Mount Baker Experience Spring 2009

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Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

FEATURES

Spring 2009

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CONTENTS

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

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4 Snowshoeing at Mt. Baker

It doesn’t always have to be high-speed. Slow down and really look at the scenery with a pair of snowshoes, poles and a picnic lunch.

6 Get into the flow at Doe

Admit it. You’ve been dying to tear off your clothes and soak your aching muscles in a spring-fed hot tub. How about some organic, locally grown vittles as well?

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9 Languages 101

Baffled at the boarder-speak you hear on the chairlifts and slopes? Here’s a quick translation for some of the terms.

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10 From Panama to Glacier Local entrepreneurs Kai and Catherine Janson grow coffee on his family’s estate in Panama and bring it to their farm in Glacier to roast it. They do the work, we get to drink it.

Face it. You’d rather not need the ski patrol but, boy, when you do, you are plenty happy to see them. Who are these people?

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15 People you don’t want to see

THE USUAL

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FIND IT ONLINE

12 Equipment Guide 19 Regional Map

On the Cover

www.mountbakerexperience.com: Read the current issue of Mount

Baker Experience here, and find all the archives as well. www.mtbakerchamber.org: Discover the area’s businesses.

Photo by Tyler Mitchell

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

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e perience MOUNT BAKER

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Vol 23 No. 2 Spring 2009 edition

Address: 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Fax: 360/332-2777 Email: info@mountbakerexperience.com Web: www.mountbakerexperience.com Next edition: June 2009 Ads due: May 15

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Welcome to the Mount Baker Experience, the newspaper for and about the Mt. Baker area, published by Point Roberts Press, Inc. Locally owned and operated, the company also publishes The Northern Light, All Point Bulletin, Pacific Coast Weddings and Waterside in Blaine, Washington. Point Roberts Press is a member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, chambers of commerce in Whatcom County and the Bellingham/Mt. Baker Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and are offered for the general interest of readers. We welcome your letters; however, the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. For circulation and rate information, or to send your letters, please address to: Mount Baker Experience, 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230, fax them to 360/332-2777 or email info@mountbakerexperience.com. Printed in Canada.

Publisher/Managing Editor Patrick J. Grubb Associate Publisher/Advertising Manager Louise H. Mugar Editor/Layout Pat Grubb Advertising Design Karena Crotto Reporters Jack Kintner, Tara Nelson, Marisa Willis

Advertising Sales Karen Ornelas, Classified Sales Janet McCall Office Manager Heidi Holmes

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

This is where it all HAPPENS...

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Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

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“We had Camp Robbers!” shouted Marge Froiland, “They ate right out of our hands!” Froiland, from Camano Island, was snowshoeing White Salmon Road with her friend Reita Anstensen of Anacortes.

“We walked back into the woods and it was quiet, like a cathedral.

The sun was glinting through at a crazy angle and you could just stand there and listen to the snow melting and breathe in the clean, clear air.”

Not long after they’d paused during their four-hour hike into the snowy woods just downhill from Mt. Baker Ski Area they were visited by a band of Canada Jays, also known by hikers as Camp Robbers for their brazen habit of landing on your head or hands while you’re eating and helping themselves. The harmless but bold little robin-sized birds are always a treat to see, the women said. “We love snowshoeing, what it lets you see and where it lets you go,” Froiland said.

If you can walk, you can snowshoe. And if you can snowshoe, you can open up a whole new world of walking into scenes most people only see on greeting cards and calendars.

It’s inexpensive, equipment usually renting for less than $20 a day.

Unlike skiing and snow boarding there’s little in the way of special equipment that’s needed aside from weather appropriate clothing and a few other things you may already have.

Another good thing is that it’s a one size fits all kind of thing equipment-wise, like water skiing, so you can share the equipment and the expense. Current models are not nearly as big as the classic ash and rawhide Sergeant Preston models that looked like tennis rackets on steroids. They’re lightweight plastic or aluminum tubing, very strong and have crampons built right into them so they won’t even slip on a hockey rink. With ski poles, you begin to know what your car feels like when you put on tire chains.

They’re handy for balance and for getting a more complete exercise.

They make steep slopes easier to negotiate. The high-end poles are adjustable like the legs of a photographer’s tripod for side-hill work where you’ll want the up-hill pole to be shorter.

The combination lets you walk through some impressive scenery easily. You just don’t slip, even on hard flat ice, and your feet don’t get as tired because the snowshoe almost always provides a nice flat surface to step on, like carrying your own flagstones along on a hike.

Even in deep powdery snow you won’t sink in more than a few inches, which makes these things useful in all kinds of applications such as mountaineering, rescue work and back-country cross-country skiing. That’s the objective, and it makes you into your own little forest-friendly SUV. Suddenly a snowcovered area becomes inviting and can be safely explored. It’s like looking at a lake and suddenly discovering you have floating feet: you can go just about anywhere you wish.

Although you will have a bigger footprint than normal and may feel awkward at first, a natural gait is best, remembering to lift your knees and avoid dragging or shuffling your feet to prevent the crampons, the ice-gripping points under the snowshoes, from catching on firm snow. Ski poles, putting the right pole forward with the left foot and left pole forward with the right foot, will make all this rapidly fall into place. It’s hard to think of a more intuitive sport, or one that will show you as much.

Going uphill is a lot like climbing stairs, and coming back down a steep slope is easy as long as you let the snowshoe do the work of sticking to the slope. The deeper the snow the shorter the stride and the more exaggerated the knee lift and plant becomes. Deep powder is easy to negotiate but it’s also easy to become exhausted, so pace yourself and take breaks as often as you need them.

Hazards and safety Some are obvious, such as thin ice, especially along streams, and buried obstacle like old mining tackle or holes. Essentially, you’re in the mountains so you need to be prepared and equipped. The classic ten essentials (from Mountaineering – The Freedom of the Hills) are a good place to start and should be carried anytime when hiking out of sight of your car: map, compass, sunglassPlease see Slower, page 5

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

Slower..

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es and sunscreen, extra food and water, extra clothes, a headlamp or flashlight, first aid kit, fire starter, matches and a knife.

A GPS receiver is not a replacement for a compass as trees and terrain or weak batteries will mean no signal. Compasses are cheap. Sunscreen is important even on overcast days as you will burn much more quickly given the altitude and the reflective qualities of snow.

Nice to have’s include an insulated water bladder that fits inside a pack, making drinking easy and convenient and keeping the water from freezing; a square of thin foam padding to sit on, because if you sit in the snow especially for long periods you’ll get a wet behind; wrap your camera in a large microfiber towel which is nice for everything from mopping your brow to cleaning your camera. Microfiber can be safely used directly on eye glasses and camera lenses.

You may find yourself able to get closer to birds and other wildlife but remember to keep your distance and respect the fact that winter can be tough for them without having to avoid you, too. Frost bite isn’t a big concern in this area unless it really gets cold, but hypothermia sure is. Cotton that gets wet from sweat can be as cold as diving into a nearly frozen lake. Remember that dry = warm, and that drinking enough water and eating enough nutritious food are essential to mountain survival.

Finally, avalanches. A snowshoer was killed at Mt. Baker just a few years ago, although the Salmon Arm complex is relatively free of such hazards. Since avalanches do happen in the area, it’s wise to familiarize yourself with the terrain and possible dangers before departing, and carry the appropriate equipment. More information is available from the renter or shop where you buy your snowshoes as well as the Nooksack Nordic Ski Club members.

Where to go In the Mt. Baker area there are several good spots to go as all you really need is a few inches of snow, but the best are the trails of the Salmon Ridge Ski Trail System maintained by the Nooksack Nordic Ski Club out of Bellingham.

Before discussing this, remember that as a snowshoer your responsibility when sharing an area with other non-motorized pursuits is to stay off the ski tracks, usually two little parallel grooves in the snow that skiers need. Stepping on them in a snowshoe crushes them, and it can do to a skier what sand on the ice do to a skater.

The Salmon Ridge System is located 13 miles east of Glacier just past milepost 46 on the Mt. Baker Highway (542), across from the Silver Fir Campground. The gps coordinates:

S Buy or rent?

You can do both at local outlets such as John & Drew Adams’ Glacier Ski Shop (left), Sportsman’s Chalet, REI for just a few examples.

This package rents for $15, not including the dog.

48 degrees 54.189 min. N and 121 degrees, 41.699 min W. The system includes Anderson Creek Road, Ridge Road, the Hannegan Pass Road, White Salmon Road and the Razorhone Road core area. A map and more detail is available at nooksacknordicskiclub.org.

The area is open to the public free of charge but it is part of the state Sno-Park system, so daily ($9) or seasonal ($30) parking permits are required. An exception is White Salmon Road, a little farther east on 542 a half mile beyond milepost 51. The road has limited parking and does not require the parking pass. Since it branches off the left side of the highway in the middle of a sharp hairpin turn as you approach it, users are advised to keep going a half mile past the road, turn around at the Salmon Ridge Day Lodge entrance and return, or park there and snowshoe back!

What kind to get There are different shoes for different purposes, of course, but for the most part it’s a one-size-fits-all kind of thing in the foothills around the Northwest where so-called back country snowshoes are the model of choice. There are also racing shoes that have tails on them for tracking and others for more specialized applications, but for general trail and off-trail use it’s hard to beat the Mountain Safety Research (MSR) Denali, a plastic shoe with built-in crampons. Atlas makes a brand that consists of a steel tube wrapped in fabric and which has an extra claw underneath for greater traction.

The Atlas is somewhat quicker but the Denali is better on sidehills, and has rubber straps that don’t freeze, unlike the nylon straps found on virtually every other brand of snowshoe.

They’re mounted by placing the ball of your foot directly over the hinge that allows your foot to pivot, and centering it on the snow-

shoe. Tighten the front strap first, followed by the heel strap and finish by tightening the straps over your instep. Most are foolproof and can be put on wearing thick mittens.

Clothing The idea, as with almost any outdoor exercise, is to dress in layers that can be shed or put on as needed. You’ll be exercising in snow country where temperatures can range from very cold to surprisingly warm, especially in the sun, not to mention your own temperature varying as you warm up during a walk. A rule of thumb is that at least to begin with you’ll be dressed about right if you’re just a little chilly at first, about ready to put on a coat.

Warm up with exercise instead and put the coat on when you stop for a break.

Except for towels or a bandana, avoid cotton (jeans especially), since it will retain moisture and then get very cold, as will you. An inner layer of non-cotton long johns works best to allow you to perspire but stay dry. The middle layer should be an insulating layer or fleece or wool, and top that with something that will block the wind, snow and (this is the northwest) rain.

Tip: if you’re the kind that likes to rummage through second hand clothing stores, you can often find wool pants from old uniforms that work great. Another great invention that can help you fine-tune your clothing to the right amount of warming for varying conditions are vents, zippered openings in the back and sides of jackets and parkas.

Boots Just about anything works as long as it’s waterproof, the only way to make sure your feet stay dry. The kind of boot you use does not have to be big or stiff but it should keep your feet warm and be something Please see Slower, page 8

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Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

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Need a break from skiing or boarding? Hit the tubs at Doe Bay on Orcas Island

By Tara Nelson It was cold.

Cold, dark and snowing as bonechilling Arctic winds blasted most of Western Washington. The kind of night most would settle for cozying up at home with the furnace turned on, soaking in a tub, or doing anything other than packing up and heading out on the frozen road for a 90-minute drive down I-5 to catch a two-hour ferry ride, followed by another 45-minute drive.

But we were heading to Doe Bay, a cozy, rustic resort on Orcas Island that promised locally grown and artfully prepared food, unbelievably friendly staff and, most importantly, natural spring-fed, clothingoptional soaking tubs heated to a comfortable 102 degrees.

Doe Bay sits on 30 acres of gorgeous waterfront overlooking Rosario Strait and the San Juan archipelago. In addition to being destination-worthy for the food alone, the resort is a glowing model of sustainability. From the refillable containers of Dr. Bronner’s all

natural peppermint soap (the soap is biodegradable so it’s safe to use near high water tables) to the onsite organic garden that reduces the need for diesel fuel to ship food in from thousands of miles away (never mind the unbelievable freshness and flavor), mindfulness is all part of the business philosophy.

What’s more, it was New Year’s Eve and the planned festivities included the musical stylings of the truck-driving singer/songwriter, Sandman -The Rappin’ Cowboy, a hearty selection of appetizers, champagne toast, midnight dessert buffet and a New Year’s Day brunch the following morning.

We arrived more than hungry.

Because of our lack of planning, we had skipped lunch and rushed to the ferry terminal in a haste only to find after being stuck in line that the food service stopped at 3:30 p.m.

Washington State ferries often have vending machines onboard but they are generally full of worthless, overpriced junk. I had, for example, a choice between a $2.25 one-ounce Please see Doe Bay, page 7

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package of beef jerky, a selection of sugary candy bars and a small $1 package of crackers, which I grudgingly settled for. Reaching into my pocket, however, I realized I had

only a $5 bill. The situation continued to look more desperate when the woman in front of me informed me the bill exchange machine was out of order.

I started to panic, as it seemed the snack gods were plotting against me. All the while, my stomach was

s Doe Bay Café executive chef Abigael Birrell pours spiced blueberry compote into a pitcher for the café’s special New Year’s brunch on January 1.

s Visitors to Doe Bay can enjoy scenic vistas from a comfortable seat in one of their three natural spring-fed soaking tubs.

s The café at Doe Bay offers waterfront views and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. More than 70 percent of the café’s ingredients are grown on-site or bought from local farmers.

growling, and I was left wondering if we should have stopped for dinner, even if it meant missing the ferry and the special New Year’s meal.

Right as I was about to give up and settle for the remnants of a can of nuts I had found under the seat of my car, a man standing behind me offered me five $1 bills in exchange.

I took my crackers and a cup of lousy instant coffee from a machine to the opposite end of the ferry and relaxed on one of the cushioned booth seats toward the back of the boat. Over the dull humming of the engines I heard a familiar sound that made me feel at home: A group of young musicians were on their way to play a benefit concert on the island for school children in Mexico and were singing and drumming with sticks on the guitar cases in an impromptu jam session. It wasn’t exactly my kind of music, but it gave me a good inward chuckle.

This is Washington state.

The road from the Orcas Island ferry terminal is long and winds around the horseshoe-shaped island, through the town of East Sound and continues through Moran State Park, home to Mount Constitution, the tallest point in the San Juan islands. If it hadn’t been so cold and dark, I would have gladly hitch hiked to avoid the $45 car and driver fee on the ferry and possibly meet some interesting island folk along the way.

Turning into the driveway at Doe Bay, the trees and a lack of outdoor lighting (the resort has a policy on using as few incandescent bulbs as possible to reduce light pollution and save energy) seemed to add an entirely new dimension of darkness.

However, once we made our way inside the café, it was bright, cheery and festive with music, mingling and wine.

The food was spectacular. Doe Bay has recently acquired two dynamic gourmet vegetarian and seafood chefs who deserve recognition: Abigael, a former executive chef at New York’s Candle Cafe and Ande Janousek, former executive chef at Seattle’s popular Carmelita vegetarian restaurant. Birrell trained at the Natural Gourmet Culinary School in New York City and said the school is the only culinary school with a main emphasis on food as a healing mechanism.

She also ran her own catering company Rebel Girl Catering in Seattle while employed at Carmelita.

Appetizers included truffled popcorn with parmesan and rosemary, local caught and smoked salmon cakes with Meyer lemon and chive aioli, sesame-seared Alaskan sea scallop skewers with orange miso dipping sauce, a Mezze assortment of flatbreads, Muhummarah, Tyrosalata, roasted garlic hummus, falafel and finger Caesar salads.

The standout among all of these, however, was a polenta and goat cheese tart with a smoky, savory lay-

er of porcini mushrooms and topped with a mildly spicy piquillo pepper coulis.

The desserts were ethereal as well.

Chefs Abigael and Ande created a delicate rosewater panacotta with spiced blueberry compote that was “enough to make you cry,” as general manager Harreld Dinkins put it, a rustic and tart heirloom apple tartlet with Calvados whipped cream, a flourless chocolate tort, espresso-chocolate mousse spoons, pistachio-cherry Mexican wedding cakes, bourbon pumpkin cheesecake and a variety of handmade truffles.

Keeping it real The food wasn’t just delicious; it was revolutionary. The café has a “seeds to table” policy, which loosely translates into a priority purchasing policy for their ingredients.

Dinkins explained that, with rare exceptions, if the ingredients aren’t grown on-site or available locally and seasonally, they simply don’t

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Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

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you can walk in for a while because a poor-fitting boot will blister your feet, just as when hiking. Some people avoid Sorrels and other plastic boots for this reason, but lightweight hiking boots and shoes, often not much more than a running shoe with a big sole, are fine as long as, again, they’re waterproof.

Socks are as important as the boots or shoes themselves. Socks should be polypropylene, silk or wool or both, wool with a polypro liner (not cotton), a good way to cut down on blistering. Gaiters will help keep your ankles and feet dry in powder snow. Some people prefer old-fashioned knickers with heavy wool knee socks because they give you a lot more freedom of movement than pants.

Hats and gloves are also important, as you’ll lose heat much more quickly without a hat. Take along something warm but small enough to be stowed in a day pack or pocket. Gloves should be lined, again because dry = warm.

Information The single best source of information for snowshoeing in the Mt. Baker area is from the Nooksack Nordic Ski Club website, www.nooksacknordicskiclub.org.

Avalanche information and current conditions are available online from the Northwest Avalanche Center at www.nwac.us.

Current area information is available at the Glacier Public Service Center in Glacier, open weekends

through February from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 360/599-2714, and at the Mt. Baker Ranger District, 810 State Route 20, Sedro Woolley, open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 360/856-5700, ext. 515.

Parking Many of the sites require a Washington State Sno-Park parking permit, good anywhere in Washington and Oregon. They cost $10 per day or $30 for the season. Though not required everywhere, the fine is $66 for parking in a fee lot without the permit. Sno-Park permits may be purchased at the public service center and the ranger district office and at the following retail outlets in the area: Backcountry Essentials, 214 W. Holly, Bellingham 360/543-5678 Joes, 300 Bellis Fair Pkwy, Bellingham 360/756-1120 REI, 400 36th St., Bellingham 360/647-8955 Sportsman Chalet, 114 W Holly, Bellingham 360/671-1044 Fairhaven Bike and Mountain Sports, 1108 11th St., Bellingham 360/733-4433 Crossroads Grocery and Video, Silver Lake Road and Highway 542, Maple Falls 360/599-9657 Daily Sno-Park Permits are also available on-line at www.parks. wa.gov/winter Rental equipment MSR Denali snowshoes may be rented at the Glacier Ski Shop for $15 per day.

REI in Bellingham rents various kinds of snowshoes for $12 to $18 per day and poles for $4 to $8 per day.

Doe Bay..

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purchase them. The practice began when local farming interns would come to work in the café to supplement their income, from which owners Joe and Maureen Brotherton were able to forge working relationships with local food producers.

Squash and potatoes come from Taproot Farms just up the road, while the heirloom apples used in their signature dishes come from Smiling Dog Farm. Fresh line-caught wild salmon comes from the Jones Family Farm on Lopez Island, while clams, oysters and mussels come from Buck Bay on Orcas.

“Doe Bay does a pretty good job of walking the walk in a way that a lot of restaurants don’t,” Dinkins said. “It’s all well and good to talk about being sustainable and using local produce but the bottom line is we’re one of the only restaurants that doesn’t have a Sysco or FSA account. And while that means we definitely pay more and have more vendors, it’s really a responsibility of stewardship, meaning the ownership is seriously engaged in maintaining a high level of respect not only for the property, which is Doe Bay but also for the larger social and ecological landscape.”

Dinkins estimates that nearly 60 percent of food the restaurant serves is grown in their own garden and nearly 80 percent comes from producers and farmers in the San Juans.

“Eating a local piece of produce not only is it the right thing to do but it also just tastes better,” Dinkins said. “When you eat something

that was harvested six hours ago versus something that was shipped 6,000 miles away in a refrigerated truck, there is a difference.”

That philosophy carries over into other aspects of the business as well.

The resorts’ paper supply is 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper while clothing and outerwear are sourced through sweatshop-free companies such as American Apparel. Office supplies and hardware items needed for repairs are bought from on-island stores whenever possible, and the resort has reduced its solid waste by 60 percent over the last two years, he said.

“All of these things reflect a level of commitment to our guests and to the land here,” he said. “It’s not always the cheapest way to do business, but we felt it’s the best way to do business.”

If you go Overall, the resort has come a long way since my last visit in 2001 when I slept at The Grebe, one of the small campsites located near a rocky ledge overlooking the water.

The campgrounds, although still primitive, have since been covered in cedar chips to add a layer of cushion to the bedrock underneath.

Sleeping pads or cushions, however, are still recommended.

If camping isn’t your thing, Doe Bay offers many more comfortable accommodations from yurts virtually located on the beach to fully equipped cabins that sleep as many as 24. We stayed in “The Little House,” a one-bedroom cottage with whitewashed walls, a fold-out futon in the living room and a half bath. Located directly across from the café and steps from the main

beach, Little House has one of the best views of the water and is most convenient with its proximity to the community kitchen (the cottage has a microwave and sink) and the showers. Other cabins have full bathrooms and kitchens.

The café hosts pizza night and open mic nights on Thursdays, live music on Saturday. Their winter recession special includes a Sunday night movie with $12 soup and salad combo plus a free hot tub soak with a regular entrée purchase and half-price bottles of wine. They have also scheduled a buy two nights, get one free Valentine’s Day event between February 13 and 15.

Getting there Most visitors to Doe Bay take the 1.5 hour-long trip by ferry from Anacortes, but f lying is also an option. By car the trip is 120 miles from Seattle to Orcas Island (including the ferry ride) and drivers should account for waits in line at the ferry terminal, but several flights depart from Lake Union traveling to Orcas’ Rosario airport in less than an hour.

If you take the ferry, you may want to consider leaving your car in Anacortes and walking across as rates for driving across are steep – $39 to $45, plus additional fees per passenger – depending on the day of week and season. But not to worry, hitch-hiking is not only acceptable here, it is a way of life, and it offers a way to meet some of the local island folk.

For more information about the resort, visit its website at www.doebay. com. The resort is located at 107 Doe Bay Road in Olga; call 360/376-2291.

s A yurt overlooking Rosario Strait.

s Roads throughout the resort are named after Hindu gods and goddesses such as Ganesh, who is said to have power in removing obstacles.

s New Year’s guests ring in the new year with musical guest Sandman, The Rappin’ Cowboy.

s Baked apple pain perdu on its way to hungry diners.

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

That was sick!

SUMAS

Has life passed you by? Does it seem that everyone speaks a different language than you? Nah, you’re not crazy. You’re just on a chairlift sitting beside a couple of snowboarders who have a different way of expressing themselves.

Here then is your very own abbreviated dictionary of boarder talk.

Don’t look for it in the Oxford.

3, 5, 7, 9, 19, 12 To indicate a 360, 540, 720, 900, 1080 or 1260 degree turn. Used for aerial tricks.

BACKSIDE 180 Aerial maneuver in which the rider makes a 180 degree rotation off the jump leading with the heelside (clockwise for a regular stance-counterclockwise for goofy) BAIL Either deciding not to do a trick after starting or crashing or falling.

Eg. "He bailed and landed on his head."

BLINDSIDE An aerial where the rider is "blind" to his/her takeoff or landing and must look over their shoulder.

Makes it tougher to do.

BLUE BIRD A beautiful day. Eg. “Cuttin' the pow pow on a blue bird day.”

BOMB Blast down a hill COULOIRS Slopes. As in “badass couloirs."

DANK An expression used to describe awesomeness. Eg. that board is totally dank!

DOPE To say something was good. Eg. “Dude, that was dope!”

DROPPING IN The person going next down the run, jump, or rail.

DUDE What you call someone when you don’t know their name.

FAKIE Riding the snowboard backwards from a normal stance.

FALLING LEAF Beginner snowboarder that rides one edge horizontally, back and forth, the whole way down the slope.

FS Frontside (If you’re regular, spinning to the left. If you’re goofy, spinning to the right). Eg. “He did an FS 180.”

GAP To jump a gap, as in a road gap.

GNARLY Wicked, awesome or cool. It can also mean something difficult or scary.

GOOFY Riding with the right foot in front instead of the left foot which is the normal stance See Lingo, page 18

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Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

Coffee: From Panama to Glacier

By Tara Nelson

s La Torcaza Estate in Panama, 25 miles east of Costa Rica, is home to Kai Janson’s coffee farm, started by his three brothers and himself a few years back.

For Glacier resident Kai Janson, coffee is more than just a way to start the day; it is a way of life.

Janson and his wife Catherine started Mt. Baker Coffee Roasters in 2005 in addition to their Baker Accommodations business. The roastery is one of a small handful nationwide that has complete control over their product from the coffee mill on his small family farm that separates the pulp from the beans to his customized Agtron roasting process near his home in Glacier.

“I’m pretty passionate about cof-

fee,” he said. “The way I got into it, when you realize what coffee is from a historical point of view and from a social point of view, from the French Revolution to British women trying to ban coffee shops because of its helping to raise consciousness, it’s incredible.”

The farm, La Torcaza Estate, is located just 25 miles east of the Costa Rican border and was acquired by his great grandfather, who migrated to Panama from Sweden. While there, he worked for the head of civil affairs for the government during the construction of the Panama Canal.

Kai Janson lived there with his

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family until the age of seven and continued to spend summers in his youth there, enjoying the sun and fishing in nearby alpine lakes. When Janson, along with his three brothers, inherited the farm a few years ago, they decided to start a coffee farm to grow high-quality singlesourced estate coffee.

Janson said he liked the idea of being able to custom roast and process the coffee to create a myriad of notes and flavors. Estate coffee is a superior product, he said, because it doesn’t need to be blended with other beans to taste good.

“When you taste coffee, you’re the own ruler of your own taste buds and whatever you think is the best coffee is the best coffee, that’s the magic of it,” he said. “We think of coffee as fresh food, that’s when you get the most benefit out of it.

When coffee’s fresh, it’s more like a fruit than a dry bread, so it’s fun to be involved with coffee.”

Mt. Baker Coffee Roasters coffee can be purchased at Maple Fuels and Crossroads Grocery in Maple Falls and is served at Graham’s and Milano’s restaurant in Glacier. He added he is looking into distributing coffee to retailers in Bellingham in the near future.

Coffee can also be ordered via their website at www.mtbakercoffee .com. You can read more about his family Panama estate at www.estatecoffee.com.

Beers on tap

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s Kai Janson processing coffee at their farm in Glacier.

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

s Little Pinkie at the top of Chair 3 is the place to play this year.

s Hitting the pow!

11

Photo by Tyler Mitchell

Photo by Grant Gunderson

s Local qualifying races for the Legendary Banked Slalom took place on the Martin Luther King weekend.

Photo by Tyler Mitchell

Of course, it wasn’t all fun and games...

s Treacherous conditions marked December and January as storms and Arctic temperatures and fog blew into the Northwest. Photo by Tyler Mitchell

s Not to mention that the Nooksack River burst its banks.

Photo by Grant Gunderson

Photo by Grant Gunderson

12

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

MT. BAKER SNOWBOARD SHOP

SKATE BANANA $257 Skate Banana board has Magne-Traction edge to give a 161 cm ride on a 159 cm board. By Lib Tech, was $470.

Cartel bindings by Burton are marked down to $164 from $219.

MT. BAKER SNOWBOARD SHOP

BANANA WAX $10 All temperature banana wax for your banana board, not your lunch, by Lib Tech.

GLACIER SKI SHOP

RED FEATHER SNOWSHOES $50 Youth snowshoes for children under 10,

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GLACIER SKI SHOP

DENALI SNOWSHOES $130 Denali Snowshoes have rubber straps that stay more flexible than plastic. One size fits all older children and adults.

X DTS AVALANCE TRACKER $279

By Back Country Access, marked down from $350.

MAGNE-TRACTION $17 Magne-Traction edge tuning file has plastic guide for accurate edge.

Designed for Lib Tech but works on other boards. By Lib Tech.

EQUIPMENT GUIDE

get outside

WAX REMOVER $11 Eco-friendly citrus wax remover by One Ball Jay.

DAKINE WAX IRON $35 This wax iron by Dakine gives the smoothest, fastest base.

WAX SCRAPER $9

BUFFING BRUSH $15 Nylon brush for buffing wax by One Ball Jay.

Metal wax scraper by One Ball Jay.

SKI POLE $80

NECK GAITER $15 Fleece neck gaiter gives light-weight warmth without the hassle of a hat, comes in various animals by Cozee Critters.

Telescoping back country ski pole comes in three sections for compact carrying, external clamps prevent collapsing under use, includes baskets, by Black Diamond.

LLAMA WOOL HAT $44 Put on this Peruvian hand-knitted llama wool hat with scarf warmers and your friends will kiss you. Various colors.

PURL PREMIUM WAX $7 Purl premium wax works in all temps for greater speed. Small brick, $7.

PILGRIM POWDER SKI $600 Pilgrim powder ski has large surface area for flotation, designed to be used in lengths that match your size snowboard, graphics by Paar, by Icelantic.

JP vs Julian $689 Also known as JJ’s by Armada, skis have rocker and extended tips for powder.

Back Country Technology convertible bindings by Marker, $369.

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

Get stoked for the 2010 Olympics Got skunked on your online request for 2010 Olympics? Well, worse things could happen to you. Like actually not getting skunked for tickets and looking at your Visa bill this month and wondering how to pay for them.

Never mind. You can still catch Olympic fever without paying the high prices. A whole range of qualifying events take place this season that you can watch without mortgaging your first-born child.

You’ve already missed the World Cup cross-country and the Short Track skating events but plenty more remains to be seen. Enjoy!

FIBT Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Cup February 2-7 The Whistler Sliding Centre, Whistler www.whistlerbobsleighskeleton.com

ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships February 2-8 Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver www.fourcontinents2009.com

13

Out & About WHAT’S HAPPENING STORYTIME AT DEMING & MAPLE FALLS LIBRARIES: A half-hour of stories and more for preschoolers.

Tuesdays through May 26, 10:30 a.m. Free. Deming: 5044 Mt. Baker Highway. For more info, call 5922422; Maple Falls: 7509 Mt. Baker Highway. For more info, call 599-2020.

BEN PRESTIGE PERFORMANCE: January 30, 9 p.m. Super talented one man band from Florida. Joowana’s, Maple Falls. For more info, call 599-9800.

CASCADES FOOTHILLS SNOWSHOE EXPLORATION: January 31, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Meet with naturalist David Bean. If necessary, snowshoes can be provided. Meet at the Whatcom County Parks & Rec. office, Mt. Baker Hwy. to carpool to the trailhead. For more info, call 360/733-2900.

ROME GRANGE COMMUNITY BREAKFAST: First Sunday of the month until June. 8 a.m.– 1 p.m. Pancakes, french toast, sausage, scrambled eggs, biscuits & gravy, juice & coffee. Adults $5; Kids 6-10 $2; Kids 5 & under FREE Rome Grange, 2821 Mt. Baker Hwy. STORYTIME AT SUMAS LIBRARY: A half-hour of stories and more for preschoolers. Mondays February 2 through June 8, 11 a.m. (No storytime on Feb.16) 451 2nd St., 988-2501. Free.

JAMIE LYNN'S KANDI KODED AND TWEAKBIRD PERFORMANCE: February 6, 9 p.m.. Joowana’s, Maple Falls. For more info, call 599-9800.

2009 MT. BAKER LEGENDARY BANKED SLALOM: February 6 – 8. www.mtbaker.us for info.

FIS Freestyle World Cup February 5-7 Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver: www.freestyleki.ca/en/worldcups/2009/cypress/ index.htm

SCHWEITZER CREEK LOOP SKI OR SNOWSHOE: February 7. Cross country ski the roads and trails near Granite Falls on Mountain Loop Hwy. Miles can range from 10 to 14 and elevation up to 1,800 feet.

Possible visits to Bear Lake, Ashland Lakes or Evan Lake. Meet at Sunnyland School, James Street, Bellingham at 7 a.m. Contact Paul at 676-9843 of the Mt. Baker Hiking Club for information.

FIL Luge World Cup February 16-21: The Whistler Sliding Centre, Whistler www.whistlerluge.com

CHUCKANUT MOUNTAIN HIKE: February 21. A nine mile hike from Clayton Beach up the South Summit Rd and return via south Lost Lake Rd. Meet at Sunnyland 8:30 a.m. Contact Marjan at 332-3195 of the Mt. Baker Hiking Club for directions.

FIS Snowboard World Cup February 12-15 Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver: www.snowboardworldcup2009.com

WCF World Wheelchair Curling Championship February 21-28: Vancouver Paralympic Centre (Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium Park) www.wwhcc2009.com

Hockey Canada Cup – Sledge Hockey February 24March 1: UBC Thunderbird Arena www.hockeycanada.ca IPC Cross-Country Skiing and Biathlon World Cup Final March 4-7: Whistler Olympic Park www.ipcnordic-vancouver.com

World Junior Curling Championships March 5-15: Vancouver Olympic Centre (Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium Park): www.wjcc2009.com IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals March 9-14: Whistler Creekside www.ipcalpinefinals2009.com

IBU Biathlon World Cup Date: March 11-15 Whistler Olympic Park www.biathlon-vancouver.com

ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships March 12-15: Richmond Olympic Oval: www.speedskatingrichmond2009.com

DJ B KUTZ PERFORMANCE: February 7, 9 p.m.. Joowana’s, Maple Falls. For more info, call 599-9800.

GRAHAM’S RESTAURANT PERFORMANCES: Thursday, Feb. 5: Bent Grass; Friday, Feb 6: Lucky Brown; Saturday, Feb. 14: Gertrude's Hearse; Thursday, Feb. 19: Bent Grass; Friday, Feb. 20: Lucky Brown; Wednesday, Mar. 4: Free People;Thursday, Mar. 5: Bent Grass; Thursday, Mar. 19 Bent Grass; Saturday, Mar. 21: War Pigeons; Thursday, Apr. 2 - Bent Grass. All shows starts at 9 p.m. All shows 21+. Grahams open mic every Tuesday (free). www.grahamsrestaurant.com.

GEM & JEWELRY SHOW: February 21, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; February 22, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Washington National Guard Armory, 2730 Oakes, Everett. Hourly door prizes, special exhibits, kids activities, silent auction & much more. Free admission. www.everettrockclub.com.

BICYCLE SAN JUAN ISLAND: March 21. Meet at Sunnyland School, James St., Bellingham, at 9 a.m. and carpool to Anacortes. Walk on the ferry for a 31-mile loop on San Juan Island. Contact Janet of the Mt. Baker Hiking Club at 360/734-6602 for details and possible change in ferry schedule. Carpool cost $3.

SNOWSHOE HIKE ALOUETTE MOUNTAIN, GOLDEN EARS PARK, B.C.: March 28. Snowshoe (or bring backcountry skis) the trail up Alouette Mountain. Up to 13 miles and 3,600 feet elevation gain. Slow or fast group. Need passport or qualifying ID. Call Paul of Mt. Baker Hiking Club at 360/676-9843.

ONGOING MEETINGS/EVENTS CAN YOU PROVIDE HELP TO VICTIMS OF ABUSE?: Join the volunteer team at Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services to provide immediate support to adult and child victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Call 671-5714 to schedule an interview or email dvsasemail@dvsas.org.

BLACK MOUNTAIN FORESTRY CENTER TOURS: There needs to be at least three to four adults and the cost is $12 per adult. RSVPs are requested. Call 360/599-2623.

EVERGREEN WATER & SEWER DISTRICT: Monthly commissioner’s meeting is the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m., district office, 6229 Azure Way. For more info, call 360/599-1699.

EVERSON/NOOKSACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING: Fourth Tuesday, noon, Everson Senior Center.

For more info, call 360/966-3407 or www.eversonnooksackchamber.org.

FRIENDS OF THE DEMING LIBRARY MEETING: Fourth Tuesday, 7p.m., Deming Library. Info: 592-2422.

GLACIER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING: Third Tuesday, 7 p.m., Glacier Visitor Center, 9973 Mt. Baker hwy. www.glacierchamber.org. Email: info@glacierchamber.org or 599-2299.

KNIT NIGHT AT EVERSON LIBRARY: Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Bring your knitting, crocheting or other portable hand work to enjoy a casual evening doing something you love. Everson-McBeath Library; 104 Kirsch Dr. Everson. For more info, call 360/966-5100.

NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK HEADQUARTERS INFO STATION: Weekdays, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (maps, trail conditions & more) 810 State Route 20, Sedro Woolley. 360/854-7200 or www.nps.gov/noca.

MT. BAKER FOOTHILLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING: First Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Inn at Mt. Baker. Info: call 360/599-1518 or www.mtbakerchamber.org.

MT. BAKER FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION: Meets third Wednesday, 7 p.m., Kendall Elementary School. For info, email nuqualum@gte.net.

MT. BAKER FOOTHILLS VISITOR CENTER: Wednesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., 7802 N. Silver Lake Rd., Maple Falls. For info, call 360/599-1518 or www.mtbakerchamber.org.

MT. BAKER HIKING CLUB ACTIVITIES: Participate in hiking and other activities. For info and costs, call 360/734-4461 or visit their website at www.mountbakerclub.org.

Hockey Canada Cup – Women’s Hockey August 31September 6: UBC Thunderbird Arena and Canada SUMAS BINGO: Sundays, 12:40 p.m.; Mondays & Thursdays, 6:40 p.m., Sumas Legion Hall, 134 Harrison St. For more info, call 360/966-4971.

Courtesy of Vancouver 2010 Hockey Place, Vancouver

14

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

Enjoying the ride...

s Jeremy Dubs, 27, is a filmmaker, world traveler and snowboarder.

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By Tara Nelson While many ski and snowboarding filmmakers focus on the best and most elaborate tricks, Jeremy Dubs wants to capture the entire experience.

Dubs, 27, of Glacier, is the owner and producer of Funner Films, a snowboard video company based in Glacier and Santiago, Chile. His films have been featured locally as well as in Japan, Europe and in several South American countries. During his time off, Dubs often shoots short snowboarding films for ESPN as well as some promotional pieces for companies in Chile.

With beautiful scenery, exotic locales and interviews with local snowboarders, Dubs creates an entertaining, often humorous, and behind-the-scenes look at Northwest hardcore snowboarding culture.

His Sentimental Values film, for example, profiles local legend Lucas Debari who, at age 18, became the youngest person ever to win the Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom, beating out Olympic Gold medalist Seth Wescott.

The film follows Debari, and other local pros such as Nathan Lind and Eric Jackson in what Dubs calls

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an ‘epic adventure’ of year-round snowboarding and tracking the deepest snow in the world from Baker to Chile, Argentina and locales such as Easter Island.

Dubs says he is partly inspired by his minor in sociology to document a centerpiece of Northwest culture and provide an inside look at what makes snowboarding a universal sport.

Dubs frequently alternates between Glacier and Santiago where he met his wife nearly two years ago.

How did you get started in film making?

I had always been into visual art.

When I was young, my parents had this gigantic VHS tape recorder that we used to record our friends when we were skateboarding, so I kind of just got some basics with that. I also took photography in high school and I was always interested but never had the money to have a decent video camera.

When I started going to Western, I had access to cameras that I could check, go up to Baker or film people skateboarding downtown. I did that for a few years until I was able to buy my own camera.

But the moment it turned to a full time thing was early in the season one year at Baker when I broke some ribs. I could still ride around but I couldn’t do tricks anymore so I was looking for something to keep my interest up and I realized filming my friends was a good way to do that. I started to like editing the footage and figured that’s the way I should go. I never had quite the gift to be an amazing snowboarder, I figured I could be better behind the lens.

What inspires you about your work?

Growing up in the Northwest, there’s a lot of people who do filmmaking stuff, I ended up living with a roommate who did skateboarding videos and it was cool because we had these two different subcultures that kind of crossed over in

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Their website is www.funner.us.

Their Youtube page is www.youtube.com/funnerprojects . He added he is now selling alpaca wool beanies hand-made by Chilean crafters ($20). They can be purchased at Maple Fuels in Maple Falls and online at www.funner-clothing.com.

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certain areas. I’m also inspired when I know I can show something new, rather than show something that’s recycled over and over again. We’re using Spanish and English and so we’re doing something new and different in that way.

Another thing is that it’s a really talented region. The Northwest has this cool outdoor mentality and progressively thinking people. That really helps.

What is your next major project?

We have a couple projects underway, including a movie coming out in September with lots of tricks for the kids. We don’t have a name yet.

Our last movie Sentimental Values was really good and I want something to live up to that or exceed that. We will also have various short films on YouTube.

On your website, you call your work ‘snowboard life study films.’ What is that?

It’s snowboarding with a little bit of life study. We’re trying to open people’s eyes to what other people are doing or show people a place they’ve never skied before.

You have to look at beyond just the basics because snowboarding has so much of a culture behind it than other sports and that kind of unites all these places. You have people here who have heard about Chile, and you have people in Chile who have heard about Washington, but not necessarily any other states.

It’s kind of a world community.

Even if you don’t speak the same language, you kind of share something interesting. That’s one of the cool things about the snowboard culture.

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Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

The people you want to see after the going got tough

By Marisa Willis Peter Ellis hits the snooze button on his alarm once, twice, three times before waking up at 5 a.m.

Friday morning. He stumbles through the dark hallway and walks zombie-like toward the kitchen. He scours the cabinets for the necessary ingredients to make coffee – anything to zap the grogginess of sleep at this early hour is a must.

A bowl of cereal and three cups of coffee later, Ellis and his gear are packed and driving down Mt. Baker Highway, en route to the Mt. Baker Ski area. Like a handful of other men and women from this region, Ellis is a member of the Mt. Baker Ski Patrol and a guardian of the slopes.

Rain or shine, snow or slush, washed out roads or not, the Mt. Baker Ski Patrol, a division of the National Ski Patrol, looks out for the safety and well-being of the skiers, boarders and all visitors who grace the mountain.

The Mt. Baker Ski Patrol operates with more than 150 volunteer patrollers like Ellis, who devote several days a month to supervising the mountain. There is also a dozen professional patrollers, led by Pro Patrol director Sam Llobet, who works with ski area general manager Duncan Howat to assess mountain conditions and safety concerns.

The professional patrollers are also in charge of triggering morning avalanches to ensure safer conditions throughout the day.

During a busy weekend, the slopes have about as many visitors as the population of Blaine, said marketing co-director Amy (Howat) Trowbridge. That’s an estimated 4,500 skiers, snowboarders and hikers that the ski patrol is responsible for every weekend, meaning Ellis and his friends are kept plenty busy.

From towing out stuck snowboarders with his ski poles to conducting search and rescue missions for missing persons, Ellis has seen and done it all. Between patrolling

at the White Pass Ski Resort for five years as a teenager and volunteering at Mt. Baker while in college, Ellis has been a part of the ski patrol for nine years. He said he couldn’t really imagine his life without skiing or the mountains.

“I love the fact that I get to ski with this group of guys who are all really good skiers and just genuine good people,” Ellis said. “It’s really something to be surrounded by people who like the mountains and like helping others as much as you do.”

Having a life devoted to the snow seems to be a popular trend for the patrollers on Mt. Baker. Volunteer Ski Patrol director Kent Nelson grew up around the Mt. Baker Ski Area and has been skiing its slopes since he could walk.

“It’s such a generational thing,” Nelson said. “[Skiing at Mt. Baker] runs in my family and it just gets in your blood.”

Nelson said ski patrol is more than just a second kin to him. It’s

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shaped the person he is today, and for Nelson skiing on Mt. Baker has truly become a family affair. Nelson proposed to his wife on top of Panorama Dome and even named his son Kanyen after Razerhone Canyon on Mt. Baker.

Nelson said skiing is a great family activity, which is one of the reasons he accepted the volunteer director’s position three seasons ago. He also cited the unique experience Mt. Baker has to offer as a reason he said yes to the position. Nelson said of all the factors that make Mt. Baker unique, it’s the people who leave the most lasting impression.

Whether it be the 40 years of ski area management by the Howat family, the easy-going locals or the long-term volunteer patrollers, Mt. Baker has its fair share of characters.

“Every single person you come Please see Patrol, page 16

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Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

Patrol..

Continued from page 15

in contact with up there, somehow impacts your experience,” Nelson said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the Mt. Baker experience.”

And dedicated patrollers like Bruce Rustad certainly contribute to setting a tone of camaraderie at Mt. Baker. Rustad has been a member of the Mt. Baker ski patrol for 45 years and served as the volunteer director for 10 of those years.

Rustad is in charge of the Friday volunteer patrol team and is on the mountain every weekend. He said he devotes so much of his time to the organization because of the people he gets to work with and the ability to ski runs whenever he wants.

“We get every type of weather up there,” Rustad said. “But as long as we don’t get involved in too many injuries, nothing beats a good powder day and a couple feet of new snow,” Rustad said.

s Peter Ellis

Ski patrol is by no means all fun and games though. Every patroller is required to go through intense training and must be prepared to use their emergency medical skills at all times.

As the volunteer director, Nelson oversees all the training and placement of the volunteer staff.

With one of the largest volunteer groups in the region this is no easy task. The rigorous ski patrol training includes toboggan, emergency medical, avalanche and cliff-rescue proficiency tests.

The 2008-2009 season has been especially challenging for the Mt. Baker Ski Patrol. With such a late start to the season, backcountry rescues and avalanche dangers were heightened because the snow came late and all at once, Nelson said.

Road closures are also an ongoing issue the ski patrol has had to deal with this season.

From the ski patroller’s morning meeting at 8 a.m. to the final sweep of the mountain at 3:30 p.m., Ellis said his primary job is to check in with skiers and snowboarders throughout the day, ride the slopes looking for people in distress and ensure the ski patrol has a presence on the mountain. That way, visitors know there is someone available for help if needed.

“We sometimes get the reputation of ‘mountain cops’ but that’s not what we’re about,” Ellis said.

“We’re here to help the mountain run smoothly and make sure skiers and snowboarders enjoy themselves.”

As visitors to the ski area slice and carve down the mountain, personal safety is probably not a top priority. But for the Mt. Baker Ski Patrol you can bet it is, and they take their job as guardians of the slopes very seriously.

So you want to be a ski patroller?

Here are the basic steps to get you there: (compiled by ski patroller Peter Ellis) Step 1. Exhibit advanced or expert ski skills. This means being able to ski down any terrain the mountain has to offer.

You must be able to do so quickly, efficiently and in good form under any conditions.

Step 2. Contact your local ski area about testing with the ski patrol, or openings with a patrol team.

Step 3. Pass a rigorous ski test administered by the ski patrol.

Ski patrollers judge your performance on a variety of terrain from double black diamond to easy runs.

Step 4. Take and pass the Outdoor Emergency Care course. (8 hours a day, Saturday and Sunday, 12 weekends in a row) Step 5. Complete “on the hill training,” which includes practicing first-aid in the snow, learning to efficiently run a toboggan with an injured person on any terrain, becoming proficient in avalanche rescue techniques and emergency chairlift evacuation skills. (This phase usually lasts 1/2 or 3/4 of a ski season) Step 6. Pass a final practical exam. Patrollers must successfully proceed through an injury scenario starting with the call of an incident to getting the injured person safely off of the mountain and properly filling out required paperwork once in the first-aid room.

Step 7. Congratulations you made it! You are now a member of the “You fall, we haul,” team!

MAKE SURE YOUR BUSINESS IS ON THE NEW 2009/2010

MAP!

s Rebecca Andersen in her Wake ‘n Bakery next to the Glacier Ski Shop. There are plenty of new and tempting items for the passing boarders and skiers.

Terrain park bites it

By Jack Kintner The old terrain park off Chair 8 is no more, a victim of logistics and low snow according to area manager Duncan Howat.

“Looking at the cost vs. benefit, it just wasn’t working,” he said, “because it was costly to maintain and wasn’t getting a lot of use.”

The series of jumps and rolls on the north side of Chair 8 sent those who did use it on spectacular flights 40 to 50 feet through the air, but driving the snow-cats out there to work on the park took 45 minutes.

“The one at the top of Chair 3 takes us about six minutes,” Howat said, “and has been a popular feature for several seasons.” Called Pinky Park, it has 12 boxes and rails and two rolls along with some small-

er features and banked turns.

Howat said that this year’s snowfall began well but has settled significantly due to a three-week temperature inversion in January.

While Bellingham and Vancouver had seemingly endless fog, “We saw it as high as 63 above up here.

That’s the warmest I’ve ever seen it in 40 years,” Howat said, adding that even last year with more snow the terrain park was only able to be open the last month and a half of the season.

Howat said the decision was unrelated to a $14 million judgment awarded two years ago to former collegiate wrestler Kenny Salvini, 29. Salvini was left a quadriplegic after going off a 40-foot jump at the terrain park at Snoqualmie Summit near Seattle.

Distribution starts Summer 2009 through the

2010 Olympic Games!

What makes our map so useful?

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

Distribution T 20,000 copies distributed to visitor centers throughout the county as well as high traffic locations and at advertisers.

Full listing and location on map starting at $150.

Reserve early! Space is limited.

Ad Deadline

May 1

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

s Innate Skate and Snow opened in November offering skate and snowboard gear in downtown Bellingham. The shop also offers a screen printing studio, art gallery and, on occasion, a live music venue. The shop is located at 1215 Cornwall Avenue in the former Edge Boardshop building and can be reached by calling 360/392-8675.

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

17

Test Drive 2009: Back country pow

By Jack Kintner Skis are always changing. This season there are a couple of new wrinkles, both of which are designed for back country powder situations, plus a new kind of patterned bottom XC ski that can burn up the hills almost as easily as it scoots down them.

Put a Salomon Czar, a Rossignol Caballero or an Armada JJ on a flat surface and the first thing you’ll notice is that the outer 24 inches in the tip and a little less in the tail are higher than the middle of the ski.

What some call a “barrel stave,” the rocker is there to help the ski float in the soft back country snow and deep pow situations without requiring the skier to sit so far back.

There are also five width measurements instead of three, because these skis are widest well back from the tip and tail.

The Salomon Czar is typical. It’s a big wide ski and has very little variation in shape when viewed from above but features an extended rocker for very effective flotation. 620mm (about two feet) of rocker means that the ski starts to curve upwards 620mm from the tip and tail. That means that the ski curves upwards pretty much everywhere except under the boot and binding.

Similarly, Armada’s JJ uses rocker and variable sidecuts, combining them with generous width that, along with an extended tip and tail profile, ensures flotation in bottomless powder and crud alike. It’s a backcountry ski that’s relatively easy for snowboarders to transition to since they’d use the same length as a snowboard, they’re that wide and supportive.

The skis by contrast revert to a more normal camber and sidecut under the boot for more normal behavior on harder packed snow.

The rockered tips in these situations don’t necessarily lift clear of the snow but do mean that most of the power goes to the part of the ski that carves the turn, what Armada calls a “ski within a ski.”

“We now have the proper tools for serious backcountry powder,” said John Adams of the Glacier Ski Shop. “Snowboarders who are beginning to transition to these kinds of skis find that they use the same length in these skis as they do with snowboards. Boarding is a lot easier than skiing, but these skis are wide enough that they float like a board, making the transition easier. The JJ is maneuverable enough for the trees but is also big enough for jumping.”

Another very popular innovation is adapting the radical sidecut to more powder friendly designs, such as the Icelantic Shaman. It solves the contradictory problems of making a ski that handles powder as

well as hard pack with increased surface area, similar to what the rockered ski design does with its double side cuts and rocker but the Icelantics are smaller and lighter than the rockered back country behemoths.

The narrow waist makes for an easily carved turn but the greater surface area helps the ski float like a balloon. Icelantic’s Pilgrim is a little narrower for less powdery conditions and the Nomad lies somewhere in between. The skis are more fun in the bumps than the rockered designs while allowing the boarders to go into the same soft conditions that they did with a snowboard.

Finally, Adams took a pair of Alpina X Terrain patterned base skis up the hill to the Mt. Baker Ski Area. At a range of $240 to $270 per pair plus bindings they’re about half of what the rockered back country twin tips go for. They’re made in the small Slovenian town of Ziri in the southern foothills of the Austrian Alps.

They’re standard cross country skis with a three-pin toe binding and nothing at the heel, but are also heavier and have as radical a side-

cut as the Icelantics, a large tip for floating up in powder and a pattered base under the boot that somehow gives them a goat-like climbing ability.

Adams played with them under Chair One, closed during the week, by skiing a quarter mile or so down into a gully and then walking back up the hill as if he were on skins.

He’d applied no wax so he may have been a littler slower coming down the hill.

The skis are truly versatile and fun. “You have to telemark them,” Adams said, “with bindings like this.” However, that’s helped out by the radical sidecut and their balance and weight. On one run he approached a moderate little rise at speed and rode it up for about three feet of air in a jump that would pulverize most XC skis not to mention the skier.

“The boarders like these and the Icelantics because they can climb with them in the back country, but with the flotation they’re a lot like riding a board,” Adams said. The Glacier Ski Shop has X Terrain skis for rent in what they call their back country package – skis, boots and poles for the day for just $30.

s John Adams on Alpina X Terrain skis.

True Log Homes, Inc has been in business since 1975 building custom log homes and conventional framed homes with log and timber accents.

We are a general contractor with an excellent design service.

ON SITE SEPTIC

s Kintner’s double exposure shows John getting big air for cross country skis.

We are located at 4208 Mt Baker Hwy, 11 miles east of Bellingham.

Visit us at www.truelog.com.

360-592-2322 • 1-800-878-3564

O&M Contracts • Inspections Site Drawings Group Rates Available

Mike Eaton

Septic Tank

360-927-8124

Summer 2009 edition coming in June Ads due May 15

To advertise contact Louise 360/332-1777 or email: sales@mountbakerexperience.com

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

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

Lingo..

Continued from page 9

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18

HELLA Awesome (that was hella cool).

HUCK Throw yourself wildly through the air without landing on your feet.

HUCKFEST A gathering of snowboarders riding as hard and wild as possible.

JIB Riding something other than snow, Eg. Rails, trees, logs.

KICKER To build your own jump.

MANUAL Riding with the nose of the board lifted from the ground.

MISTYFLIP Front flip 180.

NOSE MANUAL Riding with the tail of the board lifted from the ground.

OLLIE Lifting the nose and tail of the board into the air at the same time.

“That ollie was huge!”

PHAT Something that is truly extraordinary.

POACH If a run is closed and you still rode it, you poached it.

POW Short for powder.

RODEO A back flip 540.

SCORPION When you face plant so hard that your legs and your board look like they will hit the back of your head like a scorpion's tail.

SHAVE IT Shave the fresh powder off a slope or top of cornice.

SICK An expression used to describe something exceptionally good.

SICK NASTY Intense, insane.

SKETCHY Shaky, landing a small air or trick but messing up the landing but not falling.

SLAY To pull an insane trick on a rail, or to grind or jib the whole rail.

STOMP Making a good landing.

TABLETOP A jump consisting of a smaller jump, then a large tranny and then the landing.

TAIL SLIDE To slide on a box or other surface only on the tail of the board.

TRANNY Little ditch or empty space to gap.

TRIP When something is good. Eg. "That 900 was trip!"

WACK Something that is not good. Eg. "It's pretty wack that my board broke in half."

YARD SALE Bad spill that strips you of your hat, gloves, goggles, glasses, backpack, etc.

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

Map directory

1 ACME GENERAL STORE Hwy 9, Acme • 595-2146

7 MISTY MOUNTAINS REALTY 8193 Kendall Rd., Maple Falls • 599-2659

2 EVERYBODY’S STORE Hwy 9, Van Zandt • 592-2297

8 MISTY MOUNTAINS REALTY 7425 Mt. Baker Hwy, Maple Falls • 599-2093

3 MT. BAKER AUTOMOTIVE 3833 Mt. Baker Hwy, Deming • 592-2321

8 MT. BAKER LODGING 7463 Mt. Baker Hwy, Maple Falls • 599-2463

4 DODSON’S IGA 3705 Mt. Baker Hwy, Nugent’s Corner • 592-5351

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

5 KELLEY INSURANCE 103 W. Main St., Everson • 966-3732 619 Cherry St., Sumas • 988-2462

10 MAPLE FUELS WASH-A-TON Corner of Mt. Baker Hwy & Silver Lake Rd. Maple Falls 599-2222 11 CROSS ROADS GROCERY & VIDEO 7802 Silver Lake Rd, Maple Falls 599-9657

12 INN AT MT. BAKER 8174 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-1776 or 877/567-5526 13 CANYON CREEK CHALETS 7474 Miller Way, Glacier • 599-9574 13 THE LOGS 7577 Canyon View Dr., Glacier • 599-2711 14 MT. BAKER HOMES & LAND 9937 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier 599-1900 or 599-1135 15 GLACIER SKI SHOP/WAKE N’ BAKERY 9966 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-1943 15 HAIRSTREAM 9970 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-2043 16 MT. BAKER VIEW GUESTHOUSE 6920 Central Ave., Glacier • 599-2155

Mt. Baker Highway mile posts

6 NORTH FORK BREWERY 6186 Mt. Baker Hwy, Deming • 599-2337

Mile 1: Junction of I-5 and Mt. Baker Hwy., Sunset Drive.

Mile 3: View of Coast Mountain Range in Canada (left).

Mile 8: Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Dept. (Right).

The headquarters offers a rest area with picnic tables, restrooms and a view of Mt. Baker, elevation 10,778 feet. 360/7332900.

Mile 9: Deming Logging Show – second weekend in June.

Two-day show: log rolling, tree climbing and axe throwing.

Nooksack River Bridge – great fishing spots can be found.

Mile 10: Community of Nugent's Corner. Groceries, gas, bank (ATM), bakery, cafe, crafts and other services.

Mile 11: U-pick berry farms (right and left). Strawberries in June, raspberries in July and blueberries in August.

Christmas tree farms (right and left).

Mount Baker Vineyards (left). Tasting room/gift shop open Wednesday – Sunday. Grape Stomp Festival in September.

Mile 12: Community of Deming.

Stewart Mountain – elev. 3,087 feet (right).

Sumas Mountain – elev. 3,430 feet (left).

Mile 14: Highway 9 South Junction (right). South to Van Zandt, Acme, Wickersham and Skagit Valley. Attractions: B&B, general store, mushroom farm, and train ride.

Nooksack River Forks (right). Nooksack River forks into three segments: the North Fork, which Mt. Baker Highway parallels; the Middle Fork, which heads southeast to the southern face of Mt. Baker; and the South Fork, which heads south into the Skagit Valley. Hwy. 9 follows the South Fork.

Mile 16: Mosquito Lake Road – Bald Eagle Viewing Spot (right).

Dec. – Feb. Turn right onto Mosquito Lake Road, drive to the first bridge that crosses the North Fork Nooksack. Park on left shoulder of Mosquito Lake Road Look for eagles.

Mile 18: Community of Welcome (left). Grocery store, fire station, senior center and other services.

Mile 21: Kendall Creek Hatchery (right). Turn right onto Fish Hatchery Road. The hatchery raises chinook, coho and chum salmon as well as steelhead, rainbow and cutthroat trout.

Mile 22: Slide Mountain – elevation 4,884 feet (right). Named for a landslide on its north face that may have dammed up the Nooksack River in ancient times.

Highway 547 North Junction/Kendall Road (left). North to Kendall, peaceful Valley, Paradise Lakes, Columbia and Sumas.

Gas, groceries, golf, tavern.

Mile 23: Community of Kendall. Grocery store and gas (left).

Mile 25: Community of Maple Falls, post office, pay phones, cabin rentals, lodging, restaurants, gas, groceries, liquor, library.

Silver Lake Park, Silver Lake Road, 3.5 miles north (left). Park sits on 411 acres around Silver Lake.

Mile 27: Farm stand (right). Fresh produce, gourmet foodstuffs.

Mile 29: View of Nooksack River (right). Highway ascends a ledge overlooking the North Fork of the Nooksack River.

Mile 30: Mt. Baker Scenic Turnout (right).

Mile 33: Glacier – elev. 932 feet. Last community along the highway. Fire department, post office, library, general store, restaurants, snowboard shop, lodging, phones.

Mile 34: Gallup Creek Picnic Area (right). Picnic tables and

trash cans; no restroom.

Glacier Public Service Center (right). Open Memorial Day to October. Rangers assist with hikes and camp planning, and issues permits. Restrooms , picnic area.

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Boundary National Forest Scenic Byway. Glacier Creek Road (Rd. #39) to Mt. Baker Vista (right). Mostly paved, 9.5 mile road leads to Mt. Baker view.

Mile 36: Douglas Fir Campground (left). National forest camp built by the CCC in the 1930s. Fees charged. Reservations accepted: 1-877-444-6777 or at www.ReserveUSA.com.

Horseshoe Bend Trail (right). Access for guided river rafting tours.

Washington State Sno-Park (left). Permit required for snow mobiling or cross-country skiing.

Mile 37: Church Mountain – elevation 6,245 feet (left). High elevation trails on the southern slope are often the first in the area to open for summer hiking.

Turnouts to view North Fork Nooksack River (right).

Mile 40: Excelsior Group Camp (right). National Forest Campground. No water. Fee charged. Reservations only:1-877-4446777 or at www.ReserveUSA.com.

Nooksack Falls, Wells Creek Road Road #33 (right). Take Wells Creek Road a half mile down to parking area and fenced viewpoint. Fall plummets 100 feet.

Mile 41: Excelsior Pass Trail (left).

Mile 43: North Fork Nooksack Research Natural Area (left).

Established in 1937, this is a 1,400-acre preserve of old-growth Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Western Red Cedar.

19

16 MT. BAKER SNOWBOARD SHOP 9996 Forest St., Glacier • 599-2008 17 MILANO’S RESTAURANT 9990 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-2863 18 GRAHAM’S STORE 9989 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-2665 18 GRAHAM’S RESTAURANT 9989 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-1964 19 GLACIER CREEK LODGE 10036 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-2991 20 BAKER ACCOMMODATIONS Snowater, Glacier • 599-1017

map key

1 Business Location 37 Mile Post

Mile 44: Nooksack River Viewpoint (right).

Mile 46: Twin Lakes Road (Road #3065) at Shuksan Highway Maintenance Sheds (left). Twin Lakes is not accessible until early to mid-August.

Hannegan Pass Road (Road #32) (left). Popular cross-country skiing area in winter.

Shuksan Picnic Area – Hannegan Pass Road (left). Tables, a restroom, Nooksack River views. Mining cabin nearby.

Silver Fir Campground (right). Fees charged. Reservations accepted: 1-877-444-6777 or at www.ReserveUSA.com.

Mile 47: Goat Mountain – elevation 6,891 feet. (N.E.). Summer grazing range for one of four bands of mountain goats.

Mile 49: View Mt. Shuksan – elevation 9,038 feet. (East).

Mile 50: View Mt. Sefrit – elevation 6,015 feet. (Southeast).

Mile 52: Mt. Baker Ski area White Salmon Day Lodge (left).

Mile 53: Entrance to Heather Meadows.

Mile 55: Picture Lake (road forks – stay to the right). Picture Lake – elevation 4,100 feet, provides a postcard view of Mt. Shuksan – elev. 9,038 feet. Vista picnic area (right). Picnic area; no restrooms.

Mile 56: Austin Pass Picnic Area (right). CCC-built area sits in a bowl-shaped valley with glorious views.

Heather Meadows Visitor Center (right). Open mid-July to September.

Mile 58: Artist Point – elev. 5,140 feet. (End of highway). Parking lot surrounded by Mt. Baker’s peak (south), Mt. Shuksan (east) and Table Mountain – elev. 5,628 feet.

20

Mount Baker Experience - Spring 2009

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