mount baker experience winter 2013

XXXXXAKERKXXXXXXAKMOUNT BAXXXXXXBAAXXXXXXAMOUNTXXXXOXXTXXXX KKUXX RXXXXXXXX RXXXXXX EXXA RXXXXXXXX EXXXXXXXXM XXXX EXXB ERXX RXX KBXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXMOUNT BAKER

XXXXXAKERKXXXXXXAKMOUNT BAXXXXXXBAAXXXXXXAMOUNTXXXXOXXTXXXX KKUXX RXXXXXXXX RXXXXXX EXXA RXXXXXXXX EXXXXXXXXM XXXX EXXB ERXX RXX KBXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXMOUNT BAKER

Adventures in the PAcific northwest | winter 2013

sPeciAl PublicAtion of the northern light

e perience

Winter 2013 | Mount bAker exPerience 3

COntents26

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MOunt Baker experienCe puBlishers Patrick grubb and louise Mugar, Point roberts Press, inc. Managing DireCtOr kathy Mcgee art DireCtOr charlie hagan aDvertising Design charlie hagan, ruth lauman aDvertising sales Molly ernst, Judy fjellman, Janet Mccall OffiCe Manager Amy weaver COntriButOrs Molly baker, Pamela beason, John brunk, erik burge, Mallory clarke, gene davis, ryan duclos, Anthony fiorillo, kara furr, Jay goodrich, Andrew grubb, Patrick grubb, grant gunderson, dylan hallett, dylan hart, kurt hicks, Patrick kennedy, brandy kiger, Aubrey laurence, sam lozier, sue Madsen, Jason d. Martin, Joe Meche, Jefferson l. Morriss, david Moskowicz, louise Mugar

©2012 pOint rOBerts press 225 Marine drive, blaine, wA 98230 tel: 360/332-1777 eMail: [email protected] WeB: mountbakerexperience.com faCeBOOk: facebook.com/mtbakerexperience pinterest: pinterest.com/mtbakerexp tWitter: twitter.com/Mb_experience

If you can see Mt. Baker, you’re part of the experience. Mount baker experience is a quarterly recreation guide for and about the Mt. baker area, published by Point roberts Press, inc. locally owned, the company also publishes the northern light, All Point bulletin, Pacific coast weddings, waterside and area maps. vol. xxvii, no. 1. Printed in canada. next eDitiOn: feBruary 2013 | aDs Due: January 16, 2013

Winter 2013

near Disasters 03 Code Blue when things go wrong on the mountain

06 snow Blind A series of mistakes led to a near-fatal disaster

09 snow Missiles when a shortcut turned into a dangerous traverse

Be prepareD 10 shredding ready getting prepared for backcountry skiing

12 avalanche awareness don’t go into the backcountry without it

high peaks 14 Mountain Man A conversation with duncan howat

16 Mt. Baker high one week at baker equals a season anywhere else

17 sOs outreach program gets kids on the mountain

19 flying high what’s on your bucket list?

26 vertical ice nothing like the experience of ice climbing

20 phOtO gallery

gearing up 23 staying Dry A primer on managing moisture

24 Winter gear the latest for adventure seekers

further afielD 28 feet first snow-free winter hikes in northwest washington

30 Day of raptors cascade foothills offer premier hawk watching

31 eagle Watch catch a sight of this winter spectacle

32 in the footsteps of Bears tracking wildlife on the nooksack river

34 Watchful eyes border Patrol in the backcountry

36 Dining and lodging

38 Winter events/activities

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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST | WINTER 2013

SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF POINT ROBERTS PRESS

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taylor lyman skiing early in the season at Mt. baker

Photo: grant gunderson grantgunderson.com

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Mountains beg to be climbed.Their tall, unwavering peaks inspire dreams of con-

quering towering heights and call with siren-like attraction, daring men and women to risk life and limb to make the summit.

Glaciers only serve to increase the attraction – and the risk.

The North Cascades are no stranger to risk takers. With its wide swath of 684,000 acres stretching from the Canadian border into the heart of Washington, the mountain range is home to dozens of peaks and more than 300 glaciers. It’s the highest concentration of glacial fields in the lower 48 states and a playground for mountain enthusiasts.

When Jefferson Morriss, Keith LeMay and Anthony Fio-rillo set out on September 8 to summit Ruth Mountain, a 7,115-foot peak in the North Cascades, they expected that it would be “an easy mountain,” a steady trip up and back and a great way to spend a weekend with the guys. What they didn’t expect is that they would find themselves 30 feet down in the intensely blue cavern of a crevasse and require What-com County Search and Rescue (SAR) to come to their aid.

The men left the trailhead on Saturday with the prospect of a clear, warm and sunny day, and made their way up through the alpine valleys to the glacial fields. By early evening, they had set up base camp on the saddle of the mountain. They spent the night there, with lightning storms in the distance behind the mountains. They had breakfast and broke camp before dawn on Sunday to make the final trek to the sum-mit, arriving just in time for the sunrise. “It was gorgeous,” said Morriss, who took photos of the morning sky while the others rested. Then, around 10 a.m., they began to find their way back down the mountain.

On the way down, the climbers weren’t surprised to find a crevasse in their path. “We saw it a long way off,” Fiorillo said. “They’re all obvious.”

“It was big enough for a car to drive into,” Morriss added. The crack in the glacier posed an interesting scenario for

the men. In general, it’s best to give these gaping fissures in the ice field a wide berth, just to ensure safety, but Fiorillo thought it might be a great opportunity to brush up on the crevasse rescue skills he had acquired in mountaineering school. After all, they were already roped in for ice climbing, he was confident in his training, and they had all the neces-sary gear on hand. It seemed like a good plan.

LeMay and Morriss agreed. “He asked me if I wanted to get some training and some pictures,” Morriss said. “I wasn’t going to pass that opportunity up.”

They laid pickets into the hard-packed snow, set up their protection like Fiorillo had learned in school and clipped in before they began to lower Morriss into the crevasse. He was barely over the edge when everything went wrong.

Before they could react, a picket broke free from its an-chor point. Morriss’ weight pulled LeMay and Fiorillo for-ward, snapping them both through the air. All three were plunged deep into the cavern.

When things gO WrOng. Every year, thousands of people make their way into the North Cascades to play. Hikers, skiers, mountaineers – they go to find adventure and respite from their day-to-day lives, and most have a safe and happy trip, returning home relaxed and rejuvenated.

CODe Blue when things go wrong on the mountain

story by brAndy kiger

continued on next page

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4 Mount bAker exPerience | fall 2012

But it’s not uncommon for things to go awry. Inclement weather sets in fast on the mountain. People get lost. Boul-ders fall while you’re taking a bathroom break. It all hap-pens. “Anytime you’re in the backcountry, there’s the poten-tial for danger,” said Ed Heincoop, Whatcom County Search and Rescue spokesman. And, when the worst does happen, that’s when SAR gets called in.

The group responds to everything from bee stings to lost hikers to plane crashes. In his 17 years as a volunteer, Hein-coop has seen it all. He has story after story of things going wrong in the backcountry, even when everything is done right.

Housed under the umbrella of Whatcom County Search and Rescue Council, the network is comprised of six groups: Summit to Sound, RACES Emergency Communication, Mountain Rescue, Whatcom County 4x4, Whatcom County Dive Rescue and Civil Air Patrol. The 200-member group, which is 100 percent volunteer based, is headquartered just north of Bellingham, and works in conjunction with the Whatcom County Sheriff ’s Office. It partners with park-contracted helicopters, the Navy base on Whidbey Island and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for he-licopter service. “We are really lucky,” Heincoop said. “There are very few teams that have the resources we do.”

The teams receive specialty training for their divisions, and many SAR volunteers are cross-trained across disci-plines. Members pay for their own equipment, fuel and training, and provide their services to the area free of charge. It’s a lot of money, Heincoop admits, but there are plenty of non-tangibles that keep them in the game. “We do it because it’s fun. It’s a rush. It’s a kick in the ass,” he said.

insiDe the Crevasse. The 30-foot fall had knocked Morriss and his friends unconscious. But they were lucky. They had all been wearing helmets, and while LeMay suffered the worst of the injuries – a brain bleed, lacerated liver, seven broken ribs and a collapsed lung – Fiorillo was still mobile and able to make his way along the fissure to where the crevasse narrowed and shimmy up to the surface. Despite a broken collarbone, he then climbed back up the glacier, to find cell service, and called 911.

When a call like Fiorillo’s comes in, dispatch directs it to the SAR deputy on duty, who decides which SAR services are best suited for the situation. Team leaders are notified, and they send out texts or voicemail notifications to mem-bers. “My phone is on 24/7,” Heincoop said.

Team members show up at headquarters and choose the equipment they think they’ll need for the situation. Once the trucks are loaded up, they head to the site and determine the best place to set up base camp. On the way, they go over the details they’ve been given and brainstorm ways to reach victims most efficiently.

Given the nature of their predicament, with Morriss and LeMay badly injured at the bottom of the crevasse, the sher-iff ’s deputy thought it best to call in Mountain Rescue for the save, since they would need to get on the glacier and would have the technical ice skills required to perform the rescue.

After a detailed look at the area and the nature of the men’s injuries, the Mountain Rescue team decided to request a helicopter since it would take hours for the ground team to make the ascent, and Morriss and LeMay wouldn’t be able to walk out. The location dictated that it would probably be the best option to get them out.

But, a phone call to longtime helicopter pilot Tony Re-ece revealed that even that plan wouldn’t work. Conditions

weren’t favorable for the helicopter to lift off. “When we got the call, the weather was so bad we couldn’t get in there,” said Reece, who owns Hi Line Helicopters and has clocked 22,000 hours of flight time in his 31-year career. “There was no visibility and the fog was moving in and out. It was too dangerous.” They decided the men would just have to wait it out until the clouds cleared enough for the helicopter to get through.

Fiorillo lowered hats, sleeping bags, food and gloves down to his friends to keep them warm through the wait. Eventu-ally, things began to work in their favor. A group of climb-ers making a late descent helped pull Morriss and LeMay to safety and stabilized them, speeding up the rescue im-mensely. A break in the clouds gave Reece the opportunity he needed to fly in, hover with the toes of his skids on the ice and drop in a park ranger. “It helped so much [pulling the climbers to safety] and made it so much quicker,” Reece said.

it’s not uncommon for things to go awry. inclement weather sets in fast on the mountain.



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4 Mount bAker exPerience | fall 2012

“I thought it was incredible that they took it upon themselves to pull the guys out of that crevasse.”

Two short-haul flights to wait-ing medivacs finally saw the trio off the mountain and to the hos-pital to receive treatment for their injuries. The group from Mountain Rescue that had begun the ascent to assist with the rescue continued onward to retrieve the men’s gear that had been left behind at the crevasse. Another brought Fio-

rillo’s car home for him with the recovered packs.

“It couldn’t have gone any smoother,” Fiorillo said later. “I’ve seen SAR at work in Colorado, and they do a good job, but I don’t think I’ve ever experienced any-thing to the extent of what they did here. It was very seamless.”

In addition to LeMay’s injuries, which left him in the ICU for sev-eral days, and Fiorillo’s collarbone, Morriss suffered lacerations to his

face and a fractured ankle that had to be repaired with surgery.

future plans. Will they climb again? The reaction is mixed. “I think I’ll climb again in the future, and maybe somewhere down the line I’ll look at a crevasse again,” LeMay said. “But I don’t know.”

Fiorillo was more optimistic. “If you love something like climbing, not much will stop you,” he said.

Morriss was unsure. “Would I go climbing again? Yes. Would I would go willingly into a crevasse? I don’t know.”

Heincoop stresses the impor-tance of calling 911 when faced with an emergency or when some-one is missing. “Our phone isn’t manned. If you leave a message at our headquarters, it may not get heard for a week or two,” he said.

Calling 911 will put you in touch with the sheriff ’s office, which will

then determine whether SAR should get involved, and set any needed rescue mission into mo-tion.

Interested in being a part of SAR? Heincoop says volunteers are welcome, and all it takes is showing some interest, attending a few meetings and being willing to learn. For more information, visit wcsar.org. X

Many people have theories about what makes skiing,

backcountry skiing in particular, a risky endeavor. My mom thinks the act of simply putting on skis catapults you into the danger zone. My boyfriend believes something like a 50-foot cliff might be the tipping point. The danger is ulti-mately relative, but the lessons we can learn from being in uncertain situations on skis are the same. A friend of mine who works as a ski guide says, “Good judgment comes from surviving bad judgment.” If you’re lucky enough to be granted a learning experience, one key fac-tor always plays a critical role – communication.

One experiences has permeated my relationship with skiing and traveling in the backcountry. For-tunatley, everyone survived, and I’d like to hope that some skills to make better decisions were de-rived. For me, I recognize a lack of communication as the common factor. Often referred to as the human factor, the conversations about safety and our perceived safety are some of the most impor-tant skills we can pack into our ar-senal of mountain equipment.

Two years ago in Argentina I found myself watching a ski part-ner wave as he skinned away from the group toward the boundar-ies of the ski area. Busy skiing, we

casually watched him skin out of sight with the intentions of meet-ing at the car that evening. No de-tails were communicated.

By six o’clock that night, he hadn’t showed up. Unfamiliar with the terrain outside the area, we really had no idea of where he was or what kind of situation was possible. Had he been caught in an avalanche? Was he stuck in the backcountry with a broken leg? Or was he at the bar enjoying a steak and glass of Malbec?

During the night I arranged a search and rescue team, who met us at the ski area early the next morning. By this point, our worst fears seemed unavoidable. But as we headed out onto the mountain, our friend came strolling into the village from where he had stayed the night before (without a phone number and no way to get down the mountain after a late arrival out of the backcountry, he had stayed with friends) trying to meet us as early as possible to let us know he was OK.

Communication can be diffi-cult, especially in foreign countries where there is a language barrier. Nevertheless, it is one of the most important skills a skier can have when planning travel into the backcountry. Lesson learned. X

— Molly bAker

talk BaCk the communication rule to live by

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6 Mount bAker exPerience | Winter 2013 Winter 2013 | Mount bAker exPerience 7

snOW BlinDA series of mistakes led to

a near-fatal disaster

story by PAtrick kennedy

Five days of cool nights and rain on my metal roof had lulled me to sleep each night with the promise of bot-

tomless powder runs in the alpine. But five days of rain also created a story I didn’t care for once I began analyzing wind, precipitation and temperatures. I stared at weather data from the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC), hoping to find something that would put my mind at ease before heading into the backcountry. Despite the avalanche warning signs, my partner Tarek and I decided to ride – cau-tiously.

As we unloaded snowmobiles and snowboards on Forest Road 39 at 1,200 feet, the warning signs of significant new snow suppressed our anticipation for great conditions, yet none of it remained in the trees due to wind. If wind was playing a role at this altitude, we imagined what was likely going on at 5,000 feet. As we began up FR 39 we saw another set of tracks and took some comfort knowing another crew was out there.

The first seven miles on Glacier Creek Road was blissful compared to the usual slow drive in trucks. Then we encoun-tered an avalanche covering the road. This was a common spot for slides, yet the sight of it was a sobering reminder of the conditions. The group ahead of us had conveniently dug a path through the slide so we continued on for another eight miles through low-risk avalanche terrain. Gaining el-evation, we burned twice the fuel than normal – snow was so deep it billowed over the hoods and sometimes over our heads. Snowmobiles act more like snowplows unless you can maintain a speed of 35 mph. Above that, the sleds plane on the snow surface, agile and playful, but below the surface they choke and sputter, desperate for oxygen.

Eventually we arrived at our destination, Grouse Ridge. Grouse is a lesser-known ridge near Heliotrope Ridge and ideal for snowboard runs with snowmobile shuttles back to the top. We could see that the crew ahead of us opted for another location 800 feet higher.

After a brief discussion on conditions, we cautiously agreed to climb up to the other crew. We found them at 5,500 feet filming a drop. Tarek and I chatted with them for a bit and decided snowboarding a few laps sounded better than shuttling a jump. We parted ways to investigate lapping a section of trees with accessible pick up and drop locations for snowmobiles. After packing down a track for snowmo-bile shuttles we left one sled at the bottom and doubled up on the other to the top.

On the ridge top there was considerable wind loading into a desirable chute we had both previously ridden on other trips. Wind was howling on the ridge and few words were spoken as we exchanged a mutual look that clearly stated this was not an option today. We decided to ride some lower angle, less wind-loaded, treed terrain also accessible from the ridge. Even though our terrain choice was prudent, the unstable conditions lurked in our minds, killing what would normally be a carefree run. We rode point-to-point, expos-ing one rider at a time, keeping in visual and verbal contact. After the first nervous run was over, the lower angle terrain provided two more laps in which every turn led to the white room, a quick swipe over goggles, spot the line, take a quick

breath and repeat over and over again.

Our decision to ride powder instead of filming jumps was a popular one, and we soon found we had company. With the shuttle path well beaten in, we rapidly devoured lower-angle treed terrain. Only the chute remained untouched. Tarek and I were on top setting up for a run when we noticed one of the film crew considering the chute. The clouds had just lifted, providing visibility to film the line. Motives for footage out-weighed caution and the rider dropped into the chute. I held my breath watching the rider’s first couple of turns. Beau-tiful turns they were, yet it was impossible to enjoy them when expecting the worse. His third and fourth turns were fast and nimble, and then he dropped out of sight. A few moments later we saw him rapidly approaching the valley floor and film crew. It’s only then that I took another breath.

Tarek and I once again exchanged the look and headed to

partly tracked lower-angle trees for another lap. As we un-strapped bindings at the bottom of the run we heard some radio chatter and the words “dropping.” Neither of us had noticed another rider on top also considering the chute. From the bottom of the chute, I looked up and saw his first few turns. On his fourth turn the wind-loaded slab couldn’t take the load of a rider laying into a heavy heel slide and popped with a sound that none of us will forget. Something very large just broke.

Tarek instantly knew we were in the deposit zone and called for me to run, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the rider

tarek instantly knew we were in the deposit zone and called for me to run, but i couldn’t take my eyes off the rider struggling to stay on top.

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struggling to stay on top. I saw him go under and was awed by the size of the avalanche crown; I was instantly on Tarek’s heels mov-ing as fast as possible sinking past my knees in the snow with each frantic step. Every-thing went white as the avalanche hit the valley floor. A frigid blast of air, snow and tree debris pelted our backs as we blindly ran away from the powder cloud. As the cloud settled, Tarek and I found ourselves only 10 feet clear from being buried by the avalanche.

I’ve never considered myself much of a competitive person, but at this moment I ‘heard’ the starting gun and knew this would be the race of our lives. People were yelling for the rider, but there was no way someone goes down in a slide that big and stays on top without an airbag. No one put me in charge, but I started barking orders anyway. We quickly had three teams working, one searching from the bottom up, one search-ing from the top down and another making a 911 call. A fourth team remained on the sideline in case the search team triggered another slide.

We had wisely left snowmobiles out of the deposit zone giving the top-to-bottom search team the advantage of covering more ground quickly. On the way to the top we passed over avalanche debris that literally filled a valley – if someone were to be buried there they could easily be 30 feet deep with little hope for survival. Within 90 seconds we stood at the top, strapping in and dis-cussing the search plan that broke the path into thirds. Three of us rapidly descended the first 100 feet only to stop in shock for a second to marvel at the avalanche crown that measured 5 to 6 feet deep and propagat-ed 200 yards out of the chute across the moun-tain side. No wonder the valley was filled.

Dropping from the slab, over the crown, onto the avalanche bed surface spoke volumes of why this had popped where it did – it was ice on a 43-degree angle slope. We searched while

snowboarding in our lanes, which enabled rapid straight lane searching versus the typi-cal zigzag back and forth. Tarek and I knew where the guy would likely be due to the tree terrain trap that lies below the chute. We both converged on an avalanche transceiver signal, following the flux line right to it. A quick pinpoint search revealed that he was shallowly buried.

I wasn’t waiting for a shovel. I started wildly clawing at the snow and shouting, “We are coming for you!” As shovelers converged, I was very lucky to uncover the snowboarder’s face, but it was blue. Morale

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As quickly as morale tanked it was back, but excavating him revealed another problem – his body was wrapped around a tree with his left femur and arm bent in a terrible position. As we were assessing damage, the rider, Wy-att Stasinos, regained conscious-ness. I don’t know that I’ve met a tougher person in my life, as he certainly handled a broken femur, elbow and face trauma better than I would. His broken femur was trying to punch through the skin, which made evacuation down the 43-degree slope to the valley floor our next delicate obstacle.

We wrapped Wyatt in space blankets and came up with the idea of using his snowboard as a backboard. Six of us slowly and cautiously worked him down the slope through trees to the valley floor. While we had been working on the makeshift rescue sled, the 911 team had found higher ground and made a successful call provid-ing latitude and longitude to SAR.

Shortly after reaching the val-ley floor we heard the sweetest sound any of us have ever heard. A Black Hawk from the Whidbey Island naval base was on approach with its rotors thumping in the air someplace above us out of sight in the clouds. Three times the pilot tried to descend into the tight val-ley but could not with no visibility, wind and heavy snowfall. After the third try, the bird left with the same sound as arrival, but it wasn’t as sweet this time. With a storm growing in intensity and only 45 minutes of light left morale again hit bottom – hard.

We had lost communication with SAR. Latitude and longitude would have worked for a heli-evac-uation if weather conditions had allowed, but it was proving to be useless information for whatever ground rescue effort that might be happening. Someone was going to have to go out and lead SAR back to our remote location.

I gave Wyatt a thermos of hot soup, promised he would not spend the night out there and left the crew to find search and rescue. Thank God for Jeff Hambelton! As I started on the 15-mile jour-ney back to the trucks, I ran into Jeff. He had heard an avalanche around Heliotrope Ridge and went to investigate. He knew our usual stomping grounds and needed no lat/long; good old-fashioned tracking was working well since I ran into him within a few miles heading out.

Jeff had extensive Wilderness First Aid training and work ex-perience as a ski patroller and avalanche educator at Mt. Baker. I relayed the situation to Jeff, and he went on to offer medical aid to Wyatt as I continued out to

search and rescue. I reached them and was happy to see some familiar snowmobiler fac-es, but I couldn’t understand why they were just sit-ting there. I soon found myself detained by the sheriff just as they were. SAR was waiting for a res-cue toboggan and doctor to arrive on scene.

I was needed to lead the team back to Wyatt, and was therefore a criti-cal piece in their rescue plan. I’ve never experienced that level of frus-tration before, and I’m sure it showed on my face as I sat there mumbling obsceni-ties, watching the last bit of light fade. During the hour and a half I waited I came to the conclusion that counting on someone other than your own party for rescue is a mistake I will not repeat. Even-tually the rescue toboggan and doctor arrived and we started the 15-mile journey back to Wyatt. Twelve miles enroute we ran into Jeff, Tarek and the rest of the film crew heading out with Wyatt se-cured to a snowmobile.

Thankfully, all snowboarders worth their salt wear belts to keep those baggy pants up. Jeff had put Wyatt’s leg into traction using tri-pod legs and belts. They then came up with the idea to extend the snowmobile seat using photo bags. The seat extension created a long, flat, padded platform. Ratchet straps were used to secure Wyatt to the snowmobile, and the end result was a highly mobile rescue device with suspension to cushion the 15-mile ride through technical terrain.

I don’t think any other technique would have gotten Wyatt out, and we all now know to use it in the future should we need to. Drag-ging someone through 15 miles of rough terrain on a rescue sled just isn’t realistic. A train of 11 snow-mobiles escorted Wyatt out to the base of FR 39 where an ambulance waited. His injuries proved serious enough to require advanced medi-

cal attention at Harborview Hos-pital in Seattle. Wyatt now sports some permanent high-tech tita-nium that enabled an incredibly quick recovery time. He returned to the Baker area last season and charged terrain with absolutely no indications of a wounded limb.

Oddly enough, I ended the day the same way it began – sleepless in front of a computer staring at NWAC weather data. Rain and cool nights continued for another month, but the sound no longer lulled me to sleep. Mistakes were made, we know that. The ava-lanche was completely avoidable as almost all avalanche incidents are. We walked into the day know-ing of the instability and picked a poor line. Communication was inadequate. Desire outweighed caution. Warning signs were ig-nored. Some of us had companion rescue training, some didn’t. Hav-ing backcountry gear isn’t a free pass to recklessly recreate. Take your pick, they were all factors that made the events possible.

We all still ride together in the backcountry, only wiser and grate-ful to have a second chance. X

Photography and outdoor recreation are the driving forces in Patrick ken-nedy’s life. when not taking photos or recreating outdoors you’ll likely find him at bellingham rei working as the outreach specialist or at Mt. baker ski Area in the Mountain education center.

Avalanche victim wyatt stasinos jumping the baker road gap – only 11 months out of surgery.

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snOW Missileswhen a shortcut turned dangerous

by erik burge

Three of us decided to take a shortcut traverse across an exceedingly steep pocket mead-ow while we were boot packing to our favorite powder stash up on Church Mountain

one frozen, early-spring morning. None of us will ever forget it. The sky was disarmingly clear, the snow pack on the side slope was all kinds of crusty and,

thanks to the fact that we were completely hemmed in by four solid walls of well-anchored timber, our avalanche exposure was only semi-sketchy at worst.

After post-holing two hours straight uphill through heavy timber (starting out from our cabin near Glacier) there appeared little cause for anyone in our snowboard-encumbered ascent party to consider this sunny little opening in the canopy anything less than a blessing.

Unfortunately, the one terrain-induced hazard we neglected to observe was the ice-en-crusted profusion of snow-loaded tree branches that were primed and ready to come raining down at even the slightest, hair-trigger touch from the timber wall crowning the meadow above.

The first breeze stirred gently and did not linger – just a soft, cool kiss on our hot, sweaty brows. Certainly nothing to worry about. Or so we thought.

“Man!” exclaimed our leader, halting abruptly to absorb as much of this seemingly benign atmospheric sensation as she could. “Doesn’t this little riffle feel fantastic?”

It was then that first icy snow blob came shooting downhill right behind me, zooming so fast through my peripheral vision that I thought at first it was just a grey jay dive-bombing for crumbs.

“Look out!” I shouted to my partners, purely in jest. “We’re being attacked!”And that’s when the next, much bigger icy snow blob the size of a beach ball came spitting

out of the forest to score a direct hit, rolling so severely into the exposed mid-section of the six-foot-tall, 250-pound snowboarder directly ahead of me that he crumpled into a free-fall.

While this unfortunate fellow went tumbling like a human bowling pin down into the trees far below – he suffered three broken ribs and temporary hearing loss – my remaining partner and I anticipated the coming catastrophe and promptly ratcheted ourselves into evasive action mode.

Setting our sights on the sheltering timber wall 30 feet ahead, we dropped down on all fours and started to crawl for it. But the faster we tried to crawl, the deeper we kept sinking into the snow.

Finally, once we’d become mired neck-deep still about 20 feet shy of our safety zone, the strongest load-releasing breeze yet came blowing through the trees, releasing dozens upon dozens of snow projectiles down the hill all around us. There was no escape.

“Take off your pack!” my partner screamed, just as the biggest wind-born projectile of all, roughly the size of two to three beach balls combined, came whooshing right between our heads with only inches to spare.

Shielding myself with a Burton 165 seemed ridiculous, but it was absolutely the right thing to do. I only managed to yank one arm out of my straps before a rock-hard ice-football smacked so violently into the protruding nose of my board that it flipped the thing over my head and cracked it clean through, edge to edge.

All told, that little shortcut we took quickly turned into one of the longest, most excru-ciating traverses I’ve ever made. Yet, even when you figure in subsequent hospital bills and equipment repairs, the invaluable hazard assessment lessons we learned up there pretty much caused us to break even, I think.

Seldom, if ever, do I take shortcuts in the North Cascade backcountry. And my vigilance for detecting potentially dangerous snow blob accumulations, whether they are hiding up in the trees or lurking somewhere down on the ground, remains as constant as the terrain and weather conditions are changing. X

erik burge has been flirting with disaster ever since his grandfather strapped him into his first pair of skis and sent him hurtling down the only hill in the entire state of north dakota at the tender age of four. fortunately, the first time he ventured into the Mt. baker backcountry was not his last.

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shreDDing reaDygetting prepared for backcountry skiing

by sAM lozier

You’ve seen tracks out on Shuksan Arm or read about backcountry skiing in magazines. The allure of untracked powder is strong, but backcountry skiing can be initially over-

whelming. Where do you even start? At a minimum, you’ll need to equip yourself with tour-ing bindings, skis or a splitboard, skins, avalanche safety gear and a backpack to carry it all.

the gear. Bindings: Bindings from Dynafit, Marker and Fritschi will help you into the backcountry, but they each have their trade-offs. As a general rule, the further you want to hike, the lighter and more efficient your bindings should be. All alpine touring bindings work on the same principle: your toe is attached to the ski while the heel swings up, allowing you, with the use of skins, to hike up the mountain. When you reach the top and remove the skins, the heels are locked down for alpine-style downhill turns. Any touring binding can go on any down-hill ski, including the ones you already own, though fatter and lighter skis are the best choice for winter touring as they offer a good mix of soft-snow flotation and weight.skins: Skins, along with bindings, make backcountry skiing possible. They’re sticky on one side and furry on the other. Directional hairs allow the skis to slide easily forward, but grip when the ski is weighted, providing fast and efficient progress uphill.Backpack: For day trips, a 30- to 40-liter backpack should be enough to accommodate all your gear and will be large enough to hold the supplies you’ll need as you start going on full-day adventures. Though not always immediately necessary, ski-specific features such as ski-carry attachments, durable fabric (to protect against edges and ice axes) and non-absorbent back panels are nice to have.

safety gear. shovel: One of the four avalanche safety essentials (beacon, shovel, probe and brain), a shovel is a surprisingly important mountain safety tool. It can dig you an emergency shelter, provide a surface to sit on, excavate a friend, dig out a car, open a beer (an advanced tech-nique) and much more. Beginners frequently purchase shovels far larger than needed, so put some thought into this first. The features that make a shovel great for excavating your driveway are not the features to look for in an avalanche rescue shovel. You want one that is small, durable, lightweight and simple.

Avalanche debris sets up like concrete, so a smaller blade that allows more of a chopping/paddling motion is going to be more functional than one that requires prying and scooping. Since your shovel will be riding in your backpack most of the time, focus on lightweight metal offerings. Plastic shovels are not acceptable for backcountry skiing due to their ten-dency to shatter at inopportune times.probe: Probes are pretty simple, but still important. After locating a buried avalanche victim with your avalanche beacon, you’ll have to probe down to locate them precisely before dig-ging. Get a lightweight probe that you can operate with gloves on that’s at least 260cm and ideally 300cm long. Trying to save weight by buying a shorter probe is a false economy; there are much better places to shave ounces off your load.Beacons: Beacons are getting better all the time, and they are all quite functional, though they all do have their strengths and weaknesses. If you’re buying one for the first time, get a three-antenna digital beacon from a reputable manufacturer and make sure you know how to use it. It’s worth spending some time trying out different models at a knowledgeable shop.

everything else. Clothing: Proper layering for mid-winter touring in western Washington is one of the more challenging things to master, and my own clothing system is always changing. The main thing to focus on is staying dry, so choose clothing that will wick and vent moisture. Realize that when hiking uphill in humid weather (normal mid-winter conditions), you will be gen-erating a huge amount of body heat. Don’t be afraid to hike in just a base layer if that’s what’s most comfortable. Know that in certain conditions, all the outdoor clothing in the world won’t keep you dry – the only solution is more dry clothing in your backpack. Water: In cold weather, it’s harder to notice when you’re getting dehydrated, but it’s just as important to stay hydrated in the winter as the summer as dehydration will lead to poor circulation (cold toes and fingers) and muscle cramps. Water bottles have the advantage of

not freezing, but Camelbak-style bladders are easier and more convenient to use. If you’re not careful, the hose will freeze, though you can avoid this by blowing air back through the hose. On long day trips and overnighters, it’s often easier and lighter to bring along a camp stove, such as the MSR Reactor, to melt snow as you go, rather than carrying water for your trip the entire way.food: The longer your trip, the more important your choice of food becomes. You’ll want healthy, calorie-dense, easy-to-digest foods to keep you going. Energy bars fit the bill, but sandwiches supplemented with candy bars work equally well.

getting prepareD. Backcountry skiing is amazingly rewarding but does carry some risk. Like most hazards encountered in life, it’s possible to mitigate the dangers of backcountry skiing through pre-paredness and careful planning. More than the gear you carry in your backpack, your safety and comfort in the backcountry will depend on the knowledge and careful planning you carry in your head.

Hiking uphill all day through deep snow in cold weather can be rather tiring. Tired minds are more prone to bad decisions, so it’s important to match your fitness to your skiing goals both for safety and enjoyment reasons. If you’re just starting out, choose smaller, simpler objectives near the resort until you get all your gear and group dynamics figured out.

If you want to train for your backcountry skiing, the best place to start is to work on your cardio endurance; mountain biking and trail running are two popular off-season activities. Regardless of how strong a skier you are, if you can’t hike to the top of your run, you won’t be able to ski it. At a minimum, you should be able to ski any conditions you find at a ski resort. You’ll encounter a variety of snow conditions in the backcountry that rarely occur in a resort, and a strong skiing ability will go a long way to helping you through them.

A big part of the appeal of backcountry skiing is the complexity involved. Early on it’s easy, and correct, to minimize the complexity of your trips, but as you advance as a skier, taking on more complex goals adds to the fun and the challenge.

The first and most important thing to have in your mental filing cabinet is a working knowledge of snow safety and the forces and processes responsible for creating avalanches. Taking an Avalanche Level 1 class is a great place to start, but it won’t give you everything – it’s important to find competent partners who can let you in on their decision-making pro-cess. It is critical to remember that even though your friend is a great skier, it doesn’t mean they are a great avalanche forecaster. Choose your partners carefully, and be sure to question their reasoning. It’ll serve as a check against poor decision-making and help you understand how they assess risks. Remember, don’t just rely on someone else to make a decision for you – you have to think for yourself.

For more information on avalanche courses, check out the American Institute for Ava-lanche Research and Education, the American Alpine Institute or the Mt. Baker Ski Area.

The second, and most frequently underemphasized knowledge to have, is first aid. If the unfortunate happens and your partner breaks his leg or stops breathing after being buried in an avalanche, it’s important to know what to do.

lOgistiCs. The logistics involved with a backcountry ski trip seem to get exponentially more difficult the longer the trip is, so when starting out it’s important to keep things simple. The fewer details there are, the harder it is to forget something or make a serious mistake.

When planning your trip, gather information from as many resources as possible. Check your route on a map, get a good understanding of where the hazardous terrain is, how steep it is, and how you plan to approach it and exit from it. Check guidebooks and search online for current conditions reports, and make sure everyone in your group understands the plan and is comfortable with it.

Finally, make sure to check the current Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center’s (NWAC) avalanche and weather forecasts. They’ll give you the best idea of what’s going on in the snow, what the weather is going to be, and which way the avalanche danger is trending. X

sam lozier is an avid skier, hiker, climber, photographer, and writer.

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It’s pretty simple, actually. There’s only one thing you need to know about avalanches and this is it – you

don’t ever, ever want to be caught in one. Your chances of surviving one are somewhere between slim and, as my father used to say, a snowball’s chance in hell.

When we visualize an avalanche, we often picture featherlight powder sloughing off a slope and flow-ing downhill in a pillowy rush. Sure, sometimes there are avalanches like these, but even a seemingly insig-nificant slide is more than enough to bury you in a gully or push you into a stand of trees where you’ll be Oster-ized.

Here’s a sobering thought: Avalanches are rated on a five-point scale, D1 to D5. Only D1 is considered too small to injure or bury someone. D2 to D5? Think last will and testament.

Not convinced? A cubic yard of Baker crud can weigh close to a ton – how do you think you’d feel after a spin cycle down the hill with three or four hun-dred of those? Better? Or worse?

None of this is news to those who follow the news – every year we read about skiers, snowboarders or snowmobilers killed while venturing outside of ski ar-eas. Why do they risk it?

If you asked the outdoor enthusiasts taking the

Level 1 Avalanche course from the American Al-pine Institute (AAI) last season, you’d get a variety of answers. Mostly college students, their answers ranged from “can’t afford tickets,” “dude, it’s the pow,” “no crowds,” to “the challenge.”

All good reasons but there is one more that has to be seen to be believed – the ineffable beauty of snowy peaks under cerulean skies will fill your soul to com-pleteness, and you will never be the same again. (OK, just kidding about the ineffable cerulean stuff.)

play it safe.How do you avoid becoming a statistic? Prove that

you’re smarter than you look – take an avalanche awareness course. AAI has gained worldwide fame for its expertise on all aspects of mountain adventuring but Mt. Baker Ski Area and others also offer avalanche awareness courses.

In AAI’s avalanche training (AIARE Level 1), par-ticipants will learn how to recognize and avoid ava-lanche terrain, observe and analyze snow conditions

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over time, conduct field tests and observations, and plan and prepare for travel in avalanche terrain.

AAI instructor Richard Riquelme, probably the coolest Chilean souvenir ever to land on American shores, starts his class by asking students to line up alphabetically by name. The only catch is, you aren’t allowed to speak. Try it sometime with a group of strangers.

His point? The need, ability and importance of communicating in avalanche terrain. In fact, human factors are usually more important than the physical environment when it comes to safely traversing the backcountry.

AAI courses combine classroom instruction with two days in the backcountry. The course uses material developed by the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education and aims to provide the stu-

dent with the knowledge and decision-making skills that will keep him or her safe in avalanche terrain.

Wet snOW.The course explains the different types of avalanch-

es, such as loose wet snow or slab avalanches. The first type tends to move slower but is difficult to escape as the snow takes on the consistency of wet cement. Slab avalanches happen when the snowfield breaks as one cohesive unit before splitting up into progressively smaller chunks. A skier only has the first few seconds while the slab is gliding to ski off to the side before the unit breaks up. Most fatalities involve slab avalanches.

Participants learn the process of backcountry decision-making: Understanding the dangers, rec-

continued on page 18

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MBe: When did you start skiing?Duncan howat: I was 20 or 21 and going to a community college in Yakima. I had always been into wa-terskiing, but my parents had built a cabin in the mountains. I didn’t

think I’d be any good compared to waterskiing, but they bought me a pair of boots and I went out and got a pair of wood skis. I went up to the White Pass ski area one day, put on the skis and went over

to the rope tow and made one run straight down the hill. It was one of those things when you get lucky and say to yourself, “‘This is what I want to do.’ Right there. Right then.”

MBe: How did you get into the ski business?Dh: While I was in school I got a job at White Pass. When school was out, I worked full-time. I learned a lot about lift mainte-nance, snowcats, all that.

MBe: When did you go to work for Mt. Baker?Dh: Vietnam came along, and we decided to get married. I went into the reserves, Bill Clinton and me. Once I got out, Gail wanted to go to school in Bellingham. I wanted to do some more school too, and I thought maybe there’s some-thing open at Baker. So we came up here. At the time the company was in disarray. They really didn’t have a manager and the ski patrol sort of ran the area but the com-pany needed to renegotiate their permit because their previous per-mit with the Forest Service was up. There were groups that were trying

to take it away and so I was hired right then. To be 24 years old and to be a ski area manager, that was something.

MBe: Who owns the ski area?Dh: There are 250 stockholders, but six old-time Bellingham fami-lies hold the majority of stock.

MBe: The ski area is different from most others. Can you de-scribe the company’s philosophy?Dh: We’ve always pushed the fact that we’re on the edge of the wil-derness, that we’re surrounded by wilderness and a national park. Our whole thing is to keep the experience as real as possible by not advertising, not making it like Disneyland and to point out that there are dangers in the moun-tains. What I’ve found over the years is that more and more people are seeking a real experience, not something that’s phony, something that’s catered so you don’t have to think for yourself. I think that’s been paying off pretty well. We’re an area that’s fairly remote in the corner of the state. The population is growing in Whatcom and Skagit counties and the lower mainland, so business has been good.

MBe: What about the Canadian business?Dh: It’s getting better. At one time, our business was 47 percent Cana-dian, but then it dropped. Lately it’s been climbing and is probably in the 20-percent range now. If they have a low snow year in the lower mainland, then we’ll have a pretty darn good year. There were a couple of days this year where the parking lots were full and the cars were around the loop at Heather Meadows.

MBe: How’s the ski area fared compared to other resorts in the economic downturn?Dh: I’ve always been fiscally con-servative, not borrowing a ton of money from the banks, and we try to pay for things as we go. Back in the ’70s and ’80s lots of resorts

expanded under the theory that if you build it, they will come. That all came to a screeching halt – in-terest rates went sky high and big operators bought out a lot of ski areas.

MBe: What are you most proud of in terms of the ski area and what you’ve achieved?Dh: I’d say retaining local owner-ship is one. I’d add doing the ex-pansion and creating the ski area with the crew, paying as we go and remaining economically sound, providing good value for people with a good experience. The lodg-es are pretty nice, too. The White Salmon and now the new Raven Hut Lodge provide a great experi-ence for people.

Another big thing – at the ski patrol refresher a few weeks ago, a woman from the national ski pa-trol association came up and gave me an honorary number, which is kind of like an honorary degree. They’ve only given out 74 of them since its inception 75 years ago. They’ve given one to Gerald Ford, Orrin Hatch. So that was kind of a neat deal.

MBe: Any chance the ski area could ever expand?Dh: Given our master plan and the terrain around us, it’s pretty tightly locked up. There is some recreation land surrounding us, but not a lot.

if you spend any time at all at Mt. baker, you’ll soon run across Duncan howat, the ski area’s general manager. you may see him in the lodge, on the slopes conferring with patrollers or checking out the operations on his snowmobile. born in seattle and raised on a farm in yakima,

howat is 68, married to his wife gail for 37 years and has two daughters, gwyn and Amy, both of whom also work at the ski area. in early november, we interviewed him at his office in bellingham.

duncAn howAt

MOuntain Man by PAt grubb

A conversation with duncan howat, Mt. baker ski Area general manager


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There’s a little bit on Mt. Herman but that creates some problems on its own. You could theoretically go up to the top of Hemispheres but I don’t think most people would want that because they like it as a hike. It’s more of a fine-tuning of what we have.

MBe: What sort of things might you be planning for the future?Dh: Within our boundaries, we might be looking at adding a chair or two. Possibly extending the parking lot where the backcountry people are parking and taking up spaces from the paying customers.

MBe: Where could new chairs go?Dh: You could put one at the top of the Chair 3 area and run all the way down to the sewage treatment plant. There’s a chair that could go where you get off at Chair 7 and would go all the way to the top of Chair 8. At one time, we laid out a chair at Austin called the Up and Up that went up over the backside.

MBe: How many people work at the ski area when you’re fully op-erational?Dh: About 275, not counting the volunteer patrol or the ski school instructors.

MBe: Many ski areas have got-ten into mountain biking in a big way in the summer. Any chance of that happening at Baker?Dh: No. First off, we don’t have detachable chairlifts and you need those to load a bike and go up the hill. Secondarily, our terrain is so severe and steep and rocky that it doesn’t lend itself to that kind of activity.

MBe: How does a ski area deter-mine what they’re going to charge for a ticket or a season’s pass?Dh: For a season’s pass, we take the daily lift price and see how many times someone has to go to reach a break-even point. Then we kind of think about whether people can really ski that much or go that of-ten. Then we factor the mid-week

and the convenience issues, and we arrive at a figure. Some ski ar-eas sell passes for the next season in the spring and price it down low so theoretically they have the use of that money during the summer. They’re kind of selling themselves short because when they open, they’re charging $60 for a lift ticket but they’ve stuffed the area with $200 pass holders who are basi-cally skiing free.

Beyond that, you have to look at your daily lift prices and see what it’s going to take during an aver-age season to cover your costs and have a little bit left over for a profit or to replace snowcats, buy parts, maintain your utilities, your wa-ter plant, your diesels for the lift. Those things all wear out.

MBe: What is the split between daily pass and season pass hold-ers on an average day?Dh: I’d say on any given weekend, probably at least a third are season pass holders.

MBe: Skiing is inherently a risky sport and going out of bounds makes it more so. The ski area has had to go out and rescue people after avalanches. How do you deal with that?Dh: First off, you have to think that in these situations it’s not your emergency, it’s their emergency. That’s what I tell our people. Then we have to determine if it’s safe for the rescuers to go there. And in those out-of-bounds areas, it may not be, and we won’t send anyone out there. It’s a little hard on the crew if someone’s buried and they end up deceased. That’s just hu-man nature – it’s hard. You kind of rationalize it by thinking these people are doing what they wanted to do and took their own risks – like someone driving fast on the Mt. Baker Highway. Those are the activities people are electing to do and while you don’t like to see it happen, people need to make their own decisions and be responsible for them.MBe: How do you keep in shape?

What do you do in the summer?Dh: Well, I used to row but lately I’ve gotten into what’s called surf sea paddling. There’s a big commu-nity of guys in Bellingham who do it, and it’s really a great workout. We go out into the bay and surf the waves back or go over to Hawaii or Columbia Gorge.

MBe: How much skiing do you do these days?Dh: Not a lot. I used to ski and snowboard quite a bit but I had a hip replaced a year ago and a knee replaced just before that, but now I’m back really strong so I’ll prob-ably get out there more this season.

MBe: What happens at the ski area during the summer?Dh: It could be new construction like the Raven Lodge. This sum-mer it’s been a real monumental project installing new software in all the sales areas. It’s been a real push.

MBe: Global warming – what is the ski area doing to reduce its impact?Dh: We’re doing 100 percent recy-cling in our food service. We’re us-ing compostable plates, cups and washable china. Any new engine we replace will be what’s called a Tier 4 engine, which is extremely fuel efficient with very low emis-sions. They’re expensive but we’re going on it really strong. Another thing is carpooling; we’re bringing our crew from town in vans.

MBe: What’s involved in getting ready for the season?Dh: We just finished all our state inspections; we’re bringing in the dry goods for the food service, the fuel for the chairlifts. Then inter-viewing and hiring the crews and training will begin in a couple of weeks.

MBe: What’s the best thing about your job?Dh: I think about that from time to time. Here I am, 40 years into it at the same place. I just feel lucky. Many times it’s challenging and it feels like the stress will do me in. Working with my family and the crew of employees we have is ter-rific. I also like to see people hav-ing a good time. Or, when you come up with ideas, you like to im-plement them and see them work. I was really pleased with how the Raven Lodge was received.

MBe: What’s the worst thing about your job?DH: I don’t really think about that a lot. Maybe sometimes it’s the weather, particularly in the fall when it’s raining a lot or on the weekends – it’s kind of tough. Or, when someone comes in at the

end of the day and says someone’s lost. Now we have to put together a search. Those are the kind of things.

MBe: Is this going to be the best season ever?Dh: I couldn’t say that. The last

two years have been fabulous sea-sons with the powder and the cold. To top what we had, that’s almost wishing for too much. We had so many days with 10 inches of snow or more – it just kept coming. But it’s going to be a good season. X

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Norway. Chile. British Columbia. Argentina. Utah. Colorado. Montana. Wyoming. Califor-

nia. Idaho. These are just some of the ski destinations that filled my schedule last season. My ski area Rolo-dex boasts some of the best. Heli-touring lodges deep in the Canadian wilderness, mountainous fjords far above the Arctic Circle, and Patagonian skies open-ing with snowfall to cover the rocky and rugged An-des – these are the memories I’ve filed away. They will always be there. Until I get a day of skiing at Mt. Baker in this season. Then these places, the skiing, the mountains, they evaporate. And only one place exists in my fanatical ski-motivated mind – Mt. Baker.

Every fall, amidst trip planning, when the weeks away from home begin to concretely add up, I am forced to remind myself of what I will miss at Mt. Baker – ideal snow, world-class terrain, great touring partners and a no-frills atmosphere. Is it possible to be homesick while traveling the world to ski? If you live at Mt. Baker, than the answer is absolutely yes.

Take snowfall. Mt. Baker holds the world record for snowfall in one year. During the ’98-’99 winter a total of 1,140 inches fell on the perfect, steep slopes of the ski area. That’s 95 feet. I wasn’t living in Washington that year, but I’ve found that you don’t need 1,140 inches to exceed expectations in the Cascades. Even just a little layer of white frosting cakes the peaks with enough fun and diversion from the world beyond these mountains to satisfy the skier and snowboarder soul. Even the threat of an average 2012-2013 season

due to El Niño weather patterns, I am sure the skiing will still be better than most places in the world. This area is blessed by Ullr.

And even if the snow comes in average quantities (which is above average for most other ski locations in the world), the people satisfy my need for commu-nity and they do this with an unparalleled quirkiness tricky to find, at least in this concentration. Tree house dwelling ski bums, longtime locals, and the influx of college students from Western Washington University create a hodge-podge of personalities with one simple goal: to enjoy the fruitful offerings of Koma Kulshan and the surrounding mountains. A 50-year-old law-yer’s passion is the same as that of a 23-year-old col-lege graduate’s. They are skiers and snowboarders that subscribe to the mountain and its powers to find san-ity, excitement or a reason to tolerate all the rain in Bellingham. They’re all a part of the Mt. Baker tribe.

A relatively predictable snowpack, potential glanc-es of Mt. Shuksan and its hanging glacier in between storms, the annual Banked Slalom, après in the Tap Room followed by dinner at Milano’s, unexplored mountains just beyond your gaping eyes – the list of Mt. Baker’s attributes is endless.

All I need is one week there this year because one week at Mt. Baker is equal to an entire season some-where else. X

— Molly bAker

Mt. Baker highone week at baker equals a season anywhere else


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360-988-9404Snowboard Outreach Society (SOS) began in 1993 in Colorado and is now active in more than 40

resorts, three countries and will serve 5,000+ youth in 2013. The Mt. Baker Snowboard Outreach Society program has been in place for three seasons and will serve 30 locals this winter.

Youth ages 10 to 17 spend five weekend days start-ing in late February on the mountain. The major obstacles preventing these kids from snowboarding – transportation, clothing, snowboards, lift tickets and guidance – are provided through the program. A typi-cal day starts with a snowboarding lesson from the Mt. Baker Area ski school followed by an afternoon session of freeriding with a volunteer Sherpa. The Sherpas continue teaching throughout the day and act as a resort guide keeping kids together. A certain level of immaturity is required of volunteer Sherpa; they need to be as good packing snowballs as teaching the basics of riding.

The SOS experience isn’t just about snowboard-ing – the core values of courage, discipline, integrity,

wisdom and compassion are instilled at every oppor-tunity. Courage is a value every youth can connect with and therefore comes first. A winter mountain environment is intimidating when you’ve never expe-rienced it before. Simply getting on and off a chairlift for the first time is an experience halfway between terrifying and awesome. Overcoming something you’re afraid of empowers kids and teaches the value of courage. Discipline, integrity, wisdom and com-passion typically take a little longer, but by week four, kids are heckling each other if they seem to lack one of them.

Dylan Rees worked with SOS for six years and has been coordinating the Mt. Baker SOS program for the past three seasons. Rees has been recreating on snow since he was six years old, started teaching snow-boarding at 17 and now has 13 years under his belt as a snowboard instructor. He credits his snowboard teaching background for much of his progression in life on and off the snow. In the years he has worked with SOS, his feeling of personal progression has multiplied by working with youth who’ve never ex-perienced something so fundamental in his own life.

Rees’ ever-grateful personality credits the success of Mt. Baker SOS to the support of donors, volun-teers and Mt. Baker Ski Area. “Jake Bobst and Hilary Mosich in education and rentals at Mt. Baker have been enthusiastic supporters of the program for the past three seasons,” Rees said. “Without that support the program wouldn’t happen.”

SOS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit capable of accepting cash and gear donations through sosoutreach.org. SOS specializes in underserved youth and partnered with The Lummi Youth Recreation Academy and Re-Bound in 2012. Anyone interested in volunteering with Mt. Baker SOS must commit to all five weekend days and meet certain eligibility requirements.

If you are interested in volunteering or having your group involved with Mt. Baker SOS, contact Rees at [email protected]

The 2012 season of the SOS Baker program saw something very promising – 2010 program partici-pants had returned as volunteers. Youth who had the experience three years ago were volunteer Sherpas passing on the experience to a new round of kids. SOS is onto something that resonates with youth when they are willing to come back as volunteers. With a constant flow of volunteers and community support-ers, SOS is a sustainable program that provides tre-mendous opportunities to local youths. X

— PAtrick kennedy

sOs Program gets kids on the mountain

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ognizing and anticipating the hu-man factors, creating terrain op-tions and planning for emergency responses. Of these, the human factors are perhaps the most in-sidious dangers of all. A review of avalanches in the U.S. during the 1990s showed that terrain, weather and snowpack conditions contrib-uted to fatal avalanche accidents, but human factors were the pri-mary cause.

Such factors include social pres-sure, overconfidence or low self-confidence, closed-mindedness, shortcutting and impaired objec-tivity. You see your buddies tra-versing across a slope so it must be OK? That’s social pressure. A phenomenon known as ‘risky shift’ occurs when a group accepts a higher level of risk than what each individual might choose alone. In-terestingly, young men will tend to accept higher risks if there are women in the group.

Low self-confidence will lead someone to mistrust their instincts and to accept a decision they in-tuitively feel is wrong. Addition-ally, such people may be hesitant to question someone with greater experience even if they have infor-mation that the leader does not.

On the MOuntain.The backcountry days are where

you put all your newfound knowl-edge to work. You’ll conduct a snow profile, test the stability of the snowpack and compare local conditions to avalanche bulletins.

Finally, you’ll learn how to conduct a search using avalanche

transceivers and probes. Once someone is buried, time becomes critical. A 2011 Canadian study showed survival times are much shorter than what had previously been thought. If the victim hasn’t suffered trauma, they have only a 78 percent chance of surviving burial for 10 minutes or less. Only 40 percent survive at 15 minutes and it drops fast after that. In moist maritime snow conditions (re-mind you of anywhere?), survival times are even lower.

A sobering thought: Riquelme told class members that it was very likely that they would be the most knowledgeable person in whatever

group that was headed into the backcountry. Knowing that, you’ll want to make sure that you’re pre-pared for the backcountry, you take the courses, or make sure you know the competency of everyone in your group.

To learn more about the Ameri-can Alpine Institute (AAI), visit alpineinstitute.com or call 360/ 671-1505. Mt. Baker Ski Area of-fers two courses in their mountain education center beginning in De-cember. Go to mtbaker.us or call 360/734-6771. X

continued from page 13 your chances of surviving an avalanche are somewhere between slim and a

snowball’s chance in hell.

18 Mount bAker exPerience | Winter 2013

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Up north in the middle of Washington in the Methow Valley sits the little town

of Mazama, population 230. You get there on Highway 20 but only from the south; the northern end closes every year after the snow begins to fall. And fall it does. Which is why every winter those looking for a premiere ski experience make the trek to Mazama to hop aboard a helicopter to some of the best skiing and riding that can be found anywhere.

North Cascades Heli-Ski has been taking riders into the heart of the American Alps since 1988. Their permit area spreads over 300,000 incredible acres of mountain runs towering between 7,000 to 9,000 feet high. Pi-loting the copter is Seamus O’Daimhin, who has over 14,000 hours of flight time and drops off powder hounds onto mountains they had only dreamt about.

The company offers various downhill pro-grams for one or three days or exclusive char-ters. They also offer heli-assisted backcountry touring, again, one or three days. The opera-tion guarantees that skiers will get seven runs each day; depending upon conditions, you’ll get at least 12,000 vertical feet – and some-times more – which will have you looking for a place to lie down at the end of the day.

Trips run from January 19 through March 24. Typically, reservations are made in groups of four riders although they can sometimes accommodate less. A three-day downhill trip costs $2,907 per person; a one-day is $1,060.

A three-day touring program is $1,077 per person or $430 for one-day outings. They also offer three- or four-day backcountry yurt pro-grams for $1,050 and $1,157, respectively. The yurt trips fill up fast; about half the scheduled trips are already booked for 2013.

Who should go on one of these trips? You should be, at a minimum, an advanced inter-mediate or better skier who is comfortable skiing blue and black runs under all condi-tions in a resort. You should also be as fit as possible – seven runs and 12,000 feet of verti-cal every day for three days requires a lot of stamina. Remember, you’ll be going out with just three other skiers and a guide – you won’t want to be the slowest one in the group.

Company owner Paul Butler says, “The thing that separates us from other ski areas is we operate between 6,000 and 9,000 feet. When it’s raining somewhere else, it’s snow-ing here.”

For more information, call 800/494-HELI (4354) or visit them at heli-ski.com. X

flying highwhat’s on your bucket list? north cascades heli-skiing should be.

by PAt grubb

shawn freyerwes lemire

All Photos by ryAn duclos | bellinghAMPhotogrAPher.coM

dylan hart

ricardo broberg gets a view with the ride | All Photos by brAd wAlton | brAdwAltonPhoto.coM

ricardo broberg gets a view with the ride | All Photos by brAd wAlton | brAdwAltonPhoto.coM

Photo by JAy goodrich | JAygoodrich.coM

Photo by grAnt gunderson | grAntgunderson.coM

owen dudley drops into the Mt. baker backcountry

zack giffin, Paul kimbraugh, Matt steinman ski touring out the shuskan Arm

Winter 2013 | Mount bAker exPerience 23Photo by PAtrick kennedy | PbAse.coM/PAtrickkennedy

Photo by dylAn hArt | dylAnhArt.coMPhoto by dylAn hAllett

Photo by dylAn hAllett

doran laybourn

skier on Mt. hermancharlie griffith

Mattias evangelista

Precipitation, wind and cold are your external threats and sweat is your enemy from with-in. Having the right clothing can make the difference between comfort and catastrophe.

The human body needs to stay within a narrow temperature range – roughly between 95 and 105 degrees – or it will succumb to hypothermia or hyperthermia. The body self regu-lates for the most part, but when you’re active in extreme environments it needs help.

In humid climates such as the Pacific Northwest, sweat doesn’t evaporate well, so its cool-ing effect is diminished. And once physical exertion is stopped, it doesn’t take long for the cold and humid air to chill your body.

COttOn. First and foremost, it’s best to leave all cotton clothing at home, including the ubiquitous, Pacific Northwest hoodie. Cotton holds moisture, it’s heavy, it takes a long time to dry, it has no insulating properties when it’s wet and it increases the likelihood of chafing and blistering.

Base anD MiD-layer faBriCs. When choosing base and mid-layer fabrics (including pants, socks and underwear), stick to synthetic fabrics or Merino wool.

Synthetics, such as polyester, polypropylene, nylon or poly blends (including name brands such as Patagonia’s Capilene or Invista’s Lycra or Thermolite) tend to be lighter and less ex-pensive than Merino wool, but Merino wool is warmer and less clammy when damp.

Different breeds of sheep produce different wool fibers. Old-school wool was made from thick fibers, making it feel itchy and scratchy against the skin. Now you can find active-wear companies like SmartWool, Ibex and Icebreaker that use fine-fiber wool shorn from Merino sheep. Fibers from this type of wool are roughly a quarter the thickness of human hair, and they have kinks and bends that create millions of heat-storing air pockets that keep you warm – even when the wool is wet. The fibers also absorb sweat vapor on the inside and release it on the outside.

Regardless of the fabric you choose, keep in mind that different fibers move, or wick, sweat away from your body at different rates, so it’s important to combine the appropriate layers.

“It’s best to have a synthetic or wool base layer next to your skin,” said Krystol Ithomitis of Bellingham’s Sportsman Chalet. “And then, in between that and your hardshell, you want additional layers to be the same material as your base layer – such as a mid- or heavy-weight Merino wool layer over a lightweight Merino wool shirt – so that moisture moves away from your body at the same rate.”

fleeCe. Generally speaking, there are two types of fleece – open-weave fleece, which al-lows air to flow through it, and bonded fleece, which has wind-block or hard-faced material incorporated into it. An open-weave fleece jacket makes a great insulation layer because it provides a lot of warmth, it allows moisture to escape, is lightweight and has some insu-lating properties even when it’s a little damp. When an open-weave fleece jacket is worn underneath a windproof and waterproof hardshell jacket, it makes a highly effective jacket combination to fend off the cold, wind and rain.

insulateD JaCket: DOWn Or synthetiC? There are many variables to consider when choosing between a down or synthetic jacket. Down insulation is typically warmer, lighter and more packable than synthetic insulation, but it’s also more expensive, it takes longer to dry and it loses its insulating properties when it gets wet.

You probably won’t use a down or synthetic sweater or jacket on a day outing, but it’s a good idea to carry one. If something goes wrong (i.e., you sprain an ankle, get caught in a storm, become lost or slip into an icy creek), you may be immobile for a while, and having the extra insulation could save your life. Just be sure to keep your jacket in a waterproof bag so that it stays dry.

harDshell JaCkets. A good hardshell jacket features water repellency and breathability. In other words, it keeps precipitation out, it allows sweat vapor to escape, and it dries quickly.

It’s best to spend the extra money on a membrane-backed jacket rather than one that has been treated with a microporous coating. Membranes are typically laminated in between a face fabric and a liner. These types of jackets cost more, but they last longer, are more durable and more breathable than jackets with coatings that will inevitably wear off.

All of the major brands claim to have breathability, water repellency and wind-blocking features, and there are many different membrane brand names on the market, such as Gore-Tex, eVent, Polartec, Mountain Hardwear’s Dry.Q Elite, The North Face’s HyVent, Colum-bia’s Omni-Heat, and so on. Adding to the confusion, some brands even have multiple styles, names and fabric/insulation combinations.

Rather than trying to compare the seemingly subtle differences between the top brands, focus on finding a jacket that matches your activity (high-intensity activities may require a shell that moves vapor faster than others, for example), has the features you need (i.e., pockets, pit vents, helmet-compatible hood, etc.) and fits correctly – keeping in mind that you may need a larger size to accommodate insulating layers. In addition to the specific fea-tures needed for your activity, Ithomitis recommends investing in a waterproof, membrane-backed jacket with taped seams, waterproof zippers and a hood.

A high-quality hardshell jacket will be more comfortable, more effective at managing moisture and lasts much longer than a cheap jacket, and it just might become the most im-portant piece of clothing you carry.

putting it all tOgether. So now you’re all geared up with new clothing and you’re ready to give it all a test run. Not so fast. It’s best to start out underdressed and slightly chilled because once you begin your activity you’ll probably warm up quickly. When you generate enough heat to start sweating, either shed a layer or slow your pace.

If you become chilled, add a layer. And when you stop to take a break, immediately add a warm layer to keep yourself from getting cold and to preserve the warmth you have already generated. Then, right before you start moving again, remove the warm layer and place it back inside your pack.

Continually add or remove layers as needed, and try to stay ahead of your body’s temperature changes.

The outdoor-clothing mar-ket can be confusing because

there are so many different fabric types, stitchings, seams, blends and brands. But if you do your research, consult with experts such as Ithomitis, and invest in the proper gear for your activity, you will enjoy many dry and safe days in the wet and wild Pacific Northwest. X

Aubrey laurence spends as much time in the mountains as possible. he lives in bellingham with his wife and two cats.

Whether yOu’re Winter hiking, skiing Or snOWshOeing, Managing MOisture is as MuCh aBOut COMfOrt as it is aBOut safety

staying DryA primer on managing moistureby Aubrey lAurence


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liB-teCh fully funCtiOnal five nas (narrOW ass snOWBOarDs)

This is a really neat little ski, says John from the Glacier Ski Shop. Good in powder, through the trees or doing a billy goat line, easy skiing. The topskin is plastic made from bio beans

and has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any topsheet. Features magne-traction edges that are serrated to provide incredible holding power. $744.

liB-teCh.COM

Winter gear guiDe by PAt grubb

helly hansen Men’s ODin hOODeD Belay JaCket

This is just the jacket if you’re hanging around the ice cliff waiting for your chance at the face. Hel-met-compatible, 100 g Primaloft One insulation. Highly compressible, it comes with a stuff sack. $280.

hellyhansen.COM

arBOr aBaCus

This split-board is best for directional, free-style rid-ing, says Heather at Fairhaven Bike & Ski. It features

Karakoram clips and won Backcountry editors’ award. Arbor designs its products using alternative materials

and made using sustainable practices. $699.

arBOrCOlleCtive.COM


sMith i/O reCOn gOggles

Noel at Sportsman Chalet figures you’ll be the most dialed-in rider on the slopes with these goggles. A head’s up display giving you your speed, altitude, distance, location and more is seemingly projected inches in front of you. It will even keep track of your bud-dies. $650.

sMithOptiCs.COM

iCelanDiC stOrMtrOOper st1 BOOts

John at the Glacier Ski Shop is big on these: they’re highly adjustable with five lean angles, an excellent walk mode with full ankle flex, heat-moldable liner and custom footbed; a great downhill boot that can go out of bounds just as well. These boots combine high performance with plenty of comfort. $600.

firstDegreeBOOts.COM

Msr surelOCk tr-3 pOles

Super-light, these three section poles feature a trigger release for speedy one-hand adjustment. Nice and compact for throw-

ing in your backpack. Lightweight aluminum make these poles easy to carry and easy to use. $149.

CasCaDeDesigns.COMliB-teCh attaCk Banana

This free-style board has elliptical camber to help dis-tribute tip and tail pressure. You’ll be able to absorb big landings that would have buckled your knees be-fore. Shorter contact length makes the Banana shine on hardpack and powder. $579.

liB-teCh.COM

Dynafit Onepx

According to Thierry at Fairhaven Bike & Ski, these 3-buckle ski touring boots are a warmer and beefier version of Dynafit’s TLT-5 model. For touring, the cuff rotates 60 degrees. Featuring a custom moldable liner, the women’s version comes with a scalloped back shell. $639.

Dynafit.COMhelly hansen WOMen’s h2 flOW JaCket

This lightweight, mid-layer combines a fleece interior with polyester shell. Front zippers allow for increased airflow and control. $180.

hellyhansen.COM


Msr lightning asCents

User reviews on the web consistently give these snowshoes an excellent rating. They are especially prized for their holding ability on the steeps due to their non-tubular construction and aggres-sive crampons. Ergo Televators can be engaged with a pole flick making ascents like climbing stairs. Accepts tails. $269.

CasCaDeDesigns.COM

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

Swing. Thunk.My ice axe bit deeply into the vertical blue ice.

Swing. Thunk.The pick of my second ice tool hit home, sinking deeply

into the frozen wall. I worked my feet up the ice, kicking the sharp front-points of my crampons in until they found purchase.

And then I stood still and took in my surroundings. The sky was that perfect crisp blue that only seems to exist on clear days in a Washington winter. Jagged mountains en-crusted in snow stood out on the horizon. Skiers slid by on a cat track hundreds of feet below. It was a perfect day to be ice climbing on Mt. Baker Ski Area’s Pan Dome Falls.

There is nothing like the experience of ice climbing. There are no other sports out there where you lash razor sharp spikes to your feet and carry two tools that look more like something William Wallace in “Braveheart” might carry than a modern mountain climber. There are no other sports where you bash a vertical ice wall into submission, while working your way incrementally up it. And there are cer-tainly no other sports out there where you do all that while exposed to both freezing weather and extreme heights.

No, there is definitely nothing like ice climbing.And that’s why it’s cool.Modern ice climbing was born out of the need for climb-

ers to get up progressively steeper mountain routes. In the beginning, climbers wore crampons, metal spikes affixed to their boots, with 10 vertical spikes and carried long wooden mountaineering axes. The 10-point crampons allowed the mountaineer to move freely up semi-steep icy terrain, while the long mountain axe allowed them to keep their balance and cut steps in the snow. Early mountaineers employed a special crampon position, dubbed the French Technique, to move up steep slopes. In this technique, the climber ro-tated his foot outward, paralleling the slope with his boot or even pointing his toes downhill in order to force all 10 of his crampon points to bite. Security came from getting all 10 points into the ice, which meant that as the terrain became serious, the climber literally had to walk uphill backward in order to be safe.

Clearly, this method had its limits.In 1932, the European climber Laurent Grivel made a

major modification to the historic crampon. He added two sharp horizontal spikes to the front, thus introducing front-points, a major revolution that allowed climbers to

ascend significantly steeper terrain by kicking their toes in and standing up on them. Seven years later Otto Trott, a German immigrant, intro-duced these new 12-point crampons to the Pacific Northwest. The use of front-points in the Cascades led to a number of steep first ascents throughout the range, including new lines on Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker.

In 1966, Yvon Chouinard be-gan experimenting with new shorter ice axes with upswept reverse-curve picks. With new modified ice tools in hand, he started an ice climbing revolution. Chouinard refined old techniques and developed new ones. He taught classes and inspired young climbers, including Dunham Gooding, an aspiring mountain guide who would go on to found the American Alpine Institute in Bellingham.

Today, Chouinard is best known for his company, Patago-nia. But his innovations in ice climbing equipment and tech-niques, combined with the innovations made in the 1930s lead to a change in perception. Anybody could climb steep or vertical ice. All they needed were the right tools.

In Washington state, we have three types of ice climbing. The first is steep spring and summer alpine ice routes. These are often made up of a combination of frozen snow, exposed glacier and water ice. The second are winter alpine ice routes on steep mountain faces. Commonly, these snow and ice lines form from the winter’s normal freeze thaw cycles. And the third are what most people think of when they think of ice climbing: waterfall ice routes, or frozen waterfalls.

“But … but, there is no ice climbing in Washington!”For years this was the automatic response given when

northwest climbers were asked about potential ice routes in the Cascades or in the Washington desert. For many it was probably easier to deny the existence of climbable ice than to commit to the often grueling approaches through deep snow and avalanche terrain required to reach a winter ice route. Many thought that a trip up to Canada, where the waterfall ice is less fickle and the approaches are more manageable, might be a better option than hunting the elusive beast that is Washington ice. And for many, maybe it was.

A little over a decade ago, Alex Krawarik and I set out to write a guidebook on ice climbing in Washington. Our efforts led to a number of incredible ice climbing adventures throughout the state and eventually to the publication of our book, “Washington Ice: A Climbing Guide” (Mountaineers Books).

After the book was published in 2003, climbers all over the state began to look at our warm maritime mountains in a different light. They made their way up new ice routes both in the Cascades and in the cold desert east of the mountains. The book was the impetus for a renaissance of ice climbing and new route development throughout the state.

But even after the book came out, there were still doubters out there. They claimed that nothing in the book ever “came in.” That’s climber-speak for when a waterfall freezes to a point where it’s in condition for climbing. These individuals claimed that while some of the routes freeze occasionally, Washington still wasn’t really an ice climber-friendly state.

In some regards these doubters were right. Washington is a warm state and many of the waterfall routes with easy roadside access don’t come in every year. Some are so fick-le that they only come in once every decade or so. Warm temperatures through the winter often result in waterfall ice climbs that require a lot more finesse and expertise than similar climbs in Canada. Climbers must choose their pick placements more carefully here, as the ice is variable and soft. This makes it difficult for novice climbers to learn the craft without a professional instructor.

vertiCal iCenothing like the experience of ice climbing

by JAson d. MArtin


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With a little effort, it is always possible to find ice. Road-side ice is less reliable and often less stable, but occasionally it comes in ‘fat’ providing a solid winter of good climbing. When the temperatures are warm and the roadside ice is poor, mountain ice often goes through a freeze-thaw cycle, which creates excellent alpine ice conditions.

Ice climbing is not a sport for the meek, but it is also not exclusive. If you think you can handle the cold, the heights and the physical endurance required to climb a route, then you’re halfway there. The next step is to head to the moun-tains, strap on some crampons and start swinging your tools!

getting starteD. Ice climbing can be a dangerous sport. Unlike rock, ice is not static. It is a constantly chang-ing medium. Ice on every waterfall climb falls down at some point throughout the season and alpine ice climbs constant-ly shed large chunks of ice. Aspiring ice climbers should seek professional instruction.

The American Alpine Institute (AAI, alpineinstitute.com) offers private waterfall ice climbing lessons and guided as-cents throughout the winter in the Cascades, in California’s Eastern Sierra and in Ouray, Colorado. AAI provides alpine ice climbing courses throughout the spring and summer on

Mt. Baker and throughout the Cascades.

equipMent. If you’re already a rock climber or a mountaineer, then you probably have a lot of the basics. Ice climbers will need harnesses, dynamic climbing ropes, carabiners, slings and belay devices. If you’re new to all types of climbing and you elect to take a class, most of this will be provided to you.

If you’re a skier or a mountaineer, then you probably have the requisite clothing. If not, you’ll need multiple warm base and intermediate layers, shell clothing and a warm down jacket. The down jacket is often referred to as a belay jacket because while you’ll get warm climb-ing, you’ll spend a lot of time standing still belaying a climber in the winter shade.

iCe tOOls. There are many styles and brands. Some tools are designed for alpine ice, whereas others are de-signed for waterfall ice, and yet others are designed for mixed rock and ice climbing. A single tool can cost any-where from $120 to $300. Before investing, take a class where people have lots of different tools available. Play with them all and see which one(s) you like the best.

BOOts. Mountaineering boots with a full-shank will suf-fice for beginner climbers.

CraMpOns. Beginner climbers will want a good all-around steel crampon that can be used for general moun-taineering as well as ice climbing. All-around crampons have horizontal front-points, which tend to work better on alpine ice climbs where sometimes you’re on ice and some-times you’re on snow. Advanced waterfall ice climbers may choose vertical front-points because they are more aggres-sive on steep climbs. Mixed climbers might prefer mono-points. These crampons have a single point, which can be used for difficult rock climbing moves. Most crampons run from $100 to $200.

helMet. Ice climbing without a helmet is suicide. Ice chunks constantly shed from both waterfall and alpine ice climbs. A standard rock-climbing helmet is acceptable. These range from $50 to $100.

iCe sCreW. These are specialized anchors that can be screwed into the ice in order to provide intermediate pro-tection or an anchor. Beginners generally don’t need these, but intermediates and advanced level climbers will need a number of these. Ice screws cost $40 to $70. X

Jason d. Martin is an AMgA certified rock guide and the operations director at the American Alpine institute. in addition to working as a mountain guide, Martin is a freelance writer and co-authored “washington ice: A climbing guide.”

Wi 1 – low-angle ice that does not require an ice tool.

Wi 2 – easy ice climbing up to 60 degrees that may be climbed with one ice tool.

Wi 3 – 60 to 70 degrees two-tool ice climbing with good rests.

Wi 4 – near vertical steps up to 30 feet of sustained climbing, strenuous moves required to place intermediate protection.

Wi 5 – near vertical or vertical steps up to 60 feet of sustained climbing, strenuous moves required to place intermediate protection, few good rests.

Wi 6 – vertical climbing with no rests for the entire pitch (60 to 200 feet), requires a high level of technique and excellent fitness.

waterfall ice grading system


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feet firstsnow-free winter hikes

story And Photos by Aubrey lAurence

Many day hikers are leery of snow-covered trails, and come winter they put their passion into hibernation.

It’s understandable because snow completely changes the game. It limits trailhead access, creates routefinding chal-lenges, requires extra gear, makes hiking more tiresome and produces dangerous situations, such as slick surfaces, deep snow and avalanches.

But there’s no need for hikers to hang up their backpacks for the season. There are many wonderful hikes in northwest Washington that stay snow-free most of the year, and when they do receive snow, it tends to melt off fast.

Below are five winter hikes to keep your passion alive through the season:

alger alp. Unofficially named Alger Alp and also known as “Little Baldy,” this little mountain can be seen from I-5 in between exits 240 and 242. In conjunction with Squires Lake Park on its north side, this is a great area for hiking, trail running and bird watching.

There are two routes to the summit – one from the north through the Squires Lake Park off Old Hwy 99 and one from the south from Alger-Cain Lake Road (which is Lake Samish Road west of 99). The Pacific Northwest Trail runs along a good portion of both routes.

Depending on the route you take, you could easily do four miles round trip and gain at least 1,000 feet of elevation, so it makes for a good, quick-fix hike just 15 minutes south of Bellingham. And at just 1,315 feet high, Alger Alp is low enough to stay snow-free for most of the year.

The south route follows the defunct Logging Road 1000 to the summit. The north route passes the northwest tip of Squires Lake, heads south on the Squires Lake Loop Trail, takes a right onto the narrow South Ridge Trail, and then turns into Logging Road 1340 and then 1300. When it links up to Road 1000, it follows it around the north side of the mountain. At the end of the road, a trail leads to an open area on the summit. Ignore the din of I-5 far below and cast your eyes toward the islands and the Olympics to the south-west.

Directions: For the south route, take Exit 240 to Lake Samish Road, then head east through Alger. Past Highway 99, the trailhead (gated Road 1000) is on the left, just past Corbell Lane and before the bridge over Silver Creek. Park on the shoulder on either side of the road, but do not block the gate. For the north route, take Exit 242, go east on Old Highway 99, which will then turn toward the south. In less than a mile, the Squires Lake parking area will be on your left (east) side of the highway.

hOrseshOe BenD. On cold and rainy days, few con-sider heading up into the hills, but that’s exactly why you should. The Horseshoe Bend trail is a great destination on days like this because most of the trail is protected from the wind and rain by a dense canopy of cedars, hemlocks and Douglas firs. It’s also a low-elevation trail that tends to be snow-free most of the year. Sure, it may lack sweeping vistas and mountain views, but it still has a lot to offer.

Beginning right off Highway 542, the trail travels through a moss-covered forest as it contours the raging, boulder-strewn North Fork Nooksack River. Along the way, there are many great whitewater views and idyllic picnic spots. The trail ends at a precipice high above the Horseshoe Bend.

This is a relatively easy hike, though it does have many ups and downs, including a few sections that will get your heart pounding. If you hike the trail all the way to the end and back, you will travel almost 2.5 miles and gain more than 400 feet of elevation. Some guidebooks only give it 200 or 300 feet, but they don’t seem to account for all the dips and rises, out and back.

Directions: Drive east on Highway 542. Two miles beyond the Glacier Public Service Center, park on the right side of the road, just past the bridge and across the street from the Doug-las Fir Campground.

DeCeptiOn pass state park trails. It may not feature long trails in remote forests or sweeping alpine views, but Deception Pass State Park does have 38 miles of short, interconnecting trails and loops that offer plenty of eye candy. The best part is that you can tailor a hike to your time or energy constraints, whether you just want a short stroll along a beach or a long, circuitous route.

On the north side of the bridge on Fidalgo Island, con-sider exploring the Bowman Bay area, which offers quiet beaches, rocky cliffs, old forests, grassy knolls and hidden coves, plus panoramic views of Deception Pass, the Olympic Mountains and the San Juan Islands.

If you combine hikes to Rosario Head, Lighthouse Point and Lottie Point, you will hike at least five miles and gain about 400 feet of elevation, as there are many ups and downs on these trails. There are also many spur trails to explore, though some of them are overgrown, slick and dangerous where they cross above cliffs (especially on the north side of Lighthouse Point), so proceed with caution.

Directions: Deception Pass State Park is located off Highway 20 between Anacortes and Oak Harbor. To get to Bowman Bay from Anacortes, go south on Highway 20, turn right onto Rosario Road and take an immediate left onto the park road to Bowman Bay, making another left to the boat launch and day-use area. A Discovery Pass is required.

nOrth Butte On BlanCharD MOuntain. Instead of doing the ever-popular Oyster Dome hike, go farther and higher to the lesser-known North Butte, which has similarly inspiring views, plus a great view of Mt. Baker on clear days. It even features a very short scramble right at the top.

There are many ways to gain this sub-summit of Blanchard Mountain’s highpoint (which is covered with trees, has no views and requires a bushwhacking session), and many loop hikes are possible. Most pass by Lily Lake.

From the west, you can hike to North Butte from Chucka-nut Drive; from the south, you can hike it from Samish Overlook or the junction of roads B-2000 and B-1000; from

the east, you can gain it from the Alternate Incline Trail after hiking up the gated road; and from the north you can reach it from the British Army Trail. The Chuckanut Recreation Area map (squareonemaps.com) details your many options, which are only limited by your creativity and energy.

Directions: For the south-side routes, take Exit 240 from I-5 south, turn right (north) onto Lake Samish Road, left onto Barrel Springs Road, and then right onto the Blanchard Moun-tain gravel road B-1000. For the hike from Chuckanut Drive, take Chuckanut Drive (11) about 10 miles south of Fairhaven, just past the Oyster Bar, and park on the right (west) side of the road. A Discover Pass is required.

MOunt COnstitutiOn. Out of the 700 islands that make up the San Juan Islands archipelago, Orcas Island is the tallest, with Mount Constitution prominently rising 2,409 feet straight out of the sea. The mountain is within Moran State Park, which has 5,252 acres, five freshwater lakes and more than 30 miles of hiking trails that are typically free of snow most of the year.

There are many routes you can take to Mount Constitu-tion’s summit, including a road. But to experience the moun-tain best, do the 6.7-mile-loop hike starting at the parking area for Mountain Lake Campground. Taken counterclock-wise, this route gains about 1,500 feet in total, as it contours the west shore of Mountain Lake, gradually ascends north through a lush-green forest, and then steeply ascends west before wrapping around the north side of the mountain to the summit. You will encounter many side trails on this loop, some of which make worthy extensions on their own, so be sure to bring a map.

No summit visit is complete without climbing to the top of the stone tower, which was built by the Civilian Conser-vation Corps in 1936. If you’re lucky enough to be there on a clear day, you’ll have commanding, 360-degree views of northwest Washington from Mt. Baker to Mt. Rainier, Van-couver and lower British Columbia, the San Juan Islands, Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

To complete the loop, head south from the summit on the Little Summit Trail, which skirts above cliffs (hike cau-tiously if the trail is wet or icy) and gently undulates along the long summit ridge before descending steeply down the mountain’s southeastern shoulder. This trail connects back to Mountain Lake, just north of where you parked.

Directions: Take the Washington state ferry from Anacortes to Orcas Island. Turn left after disembarking the ferry and take Orcas Road to the town of Eastsound. Drive through Eastsound and then take a right onto Olga Road to Moran State Park, and then left onto Mount Constitution Road. After about a mile, turn right and park in the Mountain Lake parking area. A Discover Pass is required. In the win-ter the park is open 8 a.m. to dusk. For more information and to download a trail map of the park, visit parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Moran.X

Aubrey laurence spends as much time in the mountains as possible. he lives in bellingham with his wife and two cats.


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ten ten

in preparation for winter outings, consider adding the following 10 items to your ten essentials. it’s actually a good idea to carry many of these items in your pack year round.

1. Dry bag: waterproof backpack cover or a waterproof bag lining the inside of your backpack

2. happy feet: extra pair of synthetic or wool socks in case your feet get wet and moleskin to prevent and/or treat blisters.

3. eye protection: ski goggles for blowing snow in high-wind situations

4. gastric support: upset stomach relief/antacid tablets, toilet paper and plastic pack-out bags

5. no slip: traction for your boots (when snow or ice is present)

6. fluid balance: electrolytes, especially if you tend to sweat heavily

7. Warm jacket: down or synthetic insulating jacket for breaks, emergencies or just hanging out at camp

8. safety items: whistle, signaling mirror, personal location beacon or sPot personal tracker

9. antihistamines: Anaphylactic shock is a sudden, life-threatening, multi-system allergic reaction that causes about 1,500 deaths per year. food allergens, insect stings, iodine, peanuts and medications are just a few instigators. the reaction may be fatal if emergency treatment, including epinephrine injections, is not given immediately. Antihistamines (i.e. benadryl) may control the symptoms until you can get proper medical attention.

10. Common sense: carry all the appropriate gear you will need and know how to use it, and don’t travel beyond your abilities.


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Photo by dylAn hArt | dylAnhArt.coM

forrest burki boardsliding an icy spine in the Mt. baker backcountry

A lpenglow lights up Mt. Baker at my back, but this evening my attention is focused to the west, over the field of green-gold stubble that was a cornfield back in July. I set up the

spotting scope and scan the horizon, lingering on the tall shapes topping the line of pilings along the distant edge of Samish Bay. Cormorants, eagles and red tail hawks soak up the last rays of the wintry sunset, feathers fluffed against the cold. Then I hear it – a whispery “chjew, chjew, chjew” off to my left. I swing around to catch the fluttery wing beats of a short-eared owl winging in circles around the low-flying northern harrier that has intruded into its air-space.

Many locals don’t realize that the low, flat, deltas laid down by rivers as they exit the Cas-cade foothills and spill into Puget Sound represent one of the premier hawk watching venues in the nation. Skagit Flats west of Conway, Samish Flats at the south end of Chuckanut Drive, Lummi Flats west of Ferndale and Boundary Bay along the south edge of the Fraser delta just north of the border all offer prime viewing sites. These estuary areas, with their open agricultural fields and relatively mild climate (relative to many of the hawks summer homes in the subarctic that is), provide ideal conditions for overwintering birds of prey.

As a beginning birder, my introduction to the area came by taking a course on raptors taught by Bud Anderson, lead researcher for the Falcon Research Group (FRG). Anderson offers month-long classes in raptor identification and ecology each winter at the Padilla Bay Reserve or through the Whatcom Museum. The highlight of the class is a field trip to the flats. One memorable year I got to help Bud briefly trap a red tail to check it for long bill syndrome.

The FRG has been conducting an annual winter hawk census on the Skagit Flats since 1985. While the flats support a resident population of red tails, a handful of harriers (some-times known as marsh hawks) and kestrels, birds begin concentrating there in late Novem-ber as winter closes in at their summer breeding grounds. Short-eared owls, rough-legged hawks and the occasional gyrfalcon and snowy owl migrate down from the arctic and sub-arctic tundra areas they call home in warmer months.

Snowy owls are generally not common, although at least one or two are sighted each year just north of the border in Boundary Bay. However, about every 10 years or so an “irrup-tion” of snowy owls occurs, sending dozens of the majestic birds south to our area. Last year was such an irruption year, and delighted birders regularly spotted almost two dozen birds at Boundary Bay, and several more at Sandy Point in Whatcom County and near Stanwood in Snohomish County.

The winter raptor population reaches its peak in mid-February when bald eagles who have been gorging on salmon along the rivers that feed each delta move downstream to the open fields. Results posted on the FRG website (frg.org) indicate that Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Harrier and Rough-legged Hawk comprise about 85 to 95 percent of the winter raptors on the Skagit Flats. Other species seen include Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, Coo-per’s Hawk, American Kestrel, Short-eared Owl, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Snowy Owl, Com-mon Barn Owl, Gyrfalcon, Prairie Falcon, Great Horned Owl, Golden Eagle, Great Grey Owl, and Barred owl.

Winter hawk watching is not for sissies. My pal Jody and I once watched in fascinated hor-ror as a peregrine falcon stooped on a snow goose, only to be chased off of the feathery feast by a hungry bald eagle who took possession of the kill.

And it gets cold. Because hawk watching is a game of patience that re-quires staying still, one needs to dress warmly. My winter birding outfit consists of fleece-lined pants, an Eddie Bauer polar parka, fur-lined hat and two sets of wool gloves. Binoculars are also obligatory, and a spotting scope is useful. However, if you don’t have a scope but encounter others who do, don’t hesitate to stop and ask what they have their eyes on; birders love to

share their finds and often reward curious on-lookers a glimpse through their high powered optics.

Every birder has their favorite viewing area – mine is the “West 90,” or Samish Wildlife unit according to its official WDFW designation, a gravel parking lot situated at a 90-degree bend in Samish Island Road. I like to visit in the late afternoon an hour or so before sunset to check out the aerial combat between the short-eared owls and harriers.

Great sites north of the border include the Boundary Bay Dike, where snowy owls can be found most winters near the end of 72nd and 64th streets, and the George C. Reifel Mi-gratory Bird Sanctuary. The 850-acre Reifel refuge includes several miles of walking trails, restrooms and a gift shop. It also hosts a handful of rare overwintering Sandhill Cranes and seldom seen night herons. X

sue Madsen is a fluid geomorphologist who likes to climb, ski, backpack, sea kayak and scuba drive.

i get Out Of the truCk in the slanting light Of the late Winter sun,

anD pull My COllar up against the Breeze.

Day Of raptOrscascade foothills offers premier hawk watching

by sue MAdsen | Photos by Joe Meche


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george C. reifel Migaratory Bird sanctuary5191 Robinson Road, Delta, B.C. • reifelbirdsanctuary.comopen 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day including holidays.

falcon research groupBow, WA • frg.orgfrg hosts annual winter raptor count in mid-february.

Boundary Bay Dikefrom vancouver, take highway 99 and follow signs to highway 17 and tsawwassen. exit from highway 17 on to ladner trunk road, or highway 10, by turning left at the first light. from the south take highway 99 and exit on to highway 10 heading east. Access boundary bay by driving south on 64th or 72nd streets from highway 10 or by taking 104th street from hornby drive, which runs east as a “frontage road” from the junction of highway 10 and 99. the boundary bay dyke can be walked from 64th street east to Mud bay Park in surrey, beyond 120th.

West 90 – samish Wildlife unit (WDfW)from interstate 5, go west on highway 20 to the bayview-edison road. turn right (north) and follow bayview-edison road through bayview, past the state park and down onto the samish flats until the road ends at a “t” intersection. turn right onto samish island road and proceed until the 90-degree turn to the north. the parking area is straight ahead at the corner. dis-cover Pass required.

eagle WatCh by kArA furr

Hundreds of eagles from Alas-ka and northern Canada mi-

grate to the Skagit River each win-ter to prey on the salmon spawning in the river. Catching a sight of this spectacle is a winter-must.

The best eagle-watching season is from late November to late Janu-ary, with numbers usually peak-ing from the last week in Decem-ber through mid-January. There are several ways to observe the hundreds of eagles that take their perch along the river, from both water and land. A popular yearly tradition for kayakers, canoeists and rafters is the Skagit River Ea-gle Float – whether on your own or with a commercial rafting trip, this is an intimate way of appreci-ating the beauty of both the river and the eagles.

If you’d rather stay on dry land, there are many pullouts along Highway 20 in t h e Bald Eagle Natu-ral Area, 2,450 acres along the upper Skagit River at the confluence with the Sauk River, east of Concrete.

A great place to make a stop is Howard Miller Steelhead County Park in Rockport, home to the Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpre-tive Center (skagiteagle.org), open Saturday and Sunday in December and January. The center is a great resource for information on eagles and viewing sights – they also offer guided walks.

Also view eagles on the North Fork of the Nooksack River; visit Deming Homestead Eagle Park, at 3373 Mt. Baker Highway.

For north of the border, catch the annual Fraser Valley Bald Ea-gle Festival (fraservalleybaldeagle-festival.com) or visit the Squamish River area in Brackendale, B.C. (brackendaleeagles.com). X

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in the fOOtsteps Of Bearstracking wildlife on the nooksack river

by MAllory clArke

We park at a slight widening of the narrow Forest Ser-vice road. The bit of wetland we glimpsed at through

the forest is calling us. My naturalist buddy Chris and I are off for a day of wildlife tracking on the Nooksack River. We close the truck door quietly and the soft duff under our feet muffles our steps. We are careful to avoid stepping on the breakable twigs and branches strewn on the forest floor as we make our way down a steep forested grade. Everything around us is mottled from the sun shining through the trees, and the cool air is reviving.

We are here to snoop into the lives of wild animals, to find out who is living where and who is passing through. The marks that animals leave behind on the landscape tell stories. Chris and I want to know what they did last night. Who were they with? What did they eat, and where did they sleep? Patterns of life for secretive wild animals can’t always be discovered in books and research articles, but reliably, there is information written on the ground and on the plant life around them.

We arrive where the forest ends at the edge of an immense pond. I kneel down to run my fingers across a blunt, six-inch stump of a sapling. Just as we suspected – beavers built this place. We can see the marks left by their teeth in the wood. The pond must have a beaver dam at the downhill end.

Wetlands are great places to track: soft, wet mud displays clear tracks, small animal habitat is plentiful, and predators come to where they can easily find prey. I whisper to Chris, “light-barked trees,” and point north. Black bears like to

claw them because the marks are visible for a long way off. I’ve seen bear markings on light colored trees in and around wetlands often enough that now I expect them. When I’m lucky. We make our way along the edge of the pond toward the alders I had spotted.

Part way there, we stop at the muddy edge to look for tracks. Beautiful little Stellar’s Jay tracks are almost dead center in a patch of mud. Chris notices where the bird’s beak had broke the surface. On closer inspection, he sees tiny in-sect tracks that end at the hole. It makes me laugh. Another story. I knew Stellar’s Jays ate seeds and acorns, small rodents and even nestlings; now I know they eat bugs!

My chuckle sets off the birds nearby. They are making alarm calls to tell the neighborhood that trespassers are pres-ent. So much for sneak-ing around unnoticed. Bird language is a fundamental tool for trackers. Yes, it can backfire and help wildlife avoid you, but we humans can learn to read and use it to help us know where the interesting predators are at that moment. If I’m attentive, I can sometimes hear the birds telling me a worri-some animal is nearby and where it is moving. I can follow the birds’ lead and find the tracks of an animal who is just too stealthy and smart to let me see it, such as a bobcat or a cougar.

Giving up on quiet, we chat as we clamber over downed trees, pass Devil’s Club, and through blueberry bushes. Blueberry bushes are slow going due to the snacking factor. Eventually we reach the alders and there we find a beautiful display of bear claw marks. Each claw mark is about half an inch apart. They are lower on the tree than I’m used to see-ing. In fact, some must have been made by the bear while standing on all fours or sitting. I crouch down to bear-sitting height. There is something awe inspiring about knowing you are in the exact spot once occupied by a creature who can draw on tree bark as easily as I draw on paper.

We bushwhack to a second tree and discover more claw marks; this time six feet above the ground. The width of the paws that made these is impressive and the marks are over an inch apart. We can also see where the bear stood on his hind legs and hugged the tree. He stretched his massive limbs up and around, and then dragged his claws down and toward his body. There are bite marks on the tree and dark hairs caught in the rough wood. We can see where the bear climbed 15 feet up the tree. We admire this artwork, touch-ing the marks and guessing this bear made this visit over a year ago.

There is a sense of dangerous intimacy in knowing some-thing even this insignificant about a wild creature. These

marks are often communication. Was he announcing to the world he was here and not to be messed with? Was he ad-vertising himself as a worthy mate? I stand with my hands as close as I can manage to where his claws were. I try to imagine what being that bear would be like: mostly solitary, not worried about much. Reluctantly, I pull my imagination away, and we walk on.

Later, we pass the truffle digs of flying squirrels, and pop out of the brush into a small clearing bordered by a huge

downed cedar trunk. Before it sagged in decay, it must have been hip high lying there on its side. Part way along its length, it has been smashed open making a low spot, easi-er to cross than the rest of the log. We can see where deer and elk hooves had further worn the log in that same spot. I was curious about what had opened the log up in the first place, so I began lifting the barked edges looking for clues. Chris dug into the rotted wood itself and came up with a termite larvae just as I uncovered three deep short gouges in the bark. Mystery solved. The termites invaded the dead tree and once they were numerous enough to be worth the effort, a black bear looking for a snack sunk its claws into a chunk of bark to pull the tree open. This particular infesta-tion was probably worth a few return visits for a bear who didn’t mind a bit of sawdust in his or her diet. We follow the elk over the cedar and keep going.

At last, we find a wide opening in the trees and have a breathtaking view of the pond, a swamp overflowing with green plant life, and in front of all that, riches: a wide ex-panse of dried mud with grass tufts punching up through it, suggesting it might hold human weight. Mud, in this west-ern Washington land of duff and leaf litter, is tracker’s gold. Clear mink tracks border the shore. We can see where the mink slowed down to investigate something, probably an at-tractive smell. A coyote trotted through last night looking for the cross trails of small animals worth hunting, probably the snowshoe hare whose tracks we also see. Three otters left the shore earlier this morning and loped straight out across the mud; one darted under a fallen log and two bounded over it. Their trails disappear into the distance before they reached the pond, running over mud so thin, I dared not follow them.

he stretched his massive limbs up and around, and then dragged his claws down and toward his body.

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While leaning on the fallen log, I notice large hand-sized im-pressions on the moss all along its surface. I press my hand into the same moss and it jumps right back. Whatever made this regu-lar pattern of impressions, did so by walking this log often, putting feet in exactly the same places over

and over again. I trail along the log, looking for where the creature leapt on or off.

Finally, I come to it. Gorgeous bear tracks, shining in the mud, wend away from me. A sheen of water in each track tells me the an-imal was here very recently. Tired, I sit on the log and watch the bear

in my mind’s eye. She jumps down from the log and slowly meanders into the woods. It’s been a day of inspirational bears. X

A Pacific northwest native, Mallory clarke is a wildlife tracker and a big fan of rivers. she teaches high school and likes playing in the Puget sound rain.

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learning tO traCk

Check into one of the following for tracking classes:

• wilderness Awareness school, wildernessawareness.org• Alderleaf wilderness college, wildernesscollege.com• brian Mcconnell’s trailing classes, [email protected]• north cascades institute, ncascades.org• western tracking institute, westerntrackinginstitute.com• explore with a field guide and your own journal for drawing what you see and taking notes• wildlife of the Pacific northwest: tracking and identifying Mammals, birds, reptiles,

Amphibians, and invertebrates by david Moskowitz (timber Press)

Best places to track:

• beaches, forest roads and the edges of any body of water are all likely to have substrate that will capture and hold animal tracks.

• try aerial photographs of your closest river. look for white areas along the shores that indicate gravel or sand. those areas are the most likely to have good substrate for tracking.

• bridges often protect sand or fine dust from the elements making tracking under them productive in wet or windy weather.


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A year ago, as I was eating lunch with about 25 oth-er hikers scattered around Winchester Lookout,

a huge black helicopter came roaring out of the north-west. Rotors thundering, it circled the lookout, close enough that I could see several uniformed men inside. They appeared to be carefully scrutinizing all the hik-ers on the mountaintop. Clearly this was Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in the stereotypical Black Hawk helicopter.

Anyone who has hiked to Winchester Lookout knows that it’s a destination, not a waypoint on the route anywhere. So what the heck were the guys in the helicopter looking for? Did they really think that some drug smuggler was going to hike up a mountain and sit down for lunch? That seemed pretty improb-able to me. So I recently asked a CBP representative, and got the following response:

Winchester Lookout is located in an area where many of the trails can be accessed from the U.S./Canada bor-der. Air assets of the Office of Air and Marine (OAM), a component of Customs and Border Protection, rou-tinely conduct patrols along the border in an attempt to distinguish legitimate traffic from illicit traffic. The presence of OAM assets in this area ensures that possible illicit activity does not occur or operate in the area. In addition, OAM assets provide res-cue support and air support to area law enforcement agencies.

As far as I know, nobody had called for a rescue, so I’ll presume that the helicopter guys just wanted everyone in the area to know they were keeping a close eye on us. Or maybe the experienced Border Pa-trol guys were taking some newbies on a tour of our spectacular North Cascades scenery.

When Canyon Creek Road was open, I often saw green and white Border Patrol vehicles in the parking lot at Damfino Lakes trailhead. This year I’ve spotted Border Patrol vehicles on the Twin Lakes Road and in the parking lot for Wildcat Cove in Larrabee State Park. So naturally I had to ask about those places, too. The answer:

In the last couple of years, the Border Patrol has been able to expand out into areas in which historically the public has not seen a large Border Patrol presence. The primary mission of the Border Patrol is preventing ter-rorists and terrorist weapons from entering the U.S. The

Border Patrol continues its traditional mission of detect-ing, apprehending and deterring smugglers of humans, drugs and other contraband. The presence of Border Pa-trol in these areas helps to ensure that smuggling orga-nizations cannot move operations and operate in other areas within our primary area of responsibility.

Yikes! I’ve always been paranoid about careless hunters while out hiking, and watchful of big power-boats while kayaking, and now I have to watch out for terrorists, terrorist weapons and drug smugglers in the backcountry? Really?

I asked myself if perhaps the CBP wasn’t being a bit overenthusiastic, so I started doing some Internet re-search on incidents in the wilderness. I quickly turned up an old article that mentioned an aspiring terrorist was picked up several times trying to cross the border via the backcountry and then later was found mak-ing bombs in New York. The article also mentioned a North Cascades Park ranger intercepting an inept kayaker with 22 kilos of B.C. Bud in his boat on Ross Lake, and an incident in which Canadian smugglers were using helicopters to drop bags of marijuana with avalanche transceivers for later pickup on the U.S.

side. I found a couple more articles about smuggler meet-ups on logging roads.

So I guess we all have more than careless hunt-ers and power boaters to watch for while we’re “out there.” If you happen to see anything suspicious – or find some interesting parcels while practicing with an avalanche beacon – the CBP asks that you call local authorities at 911 or the Border Patrol at 800/556-1345. X

Pamela beason is an avid hiker, kayaker and author of the summer westin wilderness mystery series. visit her at pamelabeason.com.

WatChful eyesborder Patrol in the backcountry. by PAMelA beAson

Did they really think that some drug smuggler was going to hike up a mountain and sit down for lunch?


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www.mtbakerlodging.com [email protected]

Glacier and Maple Falls homeowners:are you looking for ways to off-set the debt service on your 2nd home?

Consider placing your vacation property in the Mt. Baker Lodgingvacation rental program.

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Mountain travel & rescueby National Ski Patrol

Written by experts, this manual is designed to help snowsport enthusiasts succeed in mountain environments, in the backcountry, and in any season.

north Cascades Crest by James Martin

Martin offers an intimate portrait of the North Cascades through stunning photo-graphs, first-hand accounts, and careful observation.

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BellinghaMBest Western plus lakeWay inn714 Lakeway Drive360/671-1011thelakewayinn.comBellingham’s premier full-service hotel with 132 spacious guest rooms and suites, two restaurants, lobby café, indoor pool and hot tub, fitness center, and 11,000 square feet of meeting space for weddings, banquets and corporate events.

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glaCierBlue t lODge10459 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-9944bluetlodge.comLocated behind Chair 9 Wood-stone Pizza and Bar, this six-room inn is ideal for families or groups. Clean rooms have queen-sized beds, a full bathroom and views of Church Mountain as well as access to a meeting space.

glaCier guest suites8040 Mt. Baker Highway (Mile post 27.5)360/599-2927mt-baker.comThe guests say it best: “Amazing place.” “Absolutely loved the Mt. Baker view.” “A perfect finish to our honeymoon.” “Can’t wait to return next winter.” Visit their website for lodging descriptions and photos. Call for reservations.

the inn at MOunt Baker8174 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-1776theinnatmtbaker.comThe Inn at Mount Baker, located just west of Glacier, is an excellent

choice for accommodations. A stay includes gourmet European-style breakfast, featherbeds and breathtaking views of Mt. Baker and the Nooksack Valley.

the lOgs at CanyOn Creek7577 Canyon View Drive360/599-2711thelogs.comThe Logs is located in Glacier Springs, near Canyon Creek and the North Fork of the Nooksack River. Stay in the rustic two-bedroom log cabins. The homes are widely spaced along the creek, allowing for private space and relaxation.

Mt. Baker vaCatiOn rentals 360/671-5383 mtbakervacationrentals.comProviding fully furnished cabins and condos in the Glacier/Mt. Baker foothills area. Base camp for your Mt. Baker experience. Reservations 24/7.

Mt. Baker vieW guest hOuse6920 Central Avenue360/599-2155mtbakerviewguesthouse.comThree units available. The Guest House in downtown Glacier

sleeps six, hot tub and games. Cascade Retreat in Snowline sleeps 15, sauna and hot tub. Peaceful Mountain Retreat Center on Silver Lake Road sleeps 20, sauna, hot tub and yoga studio.

Winter Creek BeD & Breakfast9253 Cornell Creek Road360/599-2526wintercreekbandb.comHidden below the impressive glaciers of Mt. Baker and at the doorstep of the Mt. Baker-Sno-qualmie National Forest, Winter Creek B&B is the perfect place to stay while visiting the Pacific Northwest mountains.

Maple fallsBaker aCCOMMODatiOns7425 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-2999 or 888/695-7533bakeraccomodations.comBaker Accommodations offers cabins and condos in the resort developments of Snowater, Snow-line and Mt. Baker Rim, conve-niently located just east of Glacier.

Mt. Baker lODging7463 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-2453 or 800/709-7669mtbakerlodging.comMt. 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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Where tO eat aCMeaCMe Diner2045 Valley Highway (Hwy 9)360/595-0150acme-diner.comThis 50s-style diner’s friendly staff is ready to serve you great home-cooked food; fresh ground ham-burgers, hand-cut french fries, pizza, espresso, homemade des-serts and Acme ice cream. Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Blue MOuntain grill974 Valley Highway (Hwy 9)360/595-2200bluemountaingrill.comFresh, homemade fare, including baked bread and desserts made

daily, steaks, burgers and daily specials. Open for lunch and din-ner everyday, and breakfast on weekends.

BellinghaMChuCkanut BreWery & kitChen601 W. Holly Street360/752-3377chuckanutbreweryandkitchen.comEnjoy world class European style, award-winning lagers and ales, and a local-centric menu of fresh American cuisine including woodstone pizzas, burgers, salads and more. All ages welcome every day starting at 11:30 a.m.

eMeralD City sMOOthie1058 Lakeway Drive360/647-2357Get fit, make the healthy choice! Tasty smoothies and nutritional products for all your health needs. Lose weight, get healthy, find meal replacements and weight gainers. We have you covered. Come check out the variety of products.

giuseppe’s al-pOrtO21 Bellwether Way360/714-8412giuseppesitalian.comDelicious, fresh, homemade Ital-ian cuisine. Squalicum Harbor view. Accommodates dietary restrictions. Open every day for lunch at 11:30 a.m., happy hour

and early dinner specials 3 to 6 p.m., full dinner menu at 5 p.m.

the graCe Cafe1065 E. Sunset Drive360/650-9298gracecafepies.comThe perfect stop for your morn-ing coffee and pastry or afternoon snack. Muffins, cinnamon rolls, fruit-filled scones, handmade pies, or for something more substan-tial, try a breakfast bagel or deli sandwich. Dine in or drive thru.

Just phillyInside Rome Grocery Store2908 Mt. Baker Highway360/592-0900Tasty food, great service and a lo-

cal, friendly atmosphere make Just Philly the perfect stop for your next delicious meal. Missing your East Coast roots? Try the Philly cheesesteak!

OBOe Café714 Lakeway Drive360/671-1011thelakewayinn.comBellingham’s hidden gem located inside Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn. Home to Bellingham’s best breakfast for the Crab Benedict. Northwest specialties for break-fast, lunch and dinner. Expansive wine selection and water wall seating.


pOppes 360 neighBOrhOOD puB714 Lakeway Drive360/671-1011bellinghamrestaurant.comHome to Northwest’s Best Cock-tail. Enjoy Northwest fare for din-ner, appetizers and dessert. Happy Hour every day; 12 taps, specialty martinis, nightly entertainment. Year-round covered and heated patio with three fire pits.

WestsiDe pizza4260 Cordata Parkway, Suite 107360/756-5055westsidepizza.comPizza 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.

DeMingil Caffe rifugiO5415 Mt. Baker Highway360/592-2888ilcafferifugio.comGourmet menu with wine and beer at reasonable prices. They are gearing up for a great winter season to serve hungry moun-taineers. All-you-can-eat pasta on Thursdays, live music Fridays. Visit the Deming Homestead Eagle Park next door. Open for lunch and dinner, breakfast on the weekends. WiFi. New drive-thru.

the nOrth fOrk BreWery anD Beer shrine6186 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-2337northforkbrewery.comWhether you want to get married (yes, this restaurant is also a wed-ding chapel), enjoy a handcrafted Scotch ale with a slice of spicy pizza, the North Fork Brewery is your destination. At this lively brewery, you’re sure to have a great time. Open for dinner, lunch on weekends.

eversOnCafe 544302 E. Main Street360/966-7822The Hogan family restaurant serves fantastic fare from juicy burgers to quality steaks. Open every day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., 3 p.m. on Sunday. Breakfast served all day. Dessert by Lynden Dutch Bakery.

gOOD tO gO Meat pies128 W. Main Street360/966-2400goodtogomeatpies.comOld-fashioned style meat pies (pasties) baked fresh daily – soups and sweets too! Locally-sourced

ingredients from Farmer Bens, Field of Greens, Appel Farm, Cloud Mountain Farm and Fairhaven Flour Mill. Tuesday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dine in or to go.

herB nieMann’s steak hOuse restaurant203 W. Main Street360/966-2855eversonsteakhouse.comNestled in the middle of Everson, they have been serving a mouth-watering array of steaks, Bavarian specialties, seafood and desserts to customers since 1993. Offers at-mospheres for adults and families alike, including parties up to 50.

fernDaleluMMi gateWay Center Cafe4920 Rural Avenue (I-5, Exit 260)360/306-8554lummigatewaycenter.comExperience the hospitality of the Lummi people. The center offers the highest quality local seafood, authentic Native American art-work, and a delicious lunch menu featuring daily specials.

glaCierChair 9 WOODstOne pizza anD Bar10459 Mt Baker Highway360/599-2511chair9.comThe perfect place to enjoy a great family meal or a brew after a day on the mountain. Bands play

weekends, and the space offers plenty of dancing room. Try the “Canuck’s Deluxe” pizza, a staff fa-vorite. Open for lunch and dinner.

grahaM’s restaurant9989 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-3663grahamsrestaurant.comA great stop for lunch, dinner, happy hour and weekend break-fasts; seasonal menu and local standard favorites. Try Chef Casey Georgeson’s (formerly of Prospect Street Cafe) fresh daily specials. grahaM’s stOre9989 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-2665Conveniently located in the same building as Graham’s Restaurant, this store contains everything from bagel sandwiches and ice cream to movie rentals, beer, wine and an ATM, as well as handmade hats and a selection of books.

MilanO’s restaurant9990 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-2863milanorestaurant.usKnown for their mouth-watering fresh pasta, super fresh seafood, and homemade sauces, food at Milano’s is an authentic “taste of Italy.” The casual atmosphere is perfect for lunch and dinner, and breakfast on the weekends.

Wake ’n Bakery6903 Bourne Street360/599-1658getsconed.comA favorite for those heading up and down the mountain, whether for an early-morning latte and

breakfast burrito, delicious quiches and sandwich wraps or chocolate dipped macaroons. House-made food available 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.-ish.

kenDallparaDise Market6476 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-9108Affordable, fresh Subway sand-wiches. Simply choose the sandwich your taste buds have a hankerin’ for, then build it just the way you like with your favorite freshly baked bread, crisp veggies and sauces. We’ll even toast it to hot and tasty perfection if that suits your fancy.

Maple fallsCafe 5427466 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-1347Experience one of their signature hash-and-eggs breakfasts with an espresso, or a glass of wine or beer with a BBQ pulled pork sandwich, veggie panini or pulled reuben. Great people, great atmosphere, great food!

Maple fuelsCorner of Mt. Baker Highway and Silver Lake Road360/599-2222maplefuels.comFondly known to locals as the “Fuelie,” the deli offers a huge se-lection of fresh sandwiches, made with local Claus meats. Fuel up on gas, grab a coffee or pick up some

groceries – and wash your clothes at the laundromat while you’re at it. WiFi.

sliDe MOuntain Bar anD grill7141 Mt. Baker Highway360/656-5833Located in the heart of Maple Falls, Slide Mountain features an affordable menu using top quality ingredients and a full-service bar. Nightly themes, sports TV, live music and WiFi. Open for din-ner, breakfast, and lunch on the weekends.

tWin sisters 7461 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-2594Family dining serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Cozy fireplace. Full service bar. Pizza, seafood and steaks. Saturday night entertainment hosted by Jenn and Ryan.

van zanDteveryBODy’s stOre5465 Potter Road, off Highway 9360/592-2297everybodys.comThis delightful, eclectic store features a wide array of gourmet meats, specialty cheeses and fine wines, many of which are made locally. Also check out their great selection of clothing, books and artwork.

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

NowServingBreakfast & LunchAll Day

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

360/599-2711www.thelogs.com

Cozy LogCabinsFireplacesKitchens

Mid Week

SpecialStay 2 nights,the 3rd is FREE*excluding holidays

New Office in Maple Fallsat 7425 Mt. Baker Hwy.

1.888.695.7533BakerAccommodations.com

HOT SHOTS � BIG SCOOPSEspresso • Ice Cream • Groceries

Bagel Sandwiches • Videos • Local Crafts & More

Glacier, WA • 599-2665

STORE

GET AWAY TO MT. BAKER’S GLACIER GUEST SUITESRates from $79-$145 per night

360-599-2927 • 360-300-7341 • [email protected]

“Peaceful serenity”“Breathtaking views”

“Amazing place”“Comfortable beds!”

360/599-2863

Open 7 days a week

9990 Mt. Baker Highway

Glacier, Wa.www.MilanoRestaurant.us

MILANO’S• Fresh Pasta Dinners All Day

• Daily Specials • Espresso • Catering

• Soups & Salads • Homemade Desserts

• Wide Selection of Beer & Wines

R E S TA U R A N T & D E L I

Est. 1990

APRÈS SKI HAPPY HOUR

2-5 pm daily

nOveMBerBanff MOuntain filM festival WOrlD tOur: Novem-ber 27, 7:30 p.m., Mount Baker Theater, Bellingham. Full of amaz-ing big-screen stories. Journey to exotic locations, paddle the wild-est waters, and climb the highest peaks. mountbakertheatre.com.

nature Of Writing series: November 30, 7 p.m., Village Books, Fairhaven. Nick O’Connell’s The Storms of Denali. Free. ncascades.org.

DeCeMBerCOast salish Winter festival: December 1, 8 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Arts festi-val featuring Ernestine Genshaw, cedar baskets, wool mittens, hats, demos and storytelling. Local, wild fish for sale, and seafood restaurant. Lummi Gateway Cen-ter, 4920 Rural Avenue, exit 260 off I-5, Ferndale. Info: 306-8554, lummigatewaycenter.com.

nature Of Writing series: December 7, Village Books, Fairhaven. The Tangled Bank: Writings from Orion with Robert Michael Pyle. Free. ncascades.org.

allieD arts Opening anD art Walk: December 7 to 29, 6 p.m.,

1200 Meador Ave, Haskell Busi-ness Center, Bellingham. Down-town Art Walk Friday, December 7 opens the December Juried Artist Series show. alliedarts.org.

7th annual DeCeptiOn pass Dash: Saturday and Sunday, December 8 and 9, Deception Pass State Park. Two-day pad-dling festival with a six-mile race through the challenging waters of Deception Pass on Sunday. ruby-creekboathouse.com.

25th annual Jingle Bell run/Walk: Saturday, December 8, 8:30 a.m., Bellingham High School. This festive 1 or 5K run/walk raises money to fund ar-thritis research. bellinghamjbrw.kintera.org.

nature Of Writing series: December 11, Village Books, Fairhaven. David Williams’ Cairns: Messengers in Stone. Free. ncascades.org.

ski/snOWBOarDing Waxing BasiCs: December 11, 6 to 7 p.m., Bellingham REI. Taking care of your skis or board will help you have a great time on the slopes. A REI technician will examine how waxes work as well as base prepa-ration: structure, repair, and stone grinding. Free. rei.com/stores/bellingham.html.avalanChe aWareness Class:

December 12, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Bell-ingham REI. Join the American Alpine Institute for a workshop designed for the winter backcoun-try traveler. Free. Info: rei.com/stores/bellingham.html.

thriller CrOss: December 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Civic Fields Complex, Bellingham. A cos-tumed cyclocross race. cas-cadecross.com.

Winter CaMping BasiCs Class: December 18, 6 to 7:15 p.m., Bellingham REI. Teaching the basics of camping in the snow. Free. rei.com/stores/bellingham.html.

rei useD gear sale: December 28 to 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Great deals on gently used, not so gently used, damaged packaging, and a few new items at 30 to 60% off. rei.com/stores/bellingham.html.

JanuaryBirCh Bay pOlar Bear sWiM: January 1 in Birch Bay. Hundreds of participants plunge into the icy waters of Birch Bay in an annual ritual celebrating the start of a new year. Participate or observe. Registration begins at 9 a.m. birchbaychamber.com/events.

Chiller CrOss: January 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cornwall Park, Bellingham. Cyclocross in Janu-ary! Hardly for the faint of heart. cascadecross.com.

skagit eagle festival: Every Saturday and Sunday in January. Free tours, walks and educational programs to learn about bald eagles and the Skagit River ecosys-tem. Arts and crafts, wine tasting, river rafting, music, dance and more. concrete-wa.com.

feBruarytuBBs rOMp tO stOMp: Febru-ary 2, Stevens Pass Nordic Center. Snowshoe course, fun atmosphere and free demo snowshoes. Ben-efits Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. tubbsromptostomp.com.

legenDary BankeD slalOM: February 8 to 10, Mt. Baker Ski Area. Amateurs and professionals compete in this world-class event. lbs.mtbaker.us.

45th annual BirCh Bay MarathOn: Sunday, February 17, Birch Bay State Park. This Boston qualifier race runs a full-marathon and a half-marathon. Most of the course lies on the waterfront, with expansive views over the water towards the mountains of Canada. birchbaymarathon.com.


events around the mt. baker region

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View • 2 BedroomsFull Kitchen • Hot Tub • Sleeps 6

Cascade RetreatSpacious • Hot tub • Sauna

Full kitchen • Sleeps 15Reservations 360-599-2155

www.mtbakerviewguesthouse.com

Mt. Baker ViewGuesthouse

GLACIER, WASHINGTON

As featured in SUNSET MAGAZINE &

BEST PLACES NORTHWEST and

1000 PLACES TO SEE INNORTH AMERICA

Panoramic Views of the Nooksack River and Mt. Baker

Gourmet breakfast • Hot Tub • Heli Pad • Lap PoolAdult only facility • Registered Massage Therapist by appt.

8174 Mt. Baker Hwy 360/599-1776 between Maple Falls & Glacier, mile post 28

www.theinnatmtbaker.com 877/567-5526

WINNERCERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE

2012The Inn At Mt. Baker

Alpine, Tele &SnowboardWaxes

25 Years

Experience

Scott PetersonGlacier, WA

360-599-WAXXwww.scottsskiservice.com

Tunes, Repairs &Binding Mounts

10459 Mt. Baker Hwy., Glacier360/599-2511

www.Chair9.com

CHAIR 9 Woodstone Pizza & Bar • Family Dining

Homemade

Desserts

Private room available for parties and events

BarSpecials!

Upstairs GAME ROOM — with FREE WiFi!shuffl e board, pool tables, ping pong, darts & foosball

NEW MENUBLUE T LODGE NOW OPEN

Check Facebook for schedule

HAPPY HOUR - Mon. thru Thurs., 11am to 4pm

Great Food, Live Music Warm Wood-Burning Stove

Serving food 7 days a week • Mon.-Fri. 2pm till close • Sat. & Sun. from 8am till close.9989 Mt Baker Hwy. Glacier, WA • 360-599-3663 • www.grahamsrestaurant.com

RESTAURANT

Mention ad #1350 for

a specialcheck-in

gift!

Walk-in reservations and 1 night stays available!

Nov. 23rd - Mar. 31st • Sun. - Thurs., 9am - 5pm • Fri. & Sat., 9am - 9pm

Bed & Breakfast ~ Glacier, WAFor Horses and

HumansFull Breakfast

Cooked to OrderWinter Creek

Bed & Breakfast9253 Cornell Creek Rd,

Glacier WA(360)599-2526

www.WinterCreekBandB.com

JAMIE LYNN

Located behind Milano’s Restaurant 9996 Forest St. • Glacier, WASHOP AT MTBAKER.COM

360-599-2008 888-466-7392

PHOENIXJAMIE CLASSIC

C3 BTX

AWARDWINNING!

“Base camp for your Mt. Baker memories!”

Fully equipped lodge style homes, cabins and condos. Only 25 minutes to the ski area.

Mt. Baker Vacation Rentals

(360) 671-5383 • www.mtbakervacationrentals.com

BELLINGHAM l GLACIER• Hot tubs• Most are pet friendly

“Base camp for your Mt. Baker memories!”


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BELLINGHAMBELLINGHAM ll GLACIER

“Base camp for your Mt. Baker memories!”“Base camp for your Mt. Baker memories!”


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Joelle - 360.599. 24439970 Mt. Baker Hwy.

Glacier, WA Next door to Glacier Ski Shop OPEN: Thurs. - Fri. Noon - 6 • Sat. 10 - 6OPEN: Thurs. - Fri. Noon - 6 • Sat. 10 - 6OPEN: Thurs. - Fri. Noon - 6 • Sat. 10 - 6

A 1968 Airstream trailer that has been artistically and meticulously redesigned to be a

FULL SERVICE HAIR SALON.

Designer Haircuts • Color • PermsUp-Do Styling • Waxing

THE ONLY HOTEL IN GLACIER. Book now for the winter ski season.

bluetlodge.com 360/599-9944

NOW OPEN


visit glaCier!MOuntBakerexperienCe.COMvisit us online to find more events in your area!

mount baker experience winter 2013

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