Mount Baker Experience Fall 2009

2 Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009

Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009 3

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19 Regional Map

THE USUAL

www.mountbakerexperience.com: Read the current issue of Mount Baker Experiencehere, and find all the archives as well.

www.mtbakerchamber.org: Discover the area’s businesses.

www.weather.com: Get all the weather you need.

www.mtbaker.us: Find the latest information about the Mt. Baker Ski Area, includingsnow amounts, events and trails.

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

FIND IT ONLINE

On the Trail

Photo by Tyler Mitchell

On theCover

CONTENTSFEATURES

Publisher/Managing Editor Patrick J. Grubb

Associate Publisher/Advertising Manager Louise H. Mugar

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

The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and are offered for the generalinterest of readers. We welcome your letters; however, the opinions expressed are not nec-essarily those of the editor. For circulation and rate information, or to send your letters,please address to: Mount Baker Experience, 225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230, fax themto 360/332-2777 or email [email protected]: 225 Marine Drive,

Blaine, WA 98230Tel: 360/332-1777 Fax: 360/332-2777Email: [email protected]: www.mountbakerexperience.comNext edition: December 2009Ads due: November 13

XMOUNT BAKER

e periencePrinted in Canada Vol XXIII No. 4

Fall 2009 edition

Editor/Layout Pat GrubbReporters Jack Kintner, Tara Nelson

Contributors Tyler Mitchell, PJ Wren, CindyBjorklun

Graphic Design Karena Crotto

Advertising Sales Martha Alvarado

Classified Sales Janet McCall

Office Manager Heidi Holmes

it all HAPPENS...This is where

XFall is the time to go mushroom hunting in the woods. Some niceChanterelles, perhaps?

4 Fungi Fever!

There are some artisanal cheesemakers that will definitely bring a smile toyour face. Here are just a few of them...

6 Say cheese, please.

Every year you say you’ll get in shape before the winter sports season startsand every year your body aches after the first day. This year, do it with trainerPJ Wren.

8 Get in shape for the season...

Ride 542 just keeps on growing. Take a look at the photos and story on page15.

When you want a change from the great Northwest, head east and north toSun Peaks near Kamloops, B.C.

15 Biggest year ever...

16 On the road...

and go for a hike in the hills. Here are some photos and ideas to inspire youand your friends.

10 Get those laces tied...

Fall2009

4 Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009

One of the highlights of living in the Pacific Northwest occurs each year near the end of September. After thefirst heavy rains the delicious Pacific gold chanterelle mushrooms, a prized ingredient used by gourmet restau-rants, sprouts forth from the earth under low-lying ground cover and decomposing trees.

The chanterelle is a mycorrhizal mushroom, meaning it has a symbiotic relationship with other organisms,and grows near Western hemlock or other conifers in old- or second-growth forests. Because of its intricate rela-tionship with its surroundings, the chanterelle is difficult to grow in controlled environments, meaning mostavailable in supermarkets are wild harvested and cost upwards of $18 per pound.

Fortunately, one doesn’t need to go broke to obtain them. It simply requires a willingness to spend some timein the woods and get a little dirt under your fingernails.

The Pacific Northwest boasts delicious varieties of mushrooms nearly year round and has more varieties thanany other region in the world. In addition to chanterelles, this corner of the world is home to porcini, morels,shaggy manes, lobster mushrooms or immature puffballs. Northwest Mushroomers Association member JackWaytz said of the 3,000 different species of mushrooms worldwide, nearly 2,000 of those can be found close byin western Washington. He estimates there are 20 or 30 edible species available in Whatcom County.

The Pacific golden chanterelle, however, is a relatively safe mushroom for beginners to hunt as it is one of themost easily distinguishable in the world. This is because the mushroom has a distinct yellow color, vase or fun-nel shape and distinctly large gills, which are actually shallow, thick edged wrinkles that descend down the bot-tom of the stem. It also has few look-alikes –the poisonous Jack-O-Lantern mushroom, which has a darker col-or and tighter gills, and the false chanterelle, which is not harmful if ingested but has an unmistakably awfulflavor.

“They’re really quite widespread,” said Waytz. “Basically the trick to finding them is just putting yourself inthe woods – you will find them if you give yourself enough time. You just need to have patience, kind of likewhen people go fishing. A lot of it is luck and sometimes if you’re a day or two early or late, you miss them. Butthe worst thing that can happen is you spend a great day in the wilderness or in the alpines.”

As with anything harvested in the wild, however, newbies should bring along a field guide (All That the RainPromises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms by David Arora is an excellent one; ISBN0898153883, Ten Speed Press) and go with an experienced mushroomer their first time.

Northwest Mushroomers Association

The Northwest Mushroomers Association has scheduled their annual wild mushroom show for Sunday, Octo-ber 18, noon – 5 p.m. at Bloedel Donovan Park in Bellingham. The event will feature a showcase of locally har-vested mushrooms; recipe samples, field guides and experts to help identify unknown species. Cost is $5 foradults, $3 for seniors and students, free for children under 12.

Subsequent monthly meetings are scheduled for 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month at the Belling-ham public library and hosts leading mushroom experts. The club schedules mushroom forays on almost amonthly basis.

For more information about the club and their events visit www. northwestmushroomers.org, email [email protected]. call 360/303-4079. Membership is $15 per year.

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The Vancouver Mycological Society North of the border mushroom enthusiasts gravitate to the Vancouver Mycological Soci-

ety (VMS). This is a group of people who share an interest in mushrooms and fungi inall kinds of ways. Some are into hunting different varieties, others are there to photo-graph while some like an excuse to get out into the woods and Mother Nature.

The VMS meets the first Tuesday of every month (excluding December, January,July and August), often with a guest speaker. Meetings are held in the Cedar Room ofthe Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, Oak & 37th Avenue, 7:30 pm.

The group, led by knowledgeable members, regularly forages on weekends and organ-izes overnight field trips during mushroom season. In addition, it creates a quarterly newslet-ter called the Mycofile.

On Sunday, October 25, the group will be holding its Annual Mushroom Show.Email [email protected] or call the Mushroom Hotline (recorded message) at604/878-9878 for more details on the program for each meeting.

Cost of membership is:Students/Seniors - $15, Adults - $20, Families - $25.Prospective members and guests are welcome to attend a limited number of

meetings.

There are a number of events, forays and dinners planned for the fall. A partiallist includes:

Saturday, October 17: Mushroom FestivalNoon – 5 p.m., Madeira Park Community Hall (near Pender Harbor)

Saturday, October 31: Two forays with Terry Taylor in Pacific Spirit Park at16th and Sassamat in Vancouver.Times - 10 – 12 p.m. and 1 – 3 p.m.

Sunday, November 8: Richmond Nature Park mushroom show.

The Vancouver Mycological Society #101 - 1001 West Broadway, Box 181 Vancouver, BC Canada V6H [email protected]

THE SALEOct 23 ... 4:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Oct 24 ... 9:00 am to 2:00 pmAt BLOEDEL DONOVAN GYM

in Bellingham

Komo Kulshan Ski Club’s

Equipment Drop-off: Oct. 22, 4-9 pm at sale site or at Film Festival, Mt. Baker Theater.

More info available at www.komokulshanskiclub.org

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One of the great pleasures of life in the great Pacific Northwest in recentyears has been the success and growth of artisanal food producers and pur-veyors. Nowhere is this more evident than in the shadow of Mt. Baker andits foothills. While some artisans are more recent to the field, others havebeen pursuing their craft for decades. If you are looking for delicious hand-made artisanal cheeses, you need look no further than here.

One of those cheesemakers is Pleasant Valley Dairy. For three generations,the Snook family at Pleasant Valley Dairy has been making Gouda in a dizzy-ing array of delicious varieties including cumin, jalepeno, fine herbs and pep-percorn; as well as a tangy Farmstead cheese; a Mutshli, or a Swiss-style cheesewith a mild and nutty flavor; and a raw milk applewood smoked cheese ontheir bucolic 70-acre farm just south of Birch Bay on Kickerville Road.

Milk for the cheeses come from a herd of about 50 rBST-free and pasture-raised Brown Swiss, Jersey, Holstein, Hereshire, Dutch Belted and Guernseycows that spend most of their days contentedly ruminating in a lush field ona green rolling hill behind their home.

George Train, a former paratrooper for the U.S. Army of Swedish descent,bought the farm in 1963 while looking for a way to support his family afterleaving the military. He and his wife began making cheeses at the kitchentable of their home until operation grew too costly and he was forced to takeup other means of employment with the Alcoa-Intalco aluminum plant inFerndale.

It wasn’t until Alcoa sent Train to France on a business trip that he wit-nessed the variety of artisan cheese shops and came back with a renewed deter-mination to make his business thrive.

On his return, Train talked to heads of different agricultural universities,but received the most help from an Oregon State University professor whogave him a book on cheese making and told him to “go for it.”

“The other county extensions offices of state universities were not look-ing forward to some renegade cheese maker out in Whatcom County,” saidTrain’s daughter Joyce Snook, who now runs the farm with her grown chil-dren, Mattie, 22, and Seth, 24. “They were afraid of dairy products that wereunpasteurized.”

Train teamed up with another Ferndale resident – Jack Appel – but thetwo parted ways with Appel opening Appel Farms in Ferndale and Trainopening Pleasant Valley Dairy.

“My grandpa wanted a simple cheese, something that didn’t need pasteur-ization and was easy to make, even without electricity,” she said.

Train retired in 2006, but he still lives on a small parcel of land adjoiningthe farm. He is also the family expert go-to for advice.

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Up until last year, the farm was known as one of the few local dairies that sold raw, unpasteurized milk, which isconsidered by USDA to be less safe than pasteurized milk, but is revered by many for its nutritional benefits. Thosebenefits include better calcium absorption and the presence of enzymes that aid in digestion. Some of those com-ponents include CLAs or conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid that has been shown to aid in weight loss.

Snook said although the farm has never had a customer get sick from its milk, they stopped sales because of thecumbersome and expensive licensing process.

The transition has given the family more time to concentrate on the art of making cheese, the sales for which haveskyrocketed in the past few years as locals’ tastes become more developed.

Snook said they also began producing a traditional Norwegian cheese called “Noekkelost” in 2002 after a sugges-tion by Everybody’s Store owner Jeff Margolis, of Van Zandt. The cheese is flavored with cumin, caraway and clovesand is traditionally eaten during the Christmas season.

Out on the farm, Mattie wears typical farm attire – a t-shirt, pants, knee-high rubber boots and a bandana to keepher hair back. She calls most of the cows by name, or at least she has a few favorites, pointing to a large Brown Swissnamed Beth delicately scratching her ear with her back hoof. Another cow – a black Dutch Belted heifer with a largewhite stripe – is affectionately called “Oreo. ” The farm has little resemblance to the typical large dairy operation.The small-scale combined with a burgeoning demand for locally produced food has made business tough to keepup with. It could mean closing the on-site retail shop for a few weeks in the summer to build up enough stock.

“We can’t make anymore cheese and we’re selling out like crazy,” Mattie said. “But we get the best milk when theyeat grass and it makes the best cheese. I guess grandpa knew what he was doing.”

The farm’s retail shop is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is located at 6804 Kickerville Roadin Ferndale. Their phone number is 360/366-5398.

Other local cheese artisans and purveyors:Silver Springs Creamery

Silver Springs Creamery sells batch pasteurized whole Jersey milk and artisan cheese from their Lynden farm. Theyoffer Butterkase, Black Pepper, Danbo, Havarti, Herb, Jeddar, and a raw milk Danbo.

Silver Springs Creamery is located at 256 East Hemmi Road in Lynden. They can be reached by calling 360/820-1384. Their products are also available at Bargainica Natural Foods at 902 North State Street in Bellingham.

Appel FarmsAppel Farms produces delicious varieties of cheddar, feta, fromage blanc, gouda (including mild, sharp, aged and

smoked varieties), the mild Indian cheese paneer and quark on their 300 cow farm using sustainable agriculture prac-tices. Owners welcome visitors including tour groups to see the cows, watch them making cheese by hand and expe-rience the farm.

Appel Farms is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and can be reached by calling 360/312-1431. They are located at 6605 Northwest Road in Ferndale. From I-5, take exit 262. Turn East onto Axton Road,go approximately three miles to the first four way stop. Turn North onto Northwest Road and go approximatelythree miles. Appel Farms is on the West side of the road.

Grace Harbor FarmsGrace and Tim Lukens, owners of Grace Harbor Farms, a small 55-dairy goat operation in Custer maintain one

of only a few licenses in Washington State to sell raw, unpasteurized grade ‘A’ goat milk products. Grace HarborFarms sells a variety of cheeses, yogurt and milk. They sell a delicious chevre made from Swiss dairy in several fla-vors including dill and chive, basil and garlic, sweet pepper and jalepeno. In addition, the farm is now selling freerange, pasture-raised chicken as well as Guernsey milk and yogurt products, which have a sweeter flavor and richercolor and higher nutrient content than regular milk.

Grace Harbor Farms is located at 2347 Birch Bay-Lynden Road in Custer. They can be reached by calling 360/366-4151 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Their website is www.graceharborfarms.com.

Everybody’s StoreIn addition to a spectacular spread of fresh products including local wines and fresh produce grown on-site, Every-

body’s Store boasts an incredible selection of local and imported cheeses, not the least of which is the Pleasant Val-ley Nokkelost, a Scandinavian holiday cheese commissioned from Pleasant Valley Farms by owner Jeff Margolis. Theaward-winning raw-milk cheese, traditionally eaten at Christmas time in scandinavian countries, contains cumin,cloves and caraway and is sold in two and six pound wheels. Margolis, however, is happy to cut smaller portions onhis 106-year-old antique cheese wheel cutter. The cheese is also available online at www.everybodys.com or by calling 866/832-4695 and can be shipped nationwide. The store is on Hwy 9, Van Zandt, a few minutes from Mt.Baker Hwy.

Maple Falls is the perfect stop on Mt. Baker Highway 542when headed to and from Mt. Baker NationalRecreation Area and Silver Lake Park. Plan on

stopping for a bite to eat at one of severalrestaurants, pick up some groceries, and evenfill up the gas tank. Maps of the area are avail-able free at the Mt. Baker Foothills Chamber ofCommerce Visitor Center, located on the north-

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8 Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009

Love your first day on the slopes each season, only to find yourself crippled and hitting thehot tub on your second day? Be smart this year - get ready for the hills before the snow falls!Increase your endurance, your core strength and your agility with the following pre-seasondownhill workout.

Trainer’s Tips:Aim for three times a week and try to start your workouts at least four weeks before your sea-

son begins. These movements train the lower body muscles and the core, so I suggest addingthree or four of your favorite upper body exercises for a total body workout.

Ensure that you are able to maintain your form throughout the entire exercise and that youare still challenging yourself. You want it to be strenuous (otherwise how are you going to getbetter?), but you also want to do it right!

If at all possible, seek out a personal trainer to keep an eye on your form, or do the exercisesin front of a mirror and be your own trainer.

Keep your spine long (no slouching!) and your core engaged throughout. An easy way toengage that core is to draw the belly button in towards the spine and hold that contractionwhile still maintaining a normal breathing pattern. And, most important … train hard and bebrave.

Warm up: 5 -10 minute light jog, incorporating side shuffles and arm circles throughout.Perform each exercise as a circuit, going through each movement with no rest between each

exercise. Try to build up to 2-3 rounds of the circuit, resting for 2-3 minutes after each circuit.Walking Lunges: 30 reps

Lunges are an important part of any skiing and boarding pro-gram. They train all the big guns of the lower body (quads, ham-strings and glutes), while at the same time challenging your bal-ance.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Step one foot forward, with your heel touching the floor first.

When it touches, your knee should be at a 90 degree angle andlined up with your toes, without going past them. Keep loweringyour torso until your back knee is touching the floor, or as low asyou can drop it.

Lift your body back up again and swing the back leg forwardand perform a lunge with that lead leg. Keep traveling forward

until you have completed all your reps.Bunny Hops: 30 seconds

This exercise will help with your parallel turns as wellas powering up your lower leg muscles.

Draw a six foot line in the ground either using chalk,tape or placing a skipping rope on the ground.

With your knees soft and core engaged, tightly hop sideto side quickly while traveling down the line.

Keep your feet together and your body’s center of grav-ity over the line.

Once you have mastered this movement, try to get moreheight with the hops.

Unbalanced Wood Chop: 45 secondsUsing a foam roller like I am using and placed lengthwise will

make this exercise even more ski specific. Use either a dumbbellor a medicine ball to perform the wood chop. If you don’t haveaccess to a foam roller, place a pillow under each foot and performthe exercise without any shoes on for more instability.

Stand on foam roller with your hands above your head, your coreengaged and your shoulders pulled back and down.

Quickly throw the arms down like you are swinging an axe downto chop some wood, while at the same time performing a minisquat.

This exercise should be done quickly and with control to gainthe most benefit.

Ski Pole Quick Lunges: 30 secondsThis exercise is designed to get the heart rate up and work the

power in your lower body muscles and the stabilizers in your core. Standing in between your poles, come down into a lunge and

then propel yourself up and change lead legs.Try not to put too much weight on the ski poles.

Hamstring curls: 15 - 20 reps each legYou can’t forget your poor hamstrings (the muscles behind your

thighs). By targeting them specifically, you will help alleviate anymuscle imbalances that tend to develop between them and thequads (front of the thigh muscle) and you will experience less leg fatigue after a full day on theslopes.

Lying on your back with your shoes off and a towel under each heel, lift the hips as high offthe floor as you can.

Maintain this hip lift while slowly sliding theleft foot forward until the leg is almost straight.

Pull it back to start and slide the right foot out.Please note that this exercise must be performed

on a slippery surface, such as hard wood or lam-inate flooring.

Under the Rope Bobs: 45 secondsGets your heart rate up and train your leg muscles in a function-

al riding stance. Tie a rope between two objects a little lower than your shoulders.Get under the rope in your rider’s stance and bob to the left and

right of the rope.You will come up out of your stance after you bob out from under

the rope, but ensure your stance is correct when moving directlyunder the rope.

PJ Wren is a Vancouver, B.C. based personal trainer who has beenhelping people find their “inner athlete” for over 14 years.

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Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009 9

Those wanting to get a taste ofFoothills culture should check out anew artists’ collective in Glacier. Agroup of artists and crafters from theFoothills area recently opened GlacierCreations, featuring mountain-cen-tric art and other hand-crafted ware.

President and co-founder DanielleSmith, a photographer and clothingartist, said the collective opened itsdoors in June after nearly a year ofplanning. The idea came about whenshe and other employees at Graham’sStore wanted a buildingto show off

their hand-crafted works. Buildingowner Gary Graham jumped on theidea and lent the group the use of aremodeled railcar he had stored onthe back of the property behind thestore.

The space is a work of art in itself.The railcar’s steel walls have been cutand welded to make room for sever-al small bay windows, the floors arepainted with flowing koi fish and theback of the building is a communitymural in progress.

Smith, who moved to Glacier sixyears ago from Michigan, said she wassurprised at the number of artists who

came out of the woodwork to supportthe venue.

“There has never been anythinglike this in my time here,” she said.“To have this opportunity for peopleto get their art out there has really beenexciting. It’s been amazing to see whatpeople have brought in.”

Smith said the goal was to displayand sell local crafts and art in a waythat gives back to the artists as well asthe rest of the community.

Current works include photogra-phy, jewelry and clothing by Smith;screen printing and cork boards byAbby McKinley; pottery by DianeGilbraith; knit hats, bags and skirtsby Anne Baker of Baker’s Boutiques;T-shirts by Jadia Elm; jewelry by Hol-ly Johnston, Ashley Homan, TinaJensen and Bella Yoho; oils and soaps

by Brown Snout Farms in Maple Falls;tinctures and wild-crafted herbal reme-dies by Stephanie Hager; longboards,buttons and music by Cody Mont-gomery; and hand-blown glass piecesby Glacier Glassworks. Other worksfeatured include beautiful soapstonecarvings by Jim Millson.

Glacier Creations is open from 10a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday through Sun-day during the fall months, althoughSmith said those hours will likely beextended in the winter.

The collective welcomes new mem-bers and encourages those wishing tobe involved to attend their meetingsat 5 p.m. the last Thursday of eachmonth.

For more information, call 360/599-9378 or email [email protected].

s An example of work available for purchase.

Glacier Creations opensBy Tara Nelson

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10 Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009

Goat MountainLocation: 31 miles east of I-5 on Mount Baker Highway. Length: 8 miles round-trip.Elevation gain: 2,000 feet. Hike time: Approximately 4.5. Difficulty: ModerateThis moderately difficult hike rewards hikers with views of the upper Nooksack River valley, water-falls, wildflower meadows and vistas. The view from the first summit at 5,000 feet boasts spectacu-lar south-facing views of Mt. Baker, Mt. Shucksan and other Cascade peaks on a clear day. The trailbegins in heavy forest and switchbacks several dozen times before reaching sub-alpine forest andwildflower meadows and continuing until approximately 5,400 feet elevation on the shoulder ofGoat Mountain where hikers can enjoy panoramic views of Price Lake at the bottom of Price Glacieron Mt. Shuksan. A few campsites are available in the summer after the snow melts. The trail is ingood condition but the road has been closed since June for repair so hikers should add another 1.5to 2 hours to the total trip time.

Winchester MountainLength: 1.9 miles, one-way. Elevation gain: 300 feet. Difficulty: More difficultAnother trail with spectacular views is Winchester Mountain, a short but difficult trail that windsthrough beautiful meadows to a well-maintained fire lookout with perfect panoramic views of Mt.

Baker, Shuksan, American Border peak and the rugged peaks of the North Cascades.The two-mile trail starts between Twin Lakes and switchbacks through sub-alpine forests and meadows with constant views of the North Cascades before curving around the mountain to the firelookout at 6,500 feet. Alpine flowers and wild blueberries are abundant along the trail and ripe forpicking.The lookout, which is maintained by the Mt. Baker Club, is available on a first-come, first-serve basisand provides sleeping room for two.Note of caution - The Forest Service reports that steep snow slopes below the lookout can hold snowwell into summer and recommends individuals check with the ranger station for conditions beforehiking.Also, use caution when crossing the rock wall midway on the trail, as it is steep and partially eroded.Directions: Take State Route 542 east past Glacier approximately 13.5 miles. Turn left on ForestService Road 3065. Look for a sign that reads “Tomyhoi Trail 5, Twin Lakes 7”. The road is steepand rough for 4.5 miles to the trailhead of Yellow Aster Butte and becomes incredibly bumpy the lasttwo miles to Twin Lakes as it becomes a section of unmaintained road with no room to pass. Four-wheel drive may be required past the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead and many individuals park andwalk up the steep road. Camping and fires are permitted. A toilet is located at the lookout.

Take a hike!

Fall is the perfect time to explore the North Cascades as the cooler temperatures, changing colors and fewer visitors can make hiking a much more pleasant experience. The following are a few favorite day hikes ranging from easy to more difficult in Whatcom and Skagit counties:

Story by Tara Nelson/Photos by Tyler Mitchell

Sauk MountainLocation: 32 miles east of Interstate 5 on State Route 20. Length:4.2 miles round-trip. Hike time: Approximately 2.5 hours.Difficulty: EasyAlthough the drive from Whatcom County to Sauk Mountain islong, the vibrant alpine meadows and spectacular views of theCascade mountain range make this hike well worth the travel time.The first 1.5 miles of trail switchbacks 26 times through wildflowermeadows, providing constant views of the Skagit and Sauk rivertributaries to the west and Whitehorse Mountain to the south.Although the meadows are incredibly steep (you’ll feel as thoughyou are walking on the side of a cliff ) the slope of the switchbacktrail ranges from moderate to easy. Following the trail to the left at the end of the switchbacks takes aturn around to the east side of the mountain for another half mileto the rocky summit (elevation 5,330 feet). Taking a right turn,however, leads 1.5 miles down (descending 1,000 feet) the east sideof the mountain to Sauk Lake. The east side of the mountain is usually covered in snow year-round, which can provide cooling refreshment on hot summerdays. The top of the ridge provides 360-degree panorama of theNorth Cascades to the east, Mount Baker, and the Three Sistersmountain range to the north. Keep an eye out for marmots, orlarge rodents resembling ground hogs that are abundant near thetop of the mountain. Directions: From Bellingham, take I-5 south to Cook Road exit.Take a left at Cook Road. At the State Route 20 junction in Sedro-Woolley, take a left and travel east for approximately 32 miles. Atmilepost 96 (just past Sauk Mountain Pottery) take another left onSauk Mountain Drive. Follow the gravel road for 7.5 miles to thetrailhead parking lot. The road is narrow and steep with severalblind corners so caution is recommended. Four-wheel drive is help-ful, but not necessary.

Church MountainLocation: 38 miles east of I-5 on State Route 542. Length: 8.4mile, Elevation gain: 4,100 feet. Hike time: 5 to 6 hours.Difficulty: More difficultLocated approximately one mile east of the Glacier public servicecenter, Church Mountain offers a challenging hike with rewardingviews for those who are willing to suffer wobbly legs and possibleblisters to get there.The trail begins through dense forest and continues for three mileswith an elevation gain of 1,000 feet per mile before it levels out.The first clearing is at 6,100 feet and opens out into vast wildflowermeadows for a half-mile before it begins to switchback up a rockyridge. An abandoned fire lookout at the top provides panoramic

views of Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan. The ridge is part of the HighDivide, a valley of meadows that continues for 10 miles, accordingto Ken Wilcox’s book, Hiking Whatcom County. During the late summer, flies tend to be a nuisance so be sure towear plenty of insect repellant. Extra water is also recommended,although there is a creek near the top of the trail.Directions: From Bellingham, take I-5 exit for SR 542 and followeast approximately 38 miles. Turn left on USFS Road #3040.Follow approximately three miles. The trailhead is at the end of theroad. Parking is also available at the creek approximately one milesouth. Trail closed until September 30.

Heather MeadowsLocation: 24 miles east of Glacier on State Route 542. Length:1.5 to 9 miles. Hiking time: 2 to 6 hours. Difficulty: EasyHeather Meadows recreational area is a mecca of scenic vistas andhiking trails, ranging from easy to moderate. Two popular hikes arethe leisurely Bagley Lake trail (1.5 miles with little elevation gain)and the more difficult Chain Lakes trail. To access the Bagley Lakes trail from the Heather Meadows trail-head near the ski area, follow the trail down toward the dam butturn left before crossing the bridge (the path on the other side ofthe dam is not suitable for hiking). Although flat and unchalleng-ing, the Bagley Lakes trail offers consistent and stunning views ofTable Mountain and the various lakes and streams. Such spectacu-lar views were filmed in the movie Call of the Wild. For a leisurely stroll, follow the trail a half-mile around BagleyLakes to a bridge and take a left to connect to Wild Goose trail,which loops back to the parking lot. Following the trail across thebridge, on the other hand, leads to Chain Lakes (4 miles) with anelevation gain of 1,100 feet and a descent of 500 feet on the otherside of Herman Mountain.The upper-most portion of Heather Meadows is Artist Point (ele-vation 5,140 feet), which offers 360-degree views of Mt. Baker,Table Mountain and Mt. Shuksan. Most people drive the 2.5 milespast the trail head parking lot to Artist Point, although the rockyridge – usually covered in snow year-round – is also accessible byfollowing the Chain Lakes trail approximately two miles pastChain Lakes. The area is so popular among tourists it could verywell be dubbed the Disneyland of Mt. Baker. Likewise, those look-ing for more wilderness and less people may opt for another hike.Be sure also to check out Picture Lake just below the ski area. Directions: From Bellingham, take I-5 exit 225 (Sunset Drive),and follow east on Mount Baker Highway for 58 miles. ArtistPoint at Heather Meadows is the end of the highway. For updateson road closures and pass reports, call the DOT at 800/695-7623.State Route 542 (commonly referred to as “Mt. Baker Highway”)

is also designated as a National Forest Scenic Byway by theWashington State Department of Transportation (DOT).

Heliotrope Ridge Location: 1 mile east of Glacier on State Route 542. Length: 6to 8 miles. Elevation gain: 1,400 feet. Hiking time: 4 to 6 hours.Difficulty: More difficultHeliotrope Ridge offers the closest view of Coleman Glacier with-in the Mt. Baker wilderness – and all from the safety of a well-maintained trail. This popular hike starts in old growth forest andcontinues for two miles before reaching open meadows with lots ofwildflowers, streams and waterfalls. Taking a right at the fork in thetrail approximately two miles in leads to the Coleman Glacierclimbers’ route to Mt. Baker’s 10,781-foot summit. Unless youpacked rope, ice axes and crampons, however, you should followthe trail left, leading to a glacial valley (called a lateral moraine) tothe top of the Heliotrope Ridge crest, where you can enjoy 360-degree views of Cascadia and an arm’s-reach view of the glacier. Besure to wear shoes you don’t mind getting wet, as getting to the toprequires crossing several streams, the flow of which is heavilyweather and seasonally dependent.Directions: From Bellingham, take I-5 exit 225 (Sunset Drive),and follow east on Mt. Baker Highway for 31 miles, about onemile past the town of Glacier. Turn right on Glacier Springs Road(FS Road 39). Follow about eight miles to the trailhead parking lot.

Sources:Hiking Whatcom County by Ken Wilcox, Pacific NorthwestHiking by Ron C. Judd and Dan A. Nelson (Foghorn Press), DayHike North Cascades by Mike McQuaide (Sasquatch Books),Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Ranger District website: www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs

Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009 11

Important things to remember:Always check trail conditions (www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs) before youhead out. Quick, unexpected changes in weather conditionscould result in hikers being stranded or separated from vehicles.Always carry the 10 essentials: map of the area, compass, first aidkit, flashlight with extra batteries and bulb, water and extra food,extra clothing, including rain gear, pocket knife, sunglasses andsunscreen, matches in a waterproof container, and candle orother fire starter. Always be sure to let someone know where youare going hiking and when you plan to return home. Be sure to purchase a recreation pass. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r6/passespermits/vendors.php to find a vendor.

North Fork Nooksack RiverBoundary Way #688 FS RD 31 & TR 635 Hiking 4.1 More Difficult Low 4200Canyon Ridge #689 FS RD 3140 Hiking, Stock, Bikes, Motorbikes 10.3 More Difficult Low 4200Damfino Lakes #625 FS RD 31 Hiking 3.0 More Difficult Heavy 4200Hannegan Pass #674 FS RD 32 Hiking, Stock 4.0 More Difficult Extra Heavy 3100Hannegan Peak #674.1 TR 674 Hiking 1.0 More Difficult Heavy 3100High Divide #630 FS RD 3060 & SR 542 Hiking, Stock 2.5 More Difficult Heavy 1800High Pass #676 FS RD 3065 Hiking 4.0 More Difficult Medium 5200Horseshoe Bend #687 SR 542 Hiking, Family Use 1.5 Easiest Extra Heavy 1200Nooksack Cirque #750 FS RD 32 Hiking 4.5 More Difficult Heavy 2200Silesia Creek #672 FS RD 3065 Hiking, Stock 4.5 More Difficult Low 5200Skyline Divide #678 FS RD 37 Hiking, Stock 3.5 More Difficult Extra Heavy 4400Tomyhoi Lake #686 FS RD 3065 Hiking 4.0 More Difficult Heavy 4200Yellow Aster Butte #686.1 FS RD 3065 Hiking 2.1 More Difficult Heavy 3600

Mt. Baker / Heather MeadowsTrail Name Access Trail Use Length Difficulty Useage Base

(One-Way Miles) Elev.(ft)

Fire and Ice #684.2 SR 542 Hiking, Barrier Free, Family Use, Interp 0.5 Loop Easiest Heavy 4400Lake Ann #600 SR 542 Hiking 4.1 More Difficult Heavy 4700Picture Lake Path SR 542 Hiking, Barrier free, Family Use, Interp 0.5 Easiest Extra Heavy 4100Ptarmigan Ridge #682.1 SR 542 Hiking 4.0 More Difficult Extra Heavy 5100Table Mountain #681 SR 542 Hiking 1.0 More Difficult Extra Heavy 5100Wild Goose #684.3 SR 542 Hiking 2.5 More Difficult Heavy 4400

More trails to try

12 Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009

Washington State Highway 20 has a lot of placesalong the way to stop as it climbs toward 5, 470-footWashington Pass. This travelogue begins east of thetown of Concrete and hits a few of the lesser knownattractions, although Concrete is an interesting placein its own right.

For instance, the town has an air museum and a num-ber of buildings dating to the early 1900s, includingthe Hub Tavern which features an 18th century 30-foot mahogany bar made from a single plank of wood.If it looks like a movie set, it was – it’s where RobertDe Niro, Ellen Barkin and Leonardo DiCaprio filmed“This Boy’s Life” in 1992 and is also the site of the Skag-it Bald Eagle festival, set for January 30 and 31, 2010(www.skagiteagle.org), based at Concrete High School.

Just east of town stop at Stephen and Nicola’s SaukMountain Pottery (milepost 94). He’s the potter, a trans-plant from Pennsylvania who has taken to life in thesticks with gusto and has more stories than you’ll havetime to hear. Nicola is an actress from London who hasseveral TV and stage shows to her credit, including sev-eral years with the Seattle Reperatory Theater.

Milepost 96 through 100 will give you a chance tosee wildlife, especially eagles in season, and the first ofseveral gorges that the Skagit River has carved. Theeagles begin returning in the fall as the salmon comeupstream to spawn. Be sure to pull well off the roadbefore getting out to look. Ideal places are RockportState Park (milepost 96), Howard Miller Steelhead Park(milepost 97), an unmarked dirt turnoff at milepost 98and what locals call “100 mile park,” at, you guessedit, milepost 100. This is also an ideal canoe and kayakput-in for a quick look at the heart of the eagle view-ing stretch, a four mile run that ends in Rockport andcan have as many as 400 birds. At Rockport (milepost97) you can visit the Skagit Eagle Festival Museum.

Highway 20 begins to show you some interestinggeology from this point eastward. The Skagit, like mostwest-flowing rivers in the Cascades, courses throughalternating gorges, or narrow canyons with rock walls,and open valleys. As you move east the gorges becomelonger and the rock older. It was an ideal site for theSeattle City Light dams built in the 1900s because thegenerous expanses of bedrock exposed by the last iceage now serve to anchor the mammoth structures. TheSkagit once flowed eastward to the Fraser River, join-ing it near Hope, B.C., before being blocked by a mile-

thick layer of ice. It broke free from this confinementto the west, carving the deep gorges you now see anddrive through on Highway 20. When the road is straightand flat, think valley, and when it gets twisty and closeto the rock walls and the river, think gorge.

Stop for organic blueberries at Concordia Farm atmilepost 101, then drive through the broad valley atwhat was once Corkindale (milepost 102), a pioneersettlement long since abandoned to the elements. Stopto sample the goods at the Glacier Winery (milepost104) before entering Marblemount where you’ll findClark’s, a dressed-up fishing resort and restaurant called“The Eatery.” It’s a gathering place for locals any oneof whom can regale you with tales of the old days. Acrossthe street is a small wayside chapel, and behind that isa complex of trails that lead to the riverbank and a well-known fishing spot called the Chapel Hole that was afavorite of the writer (and fly fisherman) Zane Grey.Look for the old ferry landing, too. Ferries were com-mon along the lower river before the dams subdued theriver enough to build bridges.

The Buffalo Run Inn (milepost 106, and anothergood place to eat) is at the corner in Marblemount, andthe Cascade River Road crosses the Skagit here. If youwere to follow it to the end you’d find high mountainlakes that have Washington’s only known populationof an arctic trout species called grayling. Before pro-ceeding east on Highway 20 you might want to gas upas the next services are 70 miles away.

Six miles further on (milepost 112) you enter theNorth Cascades National Park Service Complex thatincludes the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. Lookfor a turnoff there that has a very informative sign cov-ering the whole area as well as restrooms.

After crossing into Whatcom County at milepost116 to 118, you’ll pass the first of the three dams, asmall one that created picturesque little Gorge Lakeand flooded a dangerous part of the old Skagit RiverTrail along the bank at what was once known as theDevil’s Elbow. An early pioneer once wrote, “The sus-pension bridge here should have a guard rail on the sideas it sways with the wind and is missing several planks.I’ll not cross it on horseback again.” The colors of thislake and the next two (Diablo and Ross) are turquoise,jade and teal respectively, and are produced by suspend-ed mineral deposits.

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at milepost 120, just before the tiny company town(Seattle City Light) of Newhalem. Reached via a one-lane bridge that has a stop light, the visitor center hasan outdoor display of the geology of the area and alsohas an archaeological site, a 1,400-year-old native hunt-ing camp, reached by a wide barrier-free trail.

Newhalem, be warned, takes speed limits very seri-ously because of the number of pedestrians that roamaround looking at everything from picnicking spots inthe woods to birds and rock formations. There’s a lotto see here. When built in 1928 by J.D. Ross, the “fatherof Seattle City Light,” tourists from Seattle made theauto-and-rail journey to Newhalem to boat across theglacial waters of Diablo Lake, feast on cookhouse chick-en, take a ride on the open-air “incline railway” andenjoy spectacular light shows – complete with record-ed bird calls – that turned Ladder Creek Falls into awooded fairyland. Ross’ Disneyesque approach to dec-orating what was already a fine natural setting died withhim, and he’s buried here, but a version of the tour con-tinues. Cross the river on a suspension bridge off MainStreet for a nice walk among giant cedars. For infor-mation on tours of the dams and facilities go towww.ci.seattle.wa.us/light/tours/Skagit.

This is also the entrance to what geologists consid-er the heart of the North Cascades, with high bedrockwalls lining each side of the road. From here on outyou’re in the park and there are no more towns.

The Gorge Creek overlook is next at milepost 123.The bridge is a steel girder. For a good top-down lookat a water-carved gorge, stop mid-span, open your cardoor and look straight down through the girder over100 feet to the creek below.

At Milepost 125, pass the turnoff to the company

town of Diablo, just below the second of three dams,and at milepost 127 pass the turnoff to what was onceDiablo Resort, now the North Cascades Environmen-tal Learning Center. The road crosses the crest of thedam, its art deco lamps and stylized barriers reflectingits 81-year-old age. Entrance to the center is restricted.To find out about the center’s many programs go towww.ncascades.org or call 360/856-5700.

Eastbound around Diablo Lake cross Colonial Creek(milepost 128) and pass the entrance to the ColonialCreek Campground. This is a good canoeing and kayak-ing put-in as the lake is sheltered here from the windthat can come up very suddenly. Two miles farther onstop at the Diablo Lake overlook at Milepost 131 andnote the heavily veined gneiss and quartz wall. Thequartz, prospectors felt, indicated the presence of gold,leading to several local gold rushes in the 19th and 20thcenturies.

At milepost 134 the trail to Ross Lake and the RossLake Resort will be on your left, and then the roadstraightens out to follow a long valley upward to RainyPass (milepost 157) and the top, Washington Pass (mile-post 165). Between the two is the trailhead for the shortbut, in the fall, spectacular hike to Blue Lake where theLarch trees turn a magnificent golden color. The hikeis right at the spine of the Cascades so has flora and fau-na from both the east and the west slope of the Cas-cade Range.

Whether you continue east toward Early Wintersand Winthrop or turn around and go back west, there’smuch to discover on Highway 20. You’ll find friendlypeople eager to show you around and happy that youchose their place to stop, stretch and explore.

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14 Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009

WHAT’S HAPPENINGBOOK & POTTERY SALE AT THE DEMING LIBRARY: September 18, 19 25, & 26. Stop by the library and findthe books that want to go home with you. The pottery lady, Natalie from Cascadia Stoneware will be sell-ing her pottery on September 18 & 19. 5044 Mt. Baker Highway, 592-2422.

COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE: Saturday, September 19. IGA parking lot. Sign up to sell your items or just stopby to find a treasure. Vendor fee of $20 is donated to the Deming Library.

FREE COMMUNITY BREAKFAST: Saturday, September 26, 8 – 11 a.m. Sponsored by the Mt. Baker Lions Club.Kendall elementary school.

SCORPION MOUNTAIN HIKE: Saturday, September 26. Check out this amazing ridge hike in the coolerautumn air. 9 miles round trip. Meet at 8 a.m. Sunnyland School, corner of James and Maryland St,Bellingham. For info, call Paul, 676-9843 or www.MountBakerClub.org.

SOUTH COUNTY BICYCLE TOUR: September 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Join members of Whatcom Land Trust’sstaff as we bicycle our way through conservation properties at the South end of Lake Whatcom and alongthe South Fork/Saxon area. This loop is approximately 20 miles long and the pace is slow to moderate.Bring lunch money as we plan to stop at the Blue Mountain Grill for lunch and a beer toward the end ofthe ride! Call 650-9470 to register. Free to WLT members. $5 to $10 non-member donation requested.

EVENING HIKE ON STIMSON FAMILY NATURE RESERVE: Wednesday, September 30. Visit a local forest pre-serve in the evening. Meet at 5:30 p.m. at Sunnyland School, corner of James Street and Maryland or at 5:45at the trailhead. Call Paul to confirm, 676-9843.

WHATCOM COUNTY LIBRARY TRUSTEE LISTENING TABLES: Deming Library: Wednesday, Oct. 7, 3:30 – 5:30p.m., 5044 Mt. Baker Hwy., 592-2422. Everson Library: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2 – 4 p.m., 104 Kirsch Drive, 966-5100.Maple Falls Library: Tuesday, September 29, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., 7509 Mt. Baker Hwy, 599-2020. Sumas Library:Saturday, Oct. 10, noon – 2 p.m., 451 2nd Street, 988-2501. Whatcom County residents are invited to stopby and give their trustees feedback on library services at Whatcom County libraries.

ROCKTOBERFEST GEM AND MINERAL SHOW: Saturday & Sunday, October 10 & 11, Totem Middle School,7th Street & State Avenue, Marysville. Door prizes, exhibits, raffle drawing, demonstrators, dealers, foodservice. For info, call 425/238-8222 or email [email protected].

CRAFT AND ANTIQUE SHOW: October 15 – 17. Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, 1775 Front Street,Lynden. Admission $8. For info, www.lyndencraftantiqueshow.com.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE DEMING LIBRARY: Saturday, October 17, 7 p.m. Deming Library. 5044 Mt. BakerHighway, 592-2422.

MT. BAKER FILM FESTIVAL: October 22. Film festival and pre showcase the movie makers and photogra-phers of our industry. The doors open at 6:00 pm for a Vendor Expo, carnival games for prizes, a DJ andmore. The movies start at 7:00 and will be showing at the Mt. Baker Theatre in Bellingham. Movies are ratedPG-13. 9:00 After-Party at the Wild Buffalo, Bellingham. Tickets: Mt. Baker Business Office, 360.734.6771,1019 Iowa Street, Bellingham.

SKI/SNOWBOARD SWAP & SALE: Friday, October 23, 4 – 9:30 p.m., Saturday, October 24,9 a.m. – 4 p.m.Bloedel Donovan Gym, 2214 Electric St., Bellingham. Buy or sell your used gear. Equipment drop-offOctober 22, 4 p.m. at sale site or at Mt. Baker Film Festival, Mt. Baker Theater. More info,www.komokulshanskiclub.org

CANYON CREEK RESTORATION TOUR: Saturday, October 24,10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The creek provides critical habi-tat for native spring Chinook, but a levee built to protect the properties also created a barrier to salmonmoving upstream to spawn. WLT partnered with Whatcom County to remove a portion of the levee toaddress the barrier. Come see the result of this restoration story with project manager John Thompson.Call 650-9470 to register. Free to WLT members. $5 to $10 non-member donation requested.

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

EVERSON/NOOKSACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING: Fourth Tuesday, noon, Everson Senior Center.For more info, call 360/966-3407 or www.eversonnooksackchamber.org.

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

GLACIER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING: Third Tuesday, 7 p.m., Glacier Visitor Center, 9973 Mt. Bakerhwy. www.glacierchamber.org. Email: [email protected] or 599-2299.

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

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

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

MT. BAKER FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION: Meets third Wednesday, 7 p.m., KendallElementary School. For info, email [email protected].

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

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

Out & About

Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009 15

This year’s seventh running of Ride 542 from Glacier toArtist Point was slower and more technical in racing terms thanlast year’s pace but still brought out record-setting numbers ofriders and spectators. Once again the weather cooperated withclear skies and temperatures approaching 90 on Saturday andSunday.

“I had to move a lot of water around, especially for the run,”said event coordinator Charlie Heggem, adding that he nowdraws three times the participants and spectators to Glacierthan February’s Legendary Banked Slalom does. “For restau-rants like Milano’s and Graham’s it’s their best weekend of theyear,” Heggem said.

Indeed, this year Festival 542 took in the entire weekend,with a cyclocross race, and a cross-country run on Saturday,Eat 542 on Saturday night organized by the local chambers ofcommerce, and the hill climb on Sunday plus a street fair onthe lawn behind Gary Graham’s house. “This is great!” Gra-ham shouted over the din of hundreds of post-race riders andspectators eating to the music of bands on a stage built againstthe back wall of his house, once the Glacier train depot. “Nowit’s more like Grand Central Station,” he joked, “but isn’t itwonderful?

The riders and racers all start in Glacier at staggered times,fastest starting last, but teams that ride together work their waythrough the bunches quickly. This year there were fewer organ-ized teams so with everyone on their own a genuine Tour deFrance-style peloton developed, the thick gaggle of riders wind-ing its way through the lower parts of the ride toward the 10mile pull up to the finish at Artist Point. This year’s men’s divi-sion winner, first timer Russ Stevenson of Seattle, rode thecourse in 1:25:16, almost nine minutes slower than his friendand racing team mate Ian McKissick’s record-breaking 1:16:32set last year.

Jennifer Slawta of Medford, the reigning Oregon women’shill climb champ and record holder for several high altitudeclimbs, finished in 1:31:00, 4:24 off Leah Goldstein’s recordpace of last year. Neither Goldstein nor McKissick competed

this year, prompting race officials to offer $10,000 to the win-ning woman rider if she also broke Goldstein’s record.

Seventy-year-old Tom Mage of Seattle, a first-time rider, wasthe oldest man and in company with 66-year-old Jay Haaviksmashed the record for his age group by almost an hour, ridingup in 2:10. Just three days before Mage was riding his moun-tain bike in the Himalayas. “I was over 15,400 feet for threenights, and crossed several passes higher than that, the highestat 17,400 feet,” Mage said. To equal that you could put the4,300-foot elevation gain of the Ride 542 on top of MountBaker and still have well over 2,000 feet left over.

The oldest woman rider was 75-year-old Leah Tarlingtonfrom Bellingham, back for her third ride. She finished in justover four hours.

Eight-year-old Josh Davis of Bothell rode to the top on hismountain bike in 4:04:45, followed one second later by his par-ents, Peder and Karen. His dad explained that the week beforethey rode to the top of Mt. Constitution on Orcas Island andsaw Mt. Baker in the distance. “When Josh said he’d like to trythat one, too, I told him that there is this Ride 542, so here weare,” said Davis.

Joe Myers, 52, of Bellingham was one of two unicycle rid-ers in the race, finishing in 2:42:30. Two years ago he rode hiscustom Chris Holm cycle with a Schlumpf two-speed hub upin 2:13. “But last year I couldn’t. After riding over 800 kilome-ters, I broke my leg on the last day on a tour in Nova Scotia.”

Several couples entered the ride together. Tonny Joergensenof Denmark and Jeanne DaGloria of Brazil traveled thousandsof miles to ride in the Century category, a ride that involvedgoing up and down the course twice to make 100 miles for theday. Jan and Jim Gregg came from Winthrop, where Jim, 67,is a foreman on the Wilson Ranch. They train on the NorthCascades Highway where the highest pass is about 300 feethigher than the hill climb’s 5,140 foot altitude finish at ArtistPoint. Bryan Terrell of Seattle and Maria Vucheva of Bulgariafinished together in 2:37:39 and celebrated with a kiss.

Bruce Greenstein, 41, of Seattle was one of two to enter all

three events for the weekend, riding the off-road cyclocross atSilver Lake County Park – “Major hill climbing, all on trails,no pavement” – Run 542 through Heather Park – “Awesomescenery, kept my mind off my cramping legs” – and Sunday’shill climb. “I’m not very good at anything, so I do it all,” Green-stein joked, “and the weather for this year’s ride was superb.”

There were a few incidents during the actual running of therace. The first rider to finish, aside from the Century riders whohad an hour’s head start, was Shaun Bridge of Sedro Woolley.He fell at the finish line when a course volunteer tried to slowhim down for the final time check. “My legs were kind of rub-bery after the climb,” he said, “and I guess she didn’t realize that.When she tried to slow me down I couldn’t get my feet out ofmy clips fast enough and over I went.”

Unfortunately, Bridge fell directly on to the finish line com-puter which then crashed to the pavement, creating a crisis forHeggem’s volunteers. “But Steve Work pulled a miracle,” Heggemsaid later, “managing to cob together a working computer sys-tem after both our primary and secondary systems went down.Giving riders their times is absolutely essential, especially sincewe want them all to have a good enough time that they all comeback.”

Heggem said that putting the weekend on with his 45 vol-unteers “is like a complicated chess match with lots of littlechanges each year. The bike racks, for example, that Paul Engleof Wild and Scenic Rivers built really helped.” The racks held72 bikes and were also used for valet bike parking at the streetfair. “These are expensive bikes, and their owners are very par-ticular about how they’re handled and where they’re stored, sothat service proved essential,” Heggem said.

Glacier Ski Shop provided space for registration, local lodg-ing was coordinated by Jim and Julie Evanglista at Mt. BakerView and,“Having the parking down at the Dislodge B&B waskey in keeping the town from getting clogged up,” Heggemsaid. “This is getting to be a big weekend, and every compo-nent has someone local kicking in and helping out. It’s a greatcommunity centered event.”

Ride 542

s 11-year-old Alex Bridge has a determined look before the start.s Joe Myers, 52, of Bellingham was one of twounicycle riders in the race, finishing in 2:42:30.

s Above, Russell Stevenson won the men’s division in 1:24. Above right, organizer Charlie Heggem and women’s champion Jennifer Slawta.

s Tonny Joergensen of Denmark and Jeanne DaGloria of Brazil competed in the Century.

s At the top and finished!Story and photos by Jack Kintner

16 Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009

Hit the powder at Sun Peakss A view of the village at night time.

Riders at Mt. Baker are a notoriously loyal and fanaticalbunch but sometimes even their eyes wander and thoughts ofother challenges cross their minds.

Enter Sun Peaks, the answer to their wanderlust. Just a lit-tle over four hours away from Vancouver (and less from theSumas border crossing) Sun Peaks is Whistler with drier snowand way smaller crowds. Located just outside of Kamloops inthe B.C. interior, Sun Peaks is a three mountain complex thatprovides challenge aplenty regardless of your skill set.

It has 122 runs on 3,700 acres plus 25 miles of Nordic trailsand is British Columbia’s second largest ski area. Twelve liftsservice a variety of terrain from powder-filled bowls to gladesto long cruiser runs up to five miles long. Three terrain parksand four children’s learning areas provide thrills and safety. Thesummit tops out at 7,060 feet and there is 2,891 skiable ver-tical feet to play on. The slopes are classified as 10% novice,58% intermediate and 32% expert.

One great thing about the resort’s design is that riders canaccess slopes of varying difficulty from the same chair, mean-ing family members of different ability can still spend timetogether. Bring your sun tan lotion - the area gets over 2,000hours of sunshine a year. Speaking of which, the configuration

of the slopes means riders can follow the best light. No moreflat light!

The village is an attractive, low-key affair that is comfort-able for singles and families. Restaurants, shops and lodgingare situated right by the slopes. Best part? Throughout the sea-son you can strap on your snowboard or skiis and slide rightto the lifts.

Apart from the slopes, there are lots of activities to keepeveryone occupied. Moonlight guided snowshoe tour? Check.Want to mush your own dogsled team? Check. Play pickuphockey on the open air ice rink? Check. Horsedrawn sleigh?Yup. Lift-accessed tube park? Natch. Heated outdoor poolsand hob tubs at the Sports Center. Why, of course.

Throughout the season, there are special events that willmake it difficult for you to pick the best time to visit. In Jan-uary, there is the annual Sun Peaks Icewine Festival. Canadaand B.C. in particular are famous for their icewines, wines thatare made from grapes that have been allowed to freeze on thevine. Later, the resort holds the Velocity Challenge, a FIS WorldSpeed Skiing World Cup series. Every march, close to 100 ofthe world’s fastest skiers hit speeds in excess of 100 mph on astraight downhill course.

Getting back to the slopes, there’s a lot to cover, especiallyfor first-time visitors. The resort hosts complimentary moun-

tain tours daily that provide an excellent overview. Even bet-ter, director of skiing Nancy Greene can usually be found atthe top of Sunburst Chair at 1 p.m. to take visitors on moun-tain tours. Be prepared to ski fast - Nancy is a Canadian Olympicgold medalist and two-time overall World Cup title holder.Don’t bother asking for ski equipment recommendations. Sheswears by Rossignol, always has, always will.

By Pat Grubb

Getting There:Driving: Take the Trans-Canada (Highway 1) from Vancou-

ver to Hope then the Coquihalla (Highway 5), a fast, all-weath-er highway to Kamloops. Follow signs from there.

Flying: There are regularly scheduled flights to Kamloopsfrom Vancouver and Calgary. Shuttle buses will take you to theresort.

Where to Stay: You have a multitude of choices from charm-ing inns on the Continental plan, to over-size houses that accom-modate multi-family groups. Sun Peaks offers a central reser-vation service (800/807-3257) or you can make arrangementsonline (www.sunpeaksresort.com). We stayed at Sun PeaksLodge in the heart of the village. Very friendly staff, great food,reasonable prices.

So, there you have it. Great facilities, beautiful terrain, superpowder. What more could you ask for?

Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009 17

Left, cutting a line; top, horse-drawn sleigh in the village; above, enjoy-ing a progressive tasting during the Icewine Festival; top right, com-petitor in the Velocity Challenge; right, the course; snow ghosts at thesummit; below left, Olympic Gold Medalist Nancy Greene, left center,with guests, from left, Louise Mugar, Alex Grubb and Maria Swanson.

All photos by Adam Stein. Nancy Greene photo by Pat Grubb

18 Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009

This year’s Komo Kulshan Ski ClubSki Swap will be held at Bloedel-Dono-van Park, 2214 Electric Avenue inBellingham, on Friday, October 23from 4 – 9:30 p.m. and Saturday,October 24 from 9 a.m. -2 p.m.. It’sa chance to sell your old equipmentand support the club’s efforts in train-ing kids age 8 thru 18 for their rac-ing team at a nominal price to theparticipants.

The club offers a lot of bang forthe buck to local kids who want toski but may find the costs a bit of astretch.

It’s not only a good place to getgood safe equipment but good adviceon just what you might need as well.Coaches will be at the sale to help par-ents and young skiers make thesechoices. They’re as knowledgeable asone might find anywhere. Now ledby head coach Tom Pulver, the clubhas seen some impressive athletes gothrough its ranks over the years, includ-ing Junior Olympian Allison Work,daughter of club president Steve Work.

The club will sell your donationsand keep just 20 percent of the saleprice to support their work, a figurethat’s deductible for you as the clubis a recognized non-profit agency.They’d like to have as good a selec-tion as possible but ask that it all bein reasonably good condition. “Wedon’t turn anything away but wouldrather have things that will sell,” saidclub secretary Katie Mundell. “Last

year we had some skis that were soold someone bought them as wallornaments.”

Bring your used but useable cloth-ing and equipment – something you’dstill use, in other words – to the drop-off at Bloedel-Donovan Park on Thurs-day, October 22 from 4 pm to 9 pm.There will also be a drop-off at theMt. Baker Film festival on the 22 atthe Mt Baker Theatre in Bellingham.There’s also an early bird drop-off onOctober 10 from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. atthe Mt. Baker Ski Area office, 1019Iowa in Bellingham. That’s just eastof I-5 near the State Street exit.

The same weekend, the Vancou-ver Snow Show is being held at theVancouver Convention Center onSaturday and Sunday, October 24-25.

Over 12,000 visitors attended lastyear and organizers expect even morepeople this year. Located at 999 Cana-da Place on the harbor, admission is$10 for adults, $8 for students andseniors, $25 for family pass. Chil-dren12 and under are free when accom-panied by an adult.

There is the Canadian Ski Patrol’sExtreme Ski and Board equipmentswap on both days and it is reputedto be the largest in Western Canadawith 13,000 square feet of sellingspace. Get there early to scope out thebest deals. As well, there are plenty ofexhibitors from equipment to resortsto pique your interest.

Transitions... Snow and swap showsJake Steiner, of Glacier, a lifetime

logger, road builder and conservation-ist, died on July 10, 2009, at the ageof 91. Jake was the son of Hermanand Lina Steiner, both of whom immi-grated from Thuringia, Germany, tohomestead in Glacier. Steiner workedin the steam-powered Bloedel Dono-van Mill at Lake Whatcom and at theWarnick Mill at Glacier. He receivedan exemption from the World War IIservice because of his skills in spruce-logging operations were needed tosupply wing spar material for mili-tary aircraft.

He worked with many people inthe woods, a list of whom serves as awho’s who of logging in the Mt. Bak-er area. Steiner was honored with theBull-of-the-Woods chair at the Dem-ing Logging Show several times, butcharacteristically always turned itdown. After retirement Jake managedtimberland on the family homestead,just east of the Nooksack bridge near

his home in Glacier. It’s one of thefew places on the Nooksack that servesall five spawning salmon species plussea-run cutthroat.

Steiner will be remembered as alocal history buff who sometimes sur-prised listeners with his spirited yodel-ing and singing. One story he toldwas of nearly losing his legs when ahigh cable snapped at the Warnickmill near his home. He was thereagainst his mother’s orders, and hislegs survived the ordeal primarilybecause at the time he was only fiveyears old.

Much of the homestead is now inthe hands of the Whatcom Land Trust,a fitting memorial to a man who tru-ly symbolizes the early days of log-ging on and around Mt. Baker.

¶Jim Harris passed away peacefully

on Sunday, June 21 at his home inVan Horn (just east of Concrete). Hehad long struggled with heart prob-lems and his son and daughter, Danand Val, were at his side.

Marvin Leroy (aka “Jim”) Harriswas born and raised upriver, proudto be part of Skagit Valley’s home-steading tradition. South Rockportwould always be home to Jim, andthe historic Tom Porter cabin in whichhe was raised now sits as his family’sdonation in Howard Miller SteelheadPark.

Jim always had a strong interest inthe natural and cultural history of the

Upper Skagit and over time he becameknown as the local historian. His writ-ten, and tape recorded, interviews ofsuch early Euro-American pioneersas Gaspar Petta and Glee Davis areirreplaceable treasures, and his deeplove and respect for the Native Amer-ican cultures is well known. Afterfarming and logging in his youth,Jim went to college and then taughtschool for almost 10 years. Later, heworked for the U.S. Forest Service(Mt. Baker NF).

North Cascades National Park wasestablished in 1968 from forest landson Jim’s birthday, October 2. Jim washired as the first District Interpreterfor the park, a position he held untilhis retirement in 1999. He discov-ered many significant places, includ-ing native sites hundreds or even thou-sands of years old and shared theirhistory in his legendary programs,interpretive trails, booklets, brochures,and displays.

His passing leaves a huge hole inthe Upriver community, but the worldis a better place because he was here.

– Cindy BjorklunInterpretive Specialist, North

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Mount Baker Experience - Fall 2009 19

Mt. Baker Highway mile postsMile 1: Junction of I-5 and Mt. Baker Hwy., SunsetDrive.Mile 3: View of Coast Mountain Range in Canada (left).Mile 8: Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Dept. (Right).The headquarters offers a rest area with picnic tables, rest-rooms and a view of Mt. Baker, elevation 10,778 feet. 360/733-2900.Mile 9: Deming Logging Show – second weekend in June.Two-day show: log rolling, tree climbing and axe throwing. Nooksack River Bridge – great fishing spots can be found.Mile 10: Community of Nugent's Corner. Groceries, gas, bank(ATM), bakery, cafe, crafts and other services.Mile 11: U-pick berry farms (right and left). Strawberries inJune, raspberries in July and blueberries in August. Christmas tree farms (right and left). Mount Baker Vineyards (left). Tasting room/gift shop openWednesday – Sunday. Grape Stomp Festival in September.Mile 12: Community of Deming.Stewart Mountain – elev. 3,087 feet (right).Sumas Mountain – elev. 3,430 feet (left).Mile 14: Highway 9 South Junction (right). South to Van Zandt,Acme, Wickersham and Skagit Valley. Attractions: B&B, gen-eral store, mushroom farm, and train ride.Nooksack River Forks (right). Nooksack River forks into threesegments: the North Fork, which Mt. Baker Highway parallels;the Middle Fork, which heads southeast to the southern faceof Mt. Baker; and the South Fork, which heads south into theSkagit Valley. Hwy. 9 follows the South Fork.

Mile 16: Mosquito Lake Road – Bald Eagle Viewing Spot (right).Dec. – Feb. Turn right onto Mosquito Lake Road, drive to thefirst bridge that crosses the North Fork Nooksack. Park on leftshoulder of Mosquito Lake Road Look for eagles.Mile 18: Community of Welcome (left). Grocery store, fire sta-tion, senior center and other services.Mile 21: Kendall Creek Hatchery (right). Turn right onto FishHatchery Road. The hatchery raises chinook, coho and chumsalmon as well as steelhead, rainbow and cutthroat trout. Mile 22: Slide Mountain – elevation 4,884 feet (right). Namedfor a landslide on its north face that may have dammed up theNooksack River in ancient times.Highway 547 North Junction/Kendall Road (left). North toKendall, peaceful Valley, Paradise Lakes, Columbia and Sumas.Gas, groceries, golf, tavern.Mile 23: Community of Kendall. Grocery store and gas (left).Mile 25: Community of Maple Falls, post office, pay phones,cabin rentals, lodging, restaurants, gas, groceries, liquor,library.Silver Lake Park, Silver Lake Road, 3.5 miles north (left). Parksits on 411 acres around Silver Lake. Mile 27: Farm stand (right). Fresh produce, gourmet foodstuffs.Mile 29: View of Nooksack River (right). Highway ascends aledge overlooking the North Fork of the Nooksack River.Mile 30: Mt. Baker Scenic Turnout (right). Mile 33: Glacier – elev. 932 feet. Last community along thehighway. Fire department, post office, library, general store,restaurants, snowboard shop, lodging, phones.Mile 34: Gallup Creek Picnic Area (right). Picnic tables and

trash cans; no restroom.Glacier Public Service Center (right). Open Memorial Day toOctober. Rangers assist with hikes and camp planning, andissues permits. Restrooms , picnic area. 360/599-2714,www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs.Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Boundary National For-est Scenic Byway. Glacier Creek Road (Rd. #39) to Mt. BakerVista (right). Mostly paved, 9.5 mile road leads to Mt. Bakerview.Mile 36: Douglas Fir Campground (left). National forest campbuilt by the CCC in the 1930s. Fees charged. Reservationsaccepted: 1-877-444-6777 or at www.recreation.gov.Horseshoe Bend Trail (right). Access for guided river raftingtours.Washington State Sno-Park (left). Permit required for snowmobiling or cross-country skiing.Mile 37: Church Mountain – elevation 6,245 feet (left). Highelevation trails on the southern slope are often the first in thearea to open for summer hiking.Turnouts to view North Fork Nooksack River (right).Mile 40: Excelsior Group Camp (right). National Forest Camp-ground. No water. Fee charged. Reservations only:1-877-444-6777 or at www.recreation.gov.Nooksack Falls, Wells Creek Road Road #33 (right). Take WellsCreek Road a half mile down to parking area and fenced view-point. Fall plummets 100 feet.Mile 41: Excelsior Pass Trail (left).Mile 43: North Fork Nooksack Research Natural Area (left).Established in 1937, this is a 1,400-acre preserve of old-growth

Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Western Red Cedar.Mile 44: Nooksack River Viewpoint (right).Mile 46: Twin Lakes Road (Road #3065) at Shuksan HighwayMaintenance Sheds (left). Twin Lakes is not accessible untilearly to mid-August. Hannegan Pass Road (Road #32) (left). Popular cross-countryskiing area in winter.Shuksan Picnic Area – Hannegan Pass Road (left). Tables, arestroom, Nooksack River views. Mining cabin nearby.Silver Fir Campground (right). Fees charged. Reservationsaccepted: 1-877-444-6777 or at www.recreation.gov.Mile 47: Goat Mountain – elevation 6,891 feet. (N.E.). Summergrazing range for one of four bands of mountain goats.Mile 49: View Mt. Shuksan – elevation 9,038 feet. (East).Mile 50: View Mt. Sefrit – elevation 6,015 feet. (Southeast).Mile 52: Mt. Baker Ski area White Salmon Day Lodge (left).Mile 53: Entrance to Heather Meadows. Mile 55: Picture Lake (road forks – stay to the right). PictureLake – elevation 4,100 feet, provides a postcard view of Mt.Shuksan – elev. 9,038 feet. Vista picnic area (right). Picnic area;no restrooms. Mile 56: Austin Pass Picnic Area (right). CCC-built area sits ina bowl-shaped valley with glorious views.Heather Meadows Visitor Center (right). Open mid-July to Sep-tember.Mile 58: Artist Point – elev. 5,140 feet. (End of highway). Park-ing lot surrounded by Mt. Baker’s peak (south), Mt. Shuksan(east) and Table Mountain – elev. 5,628 feet.

Map directory

1 Business Locationmap key

37 Mile Post

1 BLUE MOUNTAIN GRILL974 Hwy 9, Acme • 595-2200

2 ACME GENERAL STOREHwy 9, Acme • 595-2146

3 EVERYBODY’S STOREHwy 9, Van Zandt • 592-2297

4 DODSON’S IGA3705 Mt. Baker Hwy,Nugent’s Corner • 592-5351

4 PRINCESS JADE3813 Mt. Baker Hwy,Nugent’s Corner • 592-1317

10 MAPLE FUELS WASH-A-TONCorner of Mt. Baker Hwy & Silver Lake Rd.Maple Falls 599-2222

11 CROSS ROADS GROCERY & VIDEO7802 Silver Lake Rd, Maple Falls599-9657

12 INN AT MT. BAKER8174 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-1776 or 877/567-5526

13 CANYON CREEK CHALETS7474 Miller Way, Glacier • 599-9574

13 THE LOGS7577 Canyon View Dr., Glacier • 599-2711

14 MT. BAKER HOMES & LAND9937 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier599-1900 or 599-1135

5 KELLEY INSURANCE103 W. Main St., Everson • 966-3732619 Cherry St., Sumas • 988-2462

6 NORTH FORK BREWERY6186 Mt. Baker Hwy, Deming • 599-2337

7 MISTY MOUNTAINS REALTY8193 Kendall Rd., Maple Falls • 599-2659

8 MT. BAKER LODGING7463 Mt. Baker Hwy, Maple Falls • 599-2463

9 HARVEST MOON BAKERY7466 Mt. Baker Hwy, Maple Falls • 599-1347

15 HAIRSTREAM9970 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-2043

16 MT. BAKER VIEW GUESTHOUSE6920 Central Ave., Glacier • 599-2155

16 MT. BAKER SNOWBOARD SHOP9996 Forest St., Glacier • 599-2008

17 MILANO’S RESTAURANT9990 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-2863

18 GRAHAM’S STORE9989 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-2665

18 GRAHAM’S RESTAURANT9989 Mt. Baker Hwy, Glacier • 599-1964

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s The finish line for Ride 542. More photos at: www.mountbakerexperience.com Photo by Jack Kintner

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