubb and Louise Mugar

CONTRIBUTORS CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR Oliver Lazenby PUBLICATION DESIGN Doug De Visser COPY EDITOR Kara Furr ADVERTISING DESIGN Ruth Lauman • Doug De Visser

ADVERTISING SALES Catherine Darkenwald • Janet McCall Molly Ernst • Judy Fjellman CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE: Brett Baunton, Nick Belcaster, Tim Black, Brian Chapel, Radka Chapin, Anne Cleary, Tim Davenport, Brandon Fralic, Amy Gibson, Jason Griffith, Jason Hummel, Mandy LeBlanc, Alicia Lycan, Jason Martin, Wendy McDermott, Audra Lee Mercille, Eric Mickelson, Sarah Paxson, Spencer Paxson, Andy Porter, Gabe Rogel, Rylan Schoen, Evan Skoczenski, Benjamin Whitney EMAIL: info@mountbakerexperience.com WEB: www.mountbakerexperience.com FACEBOOK: facebook.com/mtbakerexperience INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/mtbakerexp If you can see Mt. Baker, you’re part of the experience. Mount Baker Experience is a quarterly outdoor recreation magazine for and about the Mt. Baker region, distributed from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. and published by Point Roberts Press, Inc. Locally owned, the company also publishes The Northern Light, All Point Bulletin, Pacific Coast Weddings, Waterside and area maps.

Vol. XXXI, No. 2. Printed in Canada. ©2017 POINT ROBERTS PRESS 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 TEL: 360/332-1777 NEXT ISSUE Fall 2017 • Out late August Ad reservation deadine: July 21 ON THE COVER Christina Volken and Aurielle Eyer on a summit in the North Cascades. Gabe Rogel photo.

SUMMER 2017

ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

MBE Summer 2017

nickBELCASTER

Nick Belcaster is a Bellingham writer who traverses the Pacific Northwest on rack, rope, skins and boot tread: an ice axe in one hand and a fly rod in the other.

timBLACK Tim Black is a skier and photographer based in Bellingham. He has always been inspired by others capturing the moment, so a few years ago he picked up a camera for a new view in the mountains.

anneCLEARY An always-say-yes attitude and a passion for storytelling through media brought Anne to Bellingham. She has employed filmmaking and photography to document and share adventure.

brandonFRALIC Based in Bellingham, Brandon writes about Pacific Northwest trails, ales and travel for a handful of regional publications. brandonfralic.com

amyGIBSON Amy Gibson loves learning about all the edible and medicinal plants she can find in Whatcom County.

jasonGRIFFITH Based in Mount Vernon, Jason is a fisheries biologist, member of Skagit Mountain Rescue, husband and father of two young boys. Accidents aren’t allowed when he heads to the hills with the Choss Dawgs.

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

Alpinestateofmind.com

mandyLEBLANC Mandy is a consultant who has worked with such groups as the American Heart Association, Swedish Medical Centers and Kaiser Permanente to pilot community engagement programs that improve health outcomes.

AliciaLYCAN

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2017

Alicia’s passion for creative storytelling is rooted in her love for whitewater kayaking and outdoor adventure. She has kayaked and competed on rivers around the world. shegoesinc.com

jasonMARTIN

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

audra leeMERCILLE Audra Lee Mercille is a Pacific Northwest-based freelance adventurer. She found photography as a way to display her love and gratitude for the mountains and landscapes that inspire her.

ericMICKELSON Eric is an outdoor photographer and restoration ecologist who is always willing to drop everything for a good adventure outside. He lives in Bellingham with his wife and daughter. ericmickelson.com

wendyMCDERMOTT Wendy McDermott is the director of Puget Sound and Columbia Basin programs for American Rivers. She has been an advocate for free flowing rivers, intact ecosystems and resilient communities for over 20 years.

spencerPAXSON Spencer is a professional mountain biker and owner of a sports performance coaching business. He is a Northwest native who has traveled the world but loves the mountains of home the most. peakenergyco.com

andyPORTER Andy Porter’s love of the outdoors began at 16 during a month-long Outward Bound program in the Sawtooth Wilderness of Idaho. He’s a full-time photographer living in Sedro-Woolley. Andyporterimages.com

rylanSCHOEN A fortune cookie once told Rylan, “This is a good time for you to enjoy the outdoors.” He has always trusted that cookie.

evanSKOCZENSKI Evan Skoczenski is a lifestyle and landscape photographer born in Bellingham. He spends almost all his time chasing light and the next adventure!

benWHITNEY Inspired by the allure of the North Cascades, Ben moved to Bellingham from Vermont this winter. He writes about people, place and community, and is excited to contribute to the creative wellspring that surrounds the alpine.

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

Summer 2017

Publisher’s NOTE by Pat Grubb

G

amification. Is that even a real word? And if so, is it spelled correctly? Turns out, yes to both questions.

Gamification is the process whereby people apply the rules of games to other parts of life such as work or recreation. It’s how someone can transfer the excitement and challenges and motivation that occur naturally in games to other activities that are crying out for inspiration.

Spencer Paxson tells us about it in his story on how he rode all the trails on three mountains in three days. Think about what he’s trying to achieve the next time you go out to do one of your favorite outdoor activities. It might just add a whole new element to your fun.

Last issue included a tribute to Randy Hook, a long-time fixture at the Mt. Baker Ski Area. It told of how Hook had directed the rescue of a young snowboarder who had gone off a cliff and was trapped headfirst in a deep hole.

That young snowboarder, Andy Turnbull, just happened to do an internet search of his rescue as its 20th anniversary came around. As you’ll see, that experience changed his life.

Another coincidence? Andy’s brother is sales manager at International Web exPress, the company that prints Mount Baker Experience.

These are just two of the stories you’ll enjoy as you go through this issue. Check out the events section and choose something different to do or to visit. Have fun, enjoy the summer and, as always, recreate responsibly.

Remember – if you can see Mt. Baker, you’re part of the experience.

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38

HUT TO HUT

Hiking BC’s Sunshine Coast

23

14

10

RIDE. EVERY. TRAIL.

HERBAL HEALING

One way to keep it interesting

An intro to fresh foraged tea

13 POSTCARD Report from an ‘86 Vanagon

More mining at historic Lone Jack?

DOSE OF NATURE 46 DINING AND LODGING 18 DAILY For health, try quantity over quality

You know you need some R&R

LAND SWAP 20 MOUNTAIN TRIVIA 16 SKAGIT 1,000 acres of key habitat

A pub pastime in print

30

GALLERY 24 PHOTO For your rods and cones

SHRED TRIFECTA 36 THE

One day, three adventure sports

42 EVENTS

Try something new this summer

SHUKSAN

GOLD IN THE HILLS

INVASIVES 48 AQUATIC Stop the Quagga’s dreaded creep

GLACIER SKATE PARK Coming soon: more fresh ‘crete

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UNDER ICE 45 TRAPPED A life changed after a heroic rescue

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RIDE

ALL

THE TRAILS And other ways to “gamify” your life

BY SPENCER PAXSON The author railing a corner on a local trail. Sarah Paxson photo.

O

n a dim and drizzly Sunday afternoon I lugged my bike up the steep hill to my house after a long ride. The misty hills, the mud caked on my face and the satisfying exhaustion in my legs all swirled into one sensation in the closing moments of this third and final level of a three-day trail game. The game was to ride all the trails on the three primary trail networks of Bellingham in three days. Level 1: Galbraith. Level 2: Chuckanut. Level 3: Blanchard. At the end, my virtual screen tallied 16 hours, 122 miles, and over 24,000 feet of climbing. The grownup kid in me did this without question, but the adult in me (and those around me, I’m sure) wondered “why?”

I like to say that riding a bike, or just being outside with a simple pleasure-seeking objective, keeps me in touch with my 14-year-old self. Of course, I can’t speak for all 14-yearold experiences, but the “14” I am referring to is the engaged time in life when the world is still a playground. It is the time when responsibilities and serious elements of life have begun to materialize but doing things for pure joy is still natural and common. I’m talking about the young spirit whose sense of

reality is still squishy enough to instinctively balance work and play.

When I moved to Bellingham in the late summer of 2013, I was 14 years past 14 and deep into my own version of balancing work and play. My introduction to the back yard was to pedal into the woods after work and get “lost.” I was not lost in a geographic sense, but absorbed by the woods and my own game of linking routes along the spider web of trails, whether or not I knew which one connected to where. The game began with Galbraith, then soon expanded to Chuckanut, Blanchard and beyond.

It was both a weeknight and weekend affair, to see how many new trails I could link together between conference calls, deadline crunches or before dark. As the map in my head filled thick with lines and elevation profiles, deep mossy green woods, waterfalls and mountain views, the pleasant pull of the back yard bubble became ever stronger. Amidst the routine of my work at the time, and even during a handful of years traveling the globe for a professional cycling career, I was always eager to be drawn back in.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the outdoors not only for practical purposes or the cachet of athletic accomplishment, but for the opportunity to simply play. In a sense, it’s like my own video game where I get to dream up the storyline and become my own avatar while the physics of the outdoors and my body writes the rules.

The rules for this latest game were simple: in a three-day weekend, stitch together my mental map and ride all of the mountain bike trails on the three predominant trail systems in Bellingham. Three days, three mountains, all the trails.

On a Friday morning I donned my riding suit and climbed aboard my bike, pockets stuffed with supplies. I had a vague idea of the course and the challenges ahead, but intended to take it one trail at a time, turn after berm after root after rock until each hill was done, counting the stats along the way for motivation.

Day 1 (Galbraith) was a behemoth at 7 hours, 60 miles and over 10,000 feet of going against gravity. Day 2 (Chuckanut) was still fairly absurd at just under 5 hours, 35 miles and 8,000 feet of climbing. By the third day (Blanchard), 4 hours,

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37 miles and 6,000 feet went by in a flow of green and euphoria. Considered all at once, this sounds horrendous. But one bit at a time: interesting! Being pointless was the point. The reward? The ride itself and being playfully engaged in the game.

This big undertaking had all the elements of an interactive game, which I’ll credit to gaming theorist Tom Chatfield. First, I had a heads up display (my bike computer) measuring progress mile by mile, vertical foot by vertical foot. Second, it engaged me through multiple long- and short-term aims, from completing the trail in front of me to linking together an entire mountain’s worth of trails. Third, my efforts were rewarded both by the pleasant sensation of moving and being out in the woods, and by checking each trail off my list. Fourth,

I had immediate feedback based on how I felt, how well I was riding, or how well I was staying fueled and hydrated. And fifth, there was a constant element of uncertainty. Although I knew all of these trails individually, putting them all together in such a short amount of time made the familiar unfamiliar and exciting.

As a competitive cyclist I’ve experienced the other side of activity, where play can shrivel up too regularly into formal “exercise,” “workouts” or “training.” I try to notice when I become overly preoccupied with goals and when I should let myself be freely engaged. Of course, structured regimen is important to learn and is part of being an adult or mastering a skill, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of the ability to play. Because when we lose the ability to play, I believe we lose an

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aspect of our engagement with the world.

The first word in the definition of play is “engage.” To “engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.” Play, despite its lighthearted and childish reputation, has serious implications. It implies engagement with the world, whether with others or with your own life. Psychologist and founder of the National Institute of Play, Stuart Brown says “we [humans] are really designed to play through our lifetime.” This so-called programming for playful behavior is known formally as neoteny – “retention of immature qualities into adulthood,” and it helps us be more adaptable.

According to Dr. Brown, playful behavior has a bearing on our overall well being as individuals and as a society. Play is the medium for linking the brain and body, balancing the mundane with the imaginative, the solemn and serious with the exciting and explorative. In this way, play, games, storytelling and other “open” ways of interacting with the world, as Dr. Brown refers to them, are essential for our neurological and social development, our health and well being. If play is the medium for achieving well-being, then for me, a bike (or hiking boots, skis or a climbing rope) is an excellent medium for achieving play.

When we lose the ability to play, I believe we lose an aspect of our engagement with the world.

Riding into the light. Brian Chapel photo.

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It is fair to say that bikes and the outdoors have kept me and many of my friends young through the process of becoming and being adults. It is also fair to say that the youthful experiences in the outdoors have made me a happy adult, too. As English professor and Major League Baseball commissioner Bart Giamatti once said, “The action [of play] itself is an expression of happiness, and not a desire to achieve or have happiness.” My 14-year-old self doesn’t feel far away when I’m outside.

So, back to the trail games and the why. The point for me is that happiness is often a natural and unforced outcome of play. And so far as happiness begets happiness, then play is an essential part of the repertoire. It is not that our adult form of play ought to aspire to being epic and full of grand statistics. The point is to apply the playful approach to anything, ideally a healthy challenge outdoors, and to keep your sense of reality from becoming too stiff.

Once something gains steam that excites you, keep it going. It can be how many days in a row you can ride to the grocery store instead of driving, how many different routes you can take to and from work, or how many trails you can ride in a weekend. It certainly doesn’t have to involve riding a bike, but hey, I’m biased.

When it comes to doing something outdoors that makes you happy, it can be very big or very small. Whether it’s keeping a fresh perspective on life’s mundane obligations, or seeking enrichment through personal challenges, the gamification of life is valuable. The kid in you should ensure that the game itself is completely arbitrary, but the adult in you should understand that it is driven by a serious and practical purpose: to maintain a healthy perspective between reality and fantasy, with health and happiness as a likely product.

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R DS POSToCm A the Reports fr d highways an hinterlands

m Postcard fro

a

OU SE) H T S A F A T U (B SLOW CAR

I

f you parked in the Heather Meadows lot of Mt. Baker this winter you may have picked out a gray ’86 Vanagon with sky-blue California plates, skis leaning up against the side and a smokestack protruding from a window, puffing away.

When Evan Skoczenski parked it in early December it started to sport a nice dusting after a few nights. By March he was digging out his front door every morning, stuffing feet into frozen boots and stoking up the fire. For the past season Skoczenski has been living as almost an artist in residence, bucking chairs for the ski area during the day and producing landscape and lifestyle photographs in any spare moment.

The van didn’t move all winter, save for once after a spat with the lot attendants who needed to clear the mounds of snow piling up behind the temporary home.

Skoczenski had picked up this lifestyle a year prior when he bought his Volkswagen Vanagon. He outfitted it with a solar panel and a small mailbox-sized woodstove to keep the space at a toasty 75 degrees at night. The odometer stopped working at 193,000 miles, but Skoczenski figures it’s got many more to go.

Many who have tossed the yoke of domesticity will tell you they aren’t specifically wild about living out of a vehicle. Rather, it allows them to live wherever they point the steering wheel. It’s a revitalization of the freewheeling hippie culture. It’s #Vanlife.

“Very minimal stuff, very minimal worries,” Skoczenski says, and hundreds on Instagram would echo that point. That’s where he first got the idea, following the rise of proto-vanlifer Foster Huntington’s feed.

Skoczenski didn’t waste any time when ski season came to an end – he’s now exploring Switzerland and Portugal. When he returns from Europe he says he’ll be back in the van for camping and hiking.

“I’d like to get it more weekend-warrior ready,” Skoczenski said.

“Not fully equipped with all the stuff, but pretty much ready to go anywhere.”

That’s the beauty of the van. Whether for a weekend trip or an entire season in the snow, the slow car/fast house life isn’t that bad.

x

From Nick Belcaster photos by Evan Skoczenski

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Herbal and Healing Tea Time Get started with fresh foraged tea STORY AND PHOTOS BY AMY GIBSON

F

Plants from top to bottom: thimbleberry, cleavers, yarrow.

or many, summer is a time to relax, slow down, and enjoy the warm season of our lives. One way I’ve found to enjoy these months while slowing my roll is to incorporate fresh foraged plants into my tea-drinking habit. I take a walk, find plants for my tea, watch their growth and then thank them as I drink them.

The plants listed here are those I use for fresh summertime tea, but they can also be dried and stored – just set your dehydrator to low and dry the plants whole. Once completely dry, pack them into an airtight container and store in a dark space.

When making herbal tea, bring water to a boil, turn off the heat, add your plant material, and cover to steep for 15-60 minutes, depending on your taste, time constraints and what you think the plant needs. Steeping this long releases more nutritive components of the plant, while covering keeps evaporative aromatic oils contained until things cool down.

Cleavers (Galium aparine) Found in shady, loose soil, this plant is known for it’s Velcro-like quality. It grows like a loose bottle brush tipped with white flowers. It is generally regarded as a tonic – a plant we can use over time to restore and improve our bodies’ natural functions and promote general well being. It is a mild diuretic with cooling, anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. It is commonly used for soothing lymph, urinary and skin irritations.

Pineapple Weed (Matricaria discoidea) This plant pops up on the compacted edges of disturbed gravel and dirt patches. When crushed, it gives off a faint scent of pineapple and chamomile (a close relative). It grows low to the ground with cone-shaped flower heads and lacy leaves. Pineapple weed is used to soothe upset stomachs, treat colds, intestinal and menstrual cramps and as a sleep aid. I find the flower heads are sweeter, while the leaves will increase the bitterness of your tea slightly.

Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus) These bright green, maple-like, soft leaves are a lovely addition to an herbal tea. Harvest leaves sparingly before the plant sends up white flowers. After flowering the plant focuses on making berries, so let it be. The tea is a gentle anti-nausea aid, a uterine restorative and strengthener and it is mildly astringent.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) With pancake- to umbrella-shaped clusters of tiny white flowers and long, feathery leaves, yarrow is a common sight in the Pacific Northwest. Harvest the leaves after the flowers appear for a fresh-scented tea that can lower fevers by inducing sweating and internally lowering body temperature. It’s great for uterine health, and can help to regulate bleeding. It is anti-inflammatory and astringent, and promotes the movement of mucus inside the body. Leftover tea makes a great hair rinse, as well!

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Coastal Mugwort (Artemisia suksdorfii) Mugwort grows in a powerful way – erect stalks that produce dark green, ragged leaves. The leaves’ underside has a downy sheen and in mid-summer the flowers form a spike-shaped cone.

Pick the scented leaves before the plant blooms, and start out sparingly with the strength of your tea. It is a diaphoretic and an expectorant, meaning it will induce sweating and help expel mucus from your body. It’s also used to stimulate the digestive, urinary and uterine systems. Mugwort is calming to the body and mind and can stimulate lucid dreams. This plant contains thujone, which should not be taken in large doses or while pregnant. It is wise to drink this tea sparingly and with a purpose, a few days in a row at most, with a week or more between uses.

Before you start picking, get out your plant identification book and do some research. This article is intended to give you ideas for plants to get started with. It's up to you to know what you can ingest and what to avoid. Remember to be absolutely positive about your identification before picking.

Harvest responsibly! Only pick what you will use, never harvest more than one-fifth of a plant and leave no trace in the woods. Check your surroundings for toxic runoff, chemical sprays and high-traffic areas and avoid harvesting in these areas.

These plants, which are easily found in our area, can lead you to many different natural environs.

Relax and enjoy your hiking and harvesting!

x

IT’SN G A OW K S

Looking for other things to add to your cup, or don’t have time to jump into nature?

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Stay Shop DINe Play www.burlington-chamber.com Visitor Center 520 E. Fairhaven Ave 360.757.0994 @visitburlingtonwa SUMMER 2017 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

15

Skagit Land Trust acquires 1,000 acres of key habitat

E

BY OLIVER LAZENBY

Photo courtesy of Skagit Land Trust.

Chewuch Inn Cabins & Lodging

The mountains are calling, I must go.

— John Muir

Winthrop, WA • 800-747-3107 • www.ChewuchInn.com 16

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2017

arlier this spring the Skagit Land Trust acquired 1,000 acres of land east of Concrete in the upper Skagit Valley. The purchase is a substantial boost to the Skagit Land Trust, which now manages nearly 8,000 acres, and ensures protection for critical habitat along the Skagit, Cascade, Sauk and Suiattle rivers.

The Skagit is unique for being the only river in Washington state that supports all five species of native salmon, thanks to the abundance of glaciers and protected land in its headwaters.

“The Skagit is fed by the most glaciated watershed in the lower 48 and those glaciers provide a summer water source that feeds the river and has led to this diversity of salmon runs and habitat,” said Michael Kirshenbaum, conservation director with the land trust. “It’s a really unique watershed in the whole West Coast in that way.

With all that pristine land upstream, the land trust focuses on protecting key habitat down valley. The 1,000 acres it acquired is in nine separate parcels with a mixture of habitat types including wetlands, streams and forests.

The trust acquired the land from the Nature Conservancy, which had originally acquired some of the land for protecting salmon, some for bald eagle habitat and some for more diverse protection goals.

Officials with the Nature Conservancy have said that organization is focusing more on broad efforts and less on managing specific properties.

The land trust is in the process of writing management plans for the properties and evaluating opportunities for public access, Kirshenbaum said.

“I’m sure there will be a few that have public access,” he said. “Our core responsibility is to make sure the ecology and wildlife habitat is restored.”

Kirshenbaum said the Nature Conservancy did a great job protecting the properties for 25 years and not much will change with the way they’re managed.

“There might be more public engagement now with these properties,” Kirshenbaum said. “That’s something that the land trust can do a great job of, because we’re really focused on Skagit.”

The land trust takes a community-based approach to conservation, which includes utilizing volunteers, running educational programs for children, working with landowners on conservation easements, and building an active membership. The organization’s roughly 1,000 members provide input on what the organization’s focus should be, Kirshenbaum said.

“That community input is really integral to how we look for properties to acquire and protect,” he said.

x

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17

A

Are you getting your

daily dose of

Vitamin N? Even a small amount of nature can help manage stress

BY MANDY LEBLANC

midweek hike through Discovery Park in Seattle recently brought a surprising amount of tranquility to my life – after a short sunset excursion, my family and I found we were far more relaxed and optimistic, slept better and had more perspective on our place in the world.

We had recently returned from a great vacation and had felt relaxed and interconnected, but those feelings only lasted a few weeks until school and work caused stress again. While the short stint in the park brought myriad health benefits to my life, you don’t need a whole evening or even an hour to relieve stress.

For many of us, when we think about relieving our stress and easing our minds, we think about the rejuvenating powers of time in the mountains, at the beach or on a good vacation.

While extended breaks from everyday life have their role in managing stress, micro-doses of the outdoors can be just as powerful.

If you are like the majority of Americans, you are concerned about the level of stress in your everyday life. The American Psychology Association’s annual survey on stress consistently finds that most Americans are affected by stress. Think of the last time you were stressed out. What did you do? Sitting still stewing about it rarely solves the problem, but walking away for a minute to refresh your mind and get another perspective can be one solution. The Japanese call this Shinrin-yoku: the medicine of being in the forest.

In a 2010 study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, researchers found that people experienced boosts to their mood and self-esteem after just spending five minutes outside doing light exercise, such as walking

Summer fun won’t wait!

If you are feeling under the weather this season, don’t wait for an appointment. Walk in to PeaceHealth’s Same Day Care clinic and get back outdoors.

PeaceHealth Medical Group Same Day Care 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Friday 3015 Squalicum Parkway, Suite 140, Bellingham

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18

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2017

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

An active lifestyle

needs routine maintenance Hikers on Lopez Island. Oliver Lazenby photo.

or gardening.

If your smartphone is rarely out of arm’s reach, that means you are making yourself available to the world most of the time. Add social media feeds and 24/7 news, and life rarely allows you to hit pause. Many physicians have started prescribing nature most days of the week to promote the physical and mental health benefits of time spent outdoors.

So while weekend activity is key to training for a big climb, daily walks in natural habitats have a big effect on our mental well-being. Time in nature has been proven to lower cortisol levels and blood pressure and allows us to be more mentally agile. Why? It is primal: At our core, our predecessors were hunters and gatherers so we were used to being outside. These days, we have become used to being held captive by our technology, which means less time “off the grid.”

Nature provides perspective and a more positive outlook. The next time you are feeling stressed or can’t seem to come up with a solution to a problem, try taking a 15-minute walk to see if you don’t come back feeling more refreshed and with a deeper sense of perspective of your role in the world.

Restored mental energy and improved concentration: Many of us are awake for up to 18 hours a day. A brief walk in nature can revive your mind and hit the reset button. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders found that children with attention deficits concentrate better after a walk in the park.

A more positive outlook: Soothing natural experiences often leave us with a more positive outlook and a sense of hope for the future.

Improved memory: While outside we tend to be focused on the present and give our brain time to defragment. Studies have shown that participants are better at repeating numbers backwards, and other cognitive tasks, after walking through the forest.

So consider this a prescription for Vitamin N and don’t neglect it, even if you can only get a small dose.

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19

Mountain trivia HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE MOUNTAINS? BY JASON D. MARTIN

T

he Pacific Northwest loves trivia. There’s no question about it. In cities throughout the region, you can find a group trivia game at a bar or brew pub most nights of the week. It’s also full of mountains and people who love the outdoors.

It occurred to us that the readers of the Mount Baker Experience might enjoy a combination of mountains and trivia.

So without further ado, please try your hand at this mountain trivia game…

1) On August 10, 1911, a group of 14 runners left Bellingham for the summit of Mt. Baker. The group was competing in the first Mt. Baker Marathon, America’s first adventure race. Some runners approached the summit via the Coleman-Deming route, whereas others approached via the Easton Glacier. Getting to the mountain was incredibly challenging as well because: a) The runners ran all the way from Bellingham Bay. b) Some runners departed Bellingham in cars whereas others rode in trains. The roads were muddy and in one case a train hit a bull and derailed. c) All of the runners used cars for the approach, which was tough because the roads were muddy and slow. d) The runners all rode horses. Many of the animals tired and the runners were required to cover additional ground on foot.

2) Joe Morovits made the first ascent of the Park Glacier Headwall in 1892, solo. The man’s partners climbed to the

Cockscomb and then elected to descend. They felt that the upper mountain was insurmountable and that only a crazy man would risk the summit. Joe famously continued on his own by… a) Using his bowie knife as an ice axe. b) Crawling up the remainder of the mountain. c) Chipping footholds with the butt of his rifle. d) Punching nails through the sole of his boots to create makeshift crampons.

Oliver Lazenby photo.

4) It’s well known in Bellingham that the native name for Mt. Baker is Komo Kulshan, or Kulshan.

Unlike Mt. Baker, Mt. Shuksan kept its native Lummi name. What does Shuksan mean? a) Strong lady b) High peak c) Proud peak d) Hidden summit

Radka Chapin photo.

5) This climber who put up dozens of first ascents in the Cascades was also the godfather of rock climbing at Mt. Erie, near Anacortes. a) Fred Beckey b) Bryan Burdo c) Alan Kearney d) Dallas Kloke

3) On December 9, 1956, 62 passengers died when a TCA North Star crashed into this mountain just north of the Canada/U.S. border. At the time it was considered to be one of the worst air disasters in history. a) The Fang b) Mt. Rexford c) Canadian Border Peak d) Slesse Mountain

FUEL UP

FOR FUN!

6) City Park is a famous 5.13+ rock climb in Index.

This extremely clean crack was first free-climbed by Todd Skinner in 1986. Todd had to famously do what before he could make a successful ascent of the crack? a) Use a blowtorch to burn away the axle grease that someone placed in the crack to keep him from climbing it. b) Put on a pair of hatchet-shaped prosthetic feet. c) Throw up. He had food poisoning. d) Race to the base in order to get on the route before his rival could.

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7) The first ascent of Prusik Peak was made via the East Ridge by in 1948. The first ascent party had an incredibly hard time with the last section of the route. To summit the mountain they were required to: a) Pound pieces of wood into a crack, one piece above the last, in order to make a makeshift ladder. b) Lasso the summit and then climb the rope with a friction hitch. c) Climb onto one another’s shoulders to reach a hold. d) Jump off a minor summit and over a deep gap to reach the true summit.

8) Mt. Waddington is an iconic Canadian peak. Fritz Wiessner made the first ascent in 1936. A pair of teenage brothers made the second ascent of this technical peak in 1942. Who were the teenagers? a) Fred and Helmy Beckey b) Carl and Lowell Skoog c) Thomas and Alexander Huber d) Lou and Jim Whittaker

Jason Martin photo.

10) One of the very first outdoor artificial climbing walls in the United States was built at a university in Washington state. The wall was constructed in 1975 to decrease the number of climbers practicing their craft on university buildings. Unlike modern climbing gyms, climbing access to this structure is free.

This incredible and historic wall can be found: a) Near Huxley at Western Washington University. b) Near the Husky Stadium at the University of Washington. c) Behind the library at Evergreen State College. d) Next to Nicholson Pavilion at Central Washington University.

11) Mt. Baker Ski Area hosts one of the most accessible and reliable ice climbs in Washington state. This beautiful flow can easily be seen from both chairs one and two. Name this classic waterfall climb. a) Herman Falls b) Chute Falls c) Pan Dome Falls d) Austin Falls 12) In 1961, nearly 12,000 cars crowded the base of this iconic Canadian Peak while Ed Cooper and Jim Baldwin battled their way up a sheer face on a first ascent. The press was on hand, just waiting to get a shot of a body falling from the 1,700-foot cliff.

What is the name of the peak the pair climbed? a) Mt. Habrich b) Mt. Garibaldi c) Liberty Bell d) Stawamus Chief

BELLINGHAM

TRAVERSE

x

Answers: 1) b – The cars arrived at the trailhead first.

2) c – Morovits was unable to use the rifle to cut steps on the way down and had to down-climb the tiny holds he’d made on the way up.

3) d – A team of mountaineers found the plane wreckage the following May. 4) b – This is a modernized term based on the original Lummi word.

5) d – There was a time when you would regularly see Dallas Kloke poking around at Mt. Erie. Tragically, he was killed in a climbing accident in 2010 when a large boulder came loose in the Pleidades.

6) a – A number of locals that want a visiting climber to get the first ascent. They smeared grease from the nearby railroad tracks into the crack.

7) b – The friction hitch used was the prusik-hitch, and thus the mountain was named.

8) a – Fred and Helmy battled never-ending brush and devils club while carrying 70-pound packs to make the second ascent of a technical route on Mt. Waddington.

9) d – Lassen last erupted from 1914 to 1921, less than a blink in geologic time.

10) b – The historic and internationally recognized UW Rock is under threat. The 2018 University Master Plan shows an unidentified building at the location of the current climbing structure.

11) c – This climb can now only be accessed from the base by lead climbers. The ski area has closed access to the top. The route ranges from WI 4 to 4+ depending on which way it is climbed and its current condition, so leaders should know what they’re doing.

12) d – A documentary entitled “In the Shadow of the Chief” chronicles Baldwin and Cooper’s epic ascent.

9) The Cascade volcanoes include 20 volcanic peaks and over 4,000 separate volcanic vents. The southernmost Cascade volcano is: a) Mt. Hood b) Mt. St. Helens c) Mt. Rainier d) Lassen Peak

Get Hooked on the Bellingham Traverse- a fun multi-sport relay race that celebrates the journey of wild salmon. You can help support Recreation Northwest’s Fairhaven Park Trail & Boardwalk stewardship project and educational programs with your team. Saturday, September 16th at noon.

Your team, made up of friends, family or co-workers, come out for a day of racing and experiencing all that is Bellingham! Enjoy the quintessential offerings of our scenic parks, winding trails and open waterways. It all ends at Boundary Bay with fresh Traverse Ale and a hoppin’ party.

Sound Fishy? If you’re not into “racing”, we’d love for you to give us a hand as a volunteer.

September 16th

SUMMER 2017 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

21

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GOLD

at the end of the

rainbow Could mining mean road maintenance at a highway 542 destination?

BY NICK BELCASTER

Twin Lakes from Winchester Mountain, near the Lone Jack Gold Mine. Andy Porter photo.

S

itting in an 81-year-old fire lookout tower in the North Cascades, you could well imagine you were in the oldest human structure for miles. But across Twin Lakes from inside Winchester Mountain Lookout, you might be able to just pick out dark openings in the opposite hillside. The Lone Jack Mine has the lookout beat by nearly 40 years, and its story isn’t over.

A company called Idaho North Resources out of Kellogg, Idaho recently acquired the Lone Jack Mine property for exploration with an option to purchase for $1 million. The 88-acre plot contains five separate claims, according to an August press release from the company.

While Idaho North Resources could not be reached for comment, they did some rock chip sampling last summer and released a report in October in which its president said they will use the samples to determine the feasibility of mining there in the near future.

The company plans to conduct exploratory drilling, along with mapping and video drone reconnaissance. The company claims the mine has produced more than 30,000 ounces of gold since its discovery.

While the owners might be new, the Lone Jack is as old as mining itself around Mount Baker, and no one tells the story better than local historian Michael Impero. In his book, “The Lone Jack,” Impero lays out the origin story as such: In 1897 a trio of miners, Jack Post, Russ Lambert and Luman Van Valkenburg, happened upon an exposed vein of quartz running up the face of what is known on old maps as Bear Mountain, directly south of Winchester Mountain. After the quartz tested for gold-bearing ore, the men made claim on the sites.

They ended up selling the mine the next year to the newly incorporated Mount Baker Mining Co. for $40,000, the equivalent to a little over $1 million today. News of gold on Bear Mountain ignited the Mount Baker Gold Rush, bringing an influx of young men to the area and spawning mining towns such as Gold City and Gold Hill. While the gold rush didn’t pan out for most, what followed was years of on-and-off mining activity at the Lone Jack. At different periods, large structures such as a mill, bunkhouse, general offices and hydroelectric equipment came and went, often falling victim to avalanches.

In recent years, mining has been on and off at the Lone Jack, as it sees periods of high and low activity, fluctuating with the price of gold.

In the future, the mine could operate in the same fashion it has in previous years, with ore being trucked out to be separated. The price of gold will likely dictate when mining occurs, along with the upkeep of the road past the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead. New interest in the mine could mean more road maintenance.

In 1950, the road past the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead was built up through a Washington state law that allocated funds for construction of mineto-market roads, turning what once was a jeep trail into a passable road.

Magenta Widner, a forestry technician stationed at the Glacier Ranger Station, said the mine is a private inholding within the Mount Baker National Forest and no different than land outside of the forest. Since the mine claims were made before the Wilderness Act, they are allowed to exist and operate today.

“It’s a very unique situation. The Twin Lakes road is actually a county mine-to-market road,” Widner said. “The Forest Service maintains it for the first 4.5 miles, and the final section of the road is maintained by the miners.”

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SUMMER 2017 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

23

Clockwise from top left: Mallorie Estenson traversing Forbidden Peak in the North Cascades / Tim Black photo. Carl Simpson, Rory Robison and Jeff Rich climbing toward the summit of Dome Peak / Jason Hummel photo. A mountain goat on the Pacific Crest Trail south of Stevens Pass / Audra Lee Mercille photo. Leif Embertson runs Robe Canyon on the South Fork Stillaguamish River / Eric Mickelson photo.

Hikers on the Railroad Grade trail on the south side of Mount Baker / Brett Baunton photo. Jann Eberharter takes a riverside snooze / Anne Cleary photo. Riding shotgun in an ‘86 Vanagon / Evan Skoczenski photo. Todd Zimmerman riding through golden light in Whatcom County / Eric Mickelson photo.

Jeff Rich crosses the outlet stream from White Rock Lakes / Jason Hummel photo.

Clockwise from top left: A hiker watches the sunrise from Hannegan Peak / Audra Lee Mercille photo. Nothing beats a summer campfire on the beach / Anne Cleary photo. The moon over Dana Glacier / Jason Hummel photo. Hikers walk along Kool-Aid Lake in the North Cascades / Jason Hummel photo. Climbers traverse a ridge toward Sahale Peak / Jason Griffith photo. Jumping off a dock into Ross Lake / Jason Griffith photo. The Middle Cascade Glacier in the North Cascades / Jason Hummel photo.

I

n February 2017, Bellingham resident Bill Hasenjaeger attended an outdoor expo where he walked into a talk about recreation-related business and described his target market as unemployed mountain bikers building jumps on trails.

That’s a small market, compared to others at the talk. It’s also an overstatement, Hasenjaeger admits, but it captures his surprise at the fact that there actually is a market for what he makes – a sturdy, packable tool for building and maintaining trails called the Trail Boss. The Trail Boss has a long handle that breaks apart and interchangeable tool heads, including hoes, shovels and a saw, and can therefore do the work of multiple long-handled tools. But it costs up to $700, depending on options.

“A lot of people are surprised there’s a market for this. I am too,” Hasenjaeger said.

“This was not brilliant foresight on my part.

I totally fell into it.”

He finds the talk of a “target market” funny, because it implies that he had a market in mind when he came up with the product. He made the first version of the Trail Boss in 2009 for his own use. He now works nearly full-time on the company, which became profitable in 2013. It turns out that though his segment of the market is just a sliver, it exists worldwide.

Google search “packable trail tools” and Trail Boss is the first thing that comes up. It’s virtually the only packable tool in the first two pages of results. That’s something google-using trail builders around the world have discovered.

“The pattern that happens over and over is that somebody somewhere discovers us, they buy one, and within three months I get five or six orders that are circled around that first one,” Hasenjaeger said.

Though the Trail Boss sells best in the U.S. and Canada, that pattern surfaced in Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, England and Ireland, among other places.

Hasenjaeger’s also shipped a tool to Saudi Arabia and 10 or so to a kibbutz in Israel, where they’re being used to restore and maintain an ancient trail in the desert. The Australian government recently bought 30 to equip wildland firefighters – a partnership that Hasenjaeger thinks could continue, as with some feedback, he could make specific adjustments for firefighters.

Hasenjaeger is a laid-back 62-year-old who walks with a slight limp due to a knee that’s bad from his motorcycle days, among other things (“skiing, rock climbing, falling off of stuff,” he said). He has been working on trails for more than 40 years, starting with a motorcycle club in California’s high Sierras and continuing to present day on Galbraith Mountain, Bellingham’s mountain bike mecca.

He worked as a machinist while going to college, then started developing software for manufacturing, and was eventually managing software developers. He stepped down from that in 2016 to work on Trail Boss, but he’s still doing some part-time consulting work, which included work on the automated system that lays up wings for Boeing’s 777X, the company’s latest automated manufacturing endeavor.

That is to say, designing the Trail Boss, sourcing ma-

The trailblazing packable tool Locally made Trail Boss sells worldwide STORY AND PHOTOS

BY OLIVER LAZENBY

30

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2017

terials and managing production wasn’t a great leap for Hasenjaeger.

The Trail Boss is probably most popular with mountain bikers. It’s hard to haul tools on a bike, and carrying tools on foot several miles to work on a 10-foot section of trail isn’t near the top of a weekend to-do list for most mountain bikers. Because of his bad knee and the fact that he likes riding bikes, Hasenjaeger prefers riding to the work site when working on trails.

“Carrying a long-handled, sharp, pointy thing on your bicycle is difficult. It’s dangerous. It’s horrible,” Hasenjaeger said. “Don’t put your eye out.

The Trail Boss isn’t the only tool to address this issue.

Even when Hasenjaeger was a teenager riding a motorcycle beneath the stark granite peaks of the sierras, there were packable tools on the market. But, Hasenjaeger found, they didn’t work.

“You could buy these telescoping things – rakes and little folding shovels and stuff like that,” Hasenjaeger said. “If you were trying to dig out a little drain or something simple, maybe they were OK, but they always broke. They had these plastic twist joints that would just fall apart, so they really weren’t practical.”

Hasenjaeger set out to make something that wouldn’t break and could fit into a small daypack.

The packable tool that Hasenjaeger came up with eight years ago was stronger than anything else on the market.

Its handle is made of up three or four sections of fiberglass linked by aircraft-grade aluminum couplers. About 10 different alloy steel and ductile iron tool heads can be attached.

Hasenjaeger started building and maintaining trails with his tool. He kept refining it, and gave some away. People started seeing the tool in action on Galbraith, and most people thought it was really cool. Some Galbraith trail builders became early adopters of the Trail Boss.

“The Trail Boss is basically all I use now,” trail builder Russ Lambert said. Lambert got an early version of the tool, “I think Bill has put a lot of energy into building a high-quality tool. When something isn’t working quite right he makes amends.”

Lambert has been building and maintaining trails on Galbraith for more than 20 years. His trail-building resume includes such Galbraith classics as Mole Trap, Tough Love, Pony Express and Jack and the Beanstalk. When building those trails, he packed in all kinds of tools: a McLeod, hoes, shovels, a small chainsaw, a handsaw and a pull saw.

Lambert’s trail boss fulfills the function of nearly all of those tools. Plus, it works for a different style of trail maintenance. Lambert can go for a long ride with the Trail Boss in his pack and make a few stops to repair a washed out section of trail or remove a downed log.

“The advantage of the Trail Boss is you can get farther in and do trail maintenance, which is what I like to do now; I ride around and do spot maintenance,” Lambert said.

While knowledge of the tool spread by word of mouth, Hasenjaeger started the business in 2012, and called it Trail Insight. The company got a big bump in early 2012, when Kevin Menard, co-owner of Transition Bikes, made a video about the tool with footage of Hasenjaeger machining it and the tool in action on the trails. Menard published the video on Pinkbike.com, it quickly racked up thousands of views, and Hasenjaeger’s inbox blew up.

“I was in scramble-mode trying to deal with all those orders.” Hasenjaeger said. “I had to follow-up with everyone and tell them we didn’t have anything on the shelf, that I had to make it all and it’s just me.”

The typical response was, “That’s cool, I can wait,” he said.

It took Hasenjaeger nearly four months to catch up with

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those orders, and the whole time more orders were coming in. Growth has continued steadily since then. Hasenjaeger has managed that growth by hiring Irongate Machine in Bellingham to do some of the production manufacturing.

He also got a part-time employee and moved out of the garage.

Trail Boss is now headquartered in a combined shop and office space. Some inventory and machining equipment is in the back, and an office is up front with some desks and a few folding chairs beneath photos of motorcycles hanging on the wood-paneled walls.

Hasenjaeger has an out-of-the-way desk for his software consulting work.

On the other side of the room is a table and computer for his Trail Boss work. One day this winter that table had a prototype of a leather Trail Boss carrying case on it. For all his manufacturing experience, working with leather is new ground for Hasenjaeger. But the experiment has the same mission as the Trail Boss: making it easier to carry trail tools.

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G

Photos courtesy of the Glacier Skate Association.

Glacier’s summer pastime

Fresh concrete could flow soon at Glacier’s DIY skate park

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up the torch for the Glacier Skate Park in recent years. After a busy winter, the association is getting ready to pour more concrete this summer to add to the current setup – a concrete Mickey Mouse-shaped pool-style bowl and a mini-ramp.

Over the winter, the association raised about $10,000 and got a $5,000 grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation. Elliott said that isn’t enough to finish the park – the existing bowl, which was built in 2015 with entirely volunteer labor, cost about $20,000. But it will allow the association to add to an existing section of the park that is barely usable right now.

The association is looking for donations of fill dirt and building materials to help stretch the budget. It also recently obtained nonprofit status, making donations taxdeductible.

In between runs in the bowl, carving and grinding to the king of surf guitar’s primitive sound, Elliott talked about the vibe of the park. It’s a little skate park with a lot of heart. The lip of the bowl is encircled in a mural of ceramic tiles handmade by snowboard legend Jamie Lynn and Mike Cummins, a tile artist, well-known skateboarder and snowboarder, and member of the family that owned Northwest Snowboards.

Volunteers – including some with professional experience building skate parks – poured and finished the concrete. It was all a labor of love, Elliott said, rather than something commissioned by bureaucrats in response to kids complaining about not having a skate park.

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lacier, Washington, is an exciting place in the winter. Snowboard legends pile into town with the snow and families stop by on the way back from playing in the mountains, their enthusiasm spilling out of minivans, cars and trucks and into shops and restaurants.

In summer when the dedicated snow chasers are gone, replaced by Artist Point tour buses, that sense of excitement may be less apparent. But it’s still there, especially down a dirt road behind Graham’s Restaurant.

Start down Coal Creek Road and even on a weeknight in May you could be greeted by the smell of brats sizzling above a bed of coals and the surf rock sound of Dick Dale and the Deltones coming out of a karaoke speaker, punctuated by the bark of aluminum skateboard trucks crunching across the concrete pool coping of the Glacier Skate Park.

The skate park, a half-finished, decade-long project taken on and funded by local skaters, is a summer answer to the ski area’s winter buzz.

“It’s a community gathering spot,” said Tad Elliott, president of the Glacier Skate Association. “I think it’s a way for the community, the snowboard community especially, to have something to fulfill the need in the summer. That was lacking.”

Elliott, a carpenter who moved from Pennsylvania to Maple Falls for snowboarding, is president of the Glacier Skate Association and one of several people who have picked

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“It wasn’t built by government officials, it was built by the people who skate here and live here, from their own passion,” he said.

Many of the people skating the park that night in May helped it along in some way. Jamie Lynn was there picking a guitar, rigging up shop lights so the session could continue into the night and taking runs in the bowl. He has donated artwork to the association’s fundraisers for years, which has raised a big part of the skate park’s funds.

Even Jeremy Miller, who played a bigger role than anyone in getting the park started, was riding it. Mill-

er did much of the early work, buying materials out of pocket, moving piles of dirt and coal (the site used to be a coal mine) and learning to sculpt concrete as he went.

He also started on the road to legitimizing the skate park years ago, working toward an agreement with the landowner, who’s now on board with the park and a fan of skateboarding, Miller said, and a conditional-use permit from the county for construction.

A few years ago Miller moved to eastern Washington, where he guides fly fishing trips. He’s still involved with the project from afar, though he can’t always be there when he wants to be.

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“When they poured the bowl I was stuck at work wishing I was there,” he said.

Miller dedicated a lot of time to the project and found support in a lot of places, but he didn’t always have help and there were fewer local skaters to work on the project. “Maybe the timing wasn’t right,” he said.

Ten years after Miller poured the first lumps of cement in an area that was an eyesore and illegal dump at the time, a community has formed around the skate park and taken up the cause.

Learn more or support the skate park at glacierskateassociation.org.

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A triple shred adventure Using the sunlight of spring for a three-in-one day STORY AND PHOTOS BY ALICIA LYCAN

F

rom the top of Mt. Baker to the shores of the Salish Sea, our Cascadian paradise holds endless possibilities. No matter what recreational activity you enjoy, you can probably do it here. And most likely, you can do it year-round.

Even better, with the long days of spring and summer, it’s possible to do all your favorite activities in one day. You could snowboard, skateboard and then paddle board. Or ski, mountain bike and kite surf. Any combination of sports at

36

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2017

various elevations in our world-class backyard will leave you tired and fulfilled. One day last spring, I took on a trifecta of skiing, paddling and mountain biking. Here’s how it went: 6:30 a.m.: Wake up! Coffee and breakfast, then it’s off to Mt. Baker Ski Area for 10 inches of powder. Last night we packed our gear for the day and charged our camera batteries – it’s hard to remember everything so early in the morning and before the first cup of coffee. Kayaks and skis are strapped down on top of the car, bikes on the rear rack, fresh

layers, and gear are ready to be loaded. I have a bag of mountain biking gear, a bin of whitewater gear and a backpack of ski gear, which helps simplify the preparation.

Noon: Tired and hungry! We haven’t stopped all morning; the snow in and out of bounds has just been too good.

When the snow is fluffy and avalanche conditions are stable, we tend to stick to our favorite spot: the Shuksan Arm. We ski as many laps as we can fit into our morning. If conditions are less stable, we like to ski after each other around the ski

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area to all our favorite spots. Back at the car, we load up and pull out our lunches because we’ll be eating on the go on the way down to the Nooksack River put-in.

1 p.m.: Time to get on the river! We have two options as we follow the Nooksack River west on Highway 542: the north fork or the middle fork. Before we leave the mountain we check river flows to make our final decision. We’re in luck, the middle fork is running at a great flow and within our group’s comfort zone. If you have the class 5 chops, the middle fork is a real treat. This three-mile section of river, starting at the middle fork diversion dam, begins with a 90-foot-deep canyon and is non-stop fun until you reach the end of the canyon at Mosquito Lake Road.

If you prefer easier whitewater with breathtaking views, the Horseshoe Bend Trail just east of Glacier on Highway 542 is easily accessible and rewarding. Follow the trail upstream for a more difficult section of whitewater or put in at the bridge for a Class 3 paddle ending just south of Glacier. New to whitewater? Consider a guided rafting trip on this section.

4 p.m.: Next stop: Galbraith Mountain. We are taking off the river and changing into our mountain bike gear. We eat more food to recharge for the last leg of our triple shred adventure.

6 p.m.: We park across from Galbraith Lane Road and begin climbing the forested mountain. As we pedal, we try to decide which sequence of trails to ride down. I vote for my favorite combo: Evolution, U-Line and Atomic Dog. I love the flow of the trails and the views, but most of all the last light settling through the trees as we reach the U-Line viewpoint over Lake Padden and Bellingham Bay just in time to enjoy the sunset.

All that’s left is deciding between heading to our favorite brewery or firing up the grill to finish off another incredible day in our backyard.

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Happy, healthy far-out trails Hut-to-hut hiking on BC’s Sunshine Coast STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRANDON FRALIC

J

esse shifts the Yukon into park and says, “Hold on, I think this might be the Hill of Death.” He steps out of the vehicle and disappears around a corner, walking slowly down the steep, deeply rutted B.C. Hydro road. A minute later he reappears, opening the back door. “This is the end of the line, folks!”

Rachel and I clamber out into the rain. It’s late march and we’ve taken a gamble on the weather in exchange for some solitude on the Sunshine Coast Trail (SCT). Our driver, Jesse, has given us a lift from the nearest town of Lund, B.C., to within half a kilometer of the trailhead. He’s wise to avoid driving down the Hill of Death. According to our guidebook, it’s “a gold mine for towing companies.”

We won’t see Jesse for three days. As he drives off, the weight of my decision to hike a 45-km (28-mile) section of Canada’s longest hut-to-hut hiking trail immediately sinks in. Or perhaps it’s the weight of my pack. Either way, there’s no turning back now. We make our way down to the trailhead at Land’s End — kilometer zero of the SCT. We make last minute pack adjustments, take a photo and we’re off.

The Sunshine Coast Trail begins at Sarah Point and stretches 180 km (112 miles) across the Upper Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Though not quite an island — the coast is separated from mainland Vancouver by Howe Sound and countless rugged mountains — it’s a slower-paced portion of

38

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2017

the mainland that is only accessible by boat or plane. They call it “Sunshine Coast” for a reason. Often mistaken for neighboring Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast is actually protected from the Pacific Ocean by the massive isle — tucked away in its rain shadow.

Getting there took half a day from Bellingham. After two ferry crossings and six hours of travel, we arrived in Powell River and stayed in the Historic Townsite district, across the street from the local brewery. It was at Townsite Brewing that we first met Eagle Walz to learn more — Suncoast Pale Ales in hand — about the epic hut-to-hut hiking trail that he helped create.

Eagle speaks with humility about the long-distance trail he spearheaded, giving credit where it is due. But one gets the sense that without his vision and commitment, the Sunshine Coast Trail would not exist as it does today. In 1993, Eagle and a group of local outdoor enthusiasts formed the nonprofit Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society (PRPAWS) to protect the last remaining stands of old growth on the Upper Sunshine Coast. They began building trails to engage the public. One path led to another, and they eventually ended up building the longest hut-to-hut trail in all of Canada. Today, Eagle presides over PRPAWS and is out nearly every day working on the trail with his volunteer crews. He also happens to be the author of the SCT’s one and

only guidebook.

After beers and dinner with Eagle we called it a night at the Old Courthouse Inn. For breakfast the next morning, we chowed down on house-smoked salmon eggs benedict at the attached café, loading up on protein and carbs for the hike ahead. In true B&B style, breakfast was included (and greatly appreciated) in our stay. Then it was off to Lund to meet Jesse of Sunshine Coast Shuttles for our trip to the trailhead.

Day 1: Sarah Point to Manzanita Hut — 16 km (10 miles) “This is the end of the line, folks!” Those words reverberate in my mind as we set out on the trail. With no one around, the only noises we hear are gentle waves rolling in from Desolation Sound. We climb from sea level to a spectacular overlook at Desolation Bluffs, where the trail’s first logbook awaits. Provided by PRPAWS, these books are placed periodically along the trail to gauge usage. We sign it and drop back down to the beach at Feather Cove.

We spot a few harbor seals in Feather Cove before resuming our hike. Then we’re off again through moss-clad old growth, past lakes and high viewpoints over the Salish Sea. Newly constructed tent pads await, but we’re not carrying a tent. That’s the appeal for many SCT hikers — the ability to hike tent-free. Fourteen shared-use huts are available along

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This is of the most remote parts of the SCT, and it’s simply pristine. We don’t see another soul all day until arriving at Manzanita Hut. There, three women from Vancouver greet us as we escape rainfall inside the shelter. We hang our wet clothes, boil water for a meal and watch the sun set while sharing the single beer we packed in from Townsite Brewing. The hut sleeps eight comfortably — 12 in a pinch — so there’s more than enough room for five.

Day 2: Manzanita Hut to Rieveley Pond — 17 km (10.5 miles) After a stormy night, we awaken to the Sunshine Coast’s namesake rays. The manzanita trees (more commonly known as madrone in the U.S.) outside our hut remind me of childhood weekends in the San Juan Islands. We set out, descending from Manzanita Bluffs’ 300-meter (984-foot) heights into the woods.

The trail is well marked with orange squares for its entirety. Equipped with a paper map and Eagle’s guidebook, we never doubt our location, even with spotty-at-best cell reception. We hike past forest rhododendrons, abloom in spring, through trees young and old, marveling at

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GETTING THERE From West Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal) take BC Ferries to Langdale (Gibsons). Drive approximately 1.5 hours northwest on Sunshine Coast Highway to Earls Cove. Take a second ferry to Saltery Bay to reach the upper Sunshine Coast. Continue driving to Powell River or Lund to begin the hike.

Sunshine Coast Shuttle www.sunshinecoastshuttle.ca

PLANNING TOOLS Sunshine Coast Trail: www.sunshinecoasttrail.com Sunshine Coast Tourism: www.sunshinecoastcanada.com Trail Video and Trek with Google Street View: www.bcexplorer.com/journeys/ sunshine-coast

the trail’s variety. At one point we come to a sign that reads, “Big Gnarly,” bracing our knees for a climb. In fact, Gnarly was once a massive Douglas fir whose remains now stand in solitude. We pass Toquenatch Falls and its sturdy bridge, built by a local group known as the Bloody Old Men’s Brigade (BOMB Squad).

Towards evening we arrive at Rieveley Pond Hut, situated near frog-filled Rieveley Pond. We share a fire with our Vancouver hut buddies before turning in early for another

day on the SCT. Day 3: Rieveley Pond to Wildwood — 12 km (7.5 miles) Our final day is a beautiful blur. From the 370-meter (1,214-foot) heights of Rieveley Pond we descend to sea level yet again — another rollercoaster ride on the SCT. Along the way we pass several scenic lakes and waterfalls. We pause at Kayach Bluff — a promontory over Sliammon Lake — to text

Jesse our progress. A few hours later, he meets us at the Wildwood trailhead in Powell River and we drive a few minutes down the road to Shinglemill Pub for celebratory pints with Eagle. Jesse hands him a Sharpie; I hand over our guidebook.

“Happy, healthy far-out trails,” he writes. “— Eagle.”

If you intend to hike the SCT, go before the heat and crowds of midsummer. Go now. Or, wait until fall for shoulder season adventures.

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EVENTS

find more events and submit your own at www.mountbakerexperience.com ABBOTSFORD AIR SHOW: August

11-13, Abbotsford, BC. Witness the awesome power and acrobatics of a variety of aircrafts and pilots. More info: www. abbotsfordairshow.com

WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL: September 8-10, Port Townsend. North America’s premier wooden boat gathering features 300 wooden vessels, 120 presentations and thousands of experts and enthusiasts.

The festival honors tradition but also allows for debate about the latest innovations. More info: www.nwmaritime.org THE GOAT RUN: September 16, Olympic

National Park. The Great Olympic Adventure Trail Run (GOAT Run) is a one-way trail marathon and half marathon on a route that traverses Kelly Ridge between the Olympic National Park and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington state. More info: www.greatoatrun.org

DEMING LOGGING SHOW: June 10-11, Deming. See world champion loggers

compete in 31 events and perform incredible feats of woodsmanship. Breakfast and BBQ. More info: www.deminglogginshow.com

JUNE RACE TO ALASKA: June 7-8, Port

Townsend. More than 35 teams are signed up to race boats from Port Townsend to Ketchikan. The rules: no motor and no support. Check out boats, a parade and kickoff festivities at the prerace ruckus in Port Townsend on June 7 and follow the teams at www.R2AK.com

welcome. More info: www.squamish. arcteryxacademy.com.

WHIDBEY ISLAND TRIATHLON: July 29.

Langley. A great all-around triathlon for beginners and veterans alike. More info: www.swparks.org/triathlon.html

TOUR DE WHATCOM: July 29, Belling-

Padden. This event features two triathlon distance options around the lake. It’s a rite of passage for local athletes. More info: www.racecenter.com/race-details/?race=4012

ham. Cycle the iconic roads of Whatcom County, beginning and ending in Bellingham with 22-, 44-, 62-, and 100-mile courses with views of Mt. Baker, Lake Whatcom, valleys, rivers, farmland, beaches and the Puget Sound. All proceeds benefit local charities. More info: www.tourdewhatcom.com

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LOGGER RODEO: July 4, Sedro-Woolley.

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Spend 4th of July at the chainsaw carving capitol of Washington state. Sedro-Woolley hosts a number of activities including a chainsaw carving competition and a logging show with pole climbing. More info: www.loggerodeo.org

BARE BUNS FUN RUN WEST: July 9,

Tiger Mountain. Be brave, be tough, beat the mountain in the buff with the Issaquah nudists at the 26th annual clothing optional 5k run up Tiger Mountain.

More info: www.tigermtnudists.com

RAGNAR RELAY: July 14-15, Blaine to

Langley. Teams of 12 runners tag off for an around-the-clock, 196-mile relay race.

More info: www.ragnarrelay.com/race/ northwestpassage

LAKE WHATCOM TRIATHLON: July 15,

Bellingham. Olympic-distance triathlon comes alive again this year. Beginner and elite athletesare welcom in individual and relay divisions. More info: www. lakewhatcomtriathlon.com

ARC’TERYX CLIMBING ACADEMY: July

20-23, Squamish, BC. The Arc’teryx Climbing Academy continues its partnership with Canada West Mountain School to provide world-class clinics and workshops to all participants. All skill levels

42

festival of global repute in downtown Anacortes! This festival is internationally known and for good reason. The sheer variety and magnitude of artistic talent on display is jaw dropping. Indoor and outdoor galleries and many vendors throughout downtown Anacortes. Also features a fun run with half marathon, 10k and 5k. More info: www.anacortesartsfestival.com

MT BAKER RHYTHM AND BLUES FESTIVAL: August 4-6, Deming. Voted

“Best Blues Festival in America” in 2013, this festival at the Deming Logging Show grounds is a hit with blues fans far and wide. More info: bakerblues.com

RIDE THE HURRICANE: August 6,

Olympic National Park. This challenging bike ride on Hurricane Ridge Road features tough climbing and stunning views.

The road closes to cars for the ride and cyclists have three options for distance.

More info: www.portangeles.org/pages/ RideTheHurricane

SUBDUED STRINGBAND JAMBOREE:

August 10-12, Deming. Check out the annual pickin’ party at the Deming Logging Show grounds. Dozens of Northwest bluegrass favorites will be there. More info: www.stringbandjamboree.com

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2017

TOUR DE WHIDBEY: August 19, Whidbey Island. The Tour de Whidbey is one of the most popular rides in all of Washington state. Travel the back roads of Whidbey Island for gorgeous vistas, breathtaking scenery and varied terrain on either a 30-, 40-, 50- or 100-mile route. More info: www.tourdewhidbey.com RIDE FROM SEATTLE TO VANCOUVER & PARTY: August 18-19, Seattle.

The Cascade Bicycle Club is once again hosting its RSVP ride. Ride between two iconic cities and enjoy the beer garden after crossing the finish line. The party continues into the evening with live music and more. More info: www.cascade.org

CHUCKANUT CLASSIC: August 27,

BELLINGHAM TRAVERSE: September 16, Bellingham. Get Hooked on the Vital Choice Bellingham Traverse, a fun relay race that celebrates the journey of wild salmon. Form a solo, tandem or relay team to run, bike and paddle through Bellingham’s scenic parks, winding trails and open waterways. More info: www. recreationnorthwest.org THE BIG HURT: September 23, Port Angeles. The Big Hurt is a multi-sport race with four legs: mountain biking, kayaking, road biking and running. Participants can race solo or as a relay team of 2-4 people. More info: www.bighurtpa. com BELLINGHAM BAY MARATHON:

September 24, Bellingham. With views of Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands, and North Cascades, this is one of the most beautiful marathons in the northwest. Full marathon, half, 10K, and 5K races for runners and walkers. After the races, enjoy live music and a beer garden at Depot Market Square. More info: www.bellinghambaymarathon.com

Bellingham. Ride down beautiful county roads and along cliffs and shoreline that define Chuckanut Drive. Distances include 25-, 38-, 62-, and 100-mile routes.

Routes are fully supported, with rest stops stocked with high energy food and drink. More info: chuckanutclassic.org

SEPTEMBER OAK HARBOR MUSIC FESTIVAL:

September 1-3, Oak Harbor. Three free days of live music in on the beautiful isle of Whidbey. Two main stages with over 30 bands. Two beer gardens, local food vendors and sidewalk cafes. More info: www.oakharborfestival.com

LUMMI ISLAND ARTISTS’ STUDIO TOUR: September 2-3, Lummi Island.

pick up a map at the Islander Grocery and take a self-guided tour of dozens of artists’ studios around the island. More info: www.lummi-island.com

BELLINGHAM SEAFEAST: September 22-23, Bellingham. Come for the food, stay for the fun. Fisher poets, world-class seafood, water recreation and more. Eat, play, explore. More info: www.bellinghamseafeast.com

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

New access for the Nooksack?

BY WENDY MCDERMOTT AMERICAN RIVERS DIRECTOR FOR RIVERS OF PUGET SOUND AND COLUMBIA BASIN

Photos courtesy of American Rivers.

T

he Nooksack River is one of the only rivers in Washington that offers year-round whitewater boating. The glacier-melt from Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan feeds the Nooksack through the summer season, attracting boaters to the area when other rivers become too low to boat.

The majority of whitewater boating in the Nooksack River system takes place on the North Fork along Hwy 542. The river provides opportunities for all levels of paddling, from splashy Class II wave trains perfect for beginners to technical, steep and narrow Class V rapids for experts. However, public access to these runs is a mixed bag with room for improvement.

An example of needed river access improvement is the North Fork’s popular Canyon Run. Boaters launch their crafts, main-

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20 years later Accident survivor thanks late ski patroller Randy Hook

BY OLIVER LAZENBY Longtime Mt. Baker Ski Area patroller Randy Hook undoubtedly altered many lives before he died of a heart attack on the slopes on January 1, 2017. After Mount Baker Experience published an ode to Hook by Maya Hunger in our spring issue, one of those people reached out wanting to express thanks for sharing Hook’s story.

The spring story briefly mentioned a 1997 rescue in which Hook played a lead role. That story made it all the way to Oxford, England, where it found Andy Turnbull, the victim in that rescue 20 years ago.

Since then Turnbull has started a family, worked as a pastor, and he’s now pursuing a doctorate of philosophy in theology at Oxford University. None of that would have been possible without Hook, who found him 20 feet deep in a hole out of bounds at the Mt. Baker Ski Area on March 31, 1997.

“Randy put his life in danger to save mine when he descended into that hole,” Turnbull said.

“It wasn’t as if he was not at risk.”

After ducking the rope line on Chair 8 on his last run of the day, Turnbull, an 18-year-old at the time, ended up on top of a cliff in an area known as Gordy’s Gulch. He tried to traverse the cliff, but slipped on ice and fell about 40 feet to the snow below, where he punched through the surface and fell another 20 feet into a hole at the base of a frozen waterfall. His body wedged into the hole like a cork, and his board anchored him in position; he couldn’t move.

Turnbull’s brother Carl and father Grant, who had elected not to join him out of bounds, knew something was wrong when he didn’t turn up at the meeting spot. Hook and the rest of ski patrol swept the hill but saw no signs of the young snowboarder. Hook had a nagging hunch, according to the 1997 Reader’s Digest article by Lynne Schuyler – he hiked up to the base of the cliff, found a hole, and shouted into it.

Turnbull replied.

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Rescuers rigged a pulley system and Hook climbed into the hole to affix a rope to Turnbull’s wrists, but Turnbull didn’t budge. By the time several dozen ski area employees – including lifties and lodge staff – had moved the roughly 10 tons of snow it took to tunnel to Turnbull, he was hypothermic and unconscious, with a faint pulse. He emerged from the hole six hours after falling from the cliff.

Turnbull’s heart stopped five times on the way to the hospital, but each time paramedics shocked it back into action. His core temperature registered 80.8 degrees Fahrenheit when he arrived at Peace Health in Bellingham. Apparently, Hook found Turnbull just in time.

He recovered completely, and left the hospital four days later to return home to White Rock, BC. The ordeal guided Turnbull toward religion, he said, which has shaped his life since the accident.

“I look at it as a great gift from God that I was rescued,” Turnbull said in a phone interview.

“I see it being such a gift that Randy was involved that day. He was such a dedicated servant.

He really gave his whole adult life to serving on that hill.”

Turnbull’s rescue was just one day in Hook’s nearly 50-year career on the mountain.

Check out our website for links to the 1997 Reader’s Digest story about the accident, a story in the Vancouver Province newspaper, a documentary, and Andy Turnbull’s personal account and reflection on the day.

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Where to eat ACME/VAN ZANDT ACME DINER

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

BLUE MOUNTAIN GRILL

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

EVERYBODY’S STORE

5465 Potter Road, off Highway 9 360/592-2297 www.everybodys.com This delightful and eclectic store features a wide array of gourmet meats, specialty cheeses and fine wines, many of which are made locally. Also check out their great selection of clothing, books and artwork.

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

804 10th Street 360/392-5510 www.thechrysalisinn.com Featuring a seasonal menu, full bar and terrace bar open for happy hour every day, 3–6 p.m. Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner daily with a view of Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands from every table.

KULSHAN BREWING CO.

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

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

NORTHWATER AT HOLIDAY INN & SUITES

4260 Mitchell Way 360/398-6191 www.northH2o.com northwater offers an inviting atmosphere where you can enjoy locally sourced food, beer, wine and specialty crafted cocktails. Locals and visitors alike can enjoy a memorable meal full of fresh ingredients and exquisite flavors. Located across from Bellingham Int’l Airport.

www.5bsbakery.com Skagit County’s premier bakeshop serving home-style breads as well as a full array of fresh baked goods and classic American desserts. Dedicated gluten free.

Great food for everyone. Open 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.

ANNIE’S PIZZA STATION

10459 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2511 www.chair9.com The perfect place to enjoy a great family meal or a brew after a day on the mountain. Bands play weekends. Try the “Canuck’s Deluxe” pizza, a staff favorite.

Open for lunch and dinner. Dine in or take out. Check music events on Facebook.

DEMING

GRAHAM’S RESTAURANT

THE NORTH FORK BREWERY AND BEER SHRINE

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

BURLINGTON

WELCOME GROCERY

FLYERS RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE

15426 Airport Drive Suite B 360/899-1025 www.eatatflyers.com Whidbey Island’s Award-Winning Restaurant is now in Burlington. Located at The Skagit Regional Airport. Serving lunch, dinner and happy hour 2–6 p.m.

Craft beer and patio seating. Banquet/ meeting rooms available for events.

SKAGIT’S OWN FISH MARKET

18042 Hwy 20 360/707-2722 www.skagitfish.com Offering the highest quality in local seafood. Daily lunch specials freshly prepared. Local jams, jellies, salsas, honey and sauces. Visit them on Facebook.

CONCRETE 5B’S BAKERY

45597 Main Street 360/853-8700

CHAIR 9 WOODSTONE PIZZA AND BAR

44568 State Route 20 360/853-7227 www.anniespizzastation.com Family-owned pizza restaurant focusing on fresh, homemade quality Italian fare. Friendly service, helpful information and great food combine for an unforgettable experience.

6186 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2337 www.northforkbrewery.com Looking for marriage or a pint of fresh ale and hand-tossed pizza? This pizzeria, brewery, wedding chapel and beer museum is your place! Open to all. Monday– Friday: dinner; Saturday–Sunday: lunch and dinner.

WESTSIDE PIZZA

An elegant, cozy space in the foothills to enjoy a classic craft cocktail, a unique and delicious wine, a local or exclusive beer. Extensive taco menu. Next to Milano’s Restaurant.

5565 Mount Baker Highway 360/922-7294 Eat in or take out. Fresh-made, homestyle breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pastries, deli sandwiches, rotisserie chicken and more. Largest bottle shop in region.

EVERSON HERB NIEMANN’S STEAK HOUSE RESTAURANT

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

GLACIER BAR VENETO

9990 A. Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2863

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

Breakfast weekends.

MILANO’S RESTAURANT

9990 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2863 For 25 years, Milano’s has been a landmark of the Mt Baker foothills. Traditional Italian recipes plus daily specials make meals that you will long remember.

WAKE ‘N BAKERY

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

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THE CHRYSALIS INN & SPA

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

HOLIDAY INN & SUITESBELLINGHAM

4260 Mitchell Way 360/746-6844 www.holidayinn.com/bellinghamwa Located off exit 258 by the airport, this modern, innovative hotel offers every-

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thing the discerning traveler requires.

Enjoy our luxurious suites, full service restaurant and bar, fitness center, steam room, sauna and indoor mineral pool.

GLACIER BLUE T LODGE

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

LUXURY GETAWAYS

9989 Mt. Baker Highway 360/398-9590 or 877/90-BAKER

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2017

www.stayatmtbaker.com From mountain chalets to waterfront lodges, Luxury Getaways offers overnight accommodations in newly built vacation homes located in the heart of the Mt. Baker Recreational Area. Perfect for hitting the slopes and relaxing.

SNOWATER RESORT AND CONDOMINIUMS

10500 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2724 www.snowater.org One and two-bedroom rentals available. Recreation centers with indoor pools and sauna. Indoor/outdoor racquetball courts.

THE FIRS MT. BAKER CHALET Mile marker 54 Mt. Baker Highway 800/765-3477

www.firschalet.org A lofty summit setting for juniors through adults, just 54 miles east of Bellingham, State Route 542. It is only 3/10 of a mile from the Mt. Baker Ski Area, and Mt. Shuksan sits at the back door.

MAPLE FALLS

7463 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2453 or 800/709-7669 www.mtbakerlodging.com

THIRD STREET CAFE

309 South Third Street 360/542-5022 www.thirdstreetcafe.coop Located in historic downtown Mount Vernon, the Third Street Cafe is a project of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. Utilizing the bounty of local and seasonal products, we provide fresh perspectives on Northwest flavor.

OAK HARBOR FLYERS RESTAURANT & BREWERY

32295 State Route 20 360/675-5858 www.eatatflyers.com Voted the best of Whidbey 2016. Lunch and dinner daily, happy hour every day 2–6 p.m. Families welcome, pet-friendly, patio seating. Specializing in steak, seafood, burgers and pub fare. Twelve craft beers on tap.

RUSTICA

670 SE Pioneer Way 360/675-4053 www.rusticacafe.com Farm-to-table Italian inspired comfort food. Local wines, craft beers and cocktails. Live music, patio seating and Sunday jazz brunch. Always local. Always fresh.

829 Metcalf Street 360/982-2649 Located in a restored historic building downtown, with our grocery and NW Mountain Shop. Featuring craft beer and cider, fresh baked goods, sandwiches and other deli items all made with local and organic ingredients.

Mt. Baker Lodging offers cabins, condos, chalets and executive rental home accommodations. A number of selected units are pet friendly. Walk-in reservations and one-night stays available.

WINTHROP CHEWUCH INN

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

MT. BAKER LODGING

110 Stewart Road 360/873-8852 www.farmstrongbrewing.com Pure Skagit Valley on tap! AB’s Hillbilly Gyros food truck. Trivia Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Family and pet friendly. Open Tuesday–Sunday at noon. Closed Mondays.

Farmstrong Brewing Co. Grow something.

THE WOOLLEY MARKET CAFE

4800 Eaglemont Drive 360/428-1954 www.fireweedterrace.com A casual atmosphere with upscale flavors. A breathtaking panoramic view of the Olympic Mountains and the Puget Sound. Pet-friendly outdoor patio dining area. Open for lunch and dinner, and

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Where to Sleep BELLINGHAM

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223 White Avenue 800/747-3107 www.chewuchinn.com Guest rooms for romantic getaways, seasonal travelers and outdoor enthusiasts. The relaxed atmosphere of a B&B with the privacy of a hotel. Centrally located for an abundance of outdoor adventures in the surrounding wilderness areas.

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47

Clean, drain, dry Bellingham program tackles underwater threats STORY AND PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN WHITNEY

N

ot exactly the poster children for environmental crisis, zebra and quagga mussels and other invasive freshwater species have not been known to inspire the hoo-rah mitigation efforts seen for other noxious critters until they’ve already made their mark. Every bit as problematic as tree toppling bugs like the emerald ash borer, or the fragile alpine shrub-mowing mountain goats removed by helicopter from Olympic National Park in the 1980s, these mussels make quick work overthrowing long established ecological hierarchies.

What these freshwater invaders might lack in sex appeal, they make up for tenfold in the havoc wrought on the waterways they rapidly colonize.

Zebra and quagga mussels, native to Russia and Ukraine, haven’t yet reached the Pacific Northwest, but they creep closer every year and are within a day’s drive. In the Great Lakes these mollusks are now the most common invasive species, and they’ve irrevocably altered the region’s freshwater ecology. From the Great Lakes, these mussels have spread along Midwestern waterways and by trailered boats to areas even closer to the Pacific Northwest like California, Nevada and Montana.

The City of Bellingham has taken a decidedly preemptive approach to tackling an issue that has affected North American water bodies for decades. In 2012, the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) program launched an effort to prevent zebra and quagga mussels and other aquatic hitchhikers from establishing colonies and spreading throughout Whatcom County’s waterways. Program coordinator Teagan Ward says that community members have reasonable cause for concern.

“In some areas, like the Great Lakes, [mussels] have managed to clog pipes, impact water quality, and cause taste and odor issues,” Ward says. “All of those things end up costing millions of dollars to manage.”

Further, these mussels are easily transported in ballast tanks, live wells or by attaching to a boat’s exterior. Cause for special concern is the fact that Lake Whatcom and Lake Samish act not only as recreation destinations, but also as drinking water reservoirs - an unusual combination. Drawing from policy and regulations applied in other western states, most notably at Lake Tahoe, California, Bellingham developed an inspection and monitoring program of its

48

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2017

own. And nearly 30,000 inspections later, the AIS program entered its sixth season this April. Each inspection, Ward explains, is an opportunity to educate boaters and encourage participation.

“We’ve had almost 5,000 people take our online awareness course since 2014,” she says. “That’s really exciting because we know exactly the level of education they’ve received by having to pass a test at the end.” And for their participation, boaters are rewarded with a $10 discount on annual permitting fees.

This season, Ward leads a staff of 16 inspectors stationed across three boat launches on Lake Whatcom and one at Lake Samish. Each lake will be staffed seven days a week from dawn to dusk for the duration of the fishing season.

This first-of-its-kind program in Washington state has made some impressive contributions to AIS management.

As of 2016, all permitting is digitized using a database designed by Bellingham’s IT wizard, Matt Bezanson, in collaboration with Ward and her team’s needs. The database reduces paperwork while increasing the accessibility and accuracy of information. But most importantly, it makes inspections more efficient so that boaters can get on the water quickly.

Some of the collected data is available publicly, in what Ward refers to as, “storymaps,” which provide visual representation

of boat profiles, their waterbody history and their associated risk.

Looking forward, the AIS program hopes to build on relationships with other local, state and interstate agencies while also continuing to develop a participatory relationship with lake users. Citizen science, Ward believes, provides a platform to continue encouraging participation. “We are increasing awareness in the community and I’d like to go a step further and empower members of our community already out their paddling on our lakes to look for species,” Ward says.

Monitoring efforts have yet to find zebra or quagga mussels at Samish or Whatcom. Other invasives, introduced prior to the program’s launch, are being carefully tracked and contained. But results are admittedly challenging to measure when it comes to prevention programs where tangible results, like finding a mussel attached to an outboard propeller, are bad things.

“My biggest goal is to encourage as much participation as possible,” Ward says. “I want people to follow clean, drain and dry practices whether I’m standing there or not.” And ultimately, Ward believes that by encouraging participation and empowering boaters to follow these practices, the AIS program will effectively foster a clean water future that extends far beyond the waters of Samish and Whatcom.

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Clean, Drain, Dry practices • CLEAN watercraft, trailer, motor, and equipment. Remove visible aquatic plants, mussels, other animals, and mud before leaving any water access.

• DRAIN water from boat, bilge, motor and livewell by removing drain plug and opening all water draining devices away from the boat ramp. Regulations require this when leaving accesses in many states and provinces.

• DRY everything at least five days before going to other waters and landings or spray/rinse recreation equipment with high pressure and/or hot water (120°F/50°C or higher).

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Our Thousand Trails Camping Pass is offered by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, an affiliate of Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc., Two North Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606. This advertising is being used for the purpose of soliciting sales of resort campground memberships. This document has been filed with the Department of Licensing, State of Washington as required by Washington Law. Value, quality or conditions stated and performance on promises are the responsibility of the operator, not the Department. The filing does not mean the Department has approved the merits or qualifications of any registration, advertising, or any gift or item of value as part of any promotional plan.

Subject to availability. Not to be combined with any other discount or offer. Offer valid to first time guests from 5/1/17 to 4/30/18. Must be booked by 4/1/18.

Not valid on Holidays or special events. Minimum length of stay 1 night and maximum stay of 6 nights.

Ad - Mt Baker Experience 2017-05

SUMMER 2017 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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Happy Hour

Upstairs Game Room Free WiFi

Mon-Fri 11am-4pm

Watch all your sporting events here! 6 big screen TVs

for schedule CATERING for all your party needs.

360/599-2511 www.Chair9.com

Serving great food 7 days a week

9989 Mt Baker HWY

360-599-9883

Glacier’s Only Hotel Located next to Chair 9 A great place to rest your head after your mountain adventure!

GLACIER, WA S H I N G T O N

HOT SHOTS

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10459 Mt. Baker Hwy Glacier, WA

HAM’ RA

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PRIVATE ROOM available for parties and events.

H GREAT FOOD H LIVE MUSIC H HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS H BREAKFAST WEEKENDS

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LIVE MUSIC - Check

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Full Menu & Family Dining

, R E I C A L G WA N

CHAIR 9

WOODSTONE PIZZA & BAR

E STOR BIG SCOOPS

Espresso • Ice Cream • Groceries • Bagel Sandwiches • Videos • Local Crafts & More

360/599-9944

Ask about pet-friendly rooms

www.bluetlodge.com

Representing the Finest Chalets and Lodges in the heart of the Mount Baker Recreational Area.

Luxury Getaways provides overnight accommodations for discerning travelers.

SCENIC TO CLASS V WHITEWATER ADVENTURES

www.stayatmtbaker.com

DAY TRIPS • HALF DAY TRIPS • PACKAGE TRIPS “QUALITY TAKEN TO EXTREME”

360.398.9590

9989 Mt. Baker Highway 50

Glacier, WA • 599-2665

•

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2017

Glacier, WA

1-800-413-6840 • 360-599-31 15 W W W. W I L DA N D S C E N I C . C O M

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

Satisfy your vacation rental needs.

Office 7425 Mt. Baker Hwy. • Maple Falls

BakerAccommodations.com • 1.888.695.7533

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Fresh Baked Goods BrB&earkfeasatkBufarritoss,t Strictly Organic Coffee & Espresso ASoupllL&uDQunaiccheyh Behind Milano’s Restaurant • Open everyday at 7:30 am Behind Milano’s Restaurant • Open everyday at 7:30 am

I S T RY O F

THE CHALET AT MT. BAKER

A camp & retreat site for churches, schools, and non-profit groups Visit our website to learn about our winter camps for Middle School & High School students!

FIRSCHALET.ORG

| 360.733.6840

Milano’s Restaurant

Fresh PastahLocal Seafood

LO D G I N G

We have “just your size!”

Accommodations from 1-bedroom to 6+ bedrooms

Happy Hour • Dinner

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

9990 Mt. Baker Hwy. Glacier, WA

360.599.2863

NEXT DOOR...

Private Cabins • Cottages • Condos at the Gateway to Mt. Baker

Bar Veneto

See our full selection at MtBakerLodging.com

Wine • Beer • Spirits

1-800-709-7669

Tapas Menu Classic Cocktails

360.599.2863

Walk-in reservations & 1 night stays available!

OPEN DAILY 9AM-5PM

7463 Mt. Baker Hwy. • Maple Falls • WA SUMMER 2017 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

51

BELLINGHAM

2017

September 22 & 23 Commercial Fishing Activities Salmon BBQ Grilling Championships Seafood Everywhere You Turn

FisherPoets & Live Music SeaFeed at the Square U.S. Coast Guard Rescue

DOWN BY THE BAY. COME EAT & PLAY!

www.BellinghamSeaFeast.com