Mount Baker Experience, Winter 2019

WINTER 2019

ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

hana beaman BC Snowshoe guide protecting the nooksack

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE PUBLISHERS Patrick Grubb and Louise Mugar EDITOR Oliver Lazenby PUBLICATION DESIGN Doug De Visser COPY EDITOR Aly Siemion

ADVERTISING DESIGN Ruth Lauman • Doug De Visser ADVERTISING SALES Catherine Darkenwald • Janet McCall Molly Ernst • Adam Albert

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE: Brad Andrew, Brett Baunton, Tim Black, Anne Cleary, Jason Griffith, Grant Gunderson, Jason Hummel, Gretchen Leggitt, Jason D. Martin, Mike McCartan, David Moskowitz, Marcus Paladino, Lisa Pulsifer, Sophia Rouches, Evan Skoczenski, Matthew Tangeman, Jacqueline Thompson, Ben Whitney, Luca Williams EMAIL: info@mountbakerexperience.com WEB: www.mountbakerexperience.com FACEBOOK: facebook.com/mtbakerexperience TWITTER: twitter.com/MB_Experience INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/mtbakerexp If you can see Mt. Baker, you’re part of the experience. Mount Baker Experience is an outdoor recreation guide for and about the Mt. Baker region, distributed from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. and published by Point Roberts Press, Inc. Locally owned, the company also publishes The Northern Light, All Point Bulletin, Pacific Coast Weddings, Waterside and area maps.

Vol. XXXII, No. 4. Printed in Canada. ©2018 POINT ROBERTS PRESS 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 TEL: 360/332-1777 NEXT ISSUE Spring 2019 • Out mid-February 2019 Ad reservation deadline: January 18 ON THE COVER Mattias Evangelista airs into the sunset in the Mt. Baker backcountry.

Photo by Grant Gunderson.

WINTER 2019

ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

MBE winter 2019 contributors bradANDREW Brad Andrew is a Bellingham-based freelance action sports photographer. He spends his winters chasing the snow looking for the perfect spot to make the perfect image. He is a husband, father and a student of life.

BrettBAUNTON Brett Baunton is a photographer passionate about wild waters and landscapes. His images appear in National Geographic, Smithsonian, Audubon, Backpacker, National Parks, and on a USPS Crest Trail stamp.

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.

jasonGRIFFITH Jason is a fisheries biologist who would rather be on a summit than down by the river. When he isn’t fiddling with his camera in the mountains, he lives in Mount Vernon with his wife and two boys.

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

Grantgunderson.com

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

Alpinestateofmind.com

gretchenLEGGITT Gretchen Leggitt is an avid athlete and artist who draws her creative inspiration from the natural world. Leggitt’s wood burns and large murals adorn the walls of Bellingham and beyond. More at gretchenleggitt.com

jasonMARTIN hana beaman BC Snowshoe guide protecting the nooksack

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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.

MikeMCCARTAN Mike is a skier and climber who spends his summers in the alpine of Washington and the powder of Utah’s Wasatch range for the winters.

marcusPALADINO Marcus Paladino is a surf and outdoor photographer living in Tofino, B.C. He strives to have simple descriptions like ‘surf shot’ or ‘nature photo’ fall short. That’s when his work becomes art.

lisaPULSIFER Lisa Pulsifer is passionate about hiking and backpacking and just completed the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington. She lives in Vancouver, B.C.

sophiaROUCHES Grown in the Northwest, Sophia is driven by her deep love for the mountains and her desire to cultivate connections with the natural world.

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

matthewTANGEMAN Matthew is a Bellingham-based adventure photographer with a passion for deep powder, alpine granite and not making it back to the trailhead until way after dark. matthewtangeman.myportfolio.com.

jacqueline THOMPSON Jacqueline is a writer, mountain guide and environmentalist who splits time between Northern Arizona and Western Washington.

When she isn’t in the wilderness, she’s writing music, making art and practicing yoga.

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

lucaWILLIAMS Luca is a Certified Rolfer in Glacier, WA. She helps snowboarders, skiers, and other outdoor enthusiasts to get aligned and out of pain. Website: lucasrolfing.com blog: movingwithgravity.wordpress.com.

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2019 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

winter 2019

Publisher’s NOTE

By Pat Grubb

T

hose of us who enjoy the winter sporting scene have a quiet secret difference from our fellow denizens in the Pacific Northwest.

As those folks look gloomily out the window at dreary, grey wet skies, we are filled with a certain joy.

They mope but we gloat at the thought that all this lowland precipitation that is falling as rain is dumping the white stuff up on the mountains. And, while we may be stuck at work now, we know we will soon be up there taking advantage of every white inch of it. It makes winter a lot easier to bear...

This issue of the Mount Baker Experience is designed from the ground up to help you make the most out of your winter recreation.

First and foremost, safety should be top of mind. Do you know how to properly decipher the weather forecast provided by the Northwest Avalanche Center? Mountain guide Jason D. Martin gives you the key.

Need winter sustenance that’s healthy and hearty? Pocket bacon expert Mike McCartan will help you there.

Luca Williams will help you get past that ski plateau with exercises that will unlock your potential. Keep your ears open for the Season Passholes, playing somewhere, sometime soon in the Mt. Baker region.

Only ride downhill? Try something different with groomed Nordic-style gliding at the Salmon Ridge SnoPark.

Want to know the most reliable snow shoe? Want to know where to use them? It’s all here in this issue.

Craving some Japanese food? Yuki Yama opened this summer in Maple Falls and the reviews are consistently fabulous. All home-made all of the time.

And, of course, there is our famous photo spread. Once again, the best photographers in the region have favored us with some of the best NW imagery they can find. We thank them as always.

Have fun and enjoy the snow!

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Hana Beaman

SNOWBOARDING ON HER OWN TERMS

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20

SEASON PASSHOLES WILD NOOKSACK

ART BY BIKE

Mt. Baker’s homegrown band

Pedaling and sketching to Wyoming

Protecting the mighty river

FOOD 14 SKIING Meal prep for a tasty ski day

23 GALLERY Take nothing but photos

EXERCISES 18 SKI Improve your technique

EDUCATION 31 AVALANCHE Do you really know the forecast?

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GUIDE 48 GEAR New toys for winter SLALOM 49 BANKED Now featured in Warren Miller

SKIING 38 NORDIC Groomed gliding at Salmon Ridge

TRIPS 41 SNOWSHOE 3 trails near Vancouver

POSTCARD 44 METHOW Relaxing in a remote cabin

45 REVIEW The most dependable snowshoe?

AND SLEEP 46 FOOD Where to stay

WOLVERINES

Studying the Cascadian carnivore

47 EVENTS Try something new

BOW-YOHO

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Hut skiing in Canada’s Rockies WINTER 2019 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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The Season Passholes

ago, but I asked him if he’d be interested. He suggested Heather Hanes for a singer while Chris suggested we get Vaughn Gifford on drums. It took about a week to get everyone together for our first musical “date.”

At that point we had a month to come up with an hour of music. It’s always challenging to get people on the same page musically, especially when our ages range from mid-20s to 40 and we have different musical backgrounds. But it was pretty clear from the start that we were all pretty musically compatible.

That first day Heather mentioned she liked Led Zeppelin so I started playing “Immigrant Song” and everyone fell into place pretty quick. The rest of us started introducing songs we liked and we jammed them out.

One of our decisions early on was that we weren’t going to make our versions perfect note-for-note replications. That gave us a little bit of creative liberty. Or slop – whatever you want to call it.

Unfortunately RetroActive Day got rained out. We were able to move our show to Chair 9 Woodstone Pizza and Bar that evening and it ended up being a great time. Mt. Baker Ski Area management hoped we could play on the rescheduled date but some of us had commitments on the new date so we couldn’t. Hopefully we’ll be able to make it up this season.

Anne Cleary photo.

Is there a story behind the name?

We were thinking of things that would be sort of winter sports-specific. ast winter, local pro skier and off-season whale researcher and musician Adam Ü There were a few options that I can’t remember right now. I do remember waking up and had an opportunity to put together a band for a show at the Mt. Baker Ski Area. writing “Season Passholes” down before I forgot it. I was thinking of the legendary ChamoHe assembled a highly compatible crew of Mt. Baker locals as fast as he could; the nix band “Gary and the Crevassholes” at the time. Every band knows that when it comes to Season Passholes were born. names there’s a fine line between clever and stupid. You can decide where we ended up.

He took some time between traveling the globe for whale research and gracing the What makes a good Season Passholes song? covers of ski magazines to talk about Mt. Baker’s new homegrown band.

The idea was to keep with an ’80s theme but considering our time crunch, we figured it Mount Baker Experience: How did the band start? would be better to play songs we already sort of knew versus trying to learn a bunch of new Adam Ü: I had just come back to town and ran into Mike Trowbridge (operations manager songs from scratch. So our first set ended up with songs from the ’60s to the ’90s. at Mt. Baker Ski Area) in line at Chair 5. He asked if I could put together an ’80s cover band The most important thing for most of us is to like the song and want to play it. It’s great for the RetroActive Day (a moguls competition and retro costume contest) scheduled five having Heather as a singer because she’s got a range that allows us to consider songs the rest weeks away. In the 30 seconds before I loaded the chair I told him I’d make some phone calls of us would never have a chance at singing. I’ve also always wanted to be in a band with a but no guarantees. keyboard player.

Chris Loeser and I had already been jamming together so he was a natural choice on bass.

We play plenty of cliché songs like Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” but those tend to get If we were to have any chance of putting together an ’80s band we needed keys. I knew Grady a great reaction from the crowd so we’ll probably keep them in the rotation. We’ve also got (McCombs) played keys but we had only played together a few times and that was many years some deep cuts that we just want to play because they’re fun. The whole idea of this band is for fun, so if the crowd’s singing and dancing then I guess we’re doing something right.

What’s next for the Passholes?

We’re going to keep learning cover songs but we’ve all expressed interest in writing our A Collaborative Approach to Resolution own music as well. We’ve had a few spontaneous “Space Jams” in our shows that have come out of nowhere and continue for 10 minutes and Heather and I both have original songs that might work well as Passholes songs. Covers or originals, the idea is to keep having fun playing music.

Are you playing any shows in Glacier or on the mountain this year?

We’ve been approached by a bunch of people that want us to play various gigs. We’ll definitely play if it’s the right occasion or a worthy cause but we’re not looking to go on tour or play every other Thursday or something like that. We’d all rather play a party for our friends.

Mt. Baker locals jam it out

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Th e

ha sn v o Ha in na g w Be am t an he b o is rid m a in g os on r t he d rt f er e m un s By O

liv er

La

ze n

by

r Hana Beaman takes flight at Mt. Baker Ski Area.

Brad Andrew photo.

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2019 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

Anne Cleary photo.

A

n open house at a home decor boutique is a strange place to meet a pro snowboarder – especially in Bellingham’s Barkley Village, a hub of wealth advisors, bankers and mortgage loan officers. The Urban Collective office specializes in home decor and real estate staging. Professionals in slim-fitting suits and ties congregate in the spaces between minimalist, vaguely Scandinavian furniture and decor.

The style is about as formal as it gets in Bellingham, but Hana Beaman – a pro snowboarder with a resume spanning two decades and includes some of the sport’s top awards – seems to fit in with a denim dress and yellow hair.

It’s not Beaman’s first time at the combined office and storefront; she even has desk space here. Most of the people mingling and sampling charcuterie don’t know Beaman for her snowboard resume and wouldn’t recognize her spinning a 720 over the Mt. Baker road gap. They know the outgoing 36-year-old for her ambition in the world of homes.

“She’s a go-getter, she’s super social. Getting out and being social is a big part of the job,” said Marissa Noppe. Noppe, a real estate agent with the Muljat Group, does know Beaman from her snowboard life. Noppe has mentored Beaman over the past couple years as she became a licensed real estate agent and signed with the Muljat Group in Bellingham.

Cab 540 at Mt. Baker.

Brad Andrew photo.

Though Beaman is broadening her horizons, it’s not retirement. She’s been a pro snowboarder for almost 20 years and she’s still riding big lines and starring in films. She’s featured in a new Vans snowboard video out this fall, and she has ambitions and goals for her future snowboarding ranging from Alaska trips to mellower splitboard missions in the Cascades.

In fact, Beaman hopes a career in real estate will allow her to not only keep snowboarding professionally, but to do it on her terms.

“I don’t want to rely on snowboarding for my livelihood as much as I have, and I want to continue to snowboard the way I want,” she said. The other options, as she sees them, are chasing paychecks or moving behind the scenes for a job in the industry.

Beaman’s father built houses in Big Bear, California, when she was a kid. She has bought and sold several houses since buying her first at age 20. She’s always been intrigued by architecture, and her habit of decorating with thrift stores finds has been the subject of an ESPN article. In short, she has a passion for “all things home.”

Becoming a real estate agent seemed like a good starting point to do something related to homes. “Maybe because of all the traveling I’ve gotten to do – I’ve been able to see so many different places and how people live and that’s ’s just

interesting to me,” she said. “Do I think I want to be a real estate agent for the rest of my life? Probably not, but maybe I find my groove and I really like it.”

Plus, with busier summers and slower winters, a real estate agent schedule works well with snowboarding. Still, telling her sponsors wasn’t easy.

“They’re super down, but it was a little nerve wracking telling them. They understand that if I do this, I’ll be able to continue snowboarding the way I want to,” Beaman said.

Beaman’s always ridden her snowboard the way she wants, rather than chasing sponsorship deals. Her segment in the 2016 film “Full Moon Saloon” starts with pillow lines in B. C. She bounces and slices through layers of snow, spilling from one mound to the next, emerging from a cloud of coastal powder to make a turn, spray more snow, and take flight.

That segment progresses through more backcountry lines, cliffs and jumps to even bigger, steeper terrain, ending in massive spines, exposed faces and rock-lined couloirs. She makes it look fun rather than death-defying.

“I would like someone who watches me snowboard to just be like, yeah, let’s go ride some pow, let’s go out and be in these beautiful areas and just have fun and play in the mountains,” Beaman said. “I just think it’s really amazing what snowboarding can give you. There are so many great places it

WINTER 2019 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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Anne Cleary photo.

can bring you and great people it can bring into your life and lessons it teaches you. My mom always instilled in me that the best snowboarder is the one having the most fun, and I’ve always taken that with me.”

Beaman grew up in Big Bear and started snowboarding when she was six. In southern California, the terrain park offered the biggest dose of fun.

“I was a park rat,” Beaman said. “That’s what created my love for snowboarding.”

She famously got a big break at Snowboarder Magazine’s 2001 Superpark contest at Mammoth Mountain, where she was the only girl hitting the biggest jumps, and left community college behind to turn pro. She moved from Big Bear to Mammoth and eventually Salt Lake City and spent much of the 2000s competing and collecting medals at the X Games and other slopestyle contests.

Through those years, she spent more and more time outside the terrain park and in the backcountry. She started a web series called “P.S.,” highlighting road trips riding powder from Utah to Alaska. In 2012, the year she spun a 720 over the Mt. Baker road gap, Snowboarder Magazine named her Rider of the Year for the second time (she first won the award in 2007).

She also started riding more at Mt. Baker and Whistler and moved to Bellingham in 2011.

Moving to the northwest made sense for Beaman as her snowboarding progressed to big mountains and etching lines in natural terrain.

“I’d be sledding and riding and filming with the girls in Whistler, and I’d come down here and hang out with friends and I ended up just

really liking it,” Beaman said. “It’s not the easiest place to be centered, but it’s also really convenient in other ways because just riding Baker will make you such a strong rider.”

If the snowboard industry thinks it’s time for Beaman to move on, it doesn’t show. She’s had her core sponsors for a decade or more and she’s starring in one of the year’s most anticipated films, an all-women’s Vans project called “Listen to the Eyes,” which will likely be “one of the strongest women’s projects of the year,” said Patrick McCarthy, a former pro snowboarder and friend of Beaman’s.

McCarthy, current team manager for outerwear brand 686, is also a Bellingham resident.

He and Beaman met through mutual friends almost 20 years ago. Now, they ride together at Baker and hang out off the mountain (“Hana is always the person to show up to your birthday party with an amazing gift, or awesome food and drinks. She never shows up empty handed,” he said).

McCarthy has seen firsthand that Beaman is still one of the most exciting snowboarders to watch and that she isn’t stepping away from her snowboard career.

“The main thing that stands out about Hana Beaman is the consistency of domination over all the years,” he said. “As she’s progressed from earlier stages of winning contests to going huge over massive jumps, she’s always found a way to push herself. This isn’t a transition out, but more of an opportunity to grow as a person, and become a more multi-dimensional human being.”

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Anne Cleary photo.

Brad Andrew photo.

BAKERMOUNTAINGUIDES.COM 12

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2019 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

Anne Cleary photo.

Anne Cleary photo.

ladies lay-back weekend

at Mt. baker Ski area

Hana Beaman, along with Barrett Christy and Robin Van Gyn, organized a women’s jam last year at Mt. Baker Ski Area called Lay-Back Weekend. The party started with a kickoff on Friday, January 5, and continued through the weekend with a laid-back snowboard contest, a skate ramp, a campout in the parking lot, snow safety course, and after party. It rained most of the weekend, but that didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s enthusiasm for the gathering.

Mount Baker Experience: How did Lay-Back Weekend go?

Hana Beaman: It was insane! It was so fun. We were really happy with the number of girls that signed up. It was our first time doing an event like that, so we had lots of ducks to keep in a row. Behind the scenes we were like, “Oh my god, is this going right?” But the girls said they had an awesome time and they couldn’t tell that we were losing our minds planning it. I wish we could have ridden with them a little more. Everyone’s really excited and hoping that we do it again, which I think we are.

Why did you want to get involved with Lay-back Weekend?

I wanted to create a fun, positive place for girls to come

and shred and try new things. It’s really cool to just be able to connect girls with new riding buddies, because it’s a little intimidating to just go out and try stuff on your own or do it with the guys.

For me, I love watching the guys and I love riding with the guys but I was always starved for female content. As soon as you see a girl try something, I don’t know what clicks in your brain but you’re like, “a girl did it, I can do it.”

Maybe you want to try skateboarding. Maybe you just want to try a new trick on your snowboard – riding with the girls just gets you psyched and wanting to try it. When you see other girls trying something and failing it makes you a

little less timid.

Is the number of women in snowboarding growing?

The women’s numbers are growing and they’ve been growing for years. That’s something I don’t think the snowboard industry has really acknowledged until the last year or two.

It’s this battle we have had for years. We are valuable too and we have a strong voice in the action sports industry in general. I think the industry is finally seeing the impact from all those girls who have been joining the party. I think that’s why you see a lot more focus on women’s initiatives and women’s products, because there are finally enough women out there that you can’t ignore it.

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From meal prep to

“pocket bacon”

Tips for eating well in the backcountry this winter

By Mike McCartan

Mike’s Fruit and Nut Rip Off Bars

T

(I bet you can guess the brand!)

he smoke near Winthrop was unbearable and the fire rained ash on our vehicles overnight; we swept it off the windshield just to be able to see clearly. Our fire crew dealt with this constantly while trying to make loads of overtime pay to squirrel away for off-season adventures.

On a lunch break during a particularly grueling 16-hour day, during which we burned off miles of fire line, I sat crouched over my Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) dreading whatever mock flavor I would scarf down. I searched through the package and threw my cheese spread, canned meat, and off-brand energy bar to my friend Andrew, leaving me with packaged chili. He put them in a plastic bag that was already brimming with similar items and said something along the lines of, “Yeah dude, thanks!”

He was prepping. Not for the end of the world, but for ski season on a dirt-bag budget. I chuckled at the thought of freezing car bivies in the Heather Meadows parking lot paired with canned meat breakfasts and began dreaming of the snow that would snuff the fires into history. The endless turns of my ski dreams were fueled with a diverse, lightweight and high-energy meal-plan that does not depend on hoarded MREs, while also not breaking the bank.

Andrew is not alone. Though most people don’t stash away MREs to eat all winter while ski touring, many simply throw a handful of bars into their pack and roll out the door – a lightweight approach that’s only marginally better than canned meat and cheese spread and leaves me wanting more fat and flavor.

Not to mention, if you go hard enough for long enough with just bars, you may ‘bonk’ from low blood sugar. Many endurance sports nutritionists recommend a balanced diet that focuses less on carbs and more on the body burning fat as its fuel. You have to intentionally coax your body to burn fat but in the end there is always fat on board to burn. Carbs have to be constantly replenished. Therefore, bars alone won’t do.

Prepping is key. While waking up an extra 30-40 minutes early to make breakfast and lunch doesn’t sound appealing, it sets up your stomach for success. First, start the bacon sizzling (I like to make a double batch for reasons that become apparent later). Then, toss onions, peppers and broccoli into the pan and, once cooked, top with a few scrambled eggs, avocado and hot sauce. What comes

out is a delicious breakfast and leftovers for lunch.

Put the latter of the two into a screw-seal Tupperware to prevent sauce explosions in your pack. As I drink coffee with breakfast, I put an extra pot on for tea during the tour; it’s amazing how quickly this warm addition can turn around a half-frozen, pre-dawn attitude and all you need to carry is a lightweight thermos. It is well worth the weight.

While the Tupperware leftovers are great for the top of the tour transition or a longer break, you need ‘pocket food’ for when you are moving and cannot stop to eat. Eating a low-carb, high-fat diet removes your ‘top gear,’ the energy surge you use for a final push up a steep hill or other bursts of intense exercise, so I still pack a few bars for when I need to fuel that fifth gear. I make them at home with a food processor using a ratio of 2:1 dates to nuts, along with a healthy serving of cacao powder to sweeten the mix. They taste great, have no added sugars and are cheap to mass-produce at home.

To make your easily accessible food last and fuel you for the long-term, I suggest supplementing the bars with the overlooked but not understated ‘pocket-bacon.’ In the morning, pat the second serving of bacon with a paper towel to remove grease and wrap it in tinfoil. What you get is a hilarious (seriously, don’t tell your partners you have it until you pull it), fat-filled fuel to eat on the go. Vegetarian? Nuts fit the bill (though you probably won't make anyone laugh). Pescatarian? Try with quality sardines in a tin.

The options for filling your stomach during a season of ski touring are endless but this go-to meal plan is diverse in fuel types, delicious, lightweight and, most important of all, it prevents the rapid blood sugar bonks. All it takes is a little planning and a slightly higher budget to fuel your skiing without a bag full of bars or MREs.

What you need: Food processor Large baking pan 4 cups of dates, pitted 1 cup cashews 1 cup almonds 1/4 cup cacao powder 1/2 cup dried bananas (optional) Blend half the dates into a paste.

Then blend half the nuts into tiny chunks. Throw these two batches together in the food processor until they are fully mixed. Repeat with the other halves. Mix all batches together with the cacao powder and optional bananas. Take out the mix and place into a baking pan with parchment paper on the bottom. Roll flat with a rolling pin or beer bottle, then place in the fridge for two hours and then cut to your liking. Package in tinfoil, Ziploc bags or small Tupperware. Bars can be stored in the freezer for months.

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Wild Waters

Protecting the free flowing Nooksack River

By Jacqueline Thompson

W

estbound water, trickling from icy blue glaciers and building into the mighty Nooksack River, flows in magnificent volume through Whatcom County’s temperate rainforests to the Salish Sea. The Nooksack is an iconic attribute to the northwest corner of Washington state; the glacial river remains undammed in its main course even as a growing human population chokes more and more rivers with dams and diversion projects. To preserve

Photos by Brett Baunton the Nooksack, American Rivers, a national nonprofit with a mission to protect healthy rivers, started a campaign to designate the river as a Wild and Scenic River eight years ago.

Congress created the Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 1968 to permanently preserve free flowing rivers with outstanding natural, cultural and recreational values. The designation bans new dams and takes other steps to maintain water quality and scenery.

“The act was meant to counter and balance the

many rivers we have developed for power, transportation and other use by preserving some of our finest free flowing rivers,” says Brett Baunton, a Bellingham photographer on a mission to document the qualities that make the Nooksack River worth protecting.

American Rivers’ proposal for the Nooksack would designate more than 113 miles of river and upstream tributaries as Wild and Scenic. That corridor is home to diverse wildlife, including endangered species such as the spotted owl and the Ore-

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15

gon spotted toad. It’s also one of the few Puget Sound rivers that still hosts all five species of Pacific salmon, which are heavily dependent on undammed rivers to spawn.

Since the 1970s, more than 40 hydropower dams have been proposed or permitted on Nooksack tributaries, putting essential habitat at stake. Dams suffocate more than just the fish that spawn upstream. Trace a dammed river to its mouth and the cascading effects are heartbreaking. Recent declines in southern resident orca populations can be attributed to the disappearance of salmon – their main food source – across the Salish Sea. “[Southern resident orcas] are literally starving to death,” says Wendy McDermott, director of Rivers of Puget Sound and Columbia Basin for American Rivers. “Eighty percent of their diet is Chinook salmon and dams block migrating salmon from important spawning and rearing habitat.”

According to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, designation neither prohibits development nor gives the federal government control over private property. The campaign seeks not to undermine landowners, but to preserve a unique and irreplaceable waterway cherished by recreationists, indigenous groups and communities dependent on it.

“The river is the lifeblood of Whatcom County, whether it’s through tourism dollars, through the outstanding recreational opportunities in the watershed, or that the river waters the food we eat,” says McDermott.

It takes an act of Congress to designate and legally protect the Nooksack as Wild and Scenic. That will require broad support from both politicians and the local community.

Signing the campaign petition shows U.S. Representative Suzan DelBene and senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell that the public wants a healthy, free flowing Nooksack River.

To learn more about the river and the campaign to protect it, visit nooksackwildandscenic.com.

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By the numbers 203 river segments in 39 states are currently protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, or about 0.4 percent of all of river-miles in the U.S.

Designation includes the river or stream reach and a 1/4 mile corridor of habitat on either side.

The Nooksack drains a watershed of approximately 780 square miles.

40 dams have been proposed for the Nooksack and its tributaries.

The proposed designation includes the following: • 21.41 miles of the North Fork Nooksack River, plus 40.67 miles of tributaries.

• 14.44 miles of the Middle Fork Nooksack River, plus 12.42 miles of tributaries.

• 16.13 miles of the South Fork Nooksack River, plus 8.1 miles of tributaries.

The Nooksack River has all five species of Pacific Salmon and three species listed as endangered: Puget Sound Chinook salmon, steelhead trout and bull trout.

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Unlock your skiing potential Simple exercises to help you down the hill

By Luca Williams Grant Gunderson photo.

A

ll of us know at least one of those people who picked up skiing quickly, with ease and grace. Us mere mortals advance slowly, however, dedicating hours to the sport, trying to figure out the intermediate or black diamond runs without hurting ourselves. Many factors make an advanced snow athlete: genetics, environment, activities and activity level and the culture or family they grew up in, to name a few. The factor that interests me most is the development of movement patterns at a young age.

Before learning to walk, babies learn to hold up their head, side bend, twist, engage their core, sit up, slither, roll over, creep and crawl. Each baby learns these complex movements to the beat of their own drum. Some babies learn many intricate motions before they walk.

Luca Williams Certified Rolfer Glacier, WA 360-599-3172 lucasrolfing.com 18

Others skip some steps. Once they learn to toddle, the movements of the feet, knees, legs and hips become more refined. In the blink of an eye, they’re walking and then running, jumping, hopping and driving their parents crazy.

Have you ever watched a toddler take its first toddles? That side-to-side waddle is the precursor to walking, as they haven’t figured out how to balance on one foot as the other foot swings forward. I can still picture my son attempting to run before he mastered walking: splat! Down he went, shocked that he couldn’t run like his big brother. He hadn’t practiced or developed the intricate foot motions needed for running yet.

Just like walking, skiing requires developmental movements in different sequences and intensity levels. Some of the movement patterns need to be turned down a little, others need to be turned up. For instance, to ski an intermediate run we only need to side bend and twist a little at the waist. On a steeper run, we need to twist and side bend down the fall line to a greater degree. Observing which motions we struggle with can provide insights into why our skiing isn’t progressing. The problem is that many of us are like my son who wanted to run before he practiced the necessary movements of advanced walking… splat!

So, if you are having trouble learning to ski, your skills have plateaued, or you’re working harder than your ski buddies to get down the hill, you may be overcompensating for a movement pattern you skipped in the first years of life. The most amazing part of being human is that we are able to learn and change even as we age. It can be harder to make changes when we’re older, but learning keeps us young.

The night or morning before you go skiing try these foot exercises: 1. Lean forward and back, barefoot or in shoes without heels. Then put on your ski boots and your skis and lean forward and back in your gear. Notice how much farther you can lean in your boots and skis. Then, the day of, go out on a bunny hill and lean forward and back while skiing. Play and experiment with the forward and back motion.

2. Tilt from side to side first in bare feet, then in your boots and skis and then on the slope.

Play with these motions and exaggerate them.

3. Next time you go skiing, repeat the forward and back and side-to-side motions. Experiment with all the different weight shifts you can make in your ski boots. Shift your weight

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2019 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

in a circle, with the center of the circle being the sole of your foot. If you can easily shift your weight in a circle then you can shift your weight in any way you need to in order to ski. But if parts of the circle are difficult to access or seem more straight-edged and square, then take a deep breath and check how tight your neck, shoulder and jaw are at the points that trouble you. Start with a small circle and master that. Then try a large one. Make sure your circle consistently curves without straight sides. Keep breathing and feel the pressure shifts on the bottoms of your feet.

4. When you get back on the bunny slope notice if the pressure on the soles of your feet is different. Traverse across the slope one way, then turn around and traverse the other way.

Has your ability to rock back and forth and lean from side to side improved?

By improving these movement patterns, you may find that you’ve also improved at other sports that have troubled you. For instance, I have worked with snowboarders to improve body patterns to eliminate back pain, and found that improving their movement patterns radically changed their golf game for the better. So have fun and explore the body that you were born with!

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Jenny Lake.

Graphite, Granite & Gravel Art, climbing and pedaling around the West Story, art and photos by Gretchen Leggitt

I

recall the exact moment, swimming in a sea of merriment at Aslan Brewing’s one-year anniversary party, when my adventure sister Robin and I conjured up a dream to do a self-supported biking and climbing tour from Bellingham to the Bugaboos in eastern British Columbia. Four years later, we found ourselves pedaling our faithful steel steeds through the Bitterroots bound for the Wind River Range in western Wyoming; the Cirque of the Towers in the Winds was a reasonable trade-off for the granite towers of the Bugaboos, providing a stellar bicycle route lined with rivers, national parks and numerous friend-hubs along the way.

I became enamored with bike touring in my early 20s, drawn to the freedom of movement, flexibility and anonymity, paired with the captivating idea of crossing vast terrain, fueled only by grit and stamina.

A few years into my two-wheel addiction, I loaded my

hammock, climbing gear, sketchbook and watercolors and took off on a 1,700-mile solo tour across B.C., without a planned route or any specific goals aside from climbing in Squamish and Banff. I discovered my own style of bike touring: ditch itineraries, entertain gratuitous offers of food and wisdom from strangers, do not fear the unknown or cars and always pack climbing gear and art supplies.

These surplus items open up sporadic opportunities that enrich the standard bike tour routine of miles, calories and an occasional swim. Biking, climbing and plein air sketching provide opportunities to discover terrain in a holistic manner, uncovering the ins and outs of topography both visually and physically.

Robin and I initially planned to ride 80- to 100-mile days from Bellingham to Jackson, Wyoming. However, on day two, after a sporadic pop in Robin’s Achilles heel as we pushed over Washington Pass, we ditched our itinerary and returned to my favorite mantra: adventure is inconvenience reconsidered. From here on, rest days and 10-mile bumps in the back of pickups were interwoven into our adventure to let her tendon heal. A purist might call that cheating. But a purist would miss out on flying down an uninspiring road in eastern Montana in the bed of a red Ford being driven by “the most conservative Congressman in the House of Representatives,” or an unexpected rest day in Post Falls, Idaho, spent paddleboarding with the chief of the fire department.

Our winding path led us over the North Cascades and along the Methow River through plumes of smoke as Twisp burned. We fought brutal headwinds, 100-degree heat and disappeared into forests each night to cocoon in our matching hammocks. Alpine starts, riverside siestas and espresso milkshakes were our survival tactics through the heat and smoke. Idaho’s countless lakes speckled with great blue herons and pelicans provided relief on the pristine 71-mile Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes. In Montana, our tires rolled over forest trails, gravel, trellises and pavement, bouncing between primitive logging roads, the Route of the Olympians

rail-trail and Interstate 90.

Some kind citizens in Missoula prescribed a stellar route through the Bitterroots, passing the enchanting Quake Lake en route to west Yellowstone. Immediately upon entering the national park, we met two westbound bike tourers who appeared completely defeated from choking on exhaust from an endless chain of RVs. Leaving solitude and comfort at the entrance, we accepted the state of Yellowstone in peak season, embracing the cultural phenomena of modern tourism and reveling in the fact that we did not have to battle gridlock at

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each sulphur-scented detour. Old Faithful remained faithful to her spurts, but her lodge’s all-you-can-eat buffet was more essential to our agenda.

On day 19, we exchanged our beloved bikes for our adventure partners Erin and Megan and began the 9-mile trek into the Cirque of the Towers, a Northern Hemisphere doppelgänger to Patagonia’s Cerro Torre. Within the first day, we discovered its namesake was valid; rivers were abundant, as was the relentless wind. We scrambled up Tiger Tower’s south gully to get an early start on Wolf ’s Head but were met by bone crushing wind and icy clouds. After great debate, we determined the weather would not complement the exposed ridge traverse and retreated to camp. There I reunited with my faithful Moleskine and Microns, with which I studied and rendered the routes we intended to climb.

The following days provided immaculate conditions to explore the pristine granite and abundant cracks on Pingora Peak and the classic Wolf ’s Head, which we agreed are some of the finer adventure routes in the lower 48. Twenty-six days later, with whole hearts, stinky clothes, calloused hands, sore hips, a full sketchbook, and neglected careers calling, Robin and I loaded our bikes and dirt encrusted panniers into our climbing partners’ Subaru and raced back to our Bellingham homes where the smoke had finally cleared. Until my next adventure, I fondly flip through snapshots of this journey, captured in watercolor and ink vignettes.

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Gallery From top: Adam Ü making tracks in the Mt. Baker backcountry / Grant Gunderson photo. Charlie Lynch and Tatsu Ota on the Matier Glacier outside Pemberton, B.C. / Matthew Tangeman photo.

WINTER 2019 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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Clockwise from top left: A patient ptarmigan poses on the shoulder of Sahale Peak / Jason Griffith photo. Kurt Jenson, stalefish grab in the North Cascades backcountry / Brad Andrew photo. Mark Rainery, backside 720 Japan grab over the Mt. Baker Highway / Brad Andrew photo.

A foggy trail in the Nooksack River Valley / Evan Skoczenski photo. Looking into the Campbell Basin at Crystal Mountain / Jason Hummel photo.

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2019 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

Gallery

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Clockwise from top left: Carl Simpson at Mount Rainier National Park / Jason Hummel photo. Hannah Carrigan in a snow coffin while circumnavigating Mt. Rainier on skis / Jason Hummel photo. Charlie Lynch skis a couloir on Joffre Peak / Matthew Tangeman photo. Swiss Peak, near Rogers Pass in B.C. / Tim Black photo.

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2019 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

Gallery

WINTER 2019 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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Clockwise from top left: Sophia Rouches on a bluebird day at Mt. Baker / Grant Gunderson photo. Sage Kotsenburg, backside rodeo / Brad Andrew photo.

Micah Evangelista in the trees at the Mt. Baker Ski Area / Grant Gunderson photo. Storm-day powder in-bounds at the Mt. Baker Ski Area / Evan Skoczenski photo.

Jack Barrett, plumber by trade, surfer by love, on Vancouver Island / Marcus Paladino photo.

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2019 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

Gallery

WINTER 2019 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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From top: Adam Ü under Mt. Shuksan / Grant Gunderson photo. Sophia Rouches and Dean Collins get ready to drop in on the Shuksan Arm / Grant Gunderson photo.

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MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2019 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

Avalanche forecast refresher

Brush-up and stay alive in the backcountry this season

I

By Jason D. Martin

t snowed on Wednesday. On Thursday, it rained. Today it was sunny. Tomorrow, it’s supposed to snow again … So, should I go backcountry skiing tomorrow? Will it be dangerous? Will there be avalanches?

Maybe.

It’s almost always possible to ski in the backcountry with some margin of safety. But where? It’s common for some slopes at some elevations to be more dangerous than others.

Some aspects are more impacted by sun or wind, while others are more sheltered. The Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) tracks all this and provides backcountry users with the baseline information they need to make a decision about whether and where they should ski.

NWAC provides backcountry users with daily avalanche forecasts at nwac.us. Forecasts are based on a combination of archived information, snow data, field observations and weather forecasts. To make use of NWAC’s forecasts, you have to know how to read them.

The NWAC report starts with three tabs titled avalanche forecast, mountain weather, and observations and weather data. We’ll focus on the avalanche forecast. An avalanche forecast encompasses four separate components: the type of avalanche, where the avalanche danger is, the likelihood of an avalanche, and how big an avalanche is likely to be. The NWAC forecast starts with a summary of all four parts titled, “The Bottom Line.” This provides a well-rounded understanding of the avalanche hazards and should be the first thing you read.

Following the summary, there’s a chart that shows the likelihood of an avalanche in three major locations: above tree line, near tree line and below tree line. Each area gets a likelihood rating of low, moderate, considerable, high or extreme. Most avalanche fatalities do not happen on high or extreme days. Why? Most backcountry skiers stay home. Instead, fatalities happen on days forecast as moderate or considerable.

Graphics courtesy of Northwest Avalanche Center.

The next chart breaks down the avalanche concerns, including types of avalanches, the likelihood of an avalanche at a given aspect and elevation, and the size. There are two major categories of avalanche, loose-snow avalanches and slab avalanches. Within those there are nine subcategories that we might define as avalanche problems. The NWAC forecast will generally identify one, two, or three different problems for a given day.

The problems are defined on NWAC’s website, but here’s a quick breakdown to aid in reading the daily forecast: Loose Dry: Release of dry, unconsolidated snow. These avalanches typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. Loosedry avalanches start at a specific point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche.

Storm Slab: Release of a soft, cohesive layer of new snow that breaks within the storm snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slab problems typically last between a few hours and a few days.

Wind Slab: Release of a cohesive layer of snow formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind side of terrain and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow and can range from soft to hard.

Persistent Slab: Release of a cohesive layer of snow in the middle to upper-snowpack when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks.

Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky.

Deep Persistent Slab: Release of thick cohesive layer of hard snow when a bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer, deep in the snowpack or near the ground. Deep persistent slabs are typically hard to trigger but are very destructive and dangerous due to the amount of snow involved, and can persist for months. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast and manage.

Loose Wet: Release of wet, unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into the lower layers of snow. Like loosedry avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. They generally move slowly, but can contain enough mass to cause significant damage to trees, cars or buildings.

Wet Slab: Release of a cohesive layer of snow that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming periods or rain-on-snow events.

Cornice Fail: Release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a ridge and deposits snow on the downwind side. Cornices can break off suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise, even on flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly.

Glide: Release of the entire snowpack as a result of gliding over the ground.

Glide avalanches typically occur in very specific paths, where the slope is steep enough and the ground surface is relatively smooth. These are often preceded by cracks running the full depth of the snowpack (glide cracks). The time between the appearance of a crack and an avalanche can vary between seconds and months.

Glide avalanches are unlikely to be triggered by a person and are nearly impossible to forecast.

In the next column, there’s a graph called an “aspect and elevation rose.” This graphic looks a little like a spider web, with 24 distinct compartments. The outermost segments indicate the area below tree line, the mid-level segments indicate the areas near tree line, and the central segments indicate areas above tree line. Each series of segments lines up with a direction on the compass rose. If a section within the aspect and elevation rose is shaded, it means that there is a possibility of the indicated type of avalanche at the shaded elevation and aspect.

The final two columns are for likelihood and size, which are self-explanatory.

The other two tabs on the Forecast Page – Mountain Weather, and Observations and Weather Data – provide significant details on what has happened with the weather, what is happening and what is about to happen. This provides a great deal more detail to work with in order to make the best possible plans.

In addition to professional avalanche training, the avalanche forecast should be an essential part of every backcountry travelers toolkit, and no one should leave home for a day in the backcountry without carefully reviewing it. However, that avalanche forecast is only part of the backcountry toolkit. The other part – perhaps more important – is avalanche education.

Most backcountry skiers and boarders take an American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education Level I course and receive avalanche rescue training before venturing into the backcountry.

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The secret lives of

wolverines Scientists on skis uncover clues about the Cascadian carnivore Story by Sophia Rouches Photos by David Moskowitz

W

hen people hear the word wolverine, the sharp-clawed X-men character usually comes to mind. Though there haven’t been any sightings of Hugh Jackman in the Cascades, there is a team of superheroes dedicated to photographing and researching the real wolverine, which is a carnivorous member of the weasel family.

Wolverine populations are at risk. Alpine ecosystems are changing and with the volatile state of the climate, the wolverine is being pushed to the edge of existence. Wolverines are not listed on the Endangered Species Act for what appears to be political reasons, so there is no funding or effort put towards conservation federally. The Cascades Wolverine Project has stepped up to fill the void, focusing on wolverine research and conservation in the North Cascades.

“It’s on us and anyone who is interested in protecting or at least ensuring that wolverine(s) will persist over time to be their advocates. And not just advocates but just to

do the science,” said Steph Williams, head of the Cascades Wolverine Project, a grassroots effort to boost winter wolverine monitoring in the North Cascades. “We need people to know that they exist and how incredible they are.”

The project collects data on wolverine populations through seven camera trapping stations in remote areas of the Cascades. Stations are monitored by an experienced crew of backcountry skiers devoted to researching wolverines, with three focal points for the project: science, advocacy and public outreach.

Due to their rugged habitat, wolverines are notoriously difficult to study. A solitary wolverine will range up to 300 square miles of some of the most mountainous, remote terrain. With snowshoes for feet and crampon-like claws, they’re built for the alpine and move effortlessly through winter mountains. A male was once tracked gaining 4,900 vertical feet of elevation in just 90 minutes, which is like climbing Mt. Baker, car to sum-

mit, in an hour and a half.

“They represent this badass animal that a lot of us want to be,” Williams said.

The scientific name, Gulo Gulo, Latin for glutton, is a fair description of its eating habits. They’re the size of a medium dog and males weigh around 40 pounds, but they can take down animals many times their size. Being opportunists, wolverines will eat just about anything, frozen bones and all.

After scavenging avalanche debris for carcasses taken out by slides, they’ll cache leftovers in a snow bank to return to when food is scarce.

Due to their particular reproduction needs, females are the limiting factor in population recovery. They build dens many feet under the snow and up to 30 feet long, providing insulation for their young. If conditions aren’t right or they detect threatening activity, they won’t reproduce.

WINTER 2019 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

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Mountain guide and CWP volunteer Forest McBrian maintains a trail camera in the North Cascades.

“They need snowpack, lower summer average maximum temperatures and space,” Williams said. Through monitoring, scientists can determine where females den and limit surrounding human activities to avoid disturbing their young.

Advocacy is a cornerstone of the project. By capturing engaging wolverine photos, the Cascades Wolverine Project hopes to instill a sense of compassion and attachment to these wild animals. Last winter the project monitored seven stations, each equipped with carrion and a trail camera. Northwest wildlife photographer David Moskowitz placed his own DSLR cameras with motion triggers to capture more detailed, charismatic images.

“Beyond just monitoring, we also wanted to create some engaging visual content to support their conservation efforts.” Moskowitz said. “We wanted to engage winter recreationalists in conservation in a way that other research doesn’t

CWP Director Steph Williams restocks a wolverine monitoring station with fresh bait— the frozen head of a roadkill deer.

really do.”

Environmental groups have petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the animal as endangered since the 1990s. In 2013, Fish and Wildlife proposed listing the animal as threatened, citing its sensitivity to climate change, but a year later backtracked, claiming the science to be inconclusive. While snowmobile associations, farmers and oil and fracking companies cheered the decision, a federal judge ordered the agency to reconsider and accused it of giving in to political pressure.

“We’re really in a holding pattern,” Williams said. “The science warrants protecting them, but they haven’t been listed. So, we don’t have any money to monitor them.”

The Cascades Wolverine Project relies entirely on grants, donations and volunteers. Williams and her husband use their personal snowmobiles to access the remote stations, accompanied by a volunteer team of experienced backcountry skiers.

Long days in the field and costly machine maintenance are difficult to sustain.

Despite the difficulties, there has been great success with wolverine activity tracked at three of the seven stations – a good batting average for a species with an estimated local population between 30 and 40. The project is eager to begin another winter season of monitoring.

Backcountry skiers, snowmobilers and other winter recreationists are encouraged to contribute to the project by keeping an eye out for wolverines. Become familiar with wolverine tracks usually around 4 inches long, with five toes and often claw marks – and document and report signs to land managers or the Cascades Wolverine Project at cascadeswolverineproject.org.

“The big picture is that we want people to love our mountains and appreciate healthy mountain ecosystems and wolverines are symbol of a healthy mountain ecosystem,” says Williams.

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Wanna party?

Hut skiing along British Columbia’s

Bow-Yoho Traverse Story and photos by Jason Griffith

W

e’d been slogging for hours out of the Little Yoho Valley after finding the Stanley Mitchell Hut full. Darkness approached and our sole car was 46 kilometers away at Bow Lodge, on the other side of the mountains we had just crossed over the past four days. We left the Richard and Louise Guy Hut early that morning (a day ahead of schedule), hoping to beat an incoming storm. We beat it, only to find that backcountry skiing is not the fringe activity it once was; the Stanley Mitchell Hut would be packed that night even without us and the few residents hanging around midday were less than enthused by our presumptuous arrival.

“You know, you’re early enough to make it out to the cars by dark tonight,” offered one hut denizen. We hung our heads, shouldered our packs, and kept moving. It was another 25 kilometers to the road.

Sometimes things don’t go according to plan.

As is the case with most trips, things started according to plan four days earlier. Four of us drove from the Skagit Valley and stayed at the excellent hostel in Lake Louise the night before we started. We brought just one car, reasoning that if we got out early on the last day we shouldn’t have a problem sending our most presentable looking team member (Steve) hitching back to the vehicle. Just to make sure, Scott prepared a cardboard sign (“Bow Lake” on one side, “Wanna Party?” on the other) on the drive up, and stashed it with a six-pack at the exit as we drove to Lake Louise. The forecast looked OK, at least for a few days, and we went to bed buzzing with anticipation.

Traversing from Bow Lake and the Wapta hut system across the Waputik Icefield to the Little Yoho Valley is known as the Bow-Yoho traverse. Until recently this 50-kilometer backcountry ski trip (typically done in four or five days) was a good deal more serious than the nearby classic Wapta Traverse, which is well supported with a hut system. There wasn’t a hut between the Bow and Stanley Mitchell huts until 2016, meaning the few parties who did the trip had to camp midway along the Bow-Yoho. That changed with the completion of the Richard and Louise Guy Hut, built at 2,600 meters near the base of Yoho Peak. We eagerly booked nights at Bow, Guy, and Stanley Mitchell huts for April, having fond memories of nearby terrain from several trips to the classic huts of the Wapta.

We started our trip with an uneventful ski into the Bow Hut – the

Skinning up for a second lap on Yoho Peak.

approach was well trod and avalanche conditions were benign. The hut was quiet when we arrived but soon a large guided group from the Alpine Club of Canada trickled in.

They were due to spend a few days at the Bow Hut and we were glad we were slated to leave the next day for the long crossing of the Wapta/Waputik Icefields to the new Guy Hut. “Left! ... Left! ... Griffith! Left!” So went a good part of day two as we blindly felt our way across the ice towards Mt. Collie, my rope mates yelling navigation instructions from behind. It is amazing how hard it is to keep a straight line when you can’t tell sky from ground (and how spooky it is). Was that slight dip the start of a big drop, a sagging snow bridge, or just a small dip in the snow? Your mind races with every undulation of the snow surface. Situations like that make you extremely glad for GPSequipped phones loaded with maps and apps like Gaia. With our pre-loaded routes it was relatively easy to keep out of the icefalls and on an efficient route, despite traveling with almost zero visibility for hours. Still, that didn’t change the fact that being in the lead was not fun.

As we approached Mt. Collie, the clouds began to lift and stock in our venture was trending up. We cached our gear in the snow and set up towards the impressive cornices on the summit ridge. As we got closer, it became apparent that much of the ridge was double-corniced (overhanging snow on both sides of the ridge). Kit boldly offered to unrope and explore the first part of it, and none of us objected. He quickly realized it was much worse than it looked from below and backed off, asking, “One of you guys want to take a look?”

Um, no thanks.

A run back to the cache with light packs was our consolation prize for the day. That, and arriving at the brand new Guy Hut to find it empty. Bright, heated, well-insulated, and thoughtfully laid out, the Guy Hut is an excellent addition to the already impressive hut array in the Canadian backcountry. Even better, day three dawned clear, calm and sunny, and we didn’t have anywhere to be except right back at the same hut that night. Yoho Peak’s north slope is near the hut and had stable, untracked, boot-top powder, so we spent the day lapping great snow and admiring the scenery. Scott and Kit even rallied for an after-dinner lap. I watched from the ridge near the hut, marveling at the light. It was one of those windless, magical, winter evenings in the alpine, where the still,

The Louise and Richard Guy Hut.

golden air makes it seem much warmer than it actually is.

The great weather ended on day four and we hurried to pack and ski over Isolated Col in flat light and flurries. Our experience a few days before on the Waputik Icefield made us wary of another no-visibility day in the alpine. We hoped to find a few empty bunks at the Stanley Mitchell Hut, but you know how that went. We instead got a crushing slog out to the road, more than 32 kilometers from the Guy Hut. The adventure wasn’t over. After the long ski out, we still had to get the car. It was getting dark as we sent Steve out to the highway with the sign (which side would he choose?) and some money to try his luck at hitching a ride back to our car. Most likely it would be a two-hitch ride, distinctly raising the possibility that he would get stuck in Lake Louise for the night and we would have to bivy at the road.

Half an hour or so later, I saw a Parks Canada truck coming down the dead-end road to the trailhead. I waved it down and explained the situation to the driver, a road maintenance worker.

Could he maybe give the guy on the highway with a sign a ride, ideally all the way to Bow Lake, I asked.

“Let me get this straight: Your car is at Bow Lake, and you don’t have a ride. And this was your plan?” he said.

“Um … yes, sir.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he replied and sped off. That was the last we would see of him.

An hour and a half later, just as it was getting dark, Steve flew into the parking lot. We had all our clothes on, had eaten most of the remaining food, and were starting to prepare for some suffering.

How did he get there so fast? It turns out Steve hadn’t waited long at the highway when a young woman in a beatup Toyota sedan stopped to give him a ride. She said she could only take him as far as Lake Louise, but did he mind if she first stopped and rolled a smoke? Sure, “Beggars can’t be choosers,” he thought. Her dog, unimpressed, barked in Steve’s ear while they sat on the shoulder. However, just as she was getting ready to pull back on the highway, a truck pulled up behind her, with lights flashing. A man walked up and tapped on her window. As she rolled it down, he looked right past her and said to Steve, “I heard you were looking for a ride to Bow Lake. Get in.”

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WINTER 2019 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

37

Big dreams for the

nooksack nordic ski club Ambassador program introduces skiers to the sport

By Oliver Lazenby

F

rom camping to snowshoeing, more and more people are playing outside. For winter recreation, human-powered sports are the fastest growing segment, according to a recent SnowSports Industries America study.

If that’s true, it’s not the case for local cross-country skiing, said Pete Tryon, president of the Nooksack Nordic Ski Club.

The club has about 70 members, and at gatherings the average age is usually in the 60s, he said.

“It is like a lot of clubs, it’s having problems with people aging out,” Tryon said. “The people who started the club have grown older and are not being fully replaced with younger people.”

The club hosts an ambassador program – on Saturdays in January, club members set up a table at the Salmon Ridge Sno-Park just east of milepost 46 on the Mt. Baker Highway with maps and hot chocolate and help people figure out how to get started on cross-country skis.

During the ambassador days, members might do anything from talking with experienced skiers about conditions to helping brand new skiers put on rental skis. And that’s fine, Tyron said – on a flat trail, all you have to do is put skis on and go. Cross-country skiing has a quick learning curve. Plus, when conditions are good, the lower trails at Salmon Ridge Sno-Park are ideal for beginners.

In Tryon’s opinion, cross-country skiing is a more fun alternative to snowshoeing, which draws hordes to nearby Heather Meadows.

Cross-country skiers get exercise and enjoy the same peaceful winter experience, but they actually get to glide over the snow rather than plod through it.

The Nooksack Nordic Ski Club is largely responsible for maintaining the trails and parking lot at Salmon Ridge, writing grants to help

38

cover grooming, and coordinating with the other agencies involved: the U.S. Forest Service, the state Department of Transportation and Washington State Parks. They have some ideas to turn the trail system into what Tryon said could be a “modest cross-country ski destination.”

The current network of trails includes several groomed loops starting at the Salmon Ridge Sno-Park and a couple more sections of trail with limited parking a couple miles up the highway. It totals about 15 miles.

The majority of the trails start out with easy flat sections at about 2,000 feet in elevation, which means they get rained on

a lot and often turn icy when the weather cools.

“At times it’s ideal,” Tryon said. “Some weeks you could have a great class for beginner skiers out there. Other weeks I wouldn’t really recommend it.”

The club has permits to build a trail connecting the two networks, but to really thrive and become beginner-friendly, the club is hoping for more parking and grooming at the upper trails, which start at about 3,200 feet and usually have decent snow.

“If it were groomed consistently and if parking were available, this would be fantastic skiing,” he said. “When it’s groomed it’s just wonderful.”

The club has other dreams for the future of the trails.

Abandoned logging roads between the two sections of trail could host future ski routes – that’s something Tryon said the forest service is interested in. The club also plans to encourage the Mt. Baker Ski Area to start a cross-country ski program. Many downhill ski areas charge cross-country skiers for access to groomed trails; the Summit at Snoqualmie’s Nordic Center charges $26 for a day pass to roughly 30 miles of groomed trails.

People are interested; the club receives regular inquiries from people in Seattle and Vancouver who are wondering what kind of cross-country ski opportunities they’ll find near Mt. Baker. Most often, they’re going on a family vacation to Mt. Baker and they’re hoping to both downhill ski and cross-country ski, Tryon said.

“My impression is that there are a serious number of groomed skiers that don’t ski at Mt. Baker because they don’t think it offers them anything,” he said.

Want to try cross-country skiing? Tryon suggests renting gear and showing up at the Salmon Ridge Sno-Park on a Saturday in January, when the Nooksack Nordic Ski Club is there for its ambassador program. Learn more at nooksacknordicskiclub.org.

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snowshoe Trips near

Vancouver Story and photos by Lisa Pulsifer

omething magical happens once winter arrives in the mountains.

The hard angles of the rocks disappear under a thick blanket of snow. The forest transforms as snow builds up and weighs down the boughs of the evergreens. Lakes disappear under ice and sounds fade as animals retreat into dens, valleys or fly south to warmer places.

Many favorite trails become inaccessible by road, but the few that remain are worth seeking out. Layer up, grab a pack, strap on your snowshoes and venture out onto one of these B.C. trails to enjoy the magic of winter in the mountains.

None of these trails require a parking permit and all have minimal avalanche risk. The trails, which lie within B.C. Provincial Parks are well marked by flagging or poles and are patrolled by park rangers. These trails are suitable for relative beginners, but don't venture out without proper equipment and knowledge of avalanches and navigation.

BLACK MOUNTAIN PLATEAU

Cypress Mountain, West Vancouver, BC Round trip: 4.3 miles (7 km) Elevation gain: 1,300 feet The details: Cypress Provincial Park was founded in 1975 and protects over 7,400 acres of hemlock, fir and cypress forest, as well as the peaks and alpine lakes of the Howe Sound Crest Mountains. These are the historic lands of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam tribes of the Salish Nation.

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WINDY JOE LOOKOUT

Manning Park, BC Round trip: 10 miles (16 km) Elevation gain: 1,700 feet The details: Enjoy a variety of terrain as you climb to an historic British Columbia Forest Service fire lookout in E.C. Manning Provincial Park. Warm up your snowshoeing legs as the trail meanders gently alongside the Similkameen River. The Similkameen people were the original inhabitants of this area, traveling here in the summer to enjoy the bounty of the mountains and to escape

try Access Pass. To find the trailhead, walk past the ski lodge and carefully cross below the ski lifts to the trees on the other side. Follow the well-marked trail left for a couple of minutes to reach a junction. Turn left and start the climb up Black Mountain.

The first mile of the trail is steep, climbing just outside of the ski hill boundary. Keep following the poles and flagging until the trail levels out on the plateau – it should take about 45 minutes to get there. Turn right at the junction. After an easy five-minute climb, reach the 4,000foot southern summit of Black Mountain. On a clear day you can see the peaks of the Sunshine Coast and Vancou-

the heat of the eastern valleys.

After 1.5 miles, the trail climbs to reach an old roadbed and a collection of trail signs. You may notice that you’re also on the Pacific Crest Trail. Thru-hikers who reach the border from the U.S. have the option to cross into Manning Provincial Park and finish their hike at the lodge.

But don’t worry, you won’t find yourself snowshoeing all the way to Mexico!

Follow the road uphill as it winds through thick second-growth forests.

Take note of the second trail junction, as this is where the PCT veers south to-

ver Island. Continue along the marked trail as it loops the plateau, offering glimpses of Howe Sound to the west and Vancouver to the south. Complete your loop and head back down the trail to the base of the ski hill.

Pro tip: Enjoy a post-snowshoe beer and poutine at the Crazy Raven Bar & Grill in the Cypress Mountain Ski Lodge.

How to get there: From North Vancouver take Trans-Canada Highway/B.C.-1 west. Take exit 8 north to Cypress Bowl Road. Follow the road to a large parking lot at the ski hill. Winter tires or chains are required between October and April.

wards the border, only 6 miles away. To reach the lookout, continue the uphill trudge for another 1.5 miles, perhaps catching glimpses of the surrounding peaks through the trees.

Soon enough the trail reaches the relatively flat summit of Windy Joe Mountain and the historic two-story lookout hut. Inside the uninsulated hut you’ll find benches and interpretive displays as well as the original sighting scope used back in the day to pinpoint forest fires. Take in the 360-degree views of the northern-most Cascades as you enjoy

your lunch before making the trek back down to the valley.

Pro tip: Spend a night at Manning Park Lodge and enjoy other snowshoe trails in the area like Lightning Lakes Loop or Cambie Creek.

How to get there: From Hope take Highway 3 east for 50 minutes to Manning Park Lodge. Turn right on Gibson Road. After a couple minutes, cross a bridge and find parking on the left side of the road. Winter tires or chains are required on Highway 3 between October and April.

PAUL RIDGE

Squamish, BC Round trip: 8.7 miles (14 km) Elevation gain: 2,300 feet The details: The snowshoe trail to Paul Ridge is steep, but on a clear day you’ll be rewarded with views of Mount Garibaldi, the Coast Mountains, the Tantalus Range and the endless peaks of Garibaldi Provincial Park.

From the trailhead parking lot follow a steep forest road for 3 miles. The climb up the road doesn’t have particularly good views so just keep putting one snowshoe in front of the other.

After a handful of switchbacks, the trees start to thin and the road's grade lessens.

Within a few minutes you’ll reach Red Heather Hut, a small shelter where you can warm up next to the wood stove and boil some water for a hot drink. Once you’re ready to press on,

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follow the orange poles through the meadow and up towards the ridge. Stop to catch your breath at the top of the ridge and look west to take in the awe-inspiring peaks of the Tantalus Range and the Squamish Valley below.

Follow the trail as it rounds the ridge and turns north. Push through one more short climb to reach the highest point on Paul Ridge and a panoramic view of Garibaldi Mountain.

Soak it in before retracing your tracks back to the trailhead.

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T

he invitation read: Hey, guys, think fast! I booked two nights at the Rendezvous Huts in the Methow for the end of this week.

We’d love to have you onboard.

Ever the advocates for a quickly hatched plan, we were indeed onboard although not certain for what. As we would discover, the Methow Valley is a pretty big deal in the Nordic ski world. Visitors to this eastern flank of the North Cascades are as likely to bump into Olympic trainees as they are to pass fitness-crazy parents skiing with sledbound newborns. Although the valley caters primarily to the XC crowd, the huts offer easy access to steep backcountry terrain as well. Scattered between some 200 kilometers of groomed ski trails that spider web the Methow hills, the Rendezvous Huts sit idyllically above the valley and Y E N IT we would be staying at two of them.

H W Somewhere in between Olympic hopefuls and family enthusiasts, we skied into the Heifer Hut on powder skis lugging 40-pound packs disproportionately weighed by cured meat, smoked cheddar and our favorite assemblage of hop-forward elixirs.

The trail to Heifer Hut meanders through snowdraped ponderosa stands, and aside from the occasional skate skier whizzing by we experienced that beautiful stillness unique to winter. Whimsical smoke rising from a wood stove chimney marked the terminus of our climb to Heifer Hut. Rounding one final corner, we were greeted by smiles and tail-wags.

We spent night one in the sepia glow of board game laughter. A starscape flooded the world above the cabin.

We toasted to a largeness that’s only perceptible from the remote quaintness of a cabin. Sleep came easy and was just as easily disrupted by nighttime snores and coughs.

The next day our backs got a thankful rest. We loaded our gear onto the snowmobile haul service that would shepherd our belongings to the next cabin. Sam and Liz learned the dos and don’ts on their classic Nordic skis as we traversed several miles of undulating terrain. Their faithful pooch split time between wild frolicking and group monitor duties.

We arrived at the next hut in the early afternoon and each took on tasks. I chopped wood while Sam made grilled cheese sandwiches on the propane stove and Liz read aloud journal entries written by previous cabin occupants, ranging from heartwarming to startlingly strange. That night it snowed as we sat around the table playing Settlers of Catan and tending the fire.

On our third and final day in the Methow, we woke slowly and lingered late into the morning drinking coffee. Although our ski was downhill, none of us were ready to push off from the dream that is the Rendezvous trail system.

Our ski home left each of us similarly ruminating: when will we be back?

Lynden 8450 Depot Rd.

Mt. Vernon 420 Suzanne Lane

Ferndale 5494 Barrett Rd.

354-4471 or Toll Free 800-254-4471

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2019 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

JAPANESE CUISINE AT MT BAKER

Yuki Yama is an authentic Japanese restaurant in Maple Falls that opened late this summer. Now sharing her family recipes, chef Akane Matsumaru prepares everything from scratch – even the gyozas are homemade and hand rolled. Partner Rob Hopson met Matsumaru on a snowboard trip to Japan and fortunately brought her back to the Mt. Baker area. Open Wednesday-Saturday at 7471 Mt. Baker Highway.

recreational

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Dependable snowshoes An easy way to get outside this winter

MSR Evo Snowshoes • $139

K

By Chris Gerston, owner of Backcountry Essentials

eeping active in the winter can be difficult for some hikers, since so many favorite local trails are covered in snow. This is a great time to explore the world of snowshoeing, and it’s easier to try than you might think. At Backcountry Essentials, we both rent and sell the MSR Evo snowshoes because of their functionality, durability and warranty.

The best thing about these snowshoes is the “gription,” which allows you to walk naturally across any slope. Not only do the MSRs have a claw under the toe (as do most snowshoes), but they also use long, serrated rails down the length of the shoe to help it maintain direction when traversing a slope. Because other brands lack this component, other snowshoes want to pivot around the toe claw, so in essence one has to side-step when traversing a steep slope. The MSRs also have an option to add “tails,” which increase the flotation in deep snow or when carrying a heavier pack. And lastly, the MSR also has an Evo Ascent model that incorporates a heel riser for increasing your efficiency when going uphill; a huge advantage on a big day.

The other reason we have only carried the MSR snowshoes since day one is their durability.

Once upon a time, I used to lead 21-day snowshoeing trips in the Oregon Cascades and literally had to fix just about every other brands’ shoes at one point or another, but never a MSR. On top of that, every MSR snowshoe is backed by a lifetime warranty against defects. That peace of mind is tangible whether going out for a day trip or weeks.

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Call Marty! 360.319.0695 VIEW MY LISTINGS: www.MartyK.JohnLScott.com WINTER 2019 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

45

EATS ACME/VAN ZANDT BLUE MOUNTAIN GRILL

974 Valley Highway (Hwy 9) 360/595-2200 bluemountaingrill.com Fresh, homemade fare, including baked bread and desserts made daily, steaks and burgers. Enjoy a beautiful view of the Twin Sisters. Open daily 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

EVERYBODY’S STORE

5465 Potter Road, off Highway 9 360/592-2297 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 LUNA’S BISTRO

SLEEPS SKAGIT’S OWN FISH MARKET

SILVER REEF HOTEL CASINO SPA

4876 Haxton Way 866/383-0777 silverreefcasino.com We offer diverse dining options from woodstone fire pizza to themed buffets and award winning fine dining at The Stake House.

4876 Haxton Way 866/383-0777 silverreefcasino.com Located off I-5, exit 260, we’ve got 206 luxurious rooms or suites to make yourself feel at home with beautiful Mount Baker Views, complimentary breakfast, and free Wi-Fi.

CONCRETE

GLACIER

GLACIER

5B’S BAKERY

CHAIR 9 WOODSTONE PIZZA AND BAR

BLUE T LODGE

45597 Main Street 360/853-8700 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 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.

GRAHAM’S RESTAURANT

3004 Cinema Place 360/306-8676 lunasbistro.com Serving up the best happy hour in town!

Daily specials include: halibut & chips on Tuesdays, $7 burgers on Wednesdays, prime rib Thursdays, chef’s specials on Fridays, Saturday brunch & pasta night, Sunday brunch & steak night.

44568 State Route 20 360/853-7227 anniespizzastation.com Family-owned pizza restaurant focusing on fresh, homemade quality Italian fare.

Friendly service, helpful information and great food combine for an unforgettable experience.

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 on weekends.

DEMING

WAKE ‘N BAKERY

MELVIN BREWING

THE NORTH FORK BREWERY AND BEER SHRINE

2416 Meridian Street 360/306-3285 melvingbrewing.com Located in the Historic Fountain District, our brewpub serves up 20 taps of Melvin hits and ciders. We offer a fusion of Asianinspired flavors on our menu along with a variety of traditional pub fare.

NAAN & BREW

200 East Maple Street 360/389-5493 Naanandbrew.com Naan & Brew is a family-owned authentic Indian restaurant specializing in lamb, seafood, vegetarian and tandoor-cooked dishes. Serves local, seasonal microbrews and operates a full bar. Lunch buffet $10.99. Voted “Bellingham’s Best 2 years!”

TWIN SISTERS BREWING COMPANY & BEER GARDEN

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

6903 Bourne Street 360/599-9378 getsconed.com Open daily 7:30 a.m.–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.

LYNDEN GOOD TO GO MEAT PIES

THE KNOTTY LODGE

360/303-2887 VRBO.com/563675 @knottylodge Explore, Relax, Repeat Premier Mt. Baker vacation rental 3 bed, 2 bath, luxury timber home with modern amenities, hottub, WiFi, gourmet kitchen, fireplace, fire pit.

Your perfect getaway base camp!

LUXURY GETAWAYS

9989 Mt. Baker Highway 360/398-9590 or 887/90-BAKER stayatmtbaker.com Redefining the cabin in the woods. Luxury Getaways offers a variety of vacation rentals located in the heart of the Mt. Baker Recreational Area.Our accommodations are perfect for hitting the slopes and relaxing.

SNOWATER RESORT AND CONDOMINIUMS

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

128 W. Main Street 360/966-2400 goodtogomeatpies.com Artisan Hand Pies made from scratch in the heart of Whatcom’s organic farmland has made Good to Go Meat Pies a popular destination place in both Everson and Lynden.

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

EVERSON

MOUNT VERNON

MT. BAKER LODGING

GOOD TO GO MEAT PIES

THIRD STREET CAFE

128 W. Main Street 360/966-2400 goodtogomeatpies.com Artisan Hand Pies made from scratch in the heart of Whatcom’s organic farmland has made Good to Go Meat Pies a popular destination place in both Everson and Lynden. Pastries are offered hot, chilled or frozen.

309 South Third Street 360/542-5022 thirdstreetcafe.coop Brought to you by the Skagit Valley Food Co-op, Third Street Cafe is a communityowned restaurant and bar offering a fresh perspective on Pacific Northwest cuisine with its made-from-scratch dishes and hyperlocal ingredients.

WESTSIDE PIZZA

HERB NIEMANN’S STEAK HOUSE RESTAURANT

SKAGIT VALLEY CO-OP

BURLINGTON

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

5565 Mount Baker Highway 360/922-7294 Eat in or take out. Fresh-made, homestyle breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pastries, deli sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, ribs and soft serve ice cream. Largest bottle shop in region. Plus, ethanol-free gas.

WELCOME GROCERY

500 Carolina St. 360/922-6700 twinsistersbrewing.com We are a brewery, restaurant, and beer garden. Our from-scratch kitchen offers a full menu with locally sourced ingredients, and our bar serves signature cocktails, wine, and of course craft beer. Kids and furry friends welcome!

7260 Cordata Parkway, Suite 107 360/756-5055 westsidepizza.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.

SILVER REEF HOTEL CASINO SPA

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

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

FERNDALE

202 S. 1st Street 360/336-9777 skagitfoodcoop.com We make our deli food from scratch using fresh, quality ingredients, sourced from local and organic suppliers whenever possible. Stop in for entrees, side dishes, soups, salads, sandwiches, or our handmade, organic ice cream. We offer vegan, vegetarian, raw, gluten-free, and whole food choices for every meal.

FERNDALE

MAPLE FALLS BAKER ACCOMMODATIONS

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

WINTHROP CHEWUCH INN

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

EVENTS

NOVEMBER

TURKEY TROT 5K: November 17, Bell-

ingham. A 5K at Squalicum Creek Park that benefits the Bellingham Food Bank hosted by the Greater Bellingham Running Club. More info: gbrc.net

MEC SNOWFEST: November 17, Vancouver. Celebrate all things snow at this year’s snowfest. Featuring a gear swap, instructional clinics, and family friendly entertainment. More info: events.mec.ca

SIP ‘N SHOP ON THE COVE: Novem-

ber 24, Coupeville. Spend the day shopping and exploring historic Coupeville for your one of a kind holiday gifts, and when you’re done start supping. Live music from 4-7 p.m., and tastings from local vintners, distillers and brewers. more info: coupevillechamber.com

DECEMBER BOARDWORKS BOX JAM: December 1, Bellingham. The best snowboard party in Bellingham is back! Celebrate the season as Boardworks Tech Shop hauls out 20 yards of snow for a snowboard box jam with a beer garden, food trucks, product toss and more. More info: boardworkstechshop.com

find more events and submit your own at mountbakerexperience.com

BAKER BEACON RALLY: December 15, Mt. Baker Ski Area. Bring your shovel, probe and beacon or use a demo for a free avalanche rescue workshop at Heather Meadows. More info: mtbaker.us

JANUARY POLAR BEAR PLUNGE: January 1, Birch Bay. Start the New Year off right and take a cold dip in the Salish Sea. More info: bakerbirchbay.com RESOLUTION RUN & PADDEN POLAR DIP: January 1, Bellingham. A perfect cel-

ebration of the new year with. Circle Lake Padden as many times as you can before the dip into the lake at noon. More info: cob.org

NEW YEAR’S DAY 50K: January 1, Vancouver. Vancouver’s Fat Ass 50K and Freeze Your Fat Ass Swim is a great way to start the New Year, and so are the shorter options. All runs feature beautiful scenery on trails and bike paths, starting in Stanley Park. More info: clubfatass.com MLK LBS LOCAL’S QUALIFIER: January 20 & 21, Mt. Baker Ski Area. Local snowboarders can race to qualify for the Legendary Banked Slalom. More info: mtbaker.us

in the holidays in Sedro-Woolley with a tree lighting ceremony and parade. Santa isn’t going to miss out, and even the Grinch made it last year. More info: sedro-woolley.com

JINGLE TRAIL RUN: December 1, Coupeville. Run, walk or stroll the 5-kilometer route through the unique and scenic trails of Camp Casey and Fort Casey State Park, with sweeping ocean vistas, evergreen and salal forests and crisp winter air. More info: coupevillechamber.com

B.C. 5k and 10k trail runs known for their challenging, traditional style. More info: lgrr.com

MT. BAKER SANTA PHOTOS: December 8-9, Mt. Baker Ski Area. Get the best holiday photo ever, on the ski slopes with Santa and Mrs. Claus. More info: mtbaker.us

er Ski Area. Join the best snowboarders from around the world to watch the legendary race. More info: mt.baker.us

COUPEVILLE CHOCOLATE WALK: Feb-

ruary 9, Coupeville. Stroll Coupeville for delicious chocolate treats. Tickets ($25) available from eventbrite.com or at Coupeville Chamber office. more info: coupevillechamber.com

SEATTLE BIKE SHOW: February 16 & 17, Seattle. Check out the biggest bike expo in the Northwest at CenturyLink Field Event Center. More info: seattlebikeshow.com

MUSSELS IN THE KETTLES:

MARCH HOT CHOCOLATE 15K/5K: March 3, Seattle Center. Join the movement that’s taken over the racing world. Hot Chocolate 15K/5K is headed to Seattle. More info: hotchocolate15K.com

FAIRHAVEN FROSTY 5K AND 10K: De-

GUNNAR SHAW MEMORIAL CROSS COUNTRY: December 21, Vancouver

MT. BAKER LEGENDARY BANKED SLALOM: February 8, 9 & 10, Mt. Bak-

March 2 & 3, Whidbey Island. Take an early season mountain bike ride on Whidbey Island. Don’t miss the World Famous Penn Cove Mussel Festival in nearby Coupeville. More info: musselsinthekettles.net

SEDRO-WHOOLLEYVILLE TREE LIGHTING: December 1, Sedro-Woolley. Ring

cember 1, Fairhaven. The Greater Bellingham Running Club hosts this race on roads and hard packed trails. Registration closes November 28. More info: grbc.net

FEBRUARY

CHUCKANUT 50K March 16, Bellingham. The Chuckanut 50K is a lollipop course. The first 10K and last 10K repeat on the Interurban Trail with smooth running to start and finish.

The middle 30K is what this race is known for as you get to climb (5,000 feet), traverse and descend the famous Chuckanut Mountain Ridge amongst beautiful Pacific Northwest terrain. More info: chuckanut50krace.com

APRIL RUNNIN’ O’ THE GREEN: March 16, Bellingham. Dig out your favorite shamrocked t-shirt, green tule and springy headband for the premier 5K & 8K St. Patrick’s Day event in Whatcom County.

Plus secure prime parking for the Bellingham St. Patrick’s Day Parade at noon.

More info: cob.org BIRCH BAY ROAD RACE: April 6, Birch

Bay. 5K, 15K, 30K running and walking road race along the scenic shores of Birch Bay. More info: birchbayroadrace. com

GOLDEN EGG HUNT: April 13, Mt. Baker

Ski Area. Find the golden egg to win a season’s pass to Mt. Baker next winter. More info: mtbaker.us

RECREATION NORTHWEST EXPO: February 23, Bellingham.

Recreation Northwest’s annual recreation expo returns to the Bellingham Cruise Terminal with vendors, exhibitors, industry professionals, speakers, networking and more. More info: recreationnorthwest.org

March 2 & 3 • Vancouver Convention Centre B.C.’s largest showcase of outdoor gear & adventure travel experiences!

SAVE MONEY BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE!

www.OutdoorAdventureShow.ca WINTER 2019 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

47

BY PAT GRUBB

GOOD STUFF GUIDE

HELLY HANSEN Powderqueen 2.0 Jacket (Top left) Waterproof, windproof and breathable, this PrimaLoft insulated, longer cut woman’s jacket will keep you warm while its relaxed free ride fit will make for big days on big mountains.

Suggested Retail Price $400 Woman’s Lifaloft hooded Insulator Jacket (Top right) Used under a shell or by itself, you’ll stay warm without the bulk or weight of typical jackets. Windproof and waterproof.

Suggested Retail Price $230 Garibaldi Helly Tech (Bottom left) Proven by the Canadian Ski Team, this iconic men’s jacket was built for deep snow and coldest temperatures. Waterproof, breathable with PrimaLoft insulation, the jacket features a relaxed fit with powderskirt, high collar and goggle shammy.

Suggested Retail Price $450

GLACIER SKI SHOP Glacier Ski Shop owners John and Drew Adams have some exclusive skis on offer. Left, John holds a pair of Icelandic Shaman Chronicles which are built exclusively for GSS and are the pair’s favorite backcountry ski. Made in Colorado. $750.

Drew is holding a pair of D-Vice Fat-ypus skis they designed and consider the best ski for Mt. Baker with graphics of Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker. Comes in five sizes. It provides the float of a long ski with the maneuverability of a shortie. No one else in the world carries these skis, so there’s only one place to shop for them. $750.

LIB TECH MC WAYFINDER Legendary pro snowboarder Matt Cummins has been designing and pro modeling for Lib Tech for 30 years now and the MC Wayfinder continues his ground-breaking history. Art is by Kauai surf artist Steven Valiere.

Suggested Retail Price $560

KINEKT BODYFLOAT SEATPOST On September 16, 2018, 45-year-old mother of three Denise Muellar-Korenek set the world record for paced bicycle land speed at 183.93 mph, beating Dutchman Fred Rompelberg’s 1995 record of 167 mph. Riding in the slipstream just a few inches behind a 1,000 horsepower dragster, she became the first and only woman to hold the world record, first established in 1889.

Helping her achieve the record was her Kinekt suspension seat post which absorbed road vibrations, providing a more stable and controlled ride as she streaked across the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Kinekt is the product of Bellingham company Cirrus Cycles and is available in aluminum or carbon fiber with spring combinations for riders up to 260 pounds. The seat post dramatically improves the performance and comfort of any rider on any bike. Cirrus Cycle was founded in 2011 by inventor Paul Barkley (who also founded Kulshan Bicycles in the ’70s) and former local pro rider Charlie Heggem.

Suggested Retail Price $249-$329

filming the banked slalom for Warren Miller Entertainment Rob Kingwill’s perspective on the legendary race

By Oliver Lazenby

Rob Kingwill on course during 2018’s Legendary Banked Slalom. Photos courtesy of Warren Miller Entertainment.

R

ob Kingwill has roughly a decade-long history of appearing in Warren Miller films and racing the Mt. Baker Ski Area’s Legendary Banked Slalom. Last year, he put the two together to showcase the camaraderie and soul of the Legendary Banked Slalom for the Warren Miller audience in the new film Face of Winter.

Mount Baker Experience: What’s your history with the Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom?

Rob Kingwill: I’ve been coming to the LBS since 2006 or so, after Seth Westcott managed to get me a spot to compete when one of our friends that had a spot got hurt. I haven’t missed a year since. It is one of my favorite places to come to in the world, and the gathering of the snowboard tribe makes me feel like I am home.

How long have you been shooting with Warren Miller Entertainment?

This will be my ninth appearance in the Warren Miller movies. I’ve gotten the chance to ride in some of the coolest places on the planet because of it!

What was it like combining the two? Was there something you were hoping would come across in the film segment?

The LBS is really special to me, and I was kind of nervous being given the chance to show how awesome the event is to the world. There is so much soul and history to capture, and we worked really hard to honor how truly legendary the race is. The most important thing I wanted to convey was how fun the race is, and how it is a great unifying force to bring snowboarders from all ages and skill levels together to compete and feel the stoke of our culture.

How much of a factor was weather for the banked slalom film segment? It happened to be a bluebird day — was it going to be in the film regardless of what happened with the weather?

The Warren Miller cameramen are the best in the business, and they can capture the action in any conditions.

This year was sunny, but actually pretty hard packed and icy, which aren’t my favorite conditions to race in. My favorite is when the course is super soft and it is snowing so

hard you can barely see. You take powder runs with your friends while waiting for your turn, and have to be super light in your feet and feel the flow to do well.

What was it like winning the Pro Masters title? Was that your best finish at the banked slalom?

I won the Pro Masters title in 2016 and 2017, and I have a third place in Pro Men’s from 2006, and a ton of top 10s.

Winning was a dream come true for me, just because I’ve been chasing gold duct tape for so long. It also changed the way I look at the course – the year I won I let go of focusing on winning anything, and instead focused on truly being in the moment in each turn of the course. The LBS is truly incredible because by finals day, it has taken over 1,000 runs down the course to dig it in. A thousand people came together to make those turns that way, and that happens only once a year in one place, the LBS! The run that I won with I felt really connected to the course, and just grateful to be there. It helped me to ride faster, not overturn by trying too hard, and ultimately walk away with gold duct tape. It is how I try to approach racing every year now!

x

WINTER 2019 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

49

G

Serving great food 7 days a week

Behind Milano’s Restaurant • Open everyday at 7:30 am Behind Milano’s Restaurant • Open everyday at 7:30 am

9989 Mt Baker HWY

Pick up your FREE copy!

The Knotty Lodge - GLACIER, WA

Mt. Baker

View Pictures & Book online at

WASHINGTON

MAP

www.vrbo.com/563675 or call 360.303.2887

GLACIER, WA S H I N G T O N

360-599-9883

T

ST AU R A

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kfastk Bufa rritoss,t & SoupL&uQunicc All Daheyh

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Noww SSeeNrrvovin in Bearea g Br

HAM’ RA

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Fresh Baked Goods Strictly Organic Coffee & Espresso

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

Streets and Trails • Business Directory Events and Useful Contacts Pick up a FREE copy at Glacier Public Service Center and the following businesses and visitor centers or call Mount Baker Experience at 360-332-1777 ACME

Acme Diner Acme General Store Blue Mountain Grill

BELLINGHAM

Baker Bear Grocery Coldwell Banker Bain/ Bethnie Morrison John L. Scott/Marty Kutschbach LFS Marine & Outdoor Melvin Brewing

GLACIER

Chair 9 Woodstone Pizza & Bar Blue T Lodge Graham’s Restaurant Luxury Getaways Mt. Baker Bibleway Camp Snowater Resort Condominiums Wake N Bakery Wild & Scenic River Tours

LYNDEN

Western Travel Sales

2018 - 2019

DEMING/NUGENT’S CORNER MAPLE FALLS Rome Grocery & Country Kitchen The North Fork Brewery Welcome Grocery WCW Cannabis

EVERSON

Everson/Nooksack Chamber of Commerce Good to Go Meat Pies Herb Niemann’s Steak & Schnitzel House Kelley Insurance

Satisfy your vacation rental needs.

Office 7425 Mt. Baker Hwy. • Maple Falls

A special publication of

BakerAccommodations.com • 1.888.695.7533

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Mount Baker

e perience MAGAZINE

www.MountBakerExperience.com

Baker Accommodations Crossroads Grocery & Video Mt. Baker Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center Mt. Baker Lodging RE/MAX /Mark Frye Weichert Realtors

SUMAS

Kelley Insurance Sumas Medical Clinic Sumas Chamber of Commerce Sumas Shipping & Storage Valley Plumbing & Electric

VAN ZANDT

Everybody’s Store

YOUR 4 SEASON MT. BAKER GETAWAY

CONDO SALES AND RENTALS

50

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360.599.2640 | SNOWATER.ORG

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | WINTER 2019 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

GLacier, Washington

CHAIR 9

WOODSTONE PIZZA & BAR

Full Menu & Family Dining

Happy Hour

Upstairs Game Room Free WiFi

Mon-Fri 11am-4pm

Watch all your sporting events here! 6 big screen TVs

LIVE MUSIC - Check PRIVATE ROOM available for parties and events.

360-599-1943

Glacier Ski Shop

for schedule CATERING for all your party needs.

10459 Mt. Baker Hwy Glacier, WA

360/599-2511 www.Chair9.com

9966 Mt. Baker Hwy • Glacier • GlacierSkiShop.com Best Rates SEASON RENTALS

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Redefining the Cabin in the Woods

• Live - Live the Mountain Experience • Love - Love our unrivaled luxury properties • Cherish - Cherish the memories with friends and family 9989 MT. BAKER HIGHWAY • GLACIER, WA

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