It’s August and I’m feeling the need to visit Mount Baker, walk the high-country trails, soak in the sights while the weather is beautiful, and remind myself that there is a wonderful world away from deadlines and politics.
And if I owned them, I’d leave every iPod, BlackBerry (Blueberry?), cell phone, Bluetooth, game player, laptop, Kindle, mp3 player and Sudoku handheld game at home or in the trunk.
Unfortunately, while Mount Baker’s main snow level is 5,500 feet elevation, popular trails are still under about 2 feet of snow. Because of the melting-freezing cycle at that elevation, the snow is densely packed, but crusty, and very slippery on top, especially in the mornings.
But with a good run of warming sunshine, maybe next weekend, or the next…
For the most part, the ground around Heather Meadows Visitors Center is melted out, as is the path around Picture Lake (that’s Mount Shuksan’s reflection, not Mount Baker).
This is also a good time to soak up information by taking part in the 1 p.m. guest-speaker program. Many events are wheelchair accessible. The series runs through Aug. 31. Here are the next three:
Volcanic Rocks at Artist Point (Sunday): Join Mount Baker volcanologist Dave Tucker for a geological trip back in time. Meet near the bathrooms in the Artist Point parking lot.
Avalanche Awareness (Aug. 16, Heather Meadows Visitor Center): Are you a little antsy about hiking in all that snow? Learn how to be safe in a mountain environment.
Subalpine Bird Walk (Aug. 18, Heather Meadows): Walk in the Bagley Lakes area with Mary-Beth Phelan to learn about the birds of Heather Meadows.
For more information, call the Glacier Public Service Center, 360-599-2714.
Heather Meadows is like a spoke with trails radiating out from it, roughly halfway between Baker and Shuksan. The Bagley Lakes Trail is about 50 percent snow but you can hike part way.
Just for the views, take the road past Heather Meadows out to Artist Point. At 5,100 feet, it’s one of the highest spots that you can drive to in the state. The road is plowed, but the trails are still buried. You can also drive to Austin Pass Information Center (the Fire &Ice Trail has 50 percent snow coverage).
Two weeks from now, with warm temperatures and people starting to break through the snow and help transform it to slush, the trails might be fairly accessible.
If you really want to add a hike to the mix after riding to the end of the road, return and pick a lower elevation hike.
Skyline Divide Trail: The 3.5-mile hike (4,400 feet) is open. It’s a steady climb with switchbacks but is still one of the more popular trails in the Mount Baker District because of its views of Mount Baker’s glaciers, flower fields if your timing is right, forests, rivers and too many peaks to bother counting.
Horseshoe Bend Trail: For an easy walk ideal for young children (turn around when ready), the 3-mile trail is less than 1,000 feet in elevation and is good for all seasons. It starts near the Douglas Fir Campground.
The trail runs through the woods hugging the North Fork of the Nooksack River. Watch the white water roiling across boulders and, perhaps, a rafter or two. A good turnaround point is a mile in, because the trail becomes steeper and not as well maintained.
For current information on trails, snow levels, and the required Northwest Forest Pass, call 360-599-2714.
On the bookshelf: A diversity of outdoors opportunities is a hallmark of Susan Olin’s “Glacier National Park” ($17, Insiders’ Guide), which includes information beyond the park, such as the nearby town of Whitefish.
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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