Mount Baker Experience Summer 2015

Adventures in the Pacific Northwest

Summer 2015

Bike the best trails Climb Washington Pass grizzlies on the rise Tragedy on Baker, revisited

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EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING MountBakerExperience.com EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING

Publisher’s Note

By Pat Grubb

M

eteorologists appear to have come to a strong consensus that this summer in Cascadia will be a long and hot one. At least that’s what all the super-computer weather models are forecasting. (We’ll take it as our just due given what the weather gods tried to palm off as winter this year.) With that in mind, we have lined up some great stories that we hope will inspire you to get out there and try something new or challenging. Read Oliver Lazenby’s account of biking and hiking to Tommyhoi and ask yourself if you’re up for that or a similar adventure. Jeff Judkins and pals kayaked the Inside Passage and the trip changed his life. Are you ready for a life-altering experience? How about learning to fly a glider or an airplane?

That’s guaranteed to change your perspective.

Getting out there and doing great stuff also carries a responsibility to minimize our impact on the earth. Leif Whittaker’s article tells us how we can help preserve the alpine environment, and we were privileged to have a conversation with Chris Morgan about the return of the grizzly bear. You’ll enjoy both.

As always, the Mount Baker Experience is more than mere words, it’s also about the images produced by such pros as Grant Gunderson, Jason Hummel and Garrett Grove. If these photos don’t inspire you to get off your duff and get moving, it means someone has super-glued you to the couch.

Also, check out the gear guide and how-to articles to help you get the most out of your outdoor adventures. So get out there, have fun and above all, stay safe.

Have a great summer!

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Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

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Summer2015 in this issue 10 Tommyhoi by bike

Multi-sport on the Mt. Baker Highway.

northwest singletrack Photo\andrew waits

Photo\brenda Phillips

50

Photo\jeff judkins

8

The wildest animal

free from time

Should grizzlies return to the N. Cascades?

Summer trip of a lifetime on the Inside Passage.

14 Nature’s Call

26 photo gallery

Answer it the smart way

20 Turns All Year

The ups and downs of streaking

Improve your biking efficiency

Showcasing our beautiful backyard

32 Everything Hurts

Running a half marathon

Tragedy Revealed

16

A deadly avalanche on Mt. Baker in 1986.

38 a history of adventure

Rock climbing in Washington Pass.

35 Learn to Fly

24 Finding a Better Fit

Photo\pat grubb

Aim for the Earth and miss

38 The other Skagit Valley

Wild headwaters in British Columbia

40 Where to stay and eat

Dining and lodging guide

44 Local Events Calendar

Summer races, festivals, music and more

45 Kulshan Quest Adventure Race

34 6

Gliders

Soaring over the mountains.

Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

Endurance, navigation, teamwork and fun

46 good stuff guide

Awesome summer gear

52 Glacier Skate Park

A destination bowl takes shape in Glacier

Photo\matt walker

MountBakerExperience.com

Photo\Ryan Hasert

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Photo\oliver lazenby

top 10:

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE PUBLISHERS Patrick Grubb and Louise Mugar Editor Ian Ferguson Publication Design Doug De Visser Copy Editor Kara Furr OFFICE MANAGER Amy Weaver

STAFF WRITERS Steven Guntli • Kara Furr

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

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE: Brad Andrew, Brian Bates, Garrett Grove, Matt Gruchey, Grant Gunderson, Lauren Howland, Jason Hummel, Jeff Judkins, Oliver Lazenby, Jason Martin, Amanda Nayfield, Spencer Paxson, Andy Porter, Brandon Sawaya, Rylan Schoen, Andy Traslin, Mike Traslin, Brenda Phillips, Andrew Waits, Matt Walker and Leif Whittaker 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. XXIX, No. 2. Printed in Canada. ©2015 POINT ROBERTS PRESS 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 TEL: 360/332-1777 NEXT ISSUE Fall 2015 • Out late August Hike • Climb • Bike • Run Ad reservation deadine: August 1

ON THE COVER A moonlit campsite on Chikamin Peak, with an inversion layer obscuring the peaks below. Photo by Jason Hummel. Check out more of Hummel’s work at alpinestateofmind.com

ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Contributors Contributors MBE Summer 2015

bradAndrew

amandanayfield

brianBAtes

spencerpaxson

garrettGrove

brendaPhillips

mattGruchey

andyporter

grantgunderson

brandonsawaya

laurenHowland

rylanschoen

jasonhummel

andytraslin

jeffjudkins

miketraslin

oliverlazenby

mattwalker

jasonmartin

leifwhittaker

Brad is a Bellingham based freelance action sports photographer who spends his winters chasing snow. He is a husband, father, and student of life.

Brian is an outdoor freelance writer and photographer who is lucky to call Bellingham home as he studies creative writing at Western Washington University.

Garrett is a professional climbing, biking and skiing photographer currently residing in Leavenworth, WA. Garrettgrove.com

Born in the Pacific Northwest, Matt is a writer and photographer who never goes anywhere without his flyfishing rod.

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

Grantgunderson.com

Lauren is a Portland, Oregon based lifestyle photographer. Her work tries to encapsulate the simplicity and beauty of any given moment. Laurenhowland.com

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

Alpinestateofmind.com

Jeff is an active outdoor enthusiast who loves skiing, kayaking, fly-fishing and hiking. He has also spent a lot of time working with youth and in outdoor education. He lives in Bellingham.

Oliver is a guidebook author turned business journalist still trying to figure out how to sit at a desk all day. He’s most passionate about skiing and hiking, and lives in Bellingham.

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

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

Brenda is a professional photographer and videographer living in Bellingham. She has documented projects helping women and children in Uganda as well as wildlife around the world.

Andy’s love of the outdoors began at age 16 with an Outward Bound program in the Sawtooth Wilderness. Find him online at andyporterimages.com

Kayaking, mountain biking and mountaineering were all becoming so boring and tame... so I decided to start a family. I am an image maker in Bellingham, WA. Brandonsawaya.com

A fortune cookie once told me: “This is a good time for you to enjoy the outdoors.” I have always trusted that cookie. Rylanschoen.com

Andy is a North Vancouver, BC native who grew up skiing in the Mt. Baker area. He is a professional ski mountaineer and mountain biker.

Mike is a steep skier searching for stable conditions around the world. He is a ski mountaineer, a pro mountain biker and a Canucks fan from North Vancouver, BC.

Matt Walker is co-owner of North Cascades Mountain Guides (ncmountainguides.com) and lives with his family in Mazama. His most recent book is Adventure in Everything.

SUMMER 2015

BIKE the best trails CLIMB Washington Pass

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.

GRIZZLIES on the rise TRAGEDY on Baker, revisited

Leif is a climbing ranger for the U.S. Forest Service on Mt. Baker. Born in Port Townsend, he has climbed some of the world’s tallest peaks, including Mt. Everest twice. Leifwhittaker.com

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTHERN LIGHT

Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

7

Freefromtime Paddling the Inside Passage story and photos By Jeff Judkins

T

he summer before graduation, the standard question – “What are you doing next?” – became ever frequent anytime I saw grandparents, uncles, aunts or old family friends.

I had hobbies and passions, but like most 18-year-olds, I had no idea how these would translate into future plans. I was unsure what to do.

One evening while hanging out with my friend Matt, who was facing a similar dilemma, we thought about spending a summer in a new place, getting a different perspective and having an adventure. From that moment on, we knew were going somewhere the following summer. We just needed to figure out where to go.

The Route

We eventually set our sights on kayaking the Inside Passage, a coastal route along the inland seas and open ocean from Washington to Alaska. We began poring over maps to plan our route. The area we were most excited about was the Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness Area. This area intrigued us because legislation prohibits motorized vehicles or permanent structures there. We knew we could feel the most remote in that place. Centering our planning around this area, we then started looking for start, resupply and end points.

We decided to take a ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, BC where we would start kayaking. Using the ferry would give us more time to explore east to west as opposed to just heading south to north. We figured we would enter Alaska through the Dixon Entrance, paddle through the Behm Canal, resupply in Wrangell, paddle the Tracy and Endicott Arms and end in Juneau. One of the really nice things about a trip of this length was that we did not need to plan where we would be each night.

The group consisted of eight members. Matt was one of my best friends from high school, and we would end up taking a year off after high school to live in South America. There were Dan and Alec, who had the most experience kayaking, and Carl, AJ and Eric had all been on previous longer trips together. We all had loose ties to one another, but we came together for this trip because of our love for adventure.

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Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

With all of the logistics we could think of planned, food sent to the resupply point, all of our gear triple-checked, our return flight booked and US Border Patrol informed we would be checking in at Wrangell (the first official border crossing), we started heading towards Vancouver Island with 850 miles of beautiful Pacific Ocean between us and our destination. 48 days to go.

Entering the Unknown

As we unloaded our kayaks from the back of the ferry, we knew we were carrying all the gear we needed for the next seven weeks. We also knew that for any and all challenges we would face, we only had each other to lean on with little to no outside help. Looking around it was clear that this thought made us all a little uneasy.

A thousand questions raced through my mind. What was I doing up here? Some of us had only met a few days ago – how would the group dynamics work? Did we have the skills to deal with all of the unknown challenges and problems?

Were we all being stupid coming to such a new location? And yet, looking around, it was also clear that we were all excited to get started. We were all excited to challenge ourselves, explore this remote and beautiful area, and learn and grow together. With the snap of the elastic cords from our spray skirts tightening over the cockpits of our kayaks, we were off.

I took my first paddle stroke. The water was calm, clear and cold. With each stroke, my muscles began to loosen and my nerves started to ease. As the town of Prince Rupert faded into the background, we were off. All of the months of planning and anticipation led to this moment.

Tides and Currents

The first few days were characterized by meticulous checking of the tide and current books to make sure we were paddling with the right currents. We set alarms and kept close tabs on our watches; we were on a schedule. We felt trapped—where was the freedom we wanted?

On the evening of day three, we made a decision that defined much of the rest of our trip. As a group, we decided that in order to truly feel free, live simply and be in touch with nature, we needed to be free from time. We took all of

our watches and tide books and put them to the bottom of our dry bags, committing not to take them out again for the remainder of the trip.

For the first couple days of living on “our” time, we struggled. One night, we woke up with water two feet from our tent doors. A few days later, we ended up in the middle of some tide flats with not enough water to paddle. At times, we got frustrated and talked about pulling out the watches and tide books again. But every time we thought about it, we never did. Instead we adapted.

We started camping in the woods. When we found ourselves paddling furiously into head-on currents, we pulled over to eat a snack, take a nap or play some cards until the tide and current switched. It was incredible not living by a schedule. For the first time in my life, I felt free from time. We woke up naturally. We paddled until we were hungry, then we paddled until we were either tired or found an awesome place to camp for the night. We listened to what both nature and our bodies were telling us. Some days, we paddled only a few miles; others, we paddled well past sunset because we were having too much fun surfing the waves as they pushed us farther along our route.

Freeze Dried Meals and Salmon

Mealtime quickly became one of our favorites, especially dinner. Often our morning paddles would be quieter time as we took in our surroundings, watching seals, orcas and humpbacks swim powerfully by and admiring the icebergs, waterfalls and mountains rising straight from the ocean. After lunch we paddled in a close group talking, laughing and enjoying each moment as a close group of friends.

Almost inevitably we would talk about food, sometimes what we missed most, but mostly what ingredients we had and what we were going to make for dinner. We would often spend multiple hours around the fire cooking. Some of my favorite moments from the trip happened when we were all just hanging out, working together and of course laughing.

One of these occurred around day 25 just north of Wrangell. We had spent the day playing tag through a field of icebergs before ending up in a beautiful, secluded campsite

MountBakerExperience.com

surrounded by waterfalls. As the sky started to change into a magnificent blend of pink, red and orange, we caught our first salmon of the trip. As the fish was reeled in we were all exuberant to have some fresh food for the first time in a month.

After that night catching salmon became a daily activity. The run had started! It was amazing to witness the sheer number of salmon that push their slippery bodies back to the place they were born. We witnessed this phenomenon and ate salmon until our last evening camping just outside of Juneau.

Looking Back

I’m often asked if it was worth giving up a summer. Would I do it again? What did I gain from this trip? The answer to the first two questions is easy: of course. The final question is tougher.

I gained so many things from the days spent paddling the Inside Passage. I gained self-confidence, a belief that I could push myself through any challenge and learn new technical skills.

But what I will cherish the most are the friendships and bonds I will have for the rest of my life with the people who were there with me. I have never felt so comfortable and trusting in such a short amount of time with any group of individuals. When you’re together day in and day out in such a new and incredible place, following the patterns of nature and relying on each other, such a strong bond is bound to happen.

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Tommyhoi by bike story and photos

By Oliver Lazenby

T

he dark tower of rock that makes up the summit of Tomyhoi Peak scared me. I had been moving toward the dark tower for more than 24 hours, intent on climbing it, when I finally saw it from the false summit. One glance at the loose, rocky downclimb and exposed scramble back up was enough to change my mind.

I took my pack off and sat on a flat rock. I had lots of reasons for giving up: a persistent mountain goat was following me, I was alone, and I didn’t think the view would be much better from the real summit.

But I still wanted it. I traced the green valley of the North Fork of the Nooksack River with my eyes as far west as I could follow it. I couldn’t make out Bellingham, where I had started by bicycle the day before.

I began a new job in July, which meant a summer month of long days in an office. I wasn’t adjusting well – I hadn’t had a full-time job or even a lease in a year. I had spent the previous two summers writing a hiking guidebook, which meant week-long road trips and hikes in every corner of the state, pit stops to swim in icy rivers, sleeping outside and plenty of time to talk to myself.

For my first three-day weekend, I needed to remind myself that the world is a big place, and there’s more to it than my desk. The world feels bigger on a bicycle, so I decided to pedal my blue Cannondale into the mountains to climb Tomyhoi Peak.

I was lashing an ice ax onto the 40 pounds of gear tee-

10

Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

tering above my bike when my landlord pulled up and reminded me to transfer the bills to my name. After a trial run around the block and 40 minutes on the phone with the utility and garbage collection companies, I got on my bike and rolled down Sehome Hill.

Bike trips into the mountains are becoming a rite of passage. Trip reports that start by bicycle in Seattle, Vancouver, or Portland and go to the nearest volcano are increasingly common on the internet, and many adventurers go from doorstep to summit in a single push. That wouldn’t work for me – I’m not an athlete. I allowed two-and-a-half-days to make the trip and I stopped whenever I wanted. I didn’t even make it out of Bellingham without stopping for a potato burrito.

I smiled as I passed the last of the stoplights on the Mount Baker Highway and continued east. The next 35 miles passed in a long grind of rubber humming on asphalt, chain grease on my legs, sweat in my eyes and cars rumbling by. Frequent stops punctuated the pedaling. I ate candy bars on park benches, bought lots of snacks, chugged water in roadside grass patches and took a nap on the bench outside Graham’s Store in Glacier.

There are hills before Glacier, but nothing like the hills east of town. I alternated between slowly climbing in granny gear and losing hard-won elevation in short bursts of speed that always ended at the bottom of another hill. Sweat, salt and road gunk accumulated on my skin until I couldn’t stand it anymore and stopped to swim at a bend in the Nooksack River late in the afternoon.

I didn’t have a plan, but I hoped to make it to a camp in the tarns below Yellow Aster Butte that night. I had a quart of water left. Continuing without filling my water bottles meant committing to reaching the cold pools surrounding the camps at Yellow Aster Butte that night, 4.5 miles of steep gravel road and 3 trail-miles away. I thought about my filter at the bottom of my overstuffed pannier, and then a horsefly chased me back to my bike.

My tires hit gravel a half-hour later. My heart raced as I struggled to keep my momentum going. My skinny touring tires skittered out on loose gravel and I gave in to pushing my bike. When the road finally leveled out, I dropped my bike,

drank the last of my water and laid down in some fir needles on the side of the road. I don’t usually lie down when I need a break, but it soon became routine.

When I got up, I managed to stay on my bike for a mile and a half, as the road leveled out. Douglas firs and dusty thimbleberries gave way to talus fields and clumps of subalpine fir and mountain hemlock as I worked my way uphill.

I was looking for a place to lay down again when a mound of brown fur emerged from some slide alder and crossed the road 100 yards ahead. It took a while to recognize the mass of fur and muscle as a bear because I’ve never seen a bear, or anything else, move so fast through such jagged talus.

I was rejuvenated without even laying down. I was out of water, I smelled like sweat and dust, and I’d already seen a bear—I found what I was looking for and I hadn’t even made it to the trailhead yet. I wondered about what I’d missed in the past while riding in cars to trailheads.

The sun was near the horizon when I shouldered my pack and started up the trail. I lay down once more on the hike up, exhausted in a good way, and enjoyed the beginning of a pink sunset. I laughed at gardens of wildflowers and snow patches glowing gold, and finally reached camp and water after sunset.

Continued on page 12 > MountBakerExperience.com

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I was still tired the next morning, but eager to get higher in the mountains.

Tomyhoi Peak is a broad mass of mountain. Its summit falls away for thousands of feet to Tomyhoi Lake on one side and Damfino Creek on the other, but an easy trail follows a broad ridge most of the way to the top, sniffing out the easiest terrain like a hound on a scent.

I followed the trail to its end at a patch of snow beneath several rocky pinnacles.

Somewhere along the way a goat started following me. If I faced the goat, he pretended to turn and leave. But if I turned my back to him and hiked away, he followed. When I reached the false summit and faced the exposed scramble to the summit the goat was close behind.

That’s where I decided to give up and sat down on a rock.

I tossed pebbles in the direction of the goat and stashed a few fist-sized rocks in my pocket, but he finally disappeared for the last time. So, as usual, I laid down for a power nap.

I thought about all the other summits blocks I’d scrambled up that looked scarier from below then what they turned out to be, and I took another look at Tomyhoi. I decided to explore a little farther. I wouldn’t try for the top, I told myself, but I’d go as far as I felt comfortable.

It started easy, and the rock wasn’t as loose as it looked from below. As I got higher, it got harder to ignore the air below me, but the climbing was reasonable, so I continued up. The scramble ended earlier than I expected it to, and I saw a few feet of trail leading to one last short scramble to the top.

Two days later I was back at a desk. But I had the view from the top (which was only a little better than the view from the false summit) seared into my retina.

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Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

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f you spend enough time in wild places, miles away from the nearest bathroom, you’re bound to have a moment when it’s more than a little awkward to answer nature’s call. Whether you’re on a day hike, backpacking trip, or climbing expedition, it’s wise to have a plan in place for how to deal with, and dispose of, those awkward moments.

As a climbing ranger for the Mount Baker National Forest I’ve seen the result of poor planning firsthand and, trust me, it isn’t pretty. There’s nothing worse than reaching a summit you’ve dreamed about standing on for years only to discover that someone else has already been there and left their mark in vivid technicolor. Improper disposal of human waste also leads to water pollution and the spread of illness, so it’s extremely important to follow a few basic sanitation guidelines.

If you’re traveling well below tree line, where soils are thick, digging a “cat hole” is an acceptable option. It’s a good idea to carry a lightweight trowel with you for this purpose. Cat holes should be dug 6 to 8 inches deep and at least 200 feet from water, camp, trails and drainages. Pack toilet paper out in a plastic bag or, even better, do like your ancestors did and use grass, leaves or moss, but be sure to avoid those stinging nettles.

Cat holes are fine in low-lying terrain, but much of the Mt. Baker National Forest lies above tree line (think Yellow Aster Butte and Heliotrope Ridge), where soils are thin and digging is not possible. Similarly, cat holes are not okay on snow or glaciers, where human waste cannot biodegrade and will eventually contaminate water sources.

In these cases, the only option is to follow a fundamental Leave No Trace principle: pack it in, pack it out.

The simplest and cheapest method for packing out human waste is a blue bag, which is basically the same product people use to pick up after their dogs. The USFS provides blue bags free of charge at the public service centers in Glacier and Sedro-Woolley. There are also blue bag dispensers at many trailheads throughout the National Forest. Blue bags come in handy for all sorts of things, from packing out garbage and food scraps to creating a three-sided bandage for a sucking chest wound. Personally, I carry at least a couple on every outdoor trip.

If you’re used to a bit more luxury or sensitive to malicious odors, consider purchasing a WAG Bag or Biffy Bag. These two products include large biodegradable bags, deodorizing agents, individual toilet paper and sanitary hand wipes. They can be used more than once, which lowers the cost, and all the contents are securely sealed in a zip-close bag that can be tossed in the normal trash. WAG Bags and Biffy Bags are readily available online and at many outdoor stores.

Whatever method you prefer, it’s absolutely imperative to keep the wilderness pristine. I’ve spent an entire week of work going over every inch of an alpine campsite, bagging up candy bar wrappers, pistachio shells, used toilet paper and the fecal incidents that go with it. In one case, a coworker and I scoured the Easton Glacier and each collected more than 30 pounds of waste, which we carried down in contractor bags tied to the outside of our backpacks. It’s gruesome work, but I feel a powerful sense of pride when a guide or mountaineer tells me how beautiful and unspoiled Mt. Baker is.

Our little corner of the world truly is special and it’s our responsibility to keep it that way. So, for the sake of your children, and your children’s children, please remember to pick up your poop.

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15

The discovery of a backpack buried in the ice of the Coleman Glacier sheds light on a deadly avalanche in 1986.

Photo by Andrew Waits.

Tragedy Revealed I

t was August and there was almost no snow left on the glacier. The lower Coleman was cooking under the late summer sun as American Alpine Institute guide Jeremy Devine taught ice climbing skills to a group of students.

The team was lounging on the edge of the glacier when one of them noticed something.

“There was some old white rope with blue prussiks on it and a snow fluke,” Devine said. “There was also a blue pack with an orange strap sticking out of the ice. I had to chop it out.”

When the team finally pulled the ancient pack from the ice, they found a name scrawled on the pack in black permanent marker: S. Raschick August 3, 1986 The northern lights danced in the sky above Mt. Baker, providing a brilliant fireworks display of flashing color. The light was so bright that it pulsed on the frozen snow, lighting the way for the solitary rope team inching its way up the Coleman Glacier.

Ian Kraabel, a 23-year-old mountain guide at the beginning of his career, led the young team. Following in his footsteps were a pair of 21-year-olds, Steve Raschick and Kurt Petellin. And finally, at just 19 years old, followed Tom Waller.

It was 1986, and it was already one of the most tragic years in U.S. mountaineering history. In May, seven students and two faculty members from the Oregon Episcopal School died of hypothermia on Mt. Hood.

As the team moved up the glacier under a breathtaking light show, the team didn’t think about that tragedy. Instead they were focused on their ascent and their summit, oblivious to the fact that they were about to experience their own tragedy.

The team took a break at the 8,500-foot level. It was there that Kraabel proposed a different route up the mountain, one other than the standard Coleman-Deming. He pointed out the steep snow ramp that cut up the mountain face between the Roman Nose and the Pumice Ridge, a line known as the Roman Moustache or simply as the Moustache.

“It’ll be faster,” he said. “We’ll get up to the top more quick-

16

Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

ly and then we’ll be down earlier.”

Both Steve Raschick and Kurt Petellin were big men, and they were struggling a bit on the ascent. They decided to listen to their guide’s advice. Tom Waller looked up to Raschick. He was like a big brother figure to him. So he decided he was going to do whatever Steve did.

The Moustache is not a beginner route. Indeed, it is an intermediate route that, depending on the year and the exact line, ranges from 40 to 55 degrees steep. The American Alpine Institute regularly guides it at a ratio of no more than two climbers to one guide, and they only guide it with people who have ice-climbing experience. The three men Kraabel led that day only had two days of prior training, and the focus of that training was on glacier travel and crevasse rescue.

The team left their breakpoint and began to move up the mountain, making their way up the initial ramp on the Moustache. As they moved, the team stayed in glacier travel mode instead of transitioning into pitched climbing as the terrain got steep. Additionally, both Raschick and Petellin were having problems staying on the snow’s surface. The pair kept breaking through the crust to the deep and wet isothermal snow beneath, which made travel up the ramp a slow and exhausting endeavor.

Suddenly there was a loud crack.

“I looked up,” Tom Waller said. “I saw ice coming down above Ian, and that’s when the sky fell.”

A serac above the route calved off, dropping refrigerator-sized blocks of ice into the snow above the team. The blocks splashed down into the snow like it was water, displacing everything and triggering a massive avalanche. The slide exploded down the slope, a mix of broken ice blocks and wet snow. It hit the team like a white wall, blowing them off the side of the steep slope.

“It was like we were being erased,” Waller said.

A crevasse cut across the glacier below the slope. Kraabel, Raschick and Petellin were all washed into the crevasse.

Waller was thrown over it.

Then everything stopped. There was complete silence.

The sun rose over the tragic scene, lighting up the mountainside with golden morning light.

By Jason D. Martin

When Waller opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a scarlet streak of blood on the snow next to him. At first he thought he’d been injured by the ice axe, but then he started to cough. And with each cough, more blood speckled the snow. He had a punctured lung.

“I didn’t know what had happened. I thought, ‘was that an avalanche?’ And then I remembered Steve and Kurt. I started yelling for my friends.”

Waller yelled as loudly as his broken body would allow.

But there was no response, just the echoes of his voice ringing off the snow slopes surrounding him.

Approximately 20 minutes after the avalanche, another team of four arrived on site. Brothers Steve and Tim Sieberson, as well as Larry Bouma and his son Jeff sat Waller on a chunk of ice while they searched for survivors.

Like the other three, Petellin was blown off the mountain by the avalanche. In a frantic attempt to survive he “swam” to the surface of the slide. But it didn’t matter – he was still washed into the crevasse. “I remember hitting the downhill side of the crevasse and that was it.”

When the fog cleared, Petellin found himself hanging upside down, one foot pinned in the debris. “I used the snow fluke to dig my legs out,” Petellin wrote in an email. “I had to dig my left foot out all the way to the top of the crampons to free it.”

Petellin placed an ice screw, clipped himself to it and began to yell for his friends. “I was calling for Tom, Steve and Ian, and letting them know that I was going to dig them out.”

He continued heroically to fight for his friends until the rescue party extracted him.

Neither Ian Kraabel, nor Steve Raschick were so lucky.

They were gone. Buried in the crevasse.

A Vancouver Search and Rescue Unit was on the mountain training when the accident happened. They were able to establish radio contact and requested a Navy helicopter for the evacuation. By noon that day, both Waller and Pettelin were undergoing treatment for their injuries at a hospital.

Several weeks later a party discovered Kraabel and Raschick. The late summer melt ate away at the avalanche and eventually revealed the two bodies. It was determined that

MountBakerExperience.com

they both died instantly of trauma and did not suffocate, which was of some small solace to the survivors.

Clearly, Ian Kraabel made some mistakes and those mistakes cost both him and one of his guests their lives. But it’s hard to blame him.

In 1986 there were very few resources available for a young new guide to get trained in the United States. Most established guide services were doing all of their training internally. Modern avalanche training almost didn’t exist, and the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) was still in its infancy. It would be almost a decade before the AMGA

national guide-training program would come online.

Steve Raschick’s backpack was still on his back when the avalanche struck at nearly 9,000 feet on Mt. Baker. It’s not known if the recovery team removed the pack and left it or if it was torn from his body by the slide. Twenty-nine years later, the pack surfaced at approximately 5,200 feet. The pack had traveled nearly 4,000 feet down the mountain, most likely under the ice the whole time.

Jeremy Devine found Tom Waller through a post on mountainproject.com. They met early in the morning in Fairhaven before Devine was slated to head back out into the

field to guide another trip.

Devine handed a brown paper Fred Meyer bag to Waller.

Inside were the items that he’d found on the mountain. It would be several days before the now 48-year-old Waller would open the bag.

“Steve was my world. He was my best friend,” Waller said emotionally. “I just want people to remember him. I just want people to remember that he was here and that he mattered…”

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Splitboarder Kyle Miller seeks mid-summer turns in the Glacier Peak Wilderness while on an expedition to complete the American Alps Traverse.

Photo by Jason Hummel

The Joys of

Streaking

By Ian Ferguson

I

n most parts of the world, skiing or snowboarding year-round requires planning, commitment and long-distance travel. Here in Cascadia, an abundance of glaciers and permanent snowfields makes it much easier to build a Turns–All–Year (TAY) streak, a number of consecutive months skied. A respectable TAY streak can even happen by accident.

Mike and Andy Traslin are brothers from North Vancouver who have skied at least once a month for 104 months, going on 105. For them, the streak was not the goal – they just can’t seem to resist the temptation of Mt. Baker’s snowy slopes on the horizon for longer than a month.

“I work construction, and I’ll be working on a roof in the summer and Mt. Baker is right there,” Mike said. “You can see the weather is good and you want to be up there. You think,

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‘Should I go this weekend?’”

One summer a June trip led to a July trip, which then led to an August trip, followed by a September trip. Then it was ski season again. The same thing happened the next year, and eventually Andy and Mike realized they had a streak going.

A surprisingly large number of people ski year-round, and there’s even a website dedicated to trip reports and sharing stories (turns-all-year.com). A sample of community member profiles on the website features year-round skiers from all walks of life, with personal stories of their best and worst trips and how they got started. Tom Szwedko from Colorado had 394 consecutive months as of November 2012. He moved to Colorado in 1980 and hasn’t missed a month since.

Other TAY-ers were mountaineers who discovered skis make the descent much more enjoyable.

“Most of the Turns-All-Year people we run into kind of fell into it naturally, like us,” Mike said.

Jason Hummel is a photographer from Tacoma who also happens to be one of the most prolific backcountry skiers in the northwest. He and his twin brother Josh have been streaking since their teens. Assuming they can find some turns, they will have reached the 200-month milestone in June.

“We started before there was a website for it. After we realized we had a pretty long streak going we started keeping a list,” Hummel said.

Skiing year-round stokes the passion for the sport and takes the edge off of waiting for snow to fly.

Continued on page 22 >

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Sumas

> Continued from page 21

“You get into October and people are posting on forums, they can’t wait to go skiing, but with turns all year you went skiing no longer than a month ago.

It may not have been powder but you got out there, you got some turns. So it helps keep the jones level down,” Andy said.

The Traslins have skied all over the world as professional ski mountaineers, but Baker is one of their favorite destinations. The border crossing is a minor hassle for the North Vancouverites, but the under two-hour drive and the certainty of a long day of skiing make the trip worthwhile.

“We have a strong connection to Baker because we’ve been skiing here since we were teenagers. There’s not too many places you can look out and see the weather on the mountain, decide to go there and get a 7,000-foot descent,” Andy said.

With the North Cascades, Coast Mountains, Olympics and numerous volcanoes all within reach, the options for ski or snowboard turns all year in the Pacific Northwest are virtually limitless. It’s helpful to have plenty of nearby options, but you still have to get up to the snowfields.

Lift-accessed glaciers at Whistler and Mt. Hood make it easy to keep the streak alive, but the Hummels and the Traslins are purists, earning their turns the human-powered way. Skis and boots are heavy, and when strapped to a pack they have a tendency to catch on branches.

“There’s going to be some suffering involved,” Andy said. “The bushwhacking – that’s the thing about some of the approaches around here – they’re just gnarly. Super steep, and the trees and shrubs are thick.”

Low-snow years, such as this one, promise longer, more brutal approaches come August and September. Also, procrastination and life in general can force TAY-ers to find turns in less than ideal conditions at the end of the month. The longer the streak, the higher the motivation to keep it going, even if the trip can only be called “fun” once it’s over.

“There are those bad days,” Hummel said. “It’s the last day of the month, it’s raining and cold, the type of day where the last place you want to be is on a mountain. You’re ‘shwhacking’ up some bushes to a tiny, dirty patch of snow thinking, ‘what the hell am I doing?’”

Even sunny days pose their challenges.

“It gets a little funny sometimes,” Mike said. “In North Van, you drive by the beach in August, it’s hot out and everyone’s like, ‘lets go to the beach,’ but it’s the last weekend of the month and you haven’t skied yet … you question if it’s worth it. But it’s kind of addicting. It’s a fine line for sure.”

There are also negative-Nancies who can’t fathom why anyone would carry skis and boots to that tiny, dirty patch of snow in the distance. Regardless of conditions, and despite the heckling, the inevitable conclusion is that the effort always pays off.

“TAY provides that extra motivation to get out there in the mountains on days when you might not go otherwise,” Hummel said. “Plus I can’t let my brother beat my streak.”

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Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

23

A

Finding a

better fit

misfit bike can lead to worse things than an uncomfortable ride.

Neck and low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, patella-femoral pain, Achilles tendinitis and hip dysfunction can all result from riding too long on a bike that doesn’t fit you.

Tailoring a bike to fit your individual needs can dramatically reduce the risk of injury and make for a more efficient and enjoyable ride.

Every individual is different, every bike is different, and the skill and style of the rider also come into play when it comes to fitting, so an in-person consultation is the best way to dial in the right fit. Many bike shops have fitting technicians to get your bike roughly where you need it. If you are interested in a more customized fit, consider seeing a physical therapist for a biomechanical assessment of your movement patterns and individual restrictions.

If you want some basic guidelines for adjusting your bike to fit you (and not the other way around), read on.

Frame Size:

The first thing to consider when choosing a bike is the size of the frame. For road bicycles, size is typically based on the length of the seat tube (the tube that the seat comes out of), and is measured in centimeters. The rule of thumb on a road bike is that you should be able to stand over the top tube of the bike with 1 to 2 inches of clearance, while also maintaining a 45-degree angle at your torso (relative to the floor) when you are seated on the bike.

For mountain bikes, sizing parameters can vary depending on the intended use of the bike (cross country vs. gravity oriented). Most modern mountain bikes are sized “small,” “medium,” “large,” etc., and manufacturers provide intuitive guidelines to help you find the right fit.

The same clearance rules apply; however, reach and other fit criterion may vary depending on the style of the bike. For example, a cross-country hardtail will have slightly different fit characteristics than an all-mountain full suspension bike. It is best to visit experts at a local bike shop for guidance on matching fit with intended ride style, then address detailed fit issues from there.

Saddle:

By Amanda Nayfield

Once you have the right frame size, you can move on to adjusting the saddle. Finding the correct front to back, or fore-aft, adjustment will improve the mechanics at the knee and ankle, lowering the risk for injury and improving your ability to use the hamstrings and quadriceps effectively during a full revolution. This measurement requires a plumb line (weighted string) to measure the position of the knee over the toes. First, pedal at a steady pace with slight resistance for about a minute, then stop when the crank arm is horizontal. From that position, place the string at the bony prominence below your knee (tibial tuberosity) with the weight dangling above your foot. If the weight is not directly over the middle of the pedal, aligned with the ball of your foot (metatarsal heads), adjust the fore-aft location of your seat until it is.

Adjusting the seat height can prevent unnecessary motion in your low back and pelvis.

While precisely measuring the angles at the hip, knee and ankle is the most accurate way to achieve optimal efficiency, a good rule of thumb is to shoot for a 35-degree bend of your knee at the bottom of the pedal stroke with your hip slightly flexed. For a mountain bike, the suggested knee angle is 32–40 degrees or lower for more experienced riders. Seat height adjustments are frequently made in mountain biking to account for variable terrain, so it is a good idea to make a mark on the seatpost at the ideal height for flat riding.

Saddle angle can also be adjusted for a more comfortable ride. Whether the saddle is horizontal or has a slight rise/decline, you should be able to sit on it hands-free without slipping forward or backward.

Cleats:

If you ride with clipless pedals, correct positioning of your cleats is essential to protect the knees. Also, the cleat position changes the lever arm at the forefoot, affecting the effort required of the calf muscles.

Most bike fitters suggest that the cleat should be positioned under the ball of the foot or slightly behind. This is an adjustment, however, that can be very different among individuals depending on foot structure. The most important thing to remember is the cleats should be set up so that the hip, knee and ankle are in a straight line. If the cleats are too far in or out, it can cause the knee to collapse inward.

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Handlebars:

Correct positioning of the handlebars helps keep the trunk elongated for comfort and is important for shoulder, wrist and neck health. Poor handlebar position can create feelings of being too compact or too stretched out. Generally speaking, the handlebars should be a few inches lower than the seat and behind the front axle. Your trunk angle should be about 45 degrees, and the shoulder angle should be around 90 degrees.

Other nuanced fit adjustments may include handlebar rotation and width, and brake lever position. When making these adjustments, aim for a neutral or slightly extended wrist angle.

Riding mechanics:

Once you have the bike fitted to your body, think about form and body mechanics while you are riding. It is common for riders to elevate shoulders and extend the upper part of the neck, contributing to neck and arm pain. Remember to keep your shoulders relaxed and your neck in a neutral position (ears over shoulders with your chin slightly tucked). It is also very important to pay attention to your knee position throughout the pedal stroke. The most common movement dysfunction is allowing the knee to drop inward. Make sure your knee stays in line with the middle toe.

If you are having aches and pains with biking or want to improve your efficiency, these guidelines are a good place to start.

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Mt. Olympus summit. Photo/Jason Hummel

Discovery Park, Seattle. Photo/Grant Gunderson

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Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

Near Granite Falls. Photo/Brian Bates

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mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Photo/Lauren Howland

Princess Louisa Inlet, BC. Photo/Brandon Sawaya

Mt. Ruth. Photo/Garrett Grove Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience 27

Sahale Glacier Camp. Photo/Andy Porter

San Juan Island. Photo/Brad Andrews

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Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

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High Pass Trail near Mt. Larrabee. Photo/Rylan Schoen

Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

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Cascadia Classics Top 10 singletrack destinations

Mt. Muller Trail 882, Olympic Peninsula

story and photos By Spencer Paxson

F

or a northwestern mountain biker, assembling a “Top-10” list of trails can be like trying to name the top-10 breaths of fresh air you’ve ever taken. It’s almost silly to rank anything so delightfully abundant. That said, it’s an amusing task at worst, and with so many good trails in this part of the world, any “Top-10” list is guaranteed to include some objectively fantastic trails for any type of rider.

Below is a brief guide to 10 classic mountain bike rides from the Fraser River Valley and Coast Range of British Columbia to the Central Cascades of Washington state. There are a few you may have experienced already. Others may be on your summer bucket-list, and a few may yet be unknown. Most are beginner friendly, but a few are expert-only. Whatever your riding style and skill level, hopefully this guide helps spark a memorable two-wheeled adventure.

Forbidden Plateau, cumberland, Vancouver Island, BC ~20 mile trail network, 2,300 feet elevation gain Trail Stewards and Info: Cumberland Community Forest, cumberlandforest.com and cvmtb.com Cumberland, B.C. has played host to the opening stages of the world-renowned BC Bike Race for the last several years. The Forbidden Plateau trail network above Comox Lake has been a mountain biking destination since the early 1990s. There is riding for everyone, from the beginner Bears Bait Trail, to higher-elevation rocky outcrops of Jake the Snake and Cabin Fever. Park at the Comox Dam and ride east on Comox Logging Road toward Boston Main and go from there. Warm up with a coffee at the Wandering Moose, or cool off with a dip at Nymph Falls after a solid day.

Sumas Mountain, fraser river valley, Bc

Galbraith Mountain, Bellingham

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~50 mile trail network, 2,900 feet elevation gain Trail Stewards and Info: Fraser Valley Mountain Bikers Association (FVMBA), fvmba.com Sumas Mountain is one of multiple excellent trail networks in the Fraser River Valley of southern B.C. Just northeast of Abbotsford, there are nearly 50 miles of singletrack. Head up Sumas Mountain Road, park at the trailhead on lower Taggart Road and pedal up the road for more access. Beginners and seasoned experts alike will love the flow of the new Squid Line trail. More discerning advanced riders have lots to choose from. Be sure to hit up the viewpoint on the northeast corner of the network on Lookout Trail.

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Galbraith Mountain, Bellingham ~50 mile trail network, 1,800 feet elevation gain Trail Stewards and Info: Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC), wmbcmtb.org To most mountain bikers of northern Washington, the trails of Galbraith Mountain need no introduction. For over 30 years, the WMBC has stewarded this privately held land and developed a 50mile network of serpentine, wooded singletrack. Two main trailheads are pedaling distance from town (one at Birch Street, the other at Galbraith Lane on Samish Way) and access predominantly beginner to intermediate trails. From twisty trails like Rock-n-Roll and Papa Bear to jumpy trails like Grasshopper and Unemployment Line, to plain old classics like Whoopsie Woodle and Orient Express, Galbraith is simply a great place to ride. There are literally hundreds of loop combinations. Afterward, roll back into town for a beer and bite at one of several Bellingham breweries.

Chuckanut Mountain, Bellingham ~15 mile trail network, 2,100 feet elevation gain Trail Stewards and Info: Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC), wmbcmtb.org Dominating the coastline south of Bellingham is the brawny Chuckanut Mountain. Accessed from multiple trailheads along Highway 11 (Arroyo Park, North Chuckanut Trailhead, Larrabee State Park), big climbs give way to scenic ocean views and gaping old growth forest. Chuckanut is also a good option for wet days, as it typically drains better than other trails in the Bellingham area. Climb up Hemlock Trail on the east side or Fragrance Lake and Cleator Road on the west side and ride Raptor Ridge or Double Black Diamond.

On a clear day, take in the expansive east-facing views from the sandstone cliffs along Ridge Trail. If possible, finish with a definitive northwest tech experience on Salal and Hush Hush.

Mt. Constitution, Orcas Island ~30 mile trail network, 2,400 feet elevation gain Trail Stewards and Info: Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, evergreenmtb.org No quintessential Northwest tour is complete without a ride on a ferryboat. Luckily, there are many reasons to take a ferryboat (from Anacortes, WA) to access good riding on Orcas Island, including

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Angel’s Staircase, Carlton

the trails of Mt. Constitution. Nearly 30 miles of trail are located within Moran State Park, with the best ones open from September 15 to May 15 every year. A great winter riding spot, beginners will be pleased with flat trails along Mountain Lake, and gravity-oriented riders will enjoy some air time on the Powerline Trail. Panoramic views and San Juan Islands serenity make for a unique and memorable day on the bike.

options, but there are mandatory steep rock faces that will demand confidence and speed control. The trail is best experienced on a full suspension trail bike, but expert cross-country riders should be able to manage with tall seats.

Other great trails in this area include Xanadu (a scaled-down version of Tres Hombres) or the more beginner-friendly Rosy Boa trail.

Visit the crew at Das Radhaus or Der Sportsman for trail info and directions.

Mount Muller Trail 882, Olympic Peninsula

Basalt Peak, Wenatchee National Forest

~13 mile loop, 3,100 feet elevation gain Trail Stewards and Info: Pacific Ranger District and Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, evergreenmtb.org/trails/mount-muller Mt. Muller is a lesser-known, adventurous trail located in the Olympic National Forest, about 30 miles southeast of Port Angeles on Highway 101. It is one of the few non-motorized trails in the Olympics that is open to mountain bikes. The 13-mile loop is for seasoned riders only, starting off with a 3.2-mile, 2,100-foot mountain goat climb from the trailhead on Forest Road 3071 on the north side of Highway 101. After the climb, head east on Trail 882 for the Mt. Muller summit at 3,748 feet, enjoy panoramic views of the Olympics, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and finish with a 6-mile descent back down to the highway. Hit this trail after the snow has melted out, and be mindful of hikers! Make a trip of it and camp at Klahowya Campground at Milepost 212.

~15 mile loop, 4,000 feet elevation gain Trail Stewards and Info: Lake Wenatchee Ranger District, evergreenmtb.org/trails/ map/94 Another lesser known but prime northern Washington summer ride is Basalt Peak, also known as the Rock Creek area. Be warned, this route is for stalwart climbers and those who enjoy being well off the beaten path.

Rock Creek is the only trail system in the Lake Wenatchee Ranger District that is closed to motorcycles but open to mountain bikes.

Conditions are best in late summer to early fall (though the low snowpack of 2015 may yield earlier entry). Park at Finner Creek Campground 14 miles north of Lake Wenatchee on Chiwawa River Road. From there, bust out a clockwise loop up around the backside of Basalt Peak, and crest the top for monumental views from Glacier Peak to Lake Chelan.

Tres Hombres, Leavenworth

~25 mile loop, 5,000 feet elevation gain Trail Stewards and Info: Methow Valley Ranger District, evergreenmtb.org/trails/ map/35 Literally a pinnacle ride of northern Washington, the Angel’s Staircase loop in the North Cascades is one of the most fulfilling alpine bike rides imaginable. Once again, this route is for stalwart experts only, as it involves a testing combination of altitude, endurance, technical prowess and route finding. The loop starts off climbing Crater Creek Trail on Forest Road 300, about 2 miles past the Foggy Dew Camp-

~9 mile loop, ~4.5 mile trail descent, 2,000 feet elevation gain Trail Stewards and Info: Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, trailwiki.org/wiki/Tres_ Hombres Tres Hombres is a distinctive downhill trail that descends 2,000 feet of scenic, sage-scrub ridgeline above Derby Canyon. Located just a few miles outside of Leavenworth, this trail can easily be shuttled via Derby Canyon Road and Forest Road 7401. All of the jumps on Tres (and there are several!) have ride-around

Angel’s Staircase, Carlton

ground. The wooded climb up Eagle Lake and Martin Creek trails brings you to the alpine cathedral of Cooney Lake, followed by a steep hike-a-bike to crest Angel’s Staircase at 8,000 feet. The ride concludes with a final steep climb over Horsehead Pass, and a highly gratifying 6-mile descent back to the trailhead.

Good from late-summer to mid-fall, the best time is when the larches are in full bloom!

Greenwater Corridor (Hwy. 410), Greenwater 12-30+ mile trail system, 3,500-7,000 feet elevation gain Trail Stewards and Info: Snoqualmie Ranger District, Evergreen MTB Alliance, evergreenmtb.org/trails/noble-knobdalles-ridge The Greenwater Corridor is home to outstanding trails like Ranger Creek, Palisades, Noble Knob, Deep Creek and Sunset Peak.

With multiple route options and fire-road climb options, this is a great trail system to introduce newer riders to the marvels of alpine riding. There is even a shuttle option available up Forest Road 7200/7250. That said, bring your climbing legs to achieve greater satisfaction and avoid blowing out the trails! Beginners will also enjoy testing their flow skills on the Skookum Flats trail. A typical route includes climbing up to Corral Pass and traversing out Noble Knob Trail 1184, then Dalles Ridge Trail 1173 to descend either Ranger Creek Tr1197 or Palisades Tr1198. Strong, motivated riders can put together big rides here with 10,000-plus feet of climbing. Plenty of nearby camping options make this area worthy of a full weekend of riding for anyone needing time in the mountains.

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Online Trail-Finder Resources: www.trailforks.com www.evergreenmtb.org/trails/map www.mountainbikingbc.ca/trails www.mtbproject.com www.cascadesingletrack.com/index.html www.trailwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page

Tres Hombres, Leavenworth

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Hurts

Everything

By Steve Guntli

T

he poor fools. They have no idea what they’re about to go through. Look at them, stretching and laughing and shouting encouraging platitudes to one another like they haven’t a care in the world. But I’ve been there, man. I’ve seen things. I’ve seen legs give out from right underneath a person as they charge across the pavement. I’ve seen thick layers of crystalline salt form in a man’s hair and eyebrows as his body rapidly used up all its vital fluids. I’ve seen a man cross the finish line with huge, rusty stains on his shirt right about where his nipples used to be.

I’ve seen this man. I was this man.

Why, you may so reasonably ask, would someone put themselves through all of these terrors, and then come back and ask for seconds? The answer is complicated, but it can be summed up in one fairly simple sentence: Love is strange.

I first started running when I was dating Nicole, who would later become my wife. Before I met her, I didn’t think it was physically possible for a human being to run more than half a mile without imploding like a neutron star. She, a lifelong runner who ran track in high school and college and regularly participated in races, thought I was joking. I was not.

But because I liked her and wanted to spend time with her (and because I wanted some bargaining chips when I tried to convince her to come with me to Comicon), I started going on thrice-weekly runs with her. We started small, a 5k here, a fun-run there. Then, in 2013, as part of an ill-advised New Year’s resolution, I decided to run the Bellingham Bay Half-Marathon, and Nicole eagerly agreed to help me train. I was largely insufferable through the entire process, but Nicole is a great coach and she pushed me to do better. On race day, I clocked a finishing time of 1:57, which is pretty good for a guy who, by the time he reached the finish line, was basically a pale, disheveled head attached to bloody sinew in running shoes.

I was proud of finishing, but fairly traumatized and vowed to not do another half-marathon for the foreseeable future. It turns out “the foreseeable future” was about a year and a half, because here it is, late April 2015, and I’m in Oak Harbor for the Whidbey Island Half-Marathon.

Right off the bat I felt bad about this whole venture. I’m in much worse shape than I was the first time out, and I

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Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

was not in great shape then (see opening paragraph). Nicole and I had trouble timing our training schedules, and the most we were able to run was an 11-mile course about three weeks before the race. So I wasn’t feeling particularly prepared as we stepped up to the starting line, and even less confident that I would be able to top my previous half-marathon time, which Nicole wanted to try to do. But like I said, love is strange, and Comicon was awesome this year, so I had to do what I had to do.

The race started out well. The weather was crisp but not cold, and the course mostly level. I’ve got a real problem with running up hills, not so much physically as spiritually and emotionally. I feel a deep existential hatred at every gentle slope. Luckily, the biggest source of my loathing was right around the one-mile mark, before I’d used up my stores of energy. We were supplementing that energy with gummy bears, which we would pop every two miles or so. I’m thinking of marketing this: “Gummy Bear Sport.”

They’d be wearing little headbands and we’d replace their little potbellies with shredded abs. But I digress.

It was about the 2.5-mile mark that I started to notice some idiosyncrasies in Nicole that only real athletes display. She had decided on a nemesis. As near as I could tell, the decision was arbitrary, possibly based on the brightness of the enemy’s shirt but just as easily attributable to anything else. Nicole’s nemesis was a petite girl with curly brown hair wearing a bright pink long-sleeved running shirt. Nicole pointed her out to me when she was about 20 yards ahead of us.

“See that girl?” she whispered conspiratorially, “As long as we stay in sight of that girl, we’ll be fine.”

At first I thought this was a runner’s trick to keep pacing, but as the race wore on it started to feel personal. Even stranger, the nemesis began acting in ways that felt adversarial. She was employing a sprint-walk running style, where she would take frequent walk breaks, allowing us to catch up or even overtake her, and then hit the gas and leave us panting in her dust. Obviously, she couldn’t have known my wife had targeted her, but I started to wonder if the two were communing on some deeper level that only athletes are privy to, a kind of competitive hive-mind that develops in tandem with one’s calf muscles. For my part, I was incredulous of the whole thing, and even felt bad for

this poor girl who was the unwitting foil to my competition-crazed bride.

More than halfway through the course, and I was feeling good. I hadn’t stopped to walk yet, except for brief pauses at water stations that never lasted more than a few seconds. I was feeling optimistic and motivated enough that I thought I might try to run the whole thing without walking. I could sense Nicole starting to get restless, as Pink Shirt was disappearing over the horizon, but I begged her to stay with me to keep me accountable to my goal.

At around mile seven we hit another hill, not as steep as the first one but much longer. This is where Nicole stumbled on her nemesis’ weakness; it seems Pink Shirt had as much affinity for hills as I did, and she slowed to a walk at even minor slopes.

Nicole, being a psychopath with reverse biology, is extremely fast going uphill but much slower going down.

She says it’s because she’s worried about losing control going downhill and falling over. Obviously, I have no regard for my body or I wouldn’t be doing this thing in the first place, so I greet every downhill slope with a frantic flailing of arms and an unbridled “woo” as sweet mother inertia takes some of the burden off my dying legs.

Mile nine of the race passes right

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through Windjammer Park, where the whole thing started.

This seemed unduly cruel. From the mile nine signpost, you can smell hotdogs grilling. You can hear the band warming up, the crowds cheering, the announcer starting to congratulate half-marathon finishers who are somehow 4 miles ahead of me. I had to actively resist the sweet siren song of a cover of “Margaritaville” and turn away from the park, towards what would turn out to be a nightmarish 2-mile hill under the glare of direct sunlight.

This was the first moment where I honestly considered just giving up. Not slowing to a walk, just completely calling it a day. Even Nicole seemed vexed by this huge hill so close to the end of the race, but still she stuck by my side. That is, until…

We were winding our way around a narrow dirt trail, trapped behind a pack of middle-aged women who were noticeably slowing. A tough-looking guy with a military haircut came barreling down the opposite direction, and shouted in encouragement, “Great job, ladies!”

Thinking myself hilarious, I called up to Nicole, who had managed to squeeze ahead of the middle-aged women.

“Nicole!” I shouted. “I’m a lady!”

The women around me weren’t amused, and Nicole didn’t even hear me, because without warning, she was sprinting ahead like a dog that saw a squirrel. It wasn’t until I came off the dirt trail and onto the wide, paved stretch of hill that I saw why: Pink Shirt, back in sight for the first time in miles.

And Nicole was already well ahead of her.

Feeling dejected, I trudged along as people I’d left behind miles ago started to overtake me. The hill seemed to stretch on into infinity, and every inch of me burned. Watching how easily Nicole crushed her nemesis, I started to feel guilty, like I was some sweaty burden keeping my wife from reaching her full potential.

I was feeling ready to collapse when I spotted Nicole waiting for me at the next water station. It seems she felt guilty for letting her competitive spirit get the better of her, and was resolved to run the rest of the track with me, even as Pink Shirt overtook us once again.

The hill finally leveled out at the 11-mile marker.

I was exhausted and hurting and feeling largely defeated, but I also knew that I’d run 11 miles, so what’s two measly miles by myself?

“Honey,” I said, tapping Nicole on her sweat-drenched shoulder. “Go get her.”

With a grateful smile, Nicole was off like a shot. In the distance, I could see her easily overtake her nemesis and disappear around the corner. I knew I wouldn’t see her again until the finish line.

So now it was just me, dragging deadened limbs across an unforgiving blacktop towards a glory I could no longer conceptualize. Clichés like “runner’s high” and “hitting the wall” were turning to ash on my tongue. I didn’t feel

high and I didn’t feel defeated. I was just a lone soul forcing myself onward down a road I was no longer convinced had an end.

And then, a curious thing happened.

From out of a cluster of runners about 100 yards ahead of me, I saw a flash of bright pink. She was slowing down again, anticipating a slight crest that would lead to a 2-mile slope towards the finish line. Maybe it was the crazed machinations of my fevered mind, but I felt a sudden urge of competitive spirit. I felt the last well of strength within me burn as I focused my energy forward. I no longer cared about winning any medals or finishing with a good time. I didn’t even care about the food and water and beer waiting for me at the end. The race narrowed down to just two people: my nemesis and me.

I surged forward, Pink Shirt responding with her taunting sprint-walk gait, letting me gain ground before pulling ahead. She was well ahead of me as we came out of a small valley and started on what would be the final uphill battle of the race. Pink Shirt slowed to a walk. If there was ever a time

for me to clinch this, it was now. Focusing every ounce of my hatred for all things hill-y into an engine, I charged the hill. Every part of me screamed in protest, including, possibly, my voice. I can’t be sure about that, but I was getting some weird looks.

By the time I was heading back downhill, I was coasting.

I could no longer sweat because there was nothing left in my body to secrete. I could no longer feel any pain because all the nerve endings were dead. I let my momentum carry me back down the hill, back to the narrow dirt path where Nicole had first left me, back towards the vibrant, thumping music and white noise of cheering voices that gradually pulled into focus. I thought of looking back, of seeing if my nemesis was still nipping at my heels, but I knew that she wasn’t.

Finally, the finish line was in sight. Brightly colored banners festooned the long alley that had been built on the lawn. I tried to ignore the big, red LED timer that revealed I was clocking in at around 2:05, and instead scanned the crowd for my wife. I saw her near the finish line, medal glinting around her neck, cheering wildly for me as I finally barreled across the finish line. My nemesis was long forgotten. I’d won the day. My stomach began to churn as my body struggled to reorient itself to a relatively stationary mode. A pre-teen boy draped a medal around my neck, handed me a plastic bag dripping with condensation and shuttled me down the line to make room for other finishers.

A photographer snapped my photo. I’m sure it’s one for the Christmas card.

Nicole found me soon after, bent over a picnic table and wondering why the roof of my mouth felt like it was cultivating mold. She had finished about three minutes before me, but she still looked and behaved like a human being, while I was more jellyfish than man by this point. In time, I would feel the pride of completing something challenging, of setting goals and sticking to them even when the going got tough. For now, all I wanted to do was fall over into the grass.

As for the pink-shirted nemesis, we never saw her again.

I didn’t notice when she finished, and she spent so much time running ahead of me that I never noted her name or her number. Maybe she never really existed, but was a mental construct we’d designed to keep us going. Or you know, maybe she just left. There were a lot of people there.

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Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

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Photo\courtesy of VSA

Gliders

By Pat Grubb

Gliders, sail planes, they’re wonderful flying machines. It’s the closest you can come to being a bird – Neil Armstrong efore there were airplanes, there were gliders. Seeking inspiration, inventors and tinkerers looked to the birds in the sky and sought to emulate them. In 1853, Sir George Cayley successfully designed and constructed the first glider that carried a man. He was followed by many others, notably the Wright brothers whose powered airplane was preceded by a number of gliders. And while aeronautical development has progressed from gliders to motorized planes to spaceflights, there are still those who distain the entire idea of an engine – these are glider pilots and you could become one too.

About 150 km (90 miles) east of Vancouver lies Hope Airport, a beautifully verdant grass runway tucked between towering mountains beside the mighty Fraser River. Here you’ll find the headquarters of the Vancouver Soaring Association whose members can be found most weekends from April to October flying in gleaming white gliders.

The location is ideal for gliding – prevailing summer winds flow through the valley and up the sides of the mountains allowing gliders to reach altitudes around 10,000 feet for flights that can last hours. The club has five gliders, three of which are two seaters. Some members have their own gliders or partner with other owners. Two Cessna L-19 Bird Dog tow planes are used to pull the gliders up to release altitudes.

Gliders first came into their own following World War I. Germans were prohibited from building or flying motorized airplanes and turned to gliders to satisfy their desires for flight, a movement that was encouraged by the government.

Since then, gliders have been primarily used for sport. The advent of modern materials has led to ever-lighter, ever-stronger and more efficient sailplanes that are able to remain aloft for long periods of time. Given the right conditions, a glider can fly hundreds or even thousands of kilometers in a given flight. Modern gliders can have a glide ratio of 50-1 or even as high as 60-1, meaning the plane can glide 50 – 60 feet for every foot of altitude. A jetliner such as a Boeing 767 has a glide ratio of 12-1. In the Perlan 1 Project, a modified version of a DG 505, similar to one of the club’s gliders, reached an altitude of 50,751 feet in 2006. (perlanproject.org/ technology/#more-42).

The club offers familiarization (fam) flights most weekends to people interested in discovering whether gliding is for them. Depending upon wind conditions, flights typically last 20-30 minutes and are a terrific introduction to the sport.

Fam flights cost $170 and should be arranged in advance to ensure there is space for you.

Daan Wynberg has been president of the association for the past three years and is an enthusiastic evangelist of sport gliding. On a recent flight, he talked about the beauty and challenges of non-motorized flight. “You are totally focused on what you’re doing, nothing else matters except flying the plane,” he said. “Every flight is different, you learn something new every time you are in the air.” As he spoke, he flew the glider along the sides of a mountain with the evergreens

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Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

seemingly within feet of the wing tips. He explained that wind follows the contours of the mountain and the most lift comes from close proximity to the mountainsides. “It’s like sailing in many ways,” he explained. “You have to be able to ‘see’ the wind and its direction and currents. If you think about how water rolls over stones in a river, you can visualize how air flows up and over mountains.”

Intuitively, it makes sense but flying in a glider still leaves one in awe – how can a ‘heavier than air’ plane float so far and so long with nothing but the wind to keep it aloft? Sitting in the front of one of the club’s two seat gliders, such questions are soon left behind as one marvels at the experience of soaring along high above the valley floor. The sailplane swoops and turns, following the contour of the mountainsides, while the wind slips past the clear canopy. Unlike a powered plane, it’s very quiet – passenger and pilot can converse in normal tones with only the intermittent sound of the radio interrupting our thoughts.

It’s early in the day and the afternoon wind has yet to develop, meaning updrafts are few and far between. Occasion-

gested he take a fam flight only three weeks before and he is currently enrolled in a training program with the club. Asked why, Shoker said gliding felt like a purer form of flight, one where you could fly like a bird. He was not a pilot before he began the course.

The club offers training options to new members. During the season, training happens every weekend, and for some wishing to accelerate their learning curve there are intensive week-long “ab initio” training courses that immerse students in the practice and theory of glider flight. Costing $350 plus glider rental and towing charges, there are two tentatively scheduled for June and August. A limited number of places are available and, according to Wynberg, the courses fill up quickly. It is recommended that prospective pilots try a number of flights beforehand to ensure they are mentally and physically prepared to learn how to glide and to achieve a base level of skills before jumping into the ab initio course.

Students can purchase a four-flight package for initial training. Ab initio training classes are limited to 4-6 students, which allows each student 3-4 flights per day.

Wynberg cautions that prospective students should be aware of the initial costs and time commitments that learning to glide entail. In the beginning, students make numerous flights, each of which incurs a tow charge to release altitude. A student might make two or three flights a day and incur minimum tow charges of $33 per flight. Once trained, the costs of the sport compare favorably with other activities such as golf, skiing or riding.

Once certified, a pilot might make only one flight a day but that flight could easily last for an hour or two. Even still, going gliding isn’t like getting a tee time and playing golf for two or three hours. To go gliding, besides the drive to Hope, it might be several hours before the conditions are ripe for flying.

A fair number of members park their campers or pitch a tent on the grounds and make a weekend out of it.

The club will do about 60-80 fam flights per season which provides some revenue to help pay club expenses, which is nice, but if they had their druthers, club members would prefer that people taking the flights aren’t just thrill seekers or bucket list crossers-off but are sincerely curious about learning to fly gliders. Wynberg is confident that as long as prospective pilots come in with their eyes open as to costs and time, the beauty and thrill of soaring like a bird will make a believer out of them.

The association is non-profit and relies on membership dues, tow charges and fam flights and other revenues to cover operating costs. About 40-strong, the association is currently in a membership drive and is hoping to bulk up with another 10 or so members. Those interested in learning more about gliding can join a “Burger and Beer” meetup event held the first Friday of the month in Vancouver (next ones are June 5 and July 3). Go to vancouversoaring.com for more information.

Photo\Pat grubb

B

ally, though, a gust will catch and you feel the glider begin to lift higher in the air bringing you closer to altitudes which will allow the pilot to play ‘will o’ wisp’ with the mountains and clouds in the sky. Soon, too soon, it is time for the pilot to announce to air traffic that the glider is entering the traffic pattern in preparation for landing. Because the craft can glide so effortlessly, the pilot must deploy spoilers on the wings to bleed off lift and to allow a steeper descent without picking up unnecessary speed. Straightening out, the pilot pulls back on the stick just before touchdown and gently returns to earth.

A short run out and then helpers appear to open the canopy, unbuckle your seat belt and help you take off the parachute.

How was it, the pilot asks, already knowing the answer. He can see it in the broad grin that is glued on your face.

According to Wynberg, often those taking up the sport are or were pilots seeking a purer form of flying. “Some of them are tired of the expense of owning their own plane but still want the thrill of flying,” he said. Others are simply intrigued by the idea of floating on air currents. Hardeep Shoker, 25, is a software engineer from Surrey. A friend of his had sug-

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Learn to Fly Story and photos

By Pat Grubb

The aeroplane has unveiled for us the true face of the earth – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

H

ave you ever looked up at a small airplane in the sky and thought, “I’d like to be able to fly?” If so, you’ll be pleased to know that learning to fly is eminently doable. In recent years, both the U.S. and Canadian governments have introduced pilot’s certificates that involve less training and expense than the standard private pilot’s licenses. In the States, would-be pilots can train for a sport pilot or a recreational pilot license. In Canada, it’s called the recreational pilot permit.

Regardless of where you learn to fly, this class of certificate is more restrictive than private pilot licenses. For example, a recreational pilot in Canada can only fly during daytime in planes with four or fewer seats, carry just one passenger and are restricted to a certain distance from their home airport. The rules are similar in the U.S. except the sport pilot certificate applies to light sport aircraft (LSA). LSAs can only have two seats, a maximum speed of 138 mph, fixed landing gear and so on. LSA capabilities are higher than what the U.S. allows for ultralights in terms of speed, weight and fuel capacity.

Flying might not be all plain sailing, but the fun of it is worth the price – Amelia Earhart

For many people, the choice between getting a private pilot’s license (PPL) and this kind of certificate (RPC) is a matter of time, money and reason for flying. If you’re considering flying as a career or don’t want to be subject to RPC restrictions, there’s no choice – you need to get your PPL. For

others, the RPC may be all they need or desire.

No matter which certificate you pursue, both require a significant expenditure of time and money. In Canada, a RPC requires a minimum of 15 hours of dual instruction and 10 hours of solo flying versus 40 hours of dual and 15 of solo for the PPL. Most people require more than the minimum flying hours to master the skills needed to fly safely.

There’s more, of course. There’s ground instruction, books and supplies, headsets, exam and license fees and so on.

Again, in Canada, you can expect to pay $6,000 and up for a RPC and $12,000 and up for a PPL. In the States, the costs are lower; expect to pay $7,000 to $10,000 for a PPL; a RPC should be around $6,000 or so.

The knack of flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss – Douglas Adams If you think you’re interested in learning to fly, the first thing to do is to schedule an introductory flight at a local flight school (more about these later). A half hour flight in which you’ll take the controls for part of the time usually runs around $120 and will give you a good idea of whether you’re cut out to fly a small plane. At the very least, you’ll get a good aerial view of your hometown. But, if you’re feeling green around the gills, you’ll probably want to try a different adventure that stays on the ground.

There is no shortage of flight schools in the Lower Mainland and northwest Washington. Factors you should consider in choosing a school include the size of the fleet, number of instructors, where it’s located, how long it’s been in existence and whether the school is accredited.

All things being equal, location could be the deciding factor. Daniella Hlynka, a flight instructor with the Pacific Flying Club at Boundary Bay Airport in Delta, B.C., says the ideal training schedule is two or three times a week. A high frequency of lessons means you spend each flight building on what you’ve already learned and not in reviewing past lessons. And, inevitably, there will be days when the weather grounds training flights. Both the U.S. and Canada require that students receive a medical exam by an authorized doctor before they solo – it’s best to get it out of the way at the beginning.

Asked to describe the type of student she encounters, Hlynka said she has students who are interested in flying as a career but currently the bulk of her students are adults who are retired or close to retiring and looking for a new activity to keep them occupied. Mark Young, a flight instructor at Command Aviation at Bellingham International Airport (BIA), reported the same phenomenon. “I see people who might have taken lessons years ago and then family life intervened. Now that the kids have grown and flown the coop, they decide they want to finish what they started. Others now have the time and the money and decide they want to learn to fly,” he said. “I can’t think of anything better than flying to keep people’s mental juices flying – it’s a really good way to keep yourself sharp. How much of a hoot is it to hop into a plane at BIA and fly 30 minutes to Friday Harbor, have lunch and fly home? It would take you all day by ferry.”

How long it takes to get your PPL is really dependent on your schedule, your budget and what time of the year you start. Young recently had a young pilot who flew two to three times a week and took four months to become licensed.

“Learning to fly is probably the biggest and most enjoyable challenge a person can undertake. I get a thrill each time one of my students solos for the first time – that big smile stretching across their face gets me every time.”

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Pacific Flying Club 4335 Skeena Street Delta, B.C., V4K 0A6 604/946-0011 pacificflying.com

Command Aviation 4201 Mitchell Way Bellingham, WA 98226 360/733-3174 877/770-1070 toll free Commandaviation.net

The focus and the concentration and the attention to detail that flying takes is a kind of meditation. I find it restful and engaging, and other things slip away – Harrison Ford Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

35

British Columbia’s

sKagit Valley story and photos By Matt Gruchey

W

ith summer fast approaching, it’s time to get out the camping gear and go exploring.

One spot worth checking out this season is the Skagit River on the Canadian side of the border, just 150km (90 miles) east of Vancouver. The spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife and recreational opportunities of the Skagit Valley make it one of British Columbia’s premier outdoor destinations.

The Skagit has its headwaters in E.C. Manning Provincial Park, and from there it flows south through the northern Cascade Range just outside of Hope, B.C. Although the river continues through Washington state and into the Pacific Ocean, its Canadian terminus is at the reservoir of Ross Lake on the Canada-U.S. border. The B.C. Parks Service maintains the Skagit Valley Provincial Park, which includes three different campsites along the river,

the largest being located at the tip of the Ross Lake reservoir. Reaching the campgrounds requires a 50-kilometer (30-mile) drive along the Silver Skagit Road coming out of Hope. The gravel road is well maintained and actively used by forestry vehicles, so there’s no need for a high-clearance truck. The sites have manual water spigots that are regularly tested for quality, and pit toilets too.

More than 50 kilometers (30 miles) of hiking trails run through the provincial park, some of which have been used by First Nations and early settlers for centuries. They carve their way up the slopes of the Cascades and offer terrific vistas of the Skagit below, as its blue-green, serpentine waters cut through dense thickets of spruce and cottonwood trees. The parks service even offers interpretive tours of the park for those interested in learning more about the

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cultural aspects of the area.

Wildlife photographers and nature-lovers alike will be in their glory around the Skagit. The river attracts an amazing variety of wildlife to its banks, including deer, black bears, wolves and beavers. Flocks of Canada geese can be seen tending to their nests along the river bank, and kingfishers, blue herons and bald eagles are quite common as well. I wasn’t warmly received by the Canada goose whose nest I nearly trod on while fishing, so it’s best to keep your eyes open if you decide to hoof it along the banks. And if you do decide to bring along a camera, a telephoto zoom lens is essential!

While the hiking and photography opportunities alone merit a trip to the Skagit River, one other pastime there seems to eclipse all others, at least for me. The few trips I’ve made to the river to fly fish have been more successful than a week’s worth of fishing at other venues around the lower mainland of B.C., both in terms of scenery and the catch. The Skagit is absolutely teeming with rainbow and bull trout, and the aerial acrobatics of the former are phenomenal. During the insect hatches of springtime, the trout can be seen leaping more than 2 feet out of the water to claim a hatched mayfly on the surface.

Add to this the vast stretches of cattails and rhododendrons along the river, and the white caps of the Cascade Mountains behind Ross Lake to the south, and one can only call the Skagit idyllic. All that’s left to figure out is when to go.

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New Day, New Location!

The three campsites managed in the Skagit River Provincial Park open on May 1 and close October 12. There are no facilities for food, lodging, gas, etc., so be sure to stock up in Hope before heading out. Ross Lake is a reservoir, and water levels near the campsite fluctuate. High water on the Canadian side occurs in July and August.

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37

A history of

adventure:

rock climbing in Washington Pass story and photos By Matt Walker

A

s the sun begins to cast long, summer evening shadows, I put on my harness, tie the laces on my trail running shoes, stuff some climbing protection in my pack, hand my partner a rope and push start on my watch. This is my standard summer Wednesday ritual: an evening sprint on the Blue Lake trail with a partner to climb one of the spires in the Liberty Bell group at Washington Pass, watch the sunset over the Cascades and descend in the dark back to the trailhead.These ascents are not remarkable in their technical nature and are by no means record-breaking in terms of speed, but they would have been unimaginable at the time of the first technical rock climb ascents of the spires in 1937. Indeed, these ascents were only made possible by the creation of the North Cascades Highway.

Late in the 1890s, Washington state commissioned a committee to search for an appropriate route east to west through the North Cascades. Nearly 80 years later, in 1972, the crossstate road through the North Cascades opened: State Route 20, known locally as Highway 20 or the North Cascades Highway.

At mile marker 162 along the North Cascades Highway is a gigantic granite massif that towers over the highway and culminates in five distinct rock towers known as the Liberty Bell group. With more than 75 independent climbing routes to the summits of the spires, the options for climbing are varied and offer possibility in every season of the year.

In 1937, The Sierra Club was in the zenith of its exploratory climbing expeditions, and a team of four headed off to explore the fabled rock towers northeast of Twisp. The late-1800s had brought a series of enterprising projects to the lower Methow Valley, as individuals and company-men sought a rail passage for the Great Northern Railroad, a suitable mountain passage for wagon trains, azurite and gold mine locations and trade opportunities for trappers and ranchers. Each of these groups used what is now known as Twisp River Road to access the deeper regions and higher elevations of the North Cascades.

Due to the technical terrain and alpine conditions, exploration beyond the end of the Twisp River Road was on foot and required good navigation and backcountry skills. With skills honed in the high Sierra peaks, the Sierra Club team traveled from road’s end to the base of the Liberty Bell group and made successful ascents of South Early Winters Spire and Cutthroat Peak, both requiring mountaineering and rock climbing skills. Those climbs ushered in an era of first ascents that continues today.

Likely the most significant and influential climb in the Cascades occurred nine years later.

In 1946, Fred Beckey, Jerry O’Neil and Charles Walsh hiked the nearly 16 cross-country miles from the end of Twisp River Road to make the first ascent of Liberty Bell via the southwest

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Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

face, now known as the Beckey Route. Beckey, whose list of first ascents spans the globe, began his climbing career as a renegade.

As a young member of the Mountaineers’ climbing club, Beckey was not content with following the protocol of their climbing programs or seeking the easiest or least technical path of resistance to the summit. Surrounding himself with like-minded adventurers, he left behind organized climbing clubs and set off to ascend unclimbed peaks via new technical routes.

His ascent of Liberty Bell was the beginning of an exemplary career. As a testament to both Beckey’s aesthetic vision and his route-finding skill, the Beckey Route on Liberty Bell remains the most popular route at Washington Pass.

Fred Beckey continued to return to Washington Pass over the next two decades and established a slew of routes that pushed the envelope of what was considered possible. His vision encouraged others over the next 25 years to make the trek from Twisp and tackle the steep and unclimbed faces at the Pass. 1965 saw the first ascent of the soaring 1,200-foot east face of Liberty Bell. The line rivaled similar climbs in Yosemite and quickly became a test-piece for climbers from the Northwest. It has since gone on to become one of the most well-known routes in the Cascades, with climbers traveling from throughout North America to have a go

MountBakerExperience.com

at this challenging line. The level of commitment and adventure the early pioneers at Washington Pass employed is parallel to the more remote and committing ranges today.

On a crisp September morning in 1972, the North Cascades Highway opened and cross-Cascade travel became possible through the most rugged and remote sections of the range. Climbers took notice and a new era of ascents at Washington Pass began. Overnight, the mountain adventures at Washington Pass shifted from expeditionary in nature to roadside ascents that required only a short alpine hike and easy access to all sides of the towers.

This simplified access, combined with dramatically improving climbing equipment and refined climbing technique invited climbers to move toward previously unimaginable routes and push their climbing skills to higher levels and faster ascents. New technically demanding routes are still being climbed each year.

Adventure has shifted at Washington Pass. What was once a 16-mile cross-country expedition is now an hour-long hike on a well-established trail. Some may argue that adventure in climbing is rare at this point. We have immediate access to a slew of tools to decrease uncertainty: detailed guidebooks, internet forums and smartphone apps allow instant access to route topos, detailed information regarding the climb, photos with route overlays, move-by-move trip reports and specific gear choices. As always, adventure is an individual choice determined by your own willingness to engage with uncertainty. Everyone’s threshold is different.

Significant adventure routes continue to be established at Washington Pass – long, technical and demanding routes that are not guaranteed to succeed. Simultaneously, a novice climber may be ascending their very first alpine climb a short distance away and feeling the excitement and anxiety of pushing their own sense of limitations in a new environment. The beauty of climbing, and the beauty of climbing at Washington Pass, is that both can be had at the same time.

Descending by headlamp from the top of North Early Winters Spire as the first stars of the evening appear, I hear the faint voices of another party on Liberty Bell. As we pack up gear, put on our packs, and tie our shoes for the descent trail, I can’t help but smile and feel the satisfaction of engaging with the mountains in a way that not only energizes me, but also inspires reverence for the natural world. While adventure has shifted at Washington Pass over the years, this experience remains static.

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Where to Eat Acme/Van Zandt Acme Diner

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

Blue Mountain Grill

974 Valley Highway (Hwy9) 360/595-2200 bluemountaingrill.com Fresh, homemade fare, including baked bread and desserts made daily, steaks and burgers. Open for lunch and dinner every day, and breakfast on weekends. Enjoy a beautiful view of the Twin Sisters.

Bellingham BelleWood Acres

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

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

Bellingham Bar & Grill

1408 Cornwall Avenue 360/733-2579 bellinghambarandgrill.com Whatcom County’s oldest bar and grill, serving steaks, burgers, seafood and appetizers. Full bar.

Happy hour 4–7 p.m. daily. Sports entertainment, two shuffleboard tables and seven pool tables.

Monday night karaoke.

Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro

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

Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen

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

Keenan’s at the Pier inside the Chrysalis Inn & Spa

804 10th Street 360/392-5510 thechrysalisinn.com Featuring a seasonal menu, full bar and terrace bar open for happy hour every day, 3–6 p.m.

Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner daily with a view of Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands from every table.

Kulshan Brewing Co.

3040 Northwest Avenue (New Bar) 360/733-3116 Food Truck at Meridian and Pole Road 360/815-6107 tadeosrestaurant.com Authentic and time-tested recipes, fresh ingredients and homemade tortillas. The result?

A menu that bursts with flavor!

The Grace Café

1065 E. Sunset Drive 360/650-9298 gracecafepies.com The perfect stop for your morning coffee and pastry or afternoon snack. Muffins, cinnamon rolls, fruit-filled scones, handmade pies or try a breakfast bagel or deli sandwich. Vegan options available. Dine in or drive thru.

The Historic Rome Deli & Grocery

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

2908 Mt. Baker Highway 360/592-5841 romegrocery.com Celebrating 100 years! Serving grilled paninis, soup, local produce and natural groceries. Craft beer and wine, espresso and fresh baked goods.

Open 6 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

La Gloria Restaurant

Westside Pizza

4140 Meridian Street, Suite 100 360/733-9102 lagloriamarket.com Where everything is fresh and authentic. Visit the Everson taco truck at 7310 Everson Goshen Road (360/966-4446) and Netos Market/Bakery at 2612 Maplewood Avenue in Bellingham (360/594-6504).

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

Luna’s Bistro

Packers oyster bar at semiahmoo resort

3004 Cinema Place 360/306-8676 lunasbistro.com Located next to Regal Cinemas. Serving pizza, pasta, seafood and steaks. Daily happy hour.

Offering a large selection of wine, brews and cocktails. Prime rib night Monday and Tuesday.

Enjoy the outdoor patio.

Tadeo’s Authentic Mexican Food

Blaine 9565 Semiahmoo Parkway 360/318-2000 semiahmoo.com/packers-oyster-bar Visit Packers for the ultimate in an indulgent dining experience. Your taste buds will be delighted by fresh farm-to-table cuisine. From light brunches to expertly crafted dinners. Come in, relax and let the culinary journey begin.

207 E Holly Street 360/647-1862

Pierside Kitchen at Semiahmoo Resort

9565 Semiahmoo Parkway 360/318-2000 semiahmoo.com/pierside-kitchen Pierside Kitchen at Semiahmoo Resort is casual, sophisticated and approachable. Serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, featuring fresh, seasonally inspired cuisine. The menu emphasizes the local and regional bounty.

Burlington Skagit’s Own Fish Market

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

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

Concrete 5B’s Bakery

45597 Main Street 360/853-8700 5bsbakery.com Skagit County’s premier bakeshop serving 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

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.

Deming Il Caffe Rifugio Restorante

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

Where to Stay Anacortes

Blaine

Glacier

Swinomish Casino & Lodge

semiahmoo resort

Blue T Lodge

12885 Casino Drive 360/588-3600 swinomishcasinoandlodge.com 98 luxurious guest rooms capture breathtaking views and the natural beauty of the Anacortes region. Local artwork, sumptuous bedding, stylish furnishings, glass-enclosed showers and complimentary Wi-Fi will ensure that your stay will be comfortable.

9565 Semiahmoo Parkway 360/318-2000 semiahmoo.com Semiahmoo Resort is a premier seaside destination overlooking Semiahmoo Bay. Also home to Loomis Trail Golf Club and Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club. The resort has a full health club and spa, as well as restaurants serving farm-to-table cuisine.

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.

Bellingham

Ferndale

The Chrysalis Inn & Spa

Silver Reef Hotel Casino Spa

9989 Mt. Baker Highway 360/398-9590 or 877/90-BAKER stayatmtbaker.com From mountain chalets to waterfront lodges, Luxury Getaways offers overnight accommodations in newly built vacation homes located in the heart of the Mt. Baker Recreational Area. Perfect for hitting the slopes and relaxing.

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

Three distinctive room types offer increasing levels of luxury.

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4876 Haxton Way 866/383-0777 silverreefcasino.com An award-winning hotel, casino and spa with 105 rooms and suites, beautiful Mt. Baker views, complimentary breakfast and Wi-Fi. You’re sure to enjoy your stay.

Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

Luxury Getaways

Mt. Baker View Guest House

6920 Central Avenue 360/599-2155 mtbakerviewguesthouse.com The Guest House in downtown Glacier sleeps six; two bedrooms, hot tub, kitchen and games.

Airstream Sally is also available for rent. Never raise rates for holidays and no cleaning fees.

The Logs at Canyon Creek

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

Maple Falls Baker Accommodations

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

Mt. Baker Lodging

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

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Maple Falls 15 minutes from Bellingham. New drive-up bar. Live music and events. Last stop for WiFi.

The North Fork Brewery and Beer Shrine

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

Everson Herb Niemann’s Steak House Restaurant

Graham’s Restaurant

Over 75 Local Artists showcasing “NEW” unique works of Art & Jewelry Local Food Vendors Nice selection of Perennials, Annuals, Vegetable starts and soil amenities

Milano’s Restaurant

9990 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2863 Offering fresh pasta dishes with local seafood and produce, plus a diverse selection of desserts. Milano’s is a Northwest staple in its 24th year of operation.

Wake ‘N Bakery

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.

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

Glacier

Ferndale

Chair 9 Woodstone Pizza and Bar

Tadeo’s Authentic Mexican Food

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.

Featuring

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the drive.”

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Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

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Come to Bellingham and Ride!

Sunday, September 20, 2015

Choose from 25, 38, 50, 62, 100, or 124-mile routes • Fully supported • Hearty food stops • Start & finish festivities at Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro, downtown Bellingham • FREE burger or beverage at finish! this is a ride for

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Saturday, July 18, 2015 Bellingham, Wa

Ride for Charity ... the Northwest’s Most Beautiful Ride!

22, 44, 62 & 100 mile courses All proceeds benefit WMBC - Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition • Experience the scenic beauty of Whatcom County’s mountains, valleys, rivers & beaches, all on one family-friendly ride.

• Five rest stops along the route, with free food & beverages, bike techs & safety checks.

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Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

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San Juan Island, WA

Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

43

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

Photography class with Andy Porter: June 11, Burlington. Maximize

Whatcom Rowing Association Open House: May 30, Bellingham. Drop

the potential of your DSLR camera and learn to take stunning photography from a professional. More info: burlingtonwa. gov/DocumentCenter/View/884

June

June 13, Mount Vernon. Catch incredible whitewater action on film. More info: paddle4ever.com/BlazingPaddles

by Bloedel Donovan Park for National Learn to Row Day with WRA. More info: whatcomrowing.org June

Functional fitness for mountain bikers: June–July, Bellingham. Learn

conditioning, bike-fitting, injury prevention, nutrition and training principals from experts. Six week series on Wednesdays starting June 3. Register: corephysiopt.com

Blazing Paddles Film Festival:

Deming

Logging

Show:

June 13–14, Deming. See world champion loggers compete in 31 events and perform incredible feats of woodsmanship. Breakfast and BBQ. More info: demingloggingshow.com

Edge to Edge Marathon: June 14, Ucluelet, BC. Run the Wild Pacific Trail, a natural wonder on the BC coast. More info: edgetoedgemarathon.com PNW Camping Basics: June 15, Bell-

ingham. Learn camping skills tailored for the northwest from REI staff. More info: rei.com/stores/bellingham

rides on the beautiful roads and trails around Bellingham. More info: nwtr. org/2015

Yes, We Can!: July 4, Bellingham. The northwest’s number one craft beer festival, with live music from Polecat and Wild Rabbit. More info: re-sources.org Enjoy Everson Nooksack Summer Festival: July 10–12, Everson. Celebrate

summer and the heritage of this vibrant community with a parade and other activities. More info: eversonnooksackchamber.org

Chuckanut Foot Race: July 11, Bellingham. Seven-mile trail running race through the parks and trails of Bellingham. More info: gbrc.net

Bare Buns Fun Run: July 12, Issaquah.

Be brave, be tough, beat the mountain in the buff. More info: tigermtnudists/bbfrsignup

Sedro-Woolley. Motorcycle and car show with live music and other activities. More info: sedro-woolley.com

Highland Games: June 6–7, Ferndale.

Celebrate Scottish heritage, athletic competitions, music, dancing, food and more.

More info: bhga.org

Bike maintenance basics: June 9,

Bellingham. Routine maintenance on your bike can keep you riding smooth and prolong the life of your bike. REI staff show you how. More info: rei.com/stores/ bellingham

Hamster Endurance Runs: August 15–16, Lake Padden. Run for 6, 12 or 24 hours to test your endurance on a fun, fully supported 2.6 mile track around Lake Padden. More info: hamsterenduranceruns.com Color

Run: August 16, Bellingham. The largest 5k event series in the world comes to Bellingham. More info: thecolorrun.com The Northwest Washington Fair:

August 17–22, Lynden. The classic northwest fair, with a demolition derby, rodeo, live entertainment, motocross, rides, food and more. More info: nwwafair.com

Tour de Whatcom: July 18, What-

Intro to SUP: August 19, Vancouver, BC. Introductory clinic to standup paddle boarding with MEC staff. More info: events.mec.ca

Bellingham. Learn from REI staff how to cook better meals while camping. More info: rei.com/stores/bellingham

Kulshan Quest Adventure Race:

Lake Padden Triathlon: June 27, Bellingham.

A simple, beautiful and well-staffed course makes this a great all-around triathlon. More info: cob. org/services/recreation/ races Sumas Community Days: June 27–28, Sumas. Festival with parade, car show, softball tournament and more. More info: sumaschamber.com

Vacationland RV Bellingham Kids Traverse: June 28, Bellingham.

A kid-size multisport fun-race to the ultimate destination: Mallard Ice Cream.

More info: recreationnorthwest.org

July Northwest Tandem Rally 2015:

Bellingham, July 2–6. A week of scenic

44

ness the awesome power and acrobatics of a variety of aircraft with skilled pilots.

More info: abbotsfordairshow.com

Paddling Whatcom County: July 20, Bellingham. Join REI staff for an overview of the fresh and saltwater destinations in Whatcom County waiting to be explored.

More info: rei.com/stores/bellingham

R2AK: June 4, Port Townsend.

Blast from the Past: June 5–7,

Abbotsford International Airshow: August 7–9, Abbotsford, BC. Wit-

Gourmet Camp Cooking: July 14,

com County. Cycle the iconic roads of Whatcom County, beginning and ending in Bellingham with 22, 44 or 105-mile routes. More info: tourdewhatcom.com

Teams kayak, paddle, row or sail their way from Port Townsend to Ketchikan, AK along the Inside Passage.

Any boat without an engine can enter, and a pile of cash awaits the winner. Cheer the starting line in Port Townsend June 4 or the start of the second stage in Victoria, BC June 7. More info: r2ak.com.

NW Run Archery Classic: August 2, Bellingham. Similar to biathlon, run archery features a footrace with target archery in between laps. Novice and competitive divisions. More info: nwrunarcheryclassic.com

Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

July 25, Bellingham. An endurance, multi-sport scavenger hunt over challenging, rewarding terrain near Fairhaven. Fly solo or with your buds, and celebrate with Kulshan beer after the race. More info: recreationnorthwest.com

Map and Compass Navigation: July 27, Bellingham. Learn from REI staff the basics of navigating with a map and compass. More info: rei.com/stores/bellingham Mt. Baker Rhythm & Blues Festival: July 31–August 2, Deming. Voted

“Best Blues Festival in America” in 2013, this fest at the Deming Log Show grounds is sure to please any music fan. More info: bakerblues.com

August Whidbey Island Triathlon: August

1, Langley. A great all-around triathlon for beginners and veterans alike. More info: sparks.org/triathlon

Muds to suds: Au-

gust 29, Ferndale. Run through the mud with your buds, over 22 obstacles and pits. Wash off in the suds after you cross the finish line of this 5k obstacle course, and enjoy start and finish line festivities. More info: mudstosuds.com

September Wooden Boat Festival: Septem-

ber 11–13, Port Townsend. Celebrate the beauty, history and craftsmanship of wooden boats at the largest festival of its kind in North America. Music, food, family fun and of course an

MountBakerExperience.com

Find your way on the

kulshan quest

By Ian Ferguson

“W

e already came this way. Are we lost?”

That’s a rare thought when running your average marathon or biking your typical century race. In most races, the path is clearly laid out ahead of you. There’s a start and a finish, maybe some refreshment tables in between, and navigation is not a problem. You can put your head down and power through the miles using the latest mental technique you read about in Runner’s World.

In adventure racing, the eerie feeling that you might be lost happens all the time, and it’s often the truth. Adventure racers navigate their own way through a complex course using a trail map, compass and the power of observation. Getting lost is half the fun. The goal is not to finish fastest, but to get to the most checkpoints within a set amount of time.

Adventure racing came to Bellingham last year in the form of the Kulshan Quest. About 35 teams and soloists kayaked, hiked, ran and mountain biked their way through multiple

environments to find checkpoints. The race started and ended in Fairhaven, and the checkpoints were scattered throughout the Chuckanuts, Larrabee State Park and the Fairhaven area. There was a six-hour course and a 12-hour course, and a bbq beer-garden at the finish line.

“It got a lot of good reviews,” race-director Brent Molsberry said about the inaugural year. The Kulshan Quest is back for round two this summer. With a local team that competes at the national level and a club dedicated to adventure racing, the concept is starting to catch on among the adventurous crowd: adventure racing is a ton of fun.

“It’s like trail running and finding Easter eggs,” said Ky Nayfield, who participated in a practice session in May to get ready for this summer’s race. “You feel reinforced every time you complete a checkpoint. Plus there is that subtle voice of competition in the back of your mind helping you push forward.”

The practice session Nayfield took part in was put on by the Quest Adventure Racing Club, which meets every few weeks for short trail runs to checkpoints, allowing participants to brush up on orienteering and navigation skills. The club has been growing steadily, Molsberry said.

Unlike relay races where you only see your teammates to handoff the timing chip, adventure racing teams stay together from start to finish. When the going gets tough, good teamwork skills are vital: cooperation, communication and forgiving Larry when he leads the team in the wrong direction for two hours can spell the difference between success and disaster. Surly individualists might want to race solo, but for some, the team aspect is a draw.

“Even in a 12-hour race, but especially in a 24- or 30-hour race, there’s no way you’re not going to have a down point when you’re tired and kind of miserable. With teammates, you can motivate each other and help each other through the bad times,” Molsberry said.

The national championship adventure race, which was held in Maryland last October, had a 30-hour time limit.

Molsberry and the Quest Adventure Racing team took sixth place, bagging 46 checkpoints in 29 hours and 40 minutes.

Some races are even longer; in 2004, Molsberry and a team of adventure-racing newbies completed the Primal Quest Expedition Length Adventure Race in northwest Washington. For six days, they trekked, biked and kayaked their way to finish in 18th place. Good team dynamics were definitely a factor.

“There are times in those longer races where you might not see another team for several hours,” Molsberry said. “You have to trust and rely on your teammates to navigate successfully.”

The Chuckanuts are familiar territory for many of the locals competing in the Kulshan Quest, and that might be an advantage. But Molsberry prides himself on building challenging courses that deviate from the expected. He spent months ensuring this year’s course is unique, challenging and rewarding. No matter how familiar the trails may be, careful observation and awareness of one’s surroundings will be key to winning. The awareness that adventure racing requires can bring a fresh perspective to familiar trails.

“It’s a little more cerebral. You have to be thinking the whole time. Your experience is very different from most races because you’re actively looking at the environment. You’re counting stream crossings, keeping track of what direction you’re heading – you notice things you would never see otherwise,” Molsberry said.

Registration is open for the second Kulshan Quest Adventure Race, which is scheduled for July 25. To register, go to recreationnorthwest.org/quest-adventure-races.

The Kulshan Quest Adventure Race is put on by the good folks at Recreation Northwest, who promote outdoor recreation by organizing races, hosting the Recreation Northwest EXPO and Race Director Summit, and acting as the park steward for Fairhaven Park. Their other summer races include the Bellingham Kids Traverse, the Bellingham Traverse and the Island Quest Adventure Race in the San Juan Islands.

Check them out online at recreationnorthwest.org.

x

Events incredible variety of wooden boats. More info: nwmaritime.org

Scenic To claSS V WhiTeWaTer adVenTureS

Bellingham Traverse: September

19, Bellingham. The multisport relay race through Bellingham puts a big emphasis on fun. Run, mt. bike, road bike, kayak and trek your way to the finish line, solo or with friends. More info: recreationnorthwest.org

Tour de Whidbey: September 19,

Whidbey Island. Bicycle ride around Whidbey Island with stunning views and support. Proceeds support excellence in healthcare on Whidbey Island. More info: tourdewhidbey.com

Chuckanut Century: September 20, Bellingham. A fully supported bicycle ride with hearty food stops and start and finish festivities. Choose from scenic 25, 38, 50, 62, 100 or 124-mile routes. More info: chuckanutcentury.org Island Quest Adventure Race: Sep-

tember 27, Orcas Island. Mountain bike, kayak and trek your way across local trails and waterways. The best route is up to you and your teammates. Six- and 12-hour races. Info: recreationnorthwest.org

Bellingham Bay Marathon: September 27,

Bellingham. Run past beautiful views on this classic Boston Marathon qualifier, with live music and beer at the finish line.

More info: bellinghambaymarathon.org

Day Trips • Half Day Trips • package Trips “QualiTy Taken To exTreme”

1-800-413-6840 • 360-599-31 15 w w w. w i l Da n D s c e n i c . c o m

Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

45

good Stuff Guide

By Pat Grubb

Advanced Elements Rapid Up Kayak Sail

This pop-up downwind sail will give you a break from paddling. Features rip-stop fabric, and an internal frame deploys and breaks down quickly for on-deck storage. $75.

Platypus Platypreserve

Have your hike and your wine too. This lightweight, unbreakable wine container is taste-free, BPA-free and keeps wine fresh longer. $10.

Black Diamond Vapor Helmet

This ultralight rock climbing helmet offers plenty of protection and ventilation. Kevlar, carbon rods, EPS foam and polycarbonate shell makes this a go-anywhere must-have. $140.

Tentstile Tent Systems

These elevated tents get you off the ground and into the air. Sleeping 2-9 people, these hammock-style attach to trees with 2.5 ton ratcheting straps. $350 on up.

REI Sea to Summit X Pot 5-Piece Cook set

Who needs to hear the clanking of aluminum dishes from your pack as you’re hiking along? These lightweight pots, bowls and cups have flexible silicone walls that collapse down for compact storage. $100.

E-Case phone Cases

Now there are E-Case cases for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+.

They’ll protect your phone from immmersion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. $25 and up.

PackTowl Personal

PackTowl Personal towels (sized S-XXL) are soft and smooth and are great for camping, working out or the beach. They absorb four times their weight in water. $7.95 and up.

be local, buy local.

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

The Man ON TOP of the mountain did not FALL THERE

-Vince Lombardi

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Mt. Baker Lodging offers a full-service “turn-key” program that combines extensive marketing with reservation procurement and professional housekeeping services, providing you with hassle-free rental income that assists in reducing the debt service associated with owning and maintaining a second home.

Our Clients enjoy peace-of-mind while working with the Mt. Baker area’s oldest, largest and most established vacation rental agency. Mt. Baker Lodging provides friendly and knowledgeable personnel in a fully staffed local area office, utilizing a direct hands-on approach to managing the properties that we represent. Our Clients also have the flexibility of utilizing their homes for personal use between rental occasions. It’s a win/win!

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north cascades mountain stream.

Photo\lauren howland

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Proudly Serving Whatcom County for over 68 Years “Traditional Service Meeting Modern Needs.”

Northwest Propane LLC. is locally owned and operated and has been in business since 1947. We service Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish and Island counties. In addition to delivering propane, we also stock propane parts, and sell tanks from 1 to 1,000 gallons. We take pride in our service and will help with all your propane needs.

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wildlife ecologist chris morgan studies Brown bears in alaska’s katmai National Park.

The Wildest

I

animal

By Ian Ferguson photos by brenda phillips

Brown bears congregate to eat salmon on the katmai peninsula. Though called brown bears in Coastal Alaska, they are identical to grizzly bears in the lower 48.

f an unarmed human and a grizzly bear enter the thunder dome, we all know the outcome: the bear leaves after an easy meal. With big claws, sharp teeth, the strength of a lion and the speed of a gazelle, grizzly bears are the last animals you want to suddenly encounter on a hike, bike or horseback ride. So why would we want them in our local mountains?

One answer is that grizzlies were here first. Before white settlers hunted them nearly to extinction, grizzly bears thrived in the North Cascades and across much of the northwest.

They were listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1975, and a recovery plan with a chapter specific to the North Cascades ecosystem was drafted in 1982. A subsequent five-year study found that the ecosystem was ripe for grizzly recovery, but it’s unlikely the local population will recover on its own because so few grizzlies are left in the region. The last grizzly sighting in the North Cascades was five years ago in south-central BC, and in Washington state the last confirmed sighting in the North Cascades was in 1996. A confirmed grizzly encounter in the area today would make front page headlines across the country; they are ghost bears, as rare as Sasquatch.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) with the help of other government land managers and non-profit agencies are working to recover grizzly bear populations in the North Cascades ecosystem. Earlier this year, they opened a public comment period for residents to voice concerns, ask questions and get information about the recovery process. Multiple alternatives, including taking no action, are on the table for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), but one alternative might include translocating bears to the North Cascades ecosystem from a similar ecosystem where populations are healthy.

Even if the EIS points towards the more aggressive recovery method of translocating bears, wildlife ecologists predict it would take about 100 years for the local grizzly bear population to recover to historical populations.

Grizzly bears procreate very slowly.

FWS public affairs supervisor Ann Froschauer pointed to recovery efforts in the Bitterroot Mountains of Idaho and Montana as an example of how translocation has been used in other ecosystems.

“They brought in five bears a year over six years for a total of 30 bears, and the population is slowly recovering. No matter which route we decide to take, it’s going to be a very long, slow process,” Froschauer.

Washingtonians submitted more than 2,000 comments during the public comment period of the scoping phase.

Comments were submitted at town

meetings and via online forms, emails and letters.

“There were responses on both sides of the issue,” Froschauer said. “A lot of people came to the meetings because they were just interested in learning about grizzly bears. It was a good opportunity to have conversations and share information about bears, the EIS process and the recovery efforts.”

Commenters voiced concerns about safety for hikers, bikers and horseback riders, trail access issues, threats to livestock and agriculture, and socioeconomic impacts. Now, experts and scientists will use those comments and all prior research to determine all the potentialities that need to be covered in the EIS. A draft EIS is expected to be completed next summer, at which point there will be another public comment period. The second round of comments will be taken into consideration for the final EIS, expected to come out in the summer of 2017, after which government land managers will make a decision about which alternative makes the most sense.

A second possible argunment for grizzlies is the wildness they represent. A bear encounter in the wild can be terrifying, exhilarating and potentially deadly, but it is undeniably powerful. In the case of wildlife ecologist Chris Morgan, his first encounter with bears was a formative experience that caused him to change his entire life’s path.

Growing up in England, Morgan was drawn to animals from an early age. He played with ants in his grandma’s backyard as a child, and he had a natural affinity for all living creatures. But as he came up through his sixth form (similar to junior and senior years in American high school), Morgan was on a path toward a very different life’s pursuit: graphic design.

After graduating sixth form in 1987, Morgan traveled to America. He landed a job as a camp counselor at a summer camp in Berlin, New Hampshire, a mill town in the rural northern part of the state surrounded on all sides by national forest. At the time, the town had environmental problems.

The Androscoggin river that powered the paper mill was one of the worst polluted rivers in the country. Decades of sprawl had overtaxed Berlin’s public services, and the local dump was poorly managed. Irresistibly attracted to the easy

pickings at the dump, black bears were becoming a nuisance.

A biologist came to the summer camp where Morgan was working to talk about his work with local black bears. Morgan was blown away.

“I was amazed. I was like, ‘You can be a bear biologist?

That’s the greatest thing I ever heard,’” Morgan recalled. “So I bugged him and he ended up taking me out in the field.”

Morgan helped the biologist tranquilize and relocate 14 black bears that had become dependent on the garbage patch. They radio-collared the bears for monitoring and future research. The experience of working with bears for the first time was enough to change Morgan’s life. When he went back to England, he spent one day pursuing a graphic design degree then dropped out.

“I had discovered my path in life,” Morgan said. “I wanted to be a bear guy.”

Since then, Morgan has traveled all around the world studying bears. He has narrated numerous television documentaries, most recently the PBS Nature series Animal Homes, and went on the Late Show with David Letterman to talk about bear awareness. A Bellingham resident, Morgan co-founded the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project in 2000, later renamed Western Wildlife Outreach (WWO), to educate the public about bears and other top predators.

“We’re an outlet to give scientific, accurate information about bears in a place where that’s been lacking. It’s about listening as much as talking. We work all over the North Cascades, and we listen to people who are opposed to grizzly bears as much as people who want grizzly bears. We take a pretty open-minded, pragmatic approach to it all,” Morgan said.

There are plenty of black bears in the North Cascades, and those who hike in bear country are well-versed in proper habits: make noise as you hike to prevent surprise encounters, hang your food at night at least 50 yards from your tent.

Those same principals apply in grizzly bear country, and the takeaway is that avoidance is the best strategy. Luckily, Morgan said, that’s pretty easy to do: grizzlies are elusive, and will usually run in the opposite direction if they see a human. If you do encounter a bear, respectful distance is always the best protocol.

Seeing a bear in the wild is a powerful experience. I remember the first time I saw one up close.

I was a teenager, and I happened to be on the next river south from the Androscoggin, paddling a canoe on the Saco river with my friend Josh. A small black bear cub ambled out of the woods 20 yards from our canoe.

Stunned, Josh and I drifted closer as another cub emerged behind the first. Josh started to paddle up to the cubs, but I told him what I had

been told about bear cubs: the mother is never far away, and she is extremely protective. We stared in awe as we floated past.

The feeling you get when you encounter something totally wild and a little dangerous is unique. It’s a thrill that gets Morgan out of bed in the morning.

“There is nothing else in my mind at that moment except me and that bear, and making sure I’m behaving in the right way, intelligently and respectfully. It thrusts me into the distant and wild past. I think humans in general lack that connection these days, and it’s not good for us. Bears keep you humble, keep you on your toes and make you think for yourself and take responsibility. They make you do all these things just by being in their world.” Morgan said. “Rabbits don’t do that.”

Grizzlies have environmental benefits as well. One benefit is the trophic cascade, the trickle down effect of a top predator. The best example is the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995. The wolves culled overpopulated deer communities and altered the behavior of the deer, allowing grasses and trees to recover in the valleys, which brought migratory birds and beavers back to the ecosystem.

The wolves also reduced coyote populations allowing rodent populations to recover, which brought back hawks and eagles. Bears benefitted from the rebounding berries as well as from scavenging wolf kills. The recovering vegetation along the banks of the rivers reduced erosion and led to clearer, deeper channels and pools, which benefitted fish. The introduction of a top predator changed the entire ecosystem for the better.

“Ecologically, we’re discovering that these top predators can have a major impact. With grizzly bears, the ecosystem wouldn’t collapse without them, but they do a lot to improve an ecosystem. They dig through soil for grubs, bulbs and tubers which breaks up and aerates the soil, and they fertilize it as they go. A lot of studies have been done on the Alaska coast where you find that a high percentage of the trees are dependent on the nitrogen that bears can bring to a forest in the form of urine and feces, which they brought from the marine environment by eating fish. I used to tell my students when I taught at Western [Washington University], ecosystems are not only more complex than we think, they’re more complex than we can think. You take out one piece of the puzzle, and who knows what the ramifications are down the line,” Morgan said.

There are also tangential benefits that come from protecting a wide-ranging top predator such as the grizzly bear. Protecting and managing the 10,000 square miles of the North Cascades ecosystem so that a viable population of grizzly bears can live there means protecting that land for countless thousands of other species of plants and animals.

“It’s kind of the umbrella effect. Grizzlies want to be where there’s plenty of space to roam, good natural resources, plenty of plants and food for them to eat. An adult male might wander 500 square miles, so they want to be in the heart of those wild places. If you protect them, you by default protect the other species that live there, and a variety of other things we humans value: fresh air, clean water and healthy wilderness,” Morgan said.

Grizzly bears are loners that have learned to shy away from humans, and their need for wilderness makes the North Cascades one of only a few places in the lower 48 that could support a grizzly bear population. Having grown up in England, where the last grizzly bear was killed by the Romans a thousand years ago, Morgan has a heightened appreciation for that fact.

“Britain isn’t wild enough for bears and wolves anymore, but the North Cascades are one of very few places in the world that still is,” Morgan said. “Grizzlies represent something we should all be very proud of here, because it’s a rare thing on the planet these days.”

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Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

51

The

skate

Burlington & Sedro-Woolley MuSeuM SedroWoolley & Gift Shop

Wed. Noon - 4 p.m.

Thurs. Noon - 3:30 p.m.

Sat. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sun. 1 - 4 p.m.

725 Murdock Street • 360-855-2390 • www.sedrowoolleymuseum.org

A

skate park in Glacier has been a longtime dream of the tight-knit mountain community. Dedicated readers may remember a 2013 MBE article entitled “The Coal Pad: Building the Glacier Skate Park,” written

by Jeremy Miller. The article chronicled the progress and support for the project, which made creative use of a concrete coal pad and piles of coal on private land. Red tape and lack of funds put the project on a twoyear hiatus, but a recent party – one of the best Glacier has had in years – has put the spotlight back on the dream of a legitimate, fully-permitted destination skate park in Glacier, and sponsors are lining up to throw their support behind what has been a phenomenal community effort.

Ryan Davis, a northwest rep for LibTech, helped organize the fundraising party, which was to be held in tandem with the Legendary Banked Slalom. With the lack of snow, the LBS was rescheduled and then canceled, and momentum for the fundraiser was in question until Jamie Lynn, legendary snowboarder and artist, threw his support behind it. The party was on, and when the dust settled, $21,500 had been raised from art sales, donations and brand sponsorship.

LibTech, Chair 9, Asymbol Gallery, Vans, Evo, Frequency TSJ, Volcom, Die Cut Stickers – the list of brand sponsors supporting the project is impressive. Local businesses helping out include Mt. Baker Ski Area, Mt. Baker Snowboard Shop, Washington Wind Sports and Hidden Wave, and GrindLine has agreed to offer design assistance. The end goal is a fully permitted, fully featured skate bowl with restrooms that will be a favorite hangout for local riders, a showpiece for the community and a destination in its own right. With so much support, both from locals and big-name sponsors, the goal is well on its way to fruition.

“This is one of the coolest projects I’ve been a part of, and to watch the community come together to bring this from the coal pad to a legitimate, destination skate bowl has been amazing,” Davis said. “Just about the entire community of Glacier has come out in support, and I’m extremely proud to be a part of it.”

The land is privately owned by Joe King, who has generously agreed to the park as long as it is fully permitted with restrooms.

Permits for the project have been submitted and project managers are waiting for Whatcom County officials to sign off. One thing’s for sure – if and when the Glacier Skate Park is finished, plenty of people will be lined up to skate the freshly cured concrete.

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Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

MountBakerExperience.com

Photo\ryan davis

If you build it, they will

Concrete: Gateway to the North Cascades The “You Name It - We Got It” Store • Camping Supplies • Sporting Goods & Tackle • Hardware • Electrical • Plumbing • Lumber • Paint • Gifts

A 1940s-style bakery in Concrete serving espresso, old-fashioned sodas, handcrafted pies and artisan breads!

• Variety of morning baked goods including cinnamon rolls, french toast and waffles

(360) 853-8811

Great Food For Every Body

45900 Main Street • Concrete

CASCADE SUPPLY, INC.

Every food lover’s favorite destination!

360.853.8700

as you drive up North Cascades Hwy 20 E.

Albert’s

• Daily specials include lasagna, pot pies or baked macaroni & 5 cheese

45597 Main St. • Concrete

Last Full Service Grocery Store • Full service grocery store • Fresh meats & produce • Fishing & camping supplies • Licenses for fishing & hunting

• Panini sandwiches, hearty salads, and soups made from scratch daily

Dedicated Gluten Free

• Video Rentals • Western Union • Alcohol & Spirits • 24-hour ice

44546 State Route 20 Concrete, WA 98237

360-853-8540

ExpEriEncE the north cascades

Open Daily 7-5 • Closed Tuesdays

PIZZA that’s a “Destination” worth the drive!

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Pizza • Sandwiches • Subs & Grinders Pasta • Salads

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Tues-Sat 11am-9pm Sun 2pm-8pm Closed Mondays

Find us on

44568 State Route 20 • Concrete, WA

S k a g i T T o u r S 2 015

Tour

Dine

Explore Encounter the beauty, adventure and fun of the North Cascades. To learn more about what awaits you, visit www.skagittours.com or call (360) 854-2589.

Skagit Tours

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North Cascades National Park - Enjoy summer learning and recreation www.nps.gov/noca or (360) 85 4 -7200.

North Cascades Institute - Connecting people, nature and community through education since 1986 www.ncascades.org or (360) 854-2589. Photo credit David Astudillo

Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

53

s t e l a h C t s e The fin ! r e ff o o t s a h Mt. Baker Just because you’re in the Wilderness, doesn't mean you have to rough it Overnight Accommodations • Luxurious Amenities Fireplaces • Hot Tubs • Wifi Available

Noww SSeeNrrvovin ing

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

Begin your love affair with Mt. Baker's magic. Fall under the spell enjoying 6,000 sq ft of chalet style home on 40 acres. Easy access to skiing, snowboarding, fishing, river rafting, incredible hiking and mountain bike trails. Four seasons of fun!

Contact us: www.stayatmtbaker.com • info@stayatmtbaker.com 1-877-90-BAKER 9989 Mt. Baker Hwy • Glacier, WA 98244

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View at: https://vimeo.com/100661048

Call Kathy Madsen or Cindy Paur at 206.953.1421 or 206.949.4497

Resort Condominiums

Full and Fractional Condo Sales and Rentals Available

Come Experience Snowater Resort,

Gateway to the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest and Ski Area

360-599-2724 54

Mount Baker Experience | Summer 2015

Glacier, WA

www.snowater.org MountBakerExperience.com

Glacier Full Service Restaurant - fresh pasta - local seafood & produce - daily specials - espresso - catering - housemade desserts - NEW Fine Italian Cocktail Bar

open 7 days a week during the summer season

360.599.2863

9990 Mt. Baker Highway

facebook.com

HOT SHOTS

v

E STOR BIG SCOOPS

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

for schedule

PrivAte rooM available for parties and events.

CAterinG for all your party needs.

10459 Mt. Baker Hwy Glacier, WA

360/599-2511 www.Chair9.com

Glacier’s Only Hotel

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

Glacier, WA • 599-2665

Located next to Chair 9 A great place to rest your head after your mountain adventure!

Cozy Log Cabins

Mid Week Stay 2 nights, 3rd is FREE Special* the *excluding holidays

Fireplaces Kitchens

7577 Canyon View Dr. (Glacier Springs) Glacier, WA

360-599-2711

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Serving great food 7 days a week

9989 Mt Baker HWy

360-599-9883

129

weekends

ham’ ra Glacier, Wa s h i n G t o n

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h Great Food h Live Music h Happy Hour speciaLs h servinG sunday BreakFast

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Ask about pet-friendly rooms

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Airstream Sally

Sleeps 2 • Bathroom around the corner No Pets • Can be towed to your site.

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room rAtes:

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View • 2 Bedrooms • Full Kitchen Hot Tub • Sleeps 6

www.bluetlodge.com

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Mt. Baker View Guesthouse

Walk-in reservations and 1 night stays available!

Satisfy your vacation rental needs.

Office 7425 Mt. Baker Hwy. • Maple Falls

BakerAccommodations.com • 1.888.695.7533

Mention ad #1350 for a special check-in gift!

OPEN DAILY • 9am - 5pm Summer 2015 | Mount Baker Experience

55

The Shortest Distance to Far Away 速

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

Experience easy going islands, year round. Discover friendly towns, sandy beaches, intimate cafes, art galleries, stunning views, wineries, and impressive state parks. Just 70 miles from the Canadian border, you can drive onto either island,

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