Mt. Baker, WA – A late start to winter with a dearth of snow and snowmaking temperatures in the eastern U.S. made for tough times for the die-hard eastern skier in the early part of the 2006-2007 ski season. Desperate times meant desperate measures. With news of a snowstorm dropping 12 feet of snow on Mt. Baker, Washington in late November, attention turned to the Pacific Northwest. Cheap plane fare to Seattle made the possibility of an early-season ski trip a reality for two East Coast ski fiends on a budget with a jones to hit the slopes.
Less than three hours from the airport, we pulled our rental car into the quaint mountain enclave of Glacier, Washington, where we crammed ourselves and our gear into a teeny tiny motel room. Warm and clean, our tiny hovel was suitable for our stay at the gateway to the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Wake
Still on Eastern Standard Time, an early rise was imminent. With the overcast sky gaining light, we explored the still-sleeping hamlet in hopes of some brewing coffee. By 7:30, the newly established Wake n Bakery opened its doors with steaming lattés and fresh baked pastry awaiting purchase. This was a perfect start to our day. Our lodge had promised us a breakfast, but they weren’t getting started until 8:30. By that time we were on the mountain road switchbacks climbing through the lush rain forest to our destination, Mt Baker Ski Area.
Baker
The Mt Baker Ski Area is not on the actual Mount Baker, an extinct volcano that rises over 10,000 feet. The ski area is at the end of the Mount Baker Highway, WA Route 542. Just head east from Glacier.
The White Salmon base area is the first turn off route 542 for the ski area. The motor coaches continue to the Heather Meadows lodge base area further up the road with throngs of kids from the cities. Heather Meadows lodge is where the novice skiers who need rentals and lessons would start their day. The lower level of that lodge is lined with historic photographs of the area. It is definitely worth a stop in your ski day after a few laps of the Pan Face for a hot cocoa and a viewing of the photos that capture the area’s past like a museum.
By contrast the White Salmon Lodge caters to the advanced skiers and those looking to head out to the backcountry. It has a shop that rents performance skis and the bulletin board outside the administration office is where you’ll find the avalanche conditions and detailed weather report.
The lodge itself is a beautifully constructed wooden beam structure with some fine artistic accents of local wildlife scenes and sculptures. Built less than 10 year ago, the lodge offers a spacious and comfortable refuge from the mountain weather. We began with a hearty breakfast cooked to order before booting up for the day.
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Mt. Shuksan |
Chair 7 goes from the White Salmon Lodge to Mid Mountain. You can then ski down to the left to Chair 8 which goes to an elevation of 5,500 feet, the highest part of the mountain, or to the right down to lifts 4, 5 and 6 which access the other side of the ski area. For our first run we opt to get as high as possible before the clouds moved in to obstruct any of the spectacular views of Mt. Shuksan and the adjacent backcountry.
The early-season freezing line in the Cascades can fluctuate dramatically. The deep snowpack had seen some thaw and freeze since the big snows the week prior. Conditions below 6,000 feet were firm and fast on the groomers, so we woke our dormant ski legs on the cat tracks before attempting the off-piste conditions. The groomed areas were minimal and the vast off-piste was tempting. We didn’t see anyone skiing off the cat tracks in the early morning, but after we realized that there was not much groomed terrain it was time to explore the off-piste.
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Chair 8 |
We took Chair 6 up and attempted a run on Canuck’s Deluxe, a steep fall line trail that parallels the lift. The conditions off the trail were thawed and refrozen crud which skied like a coral reef. It was edgeable, yet bumpy and jarring. The skiing was not exactly smooth and effortless. Clouds rolled in and it began to snow. This was a good sign. If we go in for lunch now, maybe take a long lunch, the snow may accumulate and the condition could improve.
Munchies
The food in the White Salmon cafeteria was excellent and reasonably priced. The most notable and delicious item on the menu is the Salmon Chowder. The bowl is served with a breadstick or you can have it in a bread bowl for just $2 more. We learned, however, that there is more soup in the ceramic bowl than in the bread bowl which seems to be a better deal, unless of course you love the bread bowl. All the food appeared very fresh and tasty. The coffee was very strong, which was apparent when raising the soupspoon to my mouth…or maybe I was just jittery because it had begun to snow on the mountain.
Weather
The snow line hovered around 3,500 feet, which translated to rain at the base lodge. Sometimes the rain was quite heavy and it was very windy. The moisture from the Pacific Ocean travels up the canyon, increasing intensity with elevation and drops snow or rain, depending upon temperatures. This orographic lift is what causes so much snow at Mt. Baker as well as the rest of the Cascades, The Sierras and Whistler. Mt. Baker seems to have the record for the highest average snowfall of 647 inches but topped out in the season of 1998-1999 with a world record of 1,140 inches of snow! We were hopeful that the system moving in would improve the firm conditions and possibly dump a good batch of snow for us.
Once we were filled with warm liquids and plenty of caffeine it was time to see what was going on above 3,500 feet. By the time we got to tower 7 we were drenched, but the drops were now white. The higher we went, the drier the snow.
A layer of cream cheese topped the coral reef and greatly improved the conditions. There wasn’t as much noise under foot and the turns were much smoother. The wet flakes kept piling up and the rest of the ski area became safer and easier to explore for the next two days.
The Other Side
At the top of Chair 6 there are many exciting options. If you head over toward Chair 1 which comes up from Heather Meadows, you can find fresh snow on undulating terrain that funnels down to a very steep and narrow chute just beneath the lift. The cliffs to the right and left of the chute are roped off pretty well, so you won’t get yourself into too much trouble if you can handle a chute the width of which is just a bit more than the length of your skis. There were a few options on entering the chute, but hop-turns, or a ballsy straight-line are the techniques you’ll need to earn your glory beneath the spectators on the lift overhead.
When you get to the bottom of that slope you can ski up a ramp that is the mid-station of Chair 1. Get a lot of speed or else you’ll be side-steppin’.
At the top of Chair 1, you can run the Chute again or head skier’s left of the chute area and enter a gate that will take you to the Pan Face. The signage is not very good and the gates only warn you of extreme conditions, but it is up to the skier’s experience, knowledge and map reading abilities to determine which gate to enter through and what terrain you will encounter. Because we were unfamiliar with the area and there weren’t many people skiing, even though it was a Saturday, there was no one to ask, so we went on a reconnaissance mission to find out where it went, what were the landmarks and where it comes out. We took the easier Austin trail that winds through the valley to inspect the ridge to skier’s right. Upon determining that there is a really nice steep sustained pitch between cliffs, we knew which gate to enter and which way to go. There are a number of steep shots off to the left and right of the main drop, however, there are also plenty of cliffs in that area as well. We returned for a run down the main Pan Face.
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Canyon at Mt. Baker |
If you head forward of Chair 1 and Chair 6, to the left there is a gate that will drop you through a very steep chute into Gunner’s Bowl that funnels into the narrow Canyon. There are some steep chutes to get in there, but there are many lines one can take with a traverse around the bowl. There is even a groomed section that will take you through the Canyon, flanked by tall and steep, rocky cliffs. Enjoy the acceleration as you funnel in, or make some turns as this trail gently curves through the rock walls back down to the bases of Chairs 4, 5, 6.
Mt. Baker is a fairly small ski area, but its 500 acres and 1,500 vertical feet really pack a punch with its steep chutes, cliffs and bowls. Many expert skiers, though, come to Mt Baker solely to access its magnificent backcountry. We came prepared for a backcountry adventure with beacons, shovels and probes, but we were missing local knowledge. While we could see where we’d like to ski, we weren’t sure of snowpack conditions, even though the avalanche condition report said avalanche hazard was fairly low, but increasing to moderate as the snow was falling. We weren’t totally comfortable with what the weather would bring, and without knowledge of the backcountry terrain beyond what we could see from the lift we decided it was too risky for us to proceed beyond the sign. The snow conditions did not warrant further investigation into the backcountry during our visit, so we heeded the warnings and stayed in bounds, which kept us completely entertained.
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Know before you go – a Mt. Baker backcountry gate. |
Knowledge = Life
Because the ski area is a gateway into the Mount Baker Recreation Area backcountry, there has become a need for backcountry education. There are three levels of snow-safety courses and they fill up very quickly. A beacon park in the White Salmon area provides a place for people to practice their transceiver search skills.
Hazards
Tree wells are a real hazard in this part of the world. The large conifers keep the snow from falling beneath them with their wide branches. When deep snow piles up, a large empty well forms which can be a trap to skiers or anyone getting to close. Falling in a tree well can be fatal, and recently someone had drowned of asphyxiation in a tree well in the backcountry of Mt. Baker.
Community
The vibe at Mt Baker amongst its employees is one of an extended family. Even as out-of-town visitors, we felt the camaraderie between employees whether they were working in the cafeteria or on the ski patrol or in administration. Everyone was smiling and friendly. The intimacy of this smaller ski area really makes you feel comfortable as you soak in the warmth and dream of moving there and becoming part of this mountain community. Even the General Manager, Duncan Howat exuded warmth and kindness as he joked around with his employees like an uncle.
Balance
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Backcountry beyond the ski trails of Mt. Baker Ski Area |
Mt. Baker is privately owned and it has been managed by Howat for nearly 40 years. He seemed like a proud poppa and has every reason to be. This business operates in the black and has managed to upkeep its facilities through careful balance of spending its revenues over time. When you look at the gorgeous base lodges, built within the last 10 years, you wonder how this can be possible.
By keeping a balance between the parking, lodging, lifts and on-mountain crowding and to keep the area as aesthetically natural as possible in terms of how the runs are laid out, Mount Baker endeavors to sustain itself mostly through local visitors throughout the winter. In the early-season, however, powder pigs come from all over for the snow as well as access to the backcountry.
There are no slopeside condos or even a hotel within 15 miles of the mountain, though it appeared that someone had set up a tent in the back of the parking area. Lodging is limited to nearby Glacier, nearly 20 miles away, so Mt. Baker relies on the local Seattle and Bellingham populations for its sustainability. Busloads of children are shuttled up from the cities every weekend. Mt. Baker can be reached in just a few hours from Seattle, so it can be visited for a day.
Given that Mt. Baker is seriously off the grid, miles from the nearest telephone line and electrical service, they must make their own power. Diesel fuel powers the lifts and runs the generators to keep business in operation. They are now converting to bio-diesel, keeping in line with the sustainability theme both locally and globally.
Funkytown
Twenty miles down the Mount Baker Highway from the skiing, the small enclave known as Glacier is definitely worth a stop if you are passing through, or spending a night. Fine Italian cuisine at Milano’s is a perfect end to the first day on the slopes. While it is on the more expensive side, you will be delighted with the delicious sauces and fresh seafood and pasta. Splitting an entrée and an appetizer provided a full meal for two. Four extra dollars for the entrée and you both get a dinner salad and warn home made foccaccia with aioli and balsamic. They put the entrée on two plates and it was more than enough food. Don’t skip the steamed clams for an appetizer and get extra foccaccia to sop up the sauce. Save room if you can for dessert.
Instead of dessert we saved room for a pilsner across the street at Graham’s Restaurant. This old establishment has a pub feel to it, though it is a restaurant serving a variety of home-cooked food at reasonable prices. In the back there is a pool table surrounded by young ski bums likely to be employees at Mt Baker. Authentic antiques and photographs of Clark Gable decorate this historic landmark. To keep the front door from staying open, a cast-iron frying pan is suspended across the room on a rope and pulley. When the door opens, the pan goes up. The weight of the frying pan pulls the door shut behind the entrants.
In the same building as the restaurant is a general store that sells a variety of items and has a decent selection of local vintages and brews. There is a large tub of dog food that can be purchased by the pound. Glacier is a very dog-friendly town, complete with its own doggie camp, as was advertised on the post office bulletin board next door. There is a ski shop and a snowboard shop across the road, though there is no place to get gas in Glacier, so don’t show up with an empty tank. The former gas station is in ruins and is an eyesore in the middle of town in a prime location, waiting for a benefactor to remediate the area and build a lodge or other useful business.
With bellies full of good food and beer and bodies tired from our first day of skiing of the season, it was time to crawl back to our hovel across the creek for the night. It was snowing on the mountain and dreams of fresh snow filled our heads as we drifted into unconsciousness.
For More Information: www.mtbaker.us