Mount Baker Experience • Summer 2014

ADVENTURES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWESTSUMMER 2014

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Wild RIVERSRunning MOUNT BAKER

MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NORTHERN LIGHT

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2 MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE | SUMMER 2014 MOUNTBAKEREXPERIENCE.COM

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August 16 & 17, 2014Hovander park, Ferndale



SUMMER 2014 | MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE 3

You’ve never earned your turns like this before. Ski/Sail & Surf/Sail Adventure trips in the

Pacific Northwest, B.C. and SE Alaska


6 KOMO KULSHAN Our home mountains

8 NATURAL CONNECTION NCI’s Foodshed Initiative

10 LEAVE NO TRACE Hiking the backcountry ethically

18 HIGH SEAS SAILING Adventures on tall ships

19 DAM, THAT’S NICE Touring the Skagit dams

24 THE KULSHAN QUEST The newest adventure race

25 PHOTO GALLERY

30 ROCK CLIMBING WITH KIDS Fun for the whole family

32 SURFING NORTHWEST Slightly colder than So. Cal.

34 SUMMER GEAR GUIDE Gear up for the season

36 WILD RIVERS Rafting outfitters in the NW

37 WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD Bikesport expands to Bellingham

44 BLANCHARD MTN PARAGLIDING The view is a plus

46 NEW BREWS Slake your thirst first

40 WHERE TO EAT

41 WHERE TO STAY

42 EVENTS CALENDAR

48 THE LAST VIEW

16 days, 120 miles, 60,000 feet of elevation: the American Alps Traverse

in this issue

SUMMER 2014

22

SCRAMBLING THE NORTH CASCADESFour great peaks to hike/climb

1412 35INDOOR FLOWBurlington’s sick bike park

THE BIG, BIG, BIG RUNFrom Bay to Baker ... and back?

STREAKS OF LIGHTMeteor showers, summer 201433 COASTING WITH THE CURRENT

Kayaking the Lummi, Clark & Orcas islands loop38

PHOTO \ JASON HUMMELL

PHOTO \ COURTESY DAN PROBSTPHOTO \ AUBREY LAURENCEPHOTO \ BRANDY SHREVE

PHOTO \ COURTESY DAN PROBST PHOTO \ TODD ELSWORTH


PUBLISHER’S NOTE BY PAT GRUBB

SHUKSAN

Official Mascot of the

Mount Baker Experience

Now, that was a strange winter. Ski season started off good, then no snow for what seemed forever, then some snow, and

then huge amounts of snow in March. Man, this global warming is messing with our heads. But now it is mid-May, it’s clear and hot outside and we’re told to expect a hot and dry summer. Sounds good to us for all kinds of reasons, some of which you’ll find inside this issue of the Mount Baker Experience. For example, if you’re into surfing, there’s an ar-ticle on surfing in Washington and B.C. Want to go river rafting? Check out our list of rafting outfitters.

Into hiking? Great – we’ve got stories on the American Alps Tra-verse and five summit scrambles. Want to leave our world a better place? Learn about Leave No Trace ethics and practices. There’s a new adventure race this summer that you might want to try and an article on ultra runs if you’re ultra ambitious. Rather lay back and gaze at the heavens? There’s a possibility of a new meteor shower in May to go along with the Perseids in August. We suggest some apps to help you find your way around the heavens. By the way, this is our biggest issue yet. For that, we thank our writers and photographers for exciting and interesting content, our advertisers for supporting what we do and our readers for their suggestions, feedback and interest. Have a great summer!

PHOTO \ JASON HUMMELL

PHOTO \ TODD ELSWORTH

MOUNT BAKER EXPERIENCE

PUBLISHERS Patrick Grubb and Louise Mugar

EDITOR Ian Ferguson

STAFF WRITERS Ian Ferguson Brandy Shreve

PUBLICATION DESIGN Doug De Visser

ADVERTISING DESIGN Ruth Lauman Doug De Visser

ADVERTISING SALES Molly Ernst Judy Fjellman Janet McCall Catherine Darkenwald

SALES & EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Kara Furr

OFFICE MANAGER Amy Weaver

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE:Brad Andrew, Mike Brondi, Carson Artac, Paul Conrad, Chris Duppenthaler, Todd Elsworth, Grant Gunderson, Jessica Haag, Dylan Hallett, Ryan Hasert,

Jason Hummel, Aubrey Laurence, Sue Madsen, Jason Martin, Eric Mickelson, John Minier, Brent Molsberry, Stacy Moon, Jefferson L. Morriss, Eric Parker,

Daniel Probst, Brandy Shreve, Aneka Singlaub, Cory Tarilton

ON THE COVER Stars pass over Yellow Aster Butte on a clear Cascade mountain night.Photo by Jefferson L. Morriss

If you can see Mt. Baker, you’re part of the experience. Mount Baker Experience is a quarterly outdoor recreation guide for and about the Mt. Baker

area, published by Point Roberts Press, Inc. and distributed from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. Locally owned, the company also publishes The Northern

Light, All Point Bulletin, Pacific Coast Weddings, Waterside and area maps.

Vol. XXVIII, No. 3. Printed in Canada.©2014 POINT ROBERTS PRESS

225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 TEL: 360/332-1777

EMAIL: [email protected]

WEB: www.mountbakerexperience.com

FACEBOOK: facebook.com/mtbakerexperience

TWITTER: twitter.com/MB_Experience

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As I write these words, a dramatic tragedy is unfolding on Mt. Everest. On April 18, a deadly avalanche swept through the Khumbu Icefall,

killing 16 guides. The deceased were all Sherpa, an ethnic group from the most mountainous regions of Nepal. How this event will ultimately play out is still uncertain, but presently, it seems as though the Sherpa have decided to leave Everest for the 2014 season, to be with their families and pay respect to those who have been lost.

It is important for western expeditions, the government of Nepal and the world to respect and support the Sherpa in their decision. Their cul-ture and even their physiology have been shaped by the high Himalayas, with which they hold a very sacred and spiritual bond. The Khumbu region is their home, and Mt. Everest is not just a mountain to them; it is Sagarmatha: Forehead of the Sky - Mother of the Universe.

A sense of place is important to all people, a fact that we are well aware of in the North Cascades. For millennia, many have considered the land between the Salish Sea and the icy mountain crest to our east to be para-dise. It is a land of abundance and beauty, carved from fire and ice, and characterized by the overbearing presence of our own special mountain.

Mt. Baker is not only the most dominant feature of our landscape; it is also a cultural icon that has shaped countless generations of inhabit-ants. The operative word is heritage. To the first nations of the Nooksack, Skagit and Lummi, Mt. Baker was known by many different names, all

variations of the term “Komo Kulshan.” Salmon were and still are of great importance, and Komo Kulshan feeds the rivers that feed the salmon that feed the world. This complex relationship between mountains, riv-ers, salmon and life is sacred, and arguably of much greater importance than any modern meaning we have imparted.

However, we must honor Mt. Baker’s recent heritage as well. Since Ed-mund Coleman’s first ascent in 1868, Mt. Baker has been a venue upon which to challenge ourselves as mountaineers and skiers, as well as cel-ebrate the beauty and grandeur of nature in the raw. This spirit of adven-ture inspired the Mt. Baker Marathon in 1911. Although America’s first adventure race only lasted three years, its legacy lives on in our modern rendition: Ski to Sea. Efforts are also underway to recreate the original footrace as a modern day ultra-marathon.

Recreation on and around Mt. Baker has drawn many to the region, and has contributed greatly to making Bellingham and the North Cas-cades a desirable place to call home. As the owner of Mt. Baker Mountain Guides, my relationship with the mountain for which I named my busi-ness is continually evolving. I am grateful for the opportunity to live in the North Cascades and share Mt. Baker with others. However, I am also aware that we are guests in a special place, and should act as such. We must respect the mountain that has shaped our past and present, and re-member those who have come before. Finally, we must continue to write our stories upon the landscape, for it will write its stories upon us. x

HONORING THE MOUNTAINS WE CALL HOMEKOMO KULSHAN

STORY BY JOHN MINIER

PHOTO \ RYAN HASERT


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The Natural Connection

FOOD PEOPLE ECOSYSTEM in NCI’s Foodshed Initiative

BY IAN FERGUSON

Just as Buddhists seek enlightenment at ancient monasteries high in the

Himalayas, northwesterners who want to learn about nature have their own moun-tain temple. The North Cascades Institute (NCI), nestled among the Picket Range on the shores of Diablo Lake, is a mecca for environmentalists. It’s a place where sustainable approaches are woven into ev-ery possible action, from how structures are built to how food scraps are used, and of course, where the food comes from.

For head chef and Foodshed Initiative manager Shelby Slater, getting hired at NCI caused a radical shift in his world-view. Originally from Anacortes, Slater is energetic, with a steady gaze and salt-and-pepper hair. These days, he is reconnect-ing people with the earth and creating lifelong stewards of the environment one delicious plate of locally grown food at a time. But he wasn’t always an advocate for sustainable cuisine.

For years, Slater worked on a fishing boat in the Bering Sea that was more like a floating factory than the quaint Alaskan trawlers we usually think of. He managed

a kitchen that fed a crew of 165, and four semi-trucks full of industrially manu-factured food supplied the vittles for each voyage.

“When I got out of fishing, I was kind of looking at how I fit into the world,” Slater said. He was late to the slow-food movement, but when he got the job as head chef at NCI, he caught up fast, teach-ing himself about a food system that was completely different from the one he was used to.

“I started working with local farmers, and it changed my whole perspective on the food industry, human health, the en-vironment – everything,” he said. “When you go from a fishing boat where every-one is there to make money, and you go up to an environmental learning center where people are there striving to change the world, that’s a drastic change, and it’s catching.”

More than anything else, NCI is a school. Communications manager Chris-tian Martin describes NCI’s mission as twofold. The first goal is to introduce peo-ple to the amazing ecosystem that is the

North Cascades. Scientists and experts give nature walks and lessons on every-thing from volcanic and glacial geology to birds, bugs, lichens and carnivores. They might teach about how wolves have returned to the ecosystem, grizzly bears may or may not be wandering down from Canada and the wolverine is on the rebound, for example. “It’s an extremely wild place, and it’s right in our backyard,” Martin said.

The pivot, and the second goal, is to get people to understand their role in pro-tecting this wild place and others like it.

“We want people to understand that it doesn’t stop at the boundaries of the park or the national forest. This natural wonder spreads all the way back into our communities, back into Seattle and Bell-ingham and Fraser Valley and over into the Methow Valley… We want people to go home feeling that they want to be good stewards of the ecosystem.”

NCI accomplishes these goals in a va-riety of ways. The Mountain School pro-gram brings elementary and high school classes to the learning center in North

PHOTO \ JESSICA HAAG

PHOTO \ JESSICA HAAG

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Cascades National Park for three- and five-day programs. A residency in partnership with Huxley College of the Environment at West-ern Washington University offers curricula for graduate students seeking a Master of Educa-tion in Environmental Education. Field pro-grams, a speaker series and overnight stays for adults and families allow the public to book a stay at the environmental learning center and tag along on a variety of outdoor learning ad-ventures. Instructors are also active through-out Washington, bringing the message home to schools and communities.

Food is a major part of that message, and that’s where the term foodshed comes in. Sci-entists study watersheds to determine what’s going into the water from source to sea. The Foodshed program does the same for NCI’s food system, aiming to provide food that is not only healthy and delicious, but also responsi-bly sourced. Nearly all of the food served at NCI comes from local farms that make a big effort to go easy on the land.

Why the emphasis on local food? Walk through the produce department

of most grocery stores and you’ll find apples from New Zealand, asparagus from Chile and carrots from California, even though all of those fruits and vegetables grow just fine here in Washington. It took a lot of fossil fuel to get that produce here. Because of this and other unsustainable farming practices, it is estimat-ed that for every 10 kcal of fossil fuel energy we put into our food system, we get 1 kcal of energy back as food.

In addition to being better for the environ-ment, using local food connects NCI with the local community. Slater is on a first-name ba-sis with all the farmers he works with. He vis-

its the farms once a month and talks to them every week to see what’s fresh. He makes sure the farms he’s using are in line with the envi-ronmental goals of the institute.

“I ask a lot of questions,” he said. “How’s their water supply? How’s their runoff? Where are they buying their seeds? How are they treating their animals and farmworkers?”

In turn, Slater uses the food he gets as an education piece for the groups that come through the learning center.

“The more I look into the world and our impact on it, the more it’s clear that food impacts the world more than anything we do,” he said, and he’s right. A recent National Geographic article stated that agriculture ac-counts for 40 percent of all global industry, far more than any other human endeavor. Food is a driving factor behind everything from oil

consumption and water use to healthcare and social justice.

Slater’s hands-on approach is challenging. He admits that it would be easier and less ex-pensive to truck food from an industrial sup-plier up to the institute every week. Instead, he travels to local farms on his days off and fills his car with food. Anne Schwartz of Blue Heron Farm hands off a load of produce to her husband, a park ranger, who drops it off in Marblemount. An NCI co-worker brings it the rest of the way. Regular trips with an NCI van pick up whatever else is needed.

On top of the logistical challenges of getting the food to the kitchen, Slater and his staff of four to 10 must constantly adapt the menu to what’s available.

“I keep a fluid menu, and it’s always based on what’s available that week. It keeps us on

our toes and makes us get really creative. It’s lively and fun,” he said.

Slater cooks with a light touch to let the fla-vors of the quality ingredients he uses shine through. He firmly believes that local food, grown without inorganic pesticides, herbi-cides, carbon-based fertilizers and genetically modified seeds tastes a whole lot better than conventionally produced food.

“I’m a very basic cook now, because I don’t have to do anything to cover up these flavors,” he said. “You’re not going to see me using heavy sauces or seasonings, because it takes away from the wonderful food I’m getting. It also takes away from the farmers. They put their lives into this food, and I want to honor that, because all the credit belongs to them.”

In between feeding an average of 75 people per day, Slater tries to improve his local sourc-ing. At times, it can be overwhelming.

“I spent three days on napkins, trying to get the most environmentally friendly com-postable napkins, trying to figure out where the wood was coming from… I was looking into juice one time for a week, and the oranges were from Chile, the apples were from Argen-tina. At one point I was like, ‘How can I source all of this stuff?’ But it’s a learning process, just as it is for everyone here.”

For Slater, the payoff isn’t just seeing the smiling faces of the people enjoying his food. It’s seeing them make the connection between themselves and the natural world. That con-nection is the essence of the Foodshed Initia-tive.

“If we can get people talking about food is-sues and thinking about how their choices im-pact themselves and the natural world, that’s a big deal,” he said. x

PHOTO \ MIKE BRONDI

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LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS, TAKE ONLY MEMORIES.

LEAVE no

TRACE“I win, I win, I win,” announced an elated 14-year-old boy as he scram-

bled up the trail flaunting what looked like a pair of men’s underwear dangling from a stick held in front of him like the Olympic torch.

“Oh boy,” I thought to myself. “This is what I get for turning Leave No Trace principles into a competition.”

From bear-safe waste containers at our environmental learning center to trash-collecting competitions on our Youth Leadership Adventures courses, Leave No Trace principles form the foundation of our effort to empower life-long environmental stewards at North Cascades Institute, one pair of discarded underwear at a time.

Leave No Trace is an ethical framework that teaches people how to en-joy the outdoors responsibly. x

BY ANEKA SINGLAUB

ON ANY TRIP INTO THE BACKCOUNTRY, FOLLOW THE 7 PRINCIPLES OF LEAVE NO TRACE:

PLAN AHEAD AND PREPAREKnow the regulations and special concerns for the area you’ll visit.Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use. Visit in small groups when pos-

sible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.Repackage food to minimize waste. Use a map and compass to eliminate the

use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.

TRAVEL AND CAMP ON DURABLE SURFACESDurable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry

grasses or snow. Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams. Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not neces-sary. In popular areas: Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites. Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy. Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent. In pristine areas: Dis-perse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails. Avoid places where im-pacts are just beginning.

DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY

Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter. Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished. Pack out toilet paper and hy-giene products. To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

LEAVE WHAT YOU FINDPreserve the past: examine, but do not touch cultural or historic structures

and artifacts. Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them. Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.

Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.

MINIMIZE CAMPFIRE IMPACTSCampfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight

stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light. Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires. Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand. Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.

RESPECT WILDLIFEObserve wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them. Never feed

animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers. Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely. Control pets at all times, or leave them at home. Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHER VISITORSRespect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail. Step to the downhill side of the

trail when encountering pack stock. Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors. Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.

The member-driven Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics teaches people how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. This copyrighted information has been reprinted with permission from the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org

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When freestyle park designer Joseph Prisel dreams, he dreams big.

This time around it took 40 semi truckloads of dirt to make his vision of an indoor dirt track come to life in Burlington, and riders across western Washington and British Columbia are reaping the benefits.

The Burlington Bike Park opened in December 2013 and has quickly become a favorite destination for those seeking all-weather riding in a region that isn’t inclined to accommodate it.

“It’s the only indoor dirt track that we know of,” said employee Casey Jarzombek, who noted that most in-door tracks are made of wood. “It takes a lot of planning and a lot of work to maintain this kind of track, but it accommodates a wide variety of skills and bike styles.”

Jarzombek said that the 40,000-square-foot ware-house building was originally slated to be a BMX race-track, but when that deal fell through, Prisel saw the op-portunity to create something with broader appeal and swooped in.

Prisel specializes in creating freestyle bike parks that are geared toward the masses and pros alike, and is the mastermind behind The Lumberyard in Portland, The Flow Skatepark in Columbus, as well as many of the features at Ray’s Mountain Bike Parks in Cleveland and Milwaukee.

And he builds every jump one by one.

“It’s like a giant puzzle,” Jarzombek said. “There’s a lot of trial and testing on each section of the course before he can move onto building the next jump. He has to make sure it’s not too fast or too slow for riders and that everything flows together.”

Prisel spends hours upon hours piling up dirt, shap-ing it, riding it and then rebuilding it to get exactly the kind of rhythm and ride he’s looking for.

“There’s something for everyone here,” Jarzombek said. “We put the jumps in the middle of the park so you can ride the entire course, including the pump track without ever having to cross the jumps. A beginner can come in and learn the basics and experts can come and have their pro videos done here. You make it what you want it to be.”

Jarzombek added that the park is family friendly, and they will be expanding it this summer and adding an outdoor course that can be utilized while Prisel is re-vamping the indoor course. “It’ll be a completely differ-ent design in the fall, but in the meantime, we’ll still be open and people can come ride.”

The Burlington Bike Park offers rentals, workshops and lessons and is open Tuesday through Sunday. Hel-mets are required and pads are highly recommended. Riders under 18 must have a waiver signed by a par-ent or guardian before they will be allowed to ride. For more information, visit burlingtonbikepark.com. x

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Before moving to Washington from Colo-rado in 2010, my wife and I had scrambled

on mountains throughout the United States and in many countries, but for some reason we were unaware of what the North Cascades had to offer. Since living here, I have come to greatly appreciate these mountains, as they offer beauty and challenge far beyond what I ever imagined.

Below are some favorites that I have discov-ered thus far.

MT. MACFARLANEShortly after moving to Washington, a

friend of ours from Vancouver invited us up to climb Mt. MacFarlane with him. He said it would be a long slog, but it was only “a mere six-er,” so it wouldn’t be too difficult.

Five minutes into the hike, I was beginning to wonder if the word difficult meant some-thing different to Canadians.

After climbing mercilessly for many miles, we finally broke out of the dense, light-ab-sorbing forest and reached the shores of lower Pierce Lake. It was the first time we got a view of Mt. MacFarlane’s upper reaches, and it still looked impossibly far away.

We continued on the trail to the left of the lake, crossing meadows and avalanche paths,

and found the ledges that traversed up the headwall.

After five hours of hard hiking, we finally made it to the turquoise-hued upper Pierce Lake with excellent views.

From there, we ascended the defined ridge to Mt. MacFarlane’s summit, staying close to the ridge crest most of the way. The short scrambling sections were only class 2, though I might have gotten slightly off route and made a couple of class 3 moves.

Forty-five minutes after leaving upper Pierce Lake, we gained MacFarlane’s sum-mit and relished the jaw-dropping views of Slesse Mountain, the Cheam Range, Chilli-wack, the rugged border peaks and countless other mountains in every direction. The views changed my opinion of “mere 6,000-foot mountains.”

MT. PUGHI realize how subjective a route’s exposure

and class rating can be, but almost every Mt. Pugh route description and trip report I have read has made my heart race and my palms sweat. One guidebook describes it as “ex-tremely difficult and taxing,” and “downright

frightening.” Some hikers I once met described it as the scariest hike they had ever done.

Even though I feared the mountain some-what, it intrigued me even more. “You know how everyone interprets mountains different-ly,” my wife told me. “Let’s just go and check it out for ourselves. If it’s too sketchy, we’ll just turn back.”

The hike to Stujack Pass was uneventful, though it took much longer than expected. Above Stujack Pass, things got much more interesting. Even the “easy” sections of trail crossed steep, grassy slopes that dumped over cliffs. When we finally got our first good look at the upper mountain, it was intimidating. I couldn’t believe the route went up that wall of rock.

After some fairly easy but exposed hiking along the narrow ridge, we made it to the col just below the class-3 wall. Once we started up the rock, it wasn’t as bad as it looked from be-low, and the scrambling turned out to be rela-tively easy class 3. The exposure, however, was a bit insane.

Above that wall, the route eased up a bit, though we still had to contend with cliffy sec-tions of trail and one nasty, pebble-covered slab.

Upon reaching the summit, 360-degree views of jagged mountains extended into a serrated horizon. Glacier Peak dominated the east, Sloan Peak captivated us to the south, Three Fingers saluted us from the west and we could even see Mount Rainier in a haze to the southwest.

Meanwhile, the North Fork Sauk River glis-tened a whopping 6,100 feet below us in the valley.

It was a long hike back to the car. By the time we made it back down to Stujack Pass and the easier trail, my mind and body were spent. Unfortunately, we still had to descend 3,800 feet back down to the trailhead. But it felt so good to have faced my fear, I really didn’t mind.

SCRAMBLES in the North

CASCADES

scram•ble: (noun) A mountain climbing route that involves low-level rock climbing. The grade is low enough that ropes are not necessary, but the consequences of falling can be deadly.

NORTH TWIN

MT. PUGH

BY AUBREY LAURENCE

PHOTO \ ERIC PARKER

PHOTOS \ AUBREY LAURENCE


TOMYHOI PEAKTomyhoi Peak is a grueling mountain to

climb. It is brutally long, has lots of elevation gain, features cliff-hugging trails, has route-finding challenges and its summit block re-quires some dangerously exposed scrambling. On top of all that, it also requires a short gla-cier traverse.

Perhaps there is something wrong with my wife and me, but Tomyhoi piqued our interest, and we finally gave into its allure last summer.

At a junction about three miles into the hike, we left the horde of Yellow Aster Butte hikers, descended to the tarns and began climbing north-northwest up the middle of Tomyhoi’s broad slope.

As we climbed, amazing views continued to emerge all around. I had to remember to steady myself before admiring the views be-cause many sections of the trail skirted steep scree slopes and sheer cliffs.

After hours of hiking along an undulating ridge, we came to an imposing gendarme. This was where we made the short and relatively easy traverse on a glacier. We had to take care, though, as there was a deep moat to our left and a steep and icy slope to our right. We used ice axes for added safety, but did not rope up.

Once on dry rock again, we started scram-bling in earnest, and it wasn’t long before we got our first look at the 150-foot-tall summit block. It was a menacing sight and it looked impossible to climb.

From the col, the scrambling was relatively easy at first, but after passing to the right of the small pinnacle, it became much more difficult

and much more exposed.Somewhere in the crux section, I ran into a

rock problem that I just couldn’t seem to solve. I had one good handhold and one good foot-hold, but it wasn’t enough to make the next move. Without exposure, I probably could have popped up without a problem. But there was a lot of air directly behind me, so there was no room for error.

With some help from my wife, I man-aged to find a foothold, which involved stem-ming with my left arm, mantling with my right arm and hoping to hell at least one of my foot-holds held. Clearly, this is not an easy section for height-challenged climbers.

Just above that sec-tion of rock, we emerged onto a ridge with more exposure. I could feel huge voids on both sides of me, but I kept my at-tention on the rock.

My mind screamed for me to turn around, and I even expressed my intention out loud a few times. With encouragement from my wife I concentrated deeply and made careful, delib-erate moves. By the time I reached the knife-edged gable section, I was so focused that the exposure didn’t faze me anymore.

The final obstacle was an awkward, slightly overhanging ledge about 5 feet tall. Then it was just a short walk across a steep, scree-filled

gully and a quick scramble up a rocky ridge to the summit. The summit dropped away abruptly on all sides, and it was so small that there was only enough room for one or two people at a time.

The phenomenal views from the top of-fered an unimaginable amount of eye candy.

High above the Chilli-wack Valley and less than two air miles from the U.S.-Canada border, it felt like we had front-row seats to Canadian Border Peak, American Border Peak, Mt. Lar-rabee, Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker.

NORTH TWIN SISTERRoute descriptions

of North Twin Sister’s west ridge route are vague, but it was clear to my wife and I that we were off route. Lured by seductive cairns and my reluctance to follow a friend’s advice to climb

to the ridge shortly after passing the obelisk, a distinctive tower of rock, we ended up tra-versing too far to the right. When we realized our mistake, we decided to climb directly up to the ridge instead of backtracking across the airy ribs of rock and sketchy chutes we had just crossed.

High up on low-fifth-class rock, with my toes gripping a small ledge and my fingertips jammed in a crack, my mind raced and I be-gan to sense fear creeping in.

I have experienced this mental battle while

climbing many times before, but this time it was different. Fear and doubt gripped my mind, and I was right at my threshold for unroped climbing. Just to get to this point, we had already walked up logging roads and overgrown trails for more than three hours, so I knew I had to get a grip (no pun intended) before my muscles burned out.

Pushing through the fear and suppressing my doubt, I took three deep breaths, refocused my mind on the rock and ignored the air be-low me.

Fortunately, the rock was very grippy and most of it was solid, especially for Washing-ton standards. As I learned, this high-friction rock, called dunite, is only found above the earth’s crust in a handful of places in the world, and the Twin Sisters Range happens to be one of them.

After doing lots of zigzagging, we eventually found a way back to the ridge crest. Getting to that point was among the toughest unroped climbing I have ever done.

Even though we made it to the ridge, route-finding was still a challenge. When we en-countered headwalls, we traversed to the op-posite side of the ridge. Whenever possible, we stayed on the ridge crest, crossing some short knife-edges along the way.

Almost six hours after leaving our car, we finally gained the summit with a wonder-ful feeling of freedom and accomplishment. After drinking in the incredible views of Mt. Baker, South Twin Sister and the San Juan Islands poking through a low deck of clouds, we enjoyed the summit all to ourselves for a few more minutes before beginning our long descent. Mentally and physically drained, we made it back down to the car 11 hours after we began.

For details and directions for these scrambles, go to page 42.

FOR MORE SCRAMBLES IN WASHINGTON,

CHECK OUT THIS BOOK BY PEGGY GOLDMAN.

MOUNTAINEERSBOOKS.COM

MT. MACFARLANE

MT. MACFARLANE

NORTH TWIN

NORTH TWIN

MT. PUGH

PHOTO \ ERIC PARKER

PHOTO \ AUBREY LAURENCE


Four days, 30 miles, and two drainages removed from civiliza-

tion, your summer backpacking trip in the Olympics comes to a screech-ing halt. While negotiating a boul-

der field at the headwaters of the Hoh River, one of your two hiking partners slips off a lichen-encrusted boulder and breaks their leg. After helping them back up to a flat spot

hands-on training that gives you tangible experience to help speed up decision-making and response time in the event of an accident. Both of these methods of instruc-tion are crucial to dealing with real emergency situations. Topics of in-struction include recognizing and dealing with respiratory and circu-latory shock, soft tissue damages, bone fractures and joint strains, immobilization of suspected head or spine injury patients and the necessary processes of dealing with evacuating an injured person from a wilderness setting depending on the type of injury. Both are mixed with enough variation to keep the course engaging.

Instructors will introduce you to the SOAP note (Subjective, Objec-tive, Assessment and Plan), a stan-dard method of recording incidents. The subjective part of the note de-tails the patient’s chief complaint as far as onset, location, duration, character in regard to sharp, dull, or throbbing, alleviating of aggravat-ing factors and growth of pain, time span and severity.

The objective part of the note is your own assessment of the patient. Things such as vital signs and pa-tient attributes and findings from a physical examination are pertinent to this step. Your assessment of the patient comprises what is likely wrong with them and if there are any changes over time in the sever-

to check them over and rest, your well-trained brain starts racing. Faced with the daunting task of helping your friend hobble the marathon distance to the trailhead or sending the fastest able-bodied hiker down the trail solo, some-one needs to take the role of a leader.

In a situation like this, would you have the skills and know-how to make the right call?

A Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course aims to give some of the appropriate background experience and readiness to act in situations where immediate professional help is not available. The courses are usually 10 days with a mandatory 70-80 hours of class time. Successful completion of the course depends on passing a written and practical exam as well as effective communication and skill use during a capstone “scenario” that deals with an accident requiring triage or multiple victim management. Skills learned dur-ing the course range from basic life support to trauma, the onset of sudden illness and the preparation and transportation of injured individuals.

Days of instruction are split between classroom-based lectures and

STORY AND PHOTO BY CORY TARILTON

Wilderness

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Classroom applications of skills include splinting exercises, learning how to take life signs and monitor their change, sizing up the scene of an accident, body substance isola-tion to ensure you stay healthy and knowing the resources needed to deal with the accident. The course includes an American Red Cross CPR certification that is valid for two years.

There’s nothing like experienc-ing the beauty of the outdoors with friends and family, but being pre-pared for an emergency should be a part of every group’s first aid kit. A WFR course helps you prepare for the worst so you can make the best of your time in the wilderness. xCOURSE INFORMATION:

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TALL SHIPS

THE LADY WASHINGTON AND HAWAIIAN CHIEFTAIN

When I arrived in Bellingham in the late 1990s as a landlub-

ber from Montana, I was fascinated with all things coastal, including the area’s rich history of discovery and commerce by intrepid adventurers and sailors. Although some histori-ans contend that Spanish explorers arrived in 1640, the first well docu-mented European ships to visit the area were those of George Vancou-ver’s voyage in 1792.

But the grand age of sail is all in the past, right? Or so I thought. That first summer by the bay I was loung-ing in a deck chair one sunny after-noon when a tremendous “BOOM” rang out across the bay; then an-other, and another. Cannon fire? I

leapt from my seat and ran to get the binoculars. I gazed in shock and disbelief as two grand ghosts from the past came into focus, engaged in what appeared to be a full-scale naval battle.

The Lady Washington and Ha-waiian Chieftain sail into Belling-ham Bay at least once each sum-mer to offer a full slate of adventure sails, mock battles and tours. The Lady Washington is a traditionally built replica of the first American vessel to make landfall on the west coast of North America in 1788. With two square-rigged masts, the brig was used in the first Pi-rates of the Caribbean movie be-cause she has the distinctive, classic look of a tall ship from the 1700s. The Hawaiian Chieftain would also

pass as a ship straight out of the colonial age, but unlike the Lady Washington she is a topsail ketch. Built in Hawaii in 1988 and based on the designs of early colonial coastal trading ships, she has a very shallow draft that allows her to enter small ports.

Both these ships offer quick sail-ing excursions. While the short ad-venture sails are a fine introduction, those with more time on their hands can sail on port-to-port passages from half a day to more than a week. These tran-sits are far less formal, and are a great way to get a behind-the-scenes look at the life and jobs of a tall ship’s crew.

A friend and I sailed on the Lady Washington from Anacortes to Cor-net Bay one fine spring day. We shared a break-fast of eggs Benedict in the galley with the youthful crew before the trip got underway, then all hands headed out on deck as we thread-ed our way between Fidalgo and Guemes islands and out into Rosa-rio Strait. Being the only guests on

board was a treat, as we had plenty of time to quiz the crew about how the vessel was rigged, try our hand at the wheel and even climb the rig-ging and help fire the ship’s cannon. Sailing this majestic ship under the Deception Pass Bridge and into the protected waters of Cornet Bay was thrilling. Once inside the bay we were greeted with a salvo of can-non shot from a house high on the

western bluff, and briskly returned the salute.

The Lady Washington and Ha-waiian Chieftain will be in Blaine from July 29 to August 3. More in-formation about adventure sails can be found at historicalseaport.org.

THE ZODIACThe Zodiac is a 160-foot two-

masted schooner that plies the wa-ters of Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands from March through November each year. She offers a variety of day sails and longer tours. The winemaker’s dinner cruises around Bellingham Bay are a fine way to wind down a long-sum-mer’s evening. More adventurous

souls can book a three-day or eight-day trip to the San Juan Islands or Desolation Sound. For more information, go to schoonerzodiac.com.

THE MAPLE LEAFNorth of the border?

Try the Maple Leaf, a 92-foot schooner built in 1904 in Vancouver Ship-yard at Coal Harbour. Initially a pleasure yacht, she was converted to a

halibut fishing boat during World War I, and was restored in the 1980s. Maple Leaf Adventures offers multi-day trips to the Gulf Islands, Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) each sum-mer. For more information, go to mapleleafadventures.com.

THE COMMUNITY BOATING CENTERFor those who want to learn to

handle a sailboat on their own, Bell-ingham’s Community Boating Cen-ter (CBC) is the best deal in town. They offer classes that cover all of the basics, from rigging the sails and getting the boat underway to tack-ing, jibbing, trimming the sails and docking.

After completing the class you’ll be certified to check out a compara-ble boat from the CBC or any other US Sailing Center. Signing up for an annual pass entitles one to unlim-ited use of the Center’s Boats when they are not being used for classes. The Community Boating Center is open May through October each year. For more information, go to boatingcenter.org. x

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DAM,That’s nice.

James Delmage (J.D.) Ross was one of those legendary men

of genious born in the late 19th century whose ideas would prove world-changing. He successfully engineered the Skagit River Hydro-electric Project, which included the tallest dam in the world at the time, but an even larger contribution was his belief that power utilities should be owned by municipalities so they could deliver cheap, reliable power for the public good.

The city of Seattle still owns and operates the utility, called Seattle City Light, and it provides 20 per-cent of Seattle’s electricity from three dams on the edge of North Cas-cades National Park. Tours of the three dams afford visitors a unique glimpse into an historical power plant in a beautiful setting. I went on a rainy day last June.

The tours begin in the company

town of Newhalem on Highway 20. From there my group was guided to the uppermost dam at the foot of Ross Lake where North Cascades Institute (NCI) provided lunch. We toured various powerhouses and dams along the way and even took a guided boat ride on Diablo Lake. The fascinating history behind the dams, the majesty of the rugged ter-rain in which they were built and collaboration with the North Cas-cades National Park and NCI make the tours offered by Seattle City Light a worthwhile way to spend a day in the mountains.

The tours have something for ev-eryone. Mechanically minded folks will enjoy learning about the feats of engineering required to build the dams in the steep Skagit River gorges. Naturalists and gardeners can delight in the botanical gar-dens along the tour and discussion

of the old-growth forest ecosystem surrounding Diablo Lake. History buffs will love the unique tidbits, including Ross’ whimsical approach to marketing (he imported exotic plants and animals to entice Seattle-ites to come check it out, and even had a colony of monkeys established on an island on Diablo Lake). Food-ies will appreciate the gourmet meal provided at NCI, and environmen-talists will enjoy learning about the institute’s mission of stewardship.

To me, the most impressive fact of the whole tour is that the dams, although they are approaching a century old, still provide clean, reli-able power to nearly a million resi-dents. The project is one of the most environmentally sustainable hydro-electric utilities in the country, be-cause it was built high enough in the Skagit watershed that it doesn’t in-terrupt any migratory salmon runs.

Had it been a clear day when I visited, the snow-capped peaks surrounding the Skagit River Hy-droelectric Project would have un-doubtedly taken center stage, but even in the clouds the spectacle of

massive human works among such imposing geography created an aura of mystique.

To see a summer schedule of tours and more information, go to seattle.gov/light/tours/skagit. x

THE GORGE DAM IS ONE OF THREE DAMS ALONG THE UPPER SKAGIT WATERSHED THAT PROVIDE SEATTLE WITH ELECTRICITY.

BY IAN FERGUSON PHOTO \ COURTESY SEATTLE CITY LIGHT

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Traversing the

AMERICAN ALPSA PHOTOGRAPHER’S ACCOUNT


In June 2013, photographer/backcountry skier Jason Hummel and professional splitboarder Kyle Miller hiked and skied the Cascade Crest from Highway 20 near Ross Lake south to Holden Village, Glacier Peak and out Whi-techuck River Road to Darrington. Over 16 days, the duo traveled 120 miles and climbed a total of 60,000 feet on a route first envisioned by late ski pioneer Carl Skoog, who dubbed it the American Alps Traverse. Jason Hummel re-corded the trip in words and photographs. The following is a selection of his observations.

JUNE 2. PYRAMID GLACIER.

When beginning, it is best to start like one jumps into a cold lake or, in our case, a web of forest. Fully

committed, we dove headfirst into the leafy waves and rose as fast as we could toward the alpine zone.

Somehow a vertical mile of climbing doesn’t ever go as fast as you would like, but when we burst from the greenery, our universe expanded from our feet to the horizon. To the northeast were the massive shoulders of

Jack Mountain. To the northwest were the impregnable walls of the Picket Range. In between and further en-compassing us were the mass of peaks that make up the formidable North Cascades. Of the 1,100 glaciers in the contiguous United States, nearly 800 of them are located in the northern reaches of Washington state. It is truly a sight one should witness and experience, especially from a summit.

JUNE 9. WHITE ROCK LAKES.

I studied my worn and crumpled hand-drawn map from a decade ago. The line curved up the Chikamin Glacier, leading into one of those silent corners of the Cascades that I’d never heard of anyone traveling into, al-though I’m sure many had.

Privileged – that’s how I felt as we climbed beneath the towering shoulders of the immense and breath-stealing Chikamin Glacier.

Two thousand feet higher, I stood eyeing the shad-ows of clouds rolling beneath the north face of Sinister

KYLE MILLER CELEBRATES ON THE SUMMIT OF GLACIER PEAK AFTER HE AND JASON HUMMEL HIKED, SKIED AND SPLITBOARDED THERE FROM HIGHWAY 20, 100 MILES AWAY. PHOTO BY JASON HUMMEL.


WHITECHUCK RIVER

GLACIER PEAK

HOLDEN VILLAGE

HIGHWAY 20

NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK

START

FINISH

Peak. Years before, Lowell Skoog, his brother Carl – also a photographer – my brother Josh, Jon Mauro and I became the first to ski Sinister.

Together and separately the Skoog brothers had pioneered doz-ens of descents and traverses in these mountains. The first descent of Sinister would be the last time Lowell ever skied with his brother. A few months later, in 2005, Carl tragically fell to his death on Cerro Mercedario in Argentina.

Before his passing, back on Sin-ister Peak, Carl’s exuberance was contagious. Like a star-struck kid, I asked him all I could about photog-raphy, and he shared what he knew with a rank amateur. What would I have asked him if I knew it’d be our last conversation?

Like me, his tales are told in his images. In the shades and shadows. Between the curves and shoulders of mountains. Within the waves and flow of streams and glaciers. In the moods wrung from darkness and light. Bled at last, in finality, from the reds that crackle on the horizon.

We dug out a spot in the snow and pitched our tent at a notch below Gunsight Peak. I set my alarm for 3 a.m. With my camera and tripod, I left the tent. The cold parried with my fingers. Above me the stars were so bright. Stretching my hands out, my palms cupped worlds like water. I felt like some great star-monster. Hanging from the ridge, perched

atop boulders, I sat, freezing the seconds.

JUNE 12: HOLDEN VILLAGE

Above Crown Point Falls, Kyle and I hid our skis and hung our other unnecessary gear from an old snag. The views from our high van-tage wiped the tiredness out of our eyes. The excitement was palpable. We were about to detour to Hold-en Village, where we had food and fresh supplies waiting.

As we descended into the valley, the colors and the seasons bright-ened. At each creek crossing I drank my fill. At each viewpoint I feasted my eyes on the green hills, high peaks and thundering waterfalls. To pass some time, I took a swim at Heart Lake while waiting for Kyle. Neither of us was in a hurry. Our hunger was forgotten. Maybe the mind requires more nourishment than the flesh?

Either way, the hike soothed me. Weariness blew off me like the leaves from the vine maples that leaned over the trail.

JUNE 14. FORTRESS MOUNTAIN.

We descended and stopped, stuck like a nail between Fortress and Chi-wawa mountains. My eyes strained. I searched the fog. I didn’t know where to go from here. With only bad options, I chose to take the high route over the summit of Fortress Mountain. It was the most risky of the options, but I was convinced it would go, and Fortress and I had a history. In 2008, mere feet from the summit, an avalanche swept me 1,000 feet down the steep, cliff-rid-dled flanks. I was lucky to survive.

Kyle was doubtful of my route choice and rightfully so, but I didn’t need to remind him of our adven-tures in Agnes Creek and our de-scent into that misbegotten hag of a valley to win this argument.

A short time later, everything Kyle had feared was staring him in the face. I was only getting more determined. I laughed as I reached up for a rocky handhold. Instead of stone, I found a rappel sling to hang from. Looking down I saw Kyle. He looked up at me and groaned, “How does it look?”

Was it crueler to lie or to tell the truth? Leaning towards optimism,

I lied. “It looks way better,” I threw down like a bomb. I lit the fuse. “If we can traverse this rock slope, I think we can get there,” I added. Kyle’s eyes erupted in fire, but he said nothing. He was as determined as I was.

To either side of us were long-faced cliffs, looking sad and deject-ed. I felt the terrible hunger of their yawning mouths and saw their teeth far below. I fed them scraps of stone as I grappled across with my cram-pons. I crossed ice-layered boulders, pivoted across smooth granite and finally leapt lightly to the snow. Only then did I feel success creeping in. Ten dangerous steps on a porous 60-degree snow slope and I was onto rock again. A few vertical moves and I was there. The clouds melted away, the peaks emerged to look at me and the sun put her lips to mine.

I watched my magnified shadow dance on the mist below within a Brocken spectre, a natural phe-nomenon I’ve only seen three other times. I couldn’t take my eyes off the spectre and its kaleidoscope of col-ors. They circled as if submerged in oily water. This was among the hap-piest moments of my life.

Only when Kyle squeezed by me did I join him in our march along the narrow ridge. First to the sum-mit, Kyle stopped and raised his hands. He let out the loudest yell I’d ever heard him make. Was he roar-ing a challenge at Glacier Peak? It was our last great obstacle. I liked to think he was.

JUNE 16. GLACIER PEAK.

Two hundred feet before the sum-mit, I was on my knees. Kyle was right behind me. We had been going so fast. Too fast. My legs threatened to buckle. Can you believe that? Weeks of touring and I was as strong as I’ve ever been. While mentally I could push on, physically I was at my limit. I had nothing left. Then I heard the buzzing. I knew that sound. Above me the sky had a dark expression. I saw lightening danc-ing on the peaks in the distance. The buzzing? It was the electricity in the air crackling on my ski edges!

Thunder fell onto my ears, shook my soul and excited me. It was like fireworks. It was bombs bursting. It was a celebration. There was no one else but us – just mountain peaks

The American

Alps Traverse

16 DAYS120 MILES

60,000’ OF ELEVATIONON SKIS & SPLITBOARD

SNAPSHOTS OF THE JOURNEYBY JASON HUMMEL

The mountains are calling, I must go. — John Muir

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leaning in.Then, like that, we were on the

summit. Never had I put so much physical effort into completing a singular goal in my life. I fell to my knees again. I took in those feelings of success. I swam back through the memories. The colors. The blue sky. The blue-eyed lakes reflecting back. The white clouds. The white snow. The yellow sun. The yellow mead-ows of glacier lilies. The black sky poked through with starlight. The rainbows. The spectrum of memory. The melting pot.

The now.

The wind stopped. The snow pe-tered out. Then the sunlight slipped out between the fleshy folds of dark thunderheads. I took my camera out. I took a picture of Kyle holding his board in the air. I took a picture of both of us.

Then we left.

JUNE 17. WHITECHUCK RIVER.

We arrived at the gate and dropped our packs on the other side. The weight of weeks of effort slid from our shoulders. The bugs swarmed. We didn’t care.

Looking up into the dark forest where we began our journey 16 days before, I shuddered. There was no color at all; just darkness, in contrast to my memories, which were like a vibrant colorful meadow stretch-ing in all directions. When I looked back down at the black pavement, I closed my eyes. In my head, the sun was setting on a beautiful chapter, but I knew that a new day would rise. Any adventurer knows that life is not measured in weeks, months or even years, but in adventures real-ized.

With that final thought, I grap-pled with the keys and cranked the ignition, returning down Highway 20, back towards civilization and on to my next adventure. x

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This summer, a new race is com-ing to Bellingham with a course

that will be a carefully guarded se-cret until race day. Half an hour be-fore the starting gun, the course will be revealed. Then, in teams and in-dividually, racers will navigate their way through a number of check-points on foot, bike and kayak, but the path they choose will be com-pletely up to them. It’s an adven-ture race, and it’s called the Kulshan Quest.

Adventure races are popular in the east and the southwest, but al-though our region has a surplus of kayakers, trail runners, mountain bikers and amazing locales for out-door sports, there are surprisingly few adventure races in Cascadia.

An adventure race combines two or more endurance sports with nav-igation. Individuals and teams race from point A to point B by any route they choose, usually with a map and

compass. Instead of relaying each section, teams must complete the race as a unit.

The most extreme adventure rac-es test the limits of human endur-ance and can last a week or more. Kulshan Quest is more accessible, with a six-hour division and a 12-hour division.

Although the course is kept se-cret, what is known is that the race will begin in the Fairhaven area. There will be kayaking, trail run-ning and mountain biking sections, though not necessarily in that order. Teams will get lost. Fun will be had.

Kulshan Quest race director Brent Molsberry got into adventure racing in 2004 when he joined a team for Primal Quest, which was held in the Northwest that year. Racers kayaked from the San Juan Islands to Larra-bee State Park, trekked and moun-tain biked their way into the North Cascades, then kayaked down the Skagit River before paddling back to the San Juans.

“It was a pretty amazing experi-ence,” Molsberry said. “We went well beyond where I thought my limits were, and we just kept going. We were all up six days to finish the race and most days we were getting an hour or two of sleep, but we had fun through the entire race.”

He was hooked, but when he looked for more adventure races in the area, he couldn’t find any. When a friend named Paul Hopkins ap-proached him about starting an adventure race on San Juan Island, Molsberry signed on without hesi-tation. He has been directing the

San Juan Island Quest for six years now, and he’s bringing the race to the mainland this year in the form of the Kulshan Quest.

Molsberry plans the course for each race so that the best route from checkpoint to checkpoint isn’t obvious. Knowledge of local trails can be a big advantage. Local knowledge or no, most teams get lost at some point, and some might decide to skip a checkpoint that is too challenging.

Molsberrry said that’s ok; adven-ture racing is less about winning and more about enjoying the adventure.

“It’s not really cutthroat. You’re out there to have fun, and so is ev-erybody else,” Molsberry said.

The race ends with a barbeque-style after party and awards ceremo-ny, with the cost of food and beer included in the registration fee.

For hardcore racers, the Kulshan Quest will serve as the northwest qualifier for the US Adventure Rac-ing Association’s National Champi-onships, which will be held in Mary-land October 2-4.

Recreation Northwest, the team that brings the Bellingham Traverse to town every September, has part-nered with Molsberry to organize the Kulshan Quest and San Juan Is-land Quest in addition to their Nort-west Traverse Series this summer.

The Kulshan Quest will be held June 21 in Fairhaven, and registra-tion is open. To learn more and register for all the races Recreation Northwest offers, go to recreation-northwest.org. x

GET LOSTin the Kulshan Quest

BY IAN FERGUSONPHOTO \ BRENT MOLSBERRY

PHOTO \ BRENT MOLSBERRY

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Above: The North Cascades near Tommyhoi Peak. Photo by Carson Artac.

Right: KC Deane drops in on a trail in the Chuckanut Mountains. Photo by Grant Gunderson.

Below: Sarah Taylor standup paddles near Lummi Island. Photo by Carson Artac.

Above: Jason Controy on a ride in Whatcom County.Right: . Justin Bartolinin hikes on Chowder Ridge.Below: Chuck Glynn standup paddles on the Nooksack River. Photos by Carson Artac.

Facing page top: Exploring under a glacier. Photo by Ryan Hasert.Facing page bottom: Dropping a waterfall on the Olympic Peninsula. Photo by Eric Parker.

Top: Sunrise paddle in Peru. Photo by Eric Parker.

Left: Backpacking in the Wind River Range. Photo by Grant Gunderson.

Above: KC Deane corners in the Chuckanut Mountains. Photo by Grant Gunderson.


2014 Northwest Traverse Series

Get Hooked!

2014 Northwest Traverse Series

Chinook (solo) Coho (tandem) Chum (relay teams)Chinook (solo) Coho (tandem) Chum (relay teams)

Multi-Sport SeriesMulti-Sport Series

NorthwestTraverseNorthwestTraverse

BellinghamTraverse

OlympiaTraverse

WinthropTraverse

Saturday, Sept. 6th Saturday, Sept. 20th

Saturday, July 26thSaturday, June 14th

North BendTraverse

BellinghamKids Traverse

Sunday, June 29th

BellinghamTraverse

OlympiaTraverse

WinthropTraverse

Saturday, Sept. 6th Saturday, Sept. 20th

Saturday, July 26thSaturday, June 14th

North BendTraverse

BellinghamKids Traverse

Sunday, June 29th

Go it alone, grab a friend or get a team together for the experience of a lifetime. Travel the state, enjoying the people and places to play in Winthrop, Olympia, North Bend and the Grand Finale

at Boundary Bay in downtown Bellingham.

Northwest Traverse.comNorthwest Traverse.com

We look forward to seeing you at one of our races this year.

Take your experience to the next level and get your team together for an epic race. 6 and 12 hour races that includeSea Kayaking, Trail Running and Mountain Biking. Finding the best route through the course is up to you.

Kulshan Quest Fairhaven, WA Saturday, June 21st

San Juan Island Quest Moran State Park, Orcas Island, WA Saturday, September 27thRecreation Northwest.org

We promote outdoor recreation and bring people together to enjoy, preserve and improve the places where we play.

uest Adventure Races

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“Daddy,” my five-year-old son said. “Can we go to the rock

gym today?”“I don’t wanna go to the rock

gym,” my six-year-old daughter re-plied. “I wanna climb outside!”

As a mountain guide and a par-ent, I couldn’t have been happier. My kids were arguing about where to go climbing!

By the time our first-born was three months old, she’d visited Red Rock Canyon National Conserva-tion Area, Joshua Tree National Park and Yosemite National Park. They’ve both been brought up to see climb-ing as a normal and expected part of life.

Many children take to climbing like a fish takes to swimming. They

love it. They can’t wait to do it again. They dream about it. And these days, there’s nothing better than get-ting children outdoors and involved in physical activity.

But climbing is dangerous. I ad-vise that those who wish to take chil-dren climbing seek out professional instruction first in order to ensure that they are managing a climbing site in a manner that reflects the best practices available.

Small children and even some teenagers are not capable of manag-ing their own safety. When you take kids climbing you have to constantly monitor them. Obviously, you want to keep them away from steep or exposed places, but you should also pay attention to what’s above them

(climbers that might drop some-thing on them are bad!). You should also watch where they play while you’re climbing (chasing rattle-snakes is also bad!). It’s important to be strict about where they can and can’t go and what they can and can’t do when they get to the crag.

At first glance, rock climbing with kids isn’t that different from rock climbing with adults. You find a climbing site, set up and climb. But while the systems are essentially the same, there are a number of addi-tional considerations.

ROCK GYMPerhaps the best way to intro-

duce a child to climbing is through a rock gym. In Bellingham, we have two venues that provide indoor rock climbing and rental climbing equip-ment: Vital Climbing Gym and the YMCA.

Vital is a bouldering gym, which means that the walls are short, the ground is padded, and climbers climb without the use of a rope. The entire focus of a bouldering gym is climbing movement.

A bouldering gym is an excellent place for parents without a climb-ing background to take their kids. A parent can manage the risks that their children take in much the same way that they might manage their child on a playground. There is no mystery about how high you feel your child should go in such an environment.

The YMCA provides roped climbing during scheduled periods. Volunteers are often on hand to help kids put on harnesses and to belay them. This is a great place to get the

kids used to climbing up, hanging on a rope and lowering down before taking them to an outdoor venue.

CHILDREN’S EQUIPMENTThere are three must-haves in

outdoor roped climbing: a harness, a helmet and rock-climbing shoes.

A standard harness is designed for teenagers and adults with a well-defined waist. Most small children don’t really have hips; the result is that they could fall out of a standard harness. Small children require a full-body harness with a tie-in point at the chest.

Many climbing equipment manu-facturers have helmets on the mar-ket that were designed to fit kids. Climbing helmets are different from bike helmets in that they were de-signed for a different type of impact. However, it is not uncommon to see kids climbing in bike helmets, and certainly bike helmets are better than nothing.

When I take my children climb-ing outdoors, they put on their helmets when we get to the crag and they don’t take them off until it’s time to leave. You never know if someone’s going to accidentally drop something from above.

Rock-climbing shoes were de-signed with sticky rubber on the bottom. The rubber helps a climber’s foot stick to small holds. Like every-thing else in climbing, they can be expensive. It’s also frustrating as a parent to buy a costly pair of shoes only to see your child grow out of them a few months later. For chil-dren ages 3-6, you might consider picking up a pair of cheap mesh “wa-ter shoes.” Many of these shoes have a supple rubber sole that, while not as sticky as real rock shoes, performs adequately on easy rock climbs.

CHOOSING AN APPROPRIATE CRAGThe best way to manage risk in

an outdoor setting is to choose the right crag. There are two things that you’re looking for in a good crag: a reasonable staging area and routes that are appropriate for children.

The staging area at the base of the crag should be flat and without any-thing that a kid could fall off. If you can approach the crag from below as opposed to from above, that’s gener-ally better. If you have to approach from above, be sure to avoid expo-sure on your descent to the base. If the only way to get there is exposed, then consider a different crag.

Even if your kid is a rock star in the climbing gym, you should start her out on easy climbs outside be-fore amping up the grade. Look for a crag with routes rated between 5.0 and 5.6 that aren’t too tall. Ideally you should find something that’s less than 50 feet tall and low-angled.

If the perfect crag doesn’t exist at your climbing area, don’t fret. You can often set-up a top rope on a big boulder with appropriate “routes” for kids. And even if it is just a boul-der, they won’t care; they’ll think they’re on the biggest wall in the world.

MANAGING YOUR KID CLIMBERA top rope set-up is the best way

to introduce a child to climbing.When a small child is ready to

climb for the first time, it’s best to

ROCK CLIMBING with kids

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JASON D. MARTIN

IF A CHILD IS TOO LIGHT TO LOWER, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ATTACH THE OTHER END OF THE ROPE TO HIS HARNESS AND PULL DOWN TO PROVIDE MORE WEIGHT.

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have her climb up no more than 8 feet off the ground and then prac-tice lowering. On her second climb, try to have her go a little higher and then lower her to the ground. Con-tinue this until she’s at the top. The reason to do this is twofold. First, the child will get used to the system, understand what she has to do when she’s done, and then lower down without a problem. And second, the child will get to know the holds on the route, and will be able to climb it more confidently on every run.

Sometimes a small child is too

light to be lowered in a top rope sys-tem. The best way to manage this is to anticipate the problem ahead of time. Tie the other end of the rope to the child’s harness and gently pull down as the child is lowered. This will provide the additional weight needed to get the child to the ground.

Some kids might want to hang on the rope and swing. As long as it doesn’t get in anyone else’s way or tie up a route for a long time, let the kids swing and enjoy it. This allows them to get used to the security of

the rope and will give them confi-dence in the system.

As a general rule, small children shouldn’t belay or rappel. There are ways to mitigate the dangers implicit in these activities, but they are be-yond the scope of this article.

I’ve been climbing since 1992 and I’ve had some great experiences in the mountains. But I’ve never had as much fun or been more inspired than I have with my children in the mountains. There’s something es-sential and beautiful in sharing your passions with your kids. x

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Em called to cancel our meeting. “Some-thing’s come up,” she said. “Can we re-

schedule for next week?”I looked out the window noting the down-

valley wind, and thought about the big storm out in the Gulf of Alaska forecast to come in two days from now. I knew just what was up. Em’s a surfer, and in the Northwest those rare days when conditions are right need to be seized, work be damned.

In our area, the best time to surf is generally winter or early spring, when waters are in the 40 to 50-degree Fahrenheit range. The typical northwest surfer is nothing like those golden girls and boys in skimpy swimsuits on the beaches of Maui. To surf here, one needs to be committed, expert and swathed in neoprene from head to toe.

Sound good? You can find good breaks in the northwest straits, but you’ll have to do some exploring on your own. My surfer friends were polite enough not to laugh in my face when I asked about local surf spots, but only just. Nobody’s going to share beta on a favorite break with an amateur, much less a writer who’s planning on publishing the info. Good breaks around here are just too rare, and inexperienced surfers dropping in on someone else’s wave are both unwelcome and dangerous.

It’s best to learn to surf at popular beaches on the Pacific coast of Washington or Vancou-ver Island, where you can develop skills with-out getting in the way of others.

Learn on during the summer when waves are less powerful, said Dennis, who became addicted to the sport in his California child-hood, and has surfed our area for decades. Watch experienced surfers, hone your skills on small waves, and slowly get to know more experienced riders. If you do luck into a good break, respect the locals, stay out of the way and make sure they get the waves they want first. Following this unspoken etiquette is the only way to gain acceptance.

A great way to get started is by heading to the surf schools and rental shops in Tofino, B.C. and Westport, Washington. Beaches at LaPush or Hobuck beach in Neah Bay also provide a range of conditions and plenty of room for everybody. Surf shops from Port Angeles or Forks often station a trailer in the beach parking lot where one can rent boards and wetsuits.

Start by taking a lesson or two, or learn to drop into waves on your stomach or a boogie board. You’ll need to rent or own a wetsuit; 4/3 is good for the summer (numbers rep-resent thickness in mm on the torso, arms and legs), but you’ll want something heavier for winter (5/4 or even 6/5), plus a neoprene hood, gloves and booties.

Don’t go out and buy an expensive board. High-end boards are light and fragile, and one thing is for sure, as a beginner you’ll beat it up. You’ll hit it with elbows and knees, or scrape up the fins by riding all the way to shore. Rent a board from the surf school, or better yet find a buddy who will loan you an old beater molded-plastic model or soft-top.

Learn what conditions mean good surf in our area; while wind speed and direction are key, the best times to ride will vary from site to site based on local topography, coast orienta-tion and tides.

Once you have some skills, be prepared to drop everything to hustle out as soon as the stars align. I recently watched a surfer catch some waves at Cape Disappointment. His ses-sion consisted of two good rides interspersed by a 30-minute battle with the crashing waves to get back outside the impact zone.

By the time his buddy showed up a few minutes later the moment was lost; a slight change in tide height skewed the direction of those gorgeous waves. We basked in the spring sun watching the waves slam into the cliff below the lighthouse for a while. Then ev-erybody adjourned to the office, daydreaming about the next big break. x

BY SUE MADSEN

Northwest

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PHOTO \ DYLAN HALLETT

PHOTO \ RYAN HASERT


In summer, these latitudes are marked by long days and short nights, at least until June 22 when the days

begin to grow shorter again. Compared to southern lati-tudes, we can play all day and much of the evening. But once the sun is good and truly gone, what to do?

These warm summer nights are perfect for observing the heavens and especially watching meteor showers. Ever wonder how meteor showers get their name? They are named after the constellation from which they ap-pear to originate.

CAMELOPARDALIDS METEOR SHOWER MAY 23/24:Astronomers are excited about the possibility of a new

meteor shower this year. Those of us living in Canada and the northern part of the U.S. could be in for one hell of a show. The Camelopardalids meteor shower is predicted for the night of May 23-24. The peak viewing times are projected to be from 11 p.m. on May 23 until 1 a.m. the next morning. While some astronomers are pre-dicting a meteor “storm” of up to 400 meteors per hour, most expect somewhere between 100 and 200.

The meteors will appear to radiate from the Camelo-pardalis constellation which is located in the sky near the Polar star. The meteors that observers will see streaking across the northern sky actually stem from a debris trail left in the 1800s by the Comet 209P/LINEAR, discov-ered in 2004.

PERSEIDS METEOR SHOWER AUGUST 10-13:Unfortunately, sky watchers will have to contend with

a waning gibbous moon during the Perseid showers. A waning gibbous moon is anything smaller than a full moon but larger than a half moon. Nevertheless, if you persevere into the early morning hours around dawn, you should still see a worthy display. The great thing about the Perseids is that they appear to come from all points of the sky so you don’t need to know which con-stellation they radiate from. Okay, seeing as you ask, they appear to originate in the constellation Perseus the Hero which is located in the northern sky east of Andromeda and south of Cassiopeia. Typically, up to 100 meteors an hour streak against the early morning skies.

WHERE TO WATCH:Obviously, the further away from city lights, the

darker the skies and the better your viewing experience. South of the border, a popular viewing location is Art-ist’s Point just up the hill from the Mt. Baker ski area. During summer nights, the parking lot is full of the cars and campers of people seeking a clear and dark view of the skies. North of the border, you have to contend with the lights of Vancouver. Nevertheless, Porteau Cove on the Sea to Sky highway is sheltered from city lights as is Wreck Beach at U.B.C. In the valley, people gather at Aldergrove Lake Regional Park and McDonald Park in Abbotsford. Located on Number 3 Road off Highway 1, local astronomers successfully convinced the city coun-cil to make McDonald Park into a “dark sky park.” x

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THE BIG RUNBay

to

Baker.

AND BACK?

BY IAN FERGUSON

Last August, Daniel Probst ran from Bell-ingham Bay to the summit of Mt. Baker, a

distance of 54 miles and an elevation gain of 10,781 feet. He was the first person ever to do so, and he did it in less than 24 hours.

A Whatcom County native, Probst had seen Mt. Baker’s white-domed summit on the ho-rizon his whole life, but had never been to the top. In terms of radical feats of endurance, the run up Mt. Baker was nothing new for him; as an ultra-marathon athlete he had run in 200-mile races over 10,000-foot peaks before. It was, however, a first for Mt. Baker, a first for Probst and a harrowing adventure.

The first attempt was a group effort. Four people set out from Cornwall Beach in Bell-ingham at 1 p.m. on August 6. They ran up and over Mt. Stewart on the east side of Lake Whatcom, ate dinner at the Acme Diner in the South Fork Valley and carried on through the night. They reached the Ridley Creek Trail-head at the foot of Mt. Baker at 6 a.m.

The runners of the original Mt. Baker Mara-thons in 1911-1913 also used the Ridley Creek Trail, running to the summit of Mt. Baker in little more than leather shoes and cotton shorts. It was an amazing feat, but they got most of the way to the mountain in either a car or a steam-powered train. Not so for the group that was now running up the steep trail, 17 hours after leaving the beach.

A support van from Kulshan Brewery kept the team hydrated and fed along the way. A second support crew hiked in from Baker Lake to meet them with more food and climb-ing supplies at Cathedral Camp, 5,000 feet up the south side of Mt. Baker.

The runners heard the sound of thunder in the distance as they ran up the Ridley Creek Trail. As they left Cathedral Camp with climb-ing gear and headed towards Easton Gla-cier it started to rain. They donned jackets and carried on. The team was in for a shock when they emerged from the trees onto the railroad grade.

“All of a sudden we heard a very loud buzz,” Probst said. “Everybody turned around and looked at each other. We realized our ice axes were buzzing like a high-voltage power line.”

The electrical charge had twisted mountain guide Krissy Fagan’s hair into a tangle where it touched her ice axe. The team ran back down to Cathedral Camp.

While some of the team members slept, Probst and Fagan weighed their options. Over

half an hour, the weather only worsened, and they made the call to head down.

Down at the trailhead, the group piled into the Kulshan Brewery van for the drive back to Bellingham. Although they hadn’t gotten to the top, they had proven it was possible to run from Bellingham to the shoulder of Mt. Baker and still feel fresh enough to summit. For one of the team members, Dusty Caseria, the run was his first 50-miler. Most importantly, no one got hurt.

But in a bitter twist of irony so often pro-vided by northwest weather, Probst would find himself at a picnic table at Kulshan Brew-ery later that day, staring at the white sum-mit of Mt. Baker under a clear blue sky. They had run 50 miles, only to turn back before reaching Easton Glacier because of uncertain weather, and now the blue sky seemed to be mocking him.

“I couldn’t give up the dream of making it,” Probst said.

The second attempt would be a solo effort, because organizing a group takes time and the window of opportunity was growing short. Probst talked with Jason Martin at the Ameri-can Alpine Institute, who offered to set him up with a guide.

A couple of days later, Martin called to say the weather looked good for the next 24 hours. Probst set out solo from Bellingham on Au-gust 22 with all the food and water he’d need. He met his guide, Jeremy Devine, at Acme Diner, and Devine drove ahead to the Ridley Creek Trailhead. Probst arrived on foot at the trailhead at 1 a.m., and the pair headed up the mountain.

This time, the weather held. The duo roped up and Devine led the way up the Easton Gla-cier. Just below the summit, they passed and shook hands with Bud Hardwick of the Mount Baker Club on his way down. They reached the top soon after. Probst drank a Kulshan beer and ate a Rocket donut for his sponsors, signed the summit register and snapped some photos. The goal from the start had been a

round trip, and now the hard part was over. Or so he thought.

Probst and Devine made it back down to the trailhead by 5 p.m. Devine, who had only been hired for the mountain portion, headed out. Probst said he felt great at the time, but soon after Devine left, a severe headache came on.

“I needed some aspirin and a hamburger – real food,” Probst said.

He had thought he would be able to eat at Acme Diner on his way back, but the diner would be closed in three hours, and he was still 20 miles away. He had no cell phone re-ception, no support crew in place, and the more he ran the worse his headache got. He started alternating walking and running, and ate everything in his bag: beef jerky, M&Ms and energy bars. The headache persisted.

At midnight, 35 hours into his run and far from civilization, Probst felt raindrops. He didn’t have a rain jacket with him. Even though it was a warm August night, the risk of hypothermia was real. He took shelter un-der a tree by the side of the road, pulled leaves up over his bare legs and slept for seven hours. In the morning, he jogged out to the road and hitchhiked home. He had made it 74 miles on his feet.

“I was happy about making it 74 miles and really proud of summiting for the first time. It didn’t sink in until about a week later that I hadn’t accomplished the complete goal of a round trip,” Probst said.

As the president of Cascade Mountain Run-ners, a trail-running club based in Bellingham,

Probst has added motivation for completing the run. He thinks the route would be per-fect for an ultra-marathon, one that would complement the illustrious history of human-powered racing in the area (Mt. Baker Mara-thon, Ski-to-Sea) and attract the best endur-ance runners from around the world.

Thinking beyond racing, Probst sees more and more people combining endur-ance running and mountaineering, and the route is a prime example of where he sees the sport going.

“You can take your experience in races, and with more education in mountaineering and how to be safe in the backcountry, you can go run 20 miles out in the wilderness and get a very real and rewarding experience,” he said. “That’s what I find interesting.”

This summer, Probst will try again to complete the round trip. He and at least seven other runners who have signed on so far will leave Bellingham the morning of June 27 and attempt to run from Cornwall Beach to the summit of Mt. Baker and back. Look for an update on their specific plans at cascademountainrunners.org. x

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CASCADE MOUNTAIN RUNNERS

PHOTO \ ERIC PARKER

CHRIS DUPENTHALER

CHRIS DUPENTHALER CHRIS DUPENTHALER

DANIEL PROBST DANIEL PROBST

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On the surface, Bellingham’s newest bike shop has an uphill

battle to differentiate itself from the seven or so other bike shops in Bell-ingham. Dig a little deeper, and it quickly becomes apparent that Bike-sport, open since March, has already found its niche in family-friendly customer service.

Owned by Andy and Stacy Walk-er and Scott and Tassie Kowal, Bike-sport is a family-run business with a lot going for it. It has a wide selec-tion of road, commuter and moun-tain bikes for everyone from begin-ners to passionate enthusiasts.

Two in-house mechanics bring years of experience to the service department. Four Bikesport em-ployees are Bikefit certified - trained to adjust every point of contact on your bike to the exact specifica-tions of your body to make riding comfortable.

The business also boasts an ex-tensive kids section and a complete in-house triathlon shop that comes with the expertise of Maureen “Mo” Trainor, who is a well-known local

triathlete. Even with all that, the shop has plenty of space.

With 9,000 square feet spread over an upstairs and basement, the building was built in the 1950s and was home to an iconic Whatcom County business until it closed in 2007. Fountain Drug & Galleria was a pharmacy upstairs and a toy store in the basement. Many Whatcom County natives remember sitting on Santa’s lap in the toy store when they were kids.

“Our kids bought toys in this basement,” Andy Walker said. “The building has a legacy in Whatcom County, and one of our goals with this business is to create our own legacy here. We want to be the place where, in 20 years, the guy who got his first bike here when he was a kid comes in with his child and buys them their first bike.”

So far, the first part of that dream has been happening often. “The kids section has been really busy from the day we opened up,” Kowal said.

There’s nothing quite like the day you get your first bicycle. With a

background in retail management, Kowal believes there’s no reason adults can’t find that same youthful joy in a bike shop.

“People should walk into a bike store and enjoy the experience. Get on a bike and love it. Walk out with a smile on their face. We don’t want people walking out saying, ‘Gosh, I feel stupid because I didn’t know what component group I have’,” Kowal said.

Trainor runs spin classes and coaching through her (Train-Or-Tri triathlon) program in the shop’s spacious basement. The basement also houses repair benches, a space for Bikefit sessions, and free bike re-pair clinics run by service manager Casey Schlenker.

“The idea of the clinics is to get people to the point where they can go out on a ride and not have some-thing that is a relatively simple fix

get them catastrophically stuck five miles from home,” Schlen-ker said. “We want riding to be fun and accessible.”

The owners envision the shop as a community hub and meeting space as well.

“Last Saturday, there was a guy in who I actually went to high school with,” Tassie Kowal said. “He and his old riding buddy had both had health issues and hadn’t seen each other in a couple years. They saw each other in here, swapped phone numbers and now they’re getting back out riding together. That’s ex-actly what we want.”

From Jamis and Santa Cruz mountain bikes perfect for trail rid-ing on Galbraith to higher-end road bikes that would do well in Ski to Sea, Bikesport’s selection is tailor-made for Bellingham. Even cyclo-cross athletes will have cross-specif-

ic bikes to drool over as the season approaches.

“Ryan Rickerts puts on a great series in Bellingham,” Cowall said, referring to the Cascade Cross se-ries held in the fall. Tassie described their 12-year-old son’s blossoming cyclocross career. Walker’s sons, 12 and 13, ride trails with their father, although he said they often have to wait for him these days.

“Running a business, you don’t get as much time to go bike as you’d like,” Walker said.

Many of Bikesport’s neighbors have stopped in to say hello,

and the owners are loving the neigh-borhood. Kowal said a near constant stream of bike traffic pedals down Meridian Street in front of the store windows, which brings up another reason Bikesport is likely to succeed:

“This town loves its bikes,” he said. x

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Destination: Clark Island. It’s a well-known marine state park that sits off the north-

eastern coast of Orcas Island in the San Juan Island archipelago. Neighboring the island are The Sisters, a small set of rocks that are part of the National Wildlife Refuge.

I’d seen pictures, heard great stories and surprised people when I would remark, “I haven’t been out there, yet.” My planning to do so began months in advance, looking for a window of fair weather, timely tides and a competent paddling companion.

More than just reaching the island, I wanted an adventure – an excursion. Not quite an ex-pedition, more like a long day-hike on the Sal-ish Sea with the elusive Clark Island as a key piece in my personal connect-the-dots puzzle. The forecast looked favorable: not too rainy or windy. The tidal currents would move in such a manner that I could cover some considerable distance with Mother Nature’s assistance. Two out of three wasn’t bad. I’d be going solo, but fortunately, I enjoy my own company.

10 A.M. As I prepared to launch from Gooseberry Point I listened to the staccato, computerized voice of the NOAA weather forecast on the handheld VHF radio. “Con-ditions for Bellingham, 10 a.m., 48 degrees Fahrenheit at the Bellingham airport, mostly cloudy, rain later, highs in the 50s, wind south-west 10 knots.” Good enough for me. Launch-ing from the ferry landing I began paddling out the north end of Hale’s Passage. The cur-rent was doing just as The Current Atlas (with Waggoner Tables 2014) predicted, taking me towards the northern tip of Lummi Island and

putting me in position to make the crossing to Clark. When the currents are running un-derneath you and the wind is at your back, you rock and roll, surfing the waves as they carry you for a bit and then pass you by. When they’re really rockin’ you charge from one wave crest to the next. “Yeehaw!” I exclaimed as the energy flowed from stern to stem un-derneath my trusted steed, a Delta 17 touring kayak.

11 A.M. Preparing to cross a major ship-ping channel and enter into the open waters of the Strait of Georgia, I came close to shore for a safety break. As I searched for a convenient (out of the wind) spot to stop, I rounded a small outcrop of rocks and looked to the shoreline. What I saw in front of me was truly amazing.

A huge bald eagle was eating a fresh octopus for lunch directly in front of me! I sat still and em-ployed my nature-watch-ing theory: Don’t look at them. This approach seemed to be working as the bird ripped apart the catch of the day a mere 20 feet from me. I pulled my Nikon PHD (Push Here Dummy) camera out of my

paddle jacket pocket and captured the rav-enous raptor in its element. I relished in this unexpected treasure of raw nature for a short time. The tidal schedule demanded my depar-ture.

As I rounded Point Migley a colony of hauled-out seals entered the water with their heads quietly periscoping up and down, keep-ing a watchful eye on me, the intruder. Look-ing southeast to my next stop I now had my eyes on the prize. Clark Island dead ahead. I crossed the busy shipping lane and enjoyed the ebb tide working in my favor as I coasted

across the southern end of the strait.

NOON The skies to the southwest were

clearing to display a beau-tiful blue as I approached the western beach of Clark Island. The view from my lunch spot looked west across to neighboring Barnes Island and to the north I could see Matia and Sucia islands in the distance.

The chorus of eagle calls and other flying

friends filled the air, echoing through the madrone labyrinths

that are interspersed throughout the i s l a n d .

The picnic areas and campsites were conve-niently empty as I gave myself a tour of the grounds. Walking the southeastern beach, I watched the water between the shore and The Sisters swirl and churn as the flood tide prepared to move in. There goes the neighbor-hood!

2 P.M. “Now what?” I thought. I was out to paddle, not just relax on a sunny beach and practice the art of doing nothing. I was on an adventure and it was only 2 p.m. I mapped out the next six hours, identifying the places that would put me in the best positions to ride the tide. My notes: 4 p.m. – Lawrence Point; 5 p.m. – Rosario Strait; 6 p.m. – Village Point; 7 p.m. – Point Migley; 8 p.m. – Gooseberry. The schedule seemed reasonable.

3 P.M. Traveling to Lawrence Point, the easternmost tip of Orcas Island, from Clark puts you in the shadow of the towering Mt. Constitution (2,454 feet) and offers zero op-portunity for respite. Sheer rock cliffs flank this section of the largest island in the San Juans. The calm air and sun reflecting off the water was refreshing after a long windy winter.

As I rounded the point I heard strange nois-es coming from around the bend. They ema-nated from the two large nostrils of a winded sea lion catching its breath after a dive for an afternoon snack. My heart raced with excite-ment and anxiety. Did it calculatingly sub-merge itself to ambush and cash in on me as the bounty for dinner? Seriously, the thought went through my reptilian brain. I froze in place and inhaled deeply as reason called out, “Paddle to safety!” I stormed the beach and

BY TODD ELSWORTH

COASTING WITH THE CURRENTS around the

Salish Sea

LINKING Lummi, Clark

& Orcas islands IN A ROUND-TRIP PADDLING ADVENTURE

PHOTO \ PAUL CONRAD


scrambled up the rocks for an eagle-eye perspective. The head and long body of the immense creature was vis-ible as it floated by in the clear waters. Big “cow-eyes” looked at me while he continued to forcefully inhale and exhale, replenishing its oxygen supply for the next dive. The head would be the first to go, followed by the in-creasingly wider trunk as it rolled downward and dove out of sight.

4 P.M. While on Orcas, thousands of white birds were streaming past and landing on the water just to the south. With time on my side and the sights of Peapod Rocks within reach, I chose to extend my journey to learn more. As I approached, a pod of por-poises passed by on both sides of my vessel. Placing my paddle on the deck, I drifted among the birds as they allowed me to join their party and play na-ture’s paparazzi for a spell. Thanks to my Facebook friends, who later identified them as Bonaparte’s gulls. Spellbound, I stayed for an extended visit.

6 P.M. Instead of taking the easy way home and go-ing with the flow, I decided to head across the open channel to Lummi Rocks. This would put me close to shore in case I needed a pit stop along the final miles towards home. As I crossed the strait, the flood tide was making itself known, complemented by the wind that now seemed to be gain-ing strength. I reached Vil-lage Point a bit behind schedule, but still in time to have things going my way. As I paralleled the northwestern shore of Lummi Island ominous weather was approach-ing from the south.

8 P.M. To the west a wall of darkness shrouded the potentially beautiful canvas for the sunset. The sun was not providing the light I planned for on my final leg into

Hale’s Passage and back to Gooseberry Point. As I came out of the leeward side of Lane Spit, the wind became a significant factor, creating a force to battle against for the first time all day. The breaking waves crashed onto my foredeck, spilled around my sprayskirt and sprayed into my face. Darkness fell as I intently dug the blades of my paddle into each oncoming wave, keeping my hips loose

so the boat would bob and weave through the mael-strom.

I couldn’t help mentally rehearsing the worst-case scenario: tip over, lose touch with boat, struggle unsuccessfully to swim into the wind and waves and get carried north to Boundary Bay (it’s actually a body of water, not just a brewery, folks). Game over.

8:30 P.M. I switched to my auxiliary tanks to en-gage my personal-power reserve. My shoulders were sore and my hands were blistered. A gale force wind was now in effect, which according to the Beaufort Scale means “Moderately high waves with breaking crests forming spindrift.” Yup; and the waves were hitting me in the chest and face as I maintained for-ward momentum under the blanket of dark night. Paddling strong with my head down and breathing deeply like the sea lion, I broke through the wind and waves and reached my final destination. I had landed.

As the executive director of Recreation Northwest and the founder of the Belling-ham Traverse and co-founder of Kulshan Quest Adven-ture Race, Todd promotes outdoor recreation and brings people together to enjoy, preserve and improve the places where we play. He enjoys biking, hiking, paddling, skiing and will try anything twice. Get connected at recreation-northwest.org. x





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This 50s-style diner’s friendly staff is ready to serve you great home-cooked food; fresh ground hamburgers, daily dinner specials, gluten free meals, pizza, espresso, homemade desserts and Acme ice cream! Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

BLUE MOUNTAIN GRILL974 Valley Highway (Hwy 9)360/595-2200bluemountaingrill.com

Fresh, homemade fare, including baked bread and desserts made daily, steaks and burgers. Open for lunch and dinner everyday, and breakfast on weekends. Enjoy a beautiful view of the Twin Sisters.

EVERYBODY’S STORE5465 Potter Road, (off Hwy 9)360/592-2297everybodys.com

This delightful, eclectic store features a wide array of gourmet meats, specialty cheeses and fine wines, many of which are made locally. Also check out their great selection of clothing, books and artwork.

BELLINGHAMBELLEWOOD ACRES6140 Guide Meridian, Lynden360/318-7720bellewoodfarms.com

Visit the farm, country store, bistro and distillery for artisan food products and Northwest country gifts. Experience a true “Farm to Table” experience in the bistro and a “Farm to Glass” experience in the distillery. Free tastings daily.

BOUNDARY BAY BREWERY & BISTRO1107 Railroad Avenue360/647-5593bbaybrewery.com

In business since 1995, catering to locals and out-of-towners alike! Ten house brews on tap paired with a menu of fresh Northwest locally sourced pub food. Family friendly establishment with daily live enter-tainment. “Save the ales!”

CHUCKANUT BREWERY & KITCHEN601 W. Holly Street360/752-3377chuckanutbreweryandkitchen.com

Enjoy world-class European style, award-winning lagers and ales and a local-centric menu of fresh Amer-ican cuisine including woodstone pizzas, burgers, seafood, salads and more. All ages welcome every day starting at 11:30 a.m.

KEENAN’S AT THE CHRYSALIS804 10th Streetthechrysalisinn.com360/392-5510

Featuring a seasonal menu, full bar and terrace bar open for happy hour every day, 3–6 p.m. Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner daily with a view of Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands from every table in the house!

KULSHAN BREWING CO.2238 James Street360/389-5348kulshanbrewery.com

Enjoy great beer in a comfortable taproom with a view of the brewery. Bring in your own food or order from onsite food trucks at this neighborhood gem.

LORENZO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT190 E. Bakerview Road360/527-3181lorenzosmexicanrestaurant.com

Arouse your taste buds to the best Mexican food around. Offering a variety of house specialties, combi-nation plates and classic Mexican favorites that are sure to excite your family. Locations in Bellingham, Mount Vernon and Sedro Woolley.

OBOE CAFÉ714 Lakeway Drive360/671-1011thelakewayinn.com

Bellingham’s hidden gem located inside Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn. Home to Bellingham’s best breakfast for the crab benedict. Northwest specialties for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Expansive wine selection and water wall seating.

POPPES 360 NEIGHBORHOOD PUB714 Lakeway Drive360/671-1011bellinghamrestaurant.com

Voted home to Northwest’s Best Cocktail. Enjoy Northwest fare for lunch, dinner, appetizers and dessert. Happy Hour every day; 12 taps, specialty martinis, nightly entertainment. Year-round covered and heated patio with three fire pits.

THE GRACE CAFE1065 E. Sunset Drive360/650-9298gracecafepies.com

The perfect stop for your morn-ing coffee and pastry or afternoon snack. Muffins, cinnamon rolls, fruit-filled scones, handmade pies, or try a breakfast bagel or deli sandwich. Vegan options available. Dine in or drive thru.

WESTSIDE PIZZA4260 Cordata Parkway, Suite 107360/756-5055westsidepizza.com

Pizza made with only the best ingredients available, and dough made fresh every day. The perfect place to stop after a long, hungry day of adventuring.

BURLINGTONTRAIN WRECK BAR & GRILL427 E. Fairhaven Avenue360/755-0582trainwreck.com

A fun, casual and inviting place to get a beer, wine, cocktail or quick and delicious meal. Serving customers ages 21 and over locally sourced products with a smile and gourmet flair.

CONCRETEANNIE’S PIZZA STATION44568 State Route 20360/853-7227anniespizzastation.com

Family owned pizza restaurant focusing on fresh, homemade, quality Italian fare. Friendly ser-vice, helpful information and great food combine for an unforgettable experience.

DEMINGIL CAFFE RIFUGIO RESTORANTE5415 Mt. Baker Highway360/592-2888ilcafferifugio.com

Gourmet full-service menu, serving wine, beer and espresso at reasonable prices. 8 a.m.– 8 p.m. Thursday – Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 15 minutes from Bellingham. New drive up bar. Live music and events. Last stop for WiFi.

THE NORTH FORK BREWERY AND BEER SHRINE6186 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-2337northforkbrewery.com

Looking for marriage or a pint of fresh ale and hand-tossed pizza? This pizzeria, brewery, wedding chapel and beer museum is your place! Open to all. Monday-Friday: Dinner, Saturday–Sunday: Lunch and dinner.

EVERSONCAFE 544302 E. Main Street360/966-7822

The Hogan family restaurant serves fantastic fare from juicy burgers to tender quality steaks. Open every day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., 3 p.m. on Sunday. Breakfast served all day. Dessert by Lynden Dutch Bakery.

HERB NIEMANN’S STEAK HOUSE RESTAURANT203 W. Main Street360/966-2855eversonsteakhouse.com

Nestled in the middle of Everson, serving a mouth-watering array of steaks, Bavarian specialties, seafood and desserts to customers since 1993. Offers atmospheres for adults and families alike, including parties up to 50.

GLACIERCHAIR 9 WOODSTONE PIZZA AND BAR10459 Mt Baker Highway360/599-2511chair9.com

The perfect place to enjoy a great family meal or a brew after a day on the mountain. Bands play week-ends, and the space offers plenty of dancing room. Try the “Canuck’s Deluxe” pizza, a staff favorite. Open for lunch and dinner.

GRAHAM’S RESTAURANT9989 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-3663

Grab a stool at the legendary bar

and enjoy rotating selections of fine craft beers, ciders and wine. Serving fresh rustic pub fare with fantastic daily specials.

MILANO’S RESTAURANT9990 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-2863milanorestaurant.us

Known for their mouth-watering fresh pasta, succulent seafood, and homemade sauces, food at Milano’s is an authentic “taste of Italy.” The casual atmosphere is perfect for lunch and dinner. Lots of outdoor seating.

WAKE-N-BAKERY6903 Bourne Street360/599-1658www.getsconed.com

Open daily 7:30 a.m. to 5ish p.m. Serving breakfast burritos, quiche, soup, lunch wraps and freshly baked goods. Savory and sweet glu-ten-free options. Organic espresso and coffee. Indoor and outdoor seating. Dine in or take out.

MAPLE FALLSMAPLE FUELS Corner of Mt. Baker Highway and Silver Lake Road360/599-2222maplefuels.com

The deli offers a wide selection of fresh sandwiches. Fuel up on gas, grab a coffee or pick up some gro-ceries and wash your clothes at the laundromat while you’re at it. WiFi.

ORCAS ISLANDISLAND HOPPIN’ BREWERY33 Hope Lane360/376-6079islandhoppinbrewery.com

Brewing great-quality beers using only the best ingredients. Serv-ing locally made goat cheese and crackers, smoked salmon, landjae-gers and free peanuts and pretzels. Enjoy a rotating selection of beer in the tasting room.

PHOTO \ ERIC PARKER

Open Friday - Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Featuring Over 75 Local Artists

showcasing “NEW” works of Art

Local Food VendorsNice selection of Perennials,

Annuals, Vegetable starts and soil amenities

Unique wood planter boxes & pots

(360) 599-28906900 Mt. Baker Hwy. At Mile Post 24


BELLINGHAMBEST WESTERN PLUS LAKEWAY INN714 Lakeway Drive360/671-1011thelakewayinn.com

Bellingham’s only full-service hotel with 132 spacious guest rooms and suites, two restaurants, lobby café, indoor pool and hot tub, fitness center, and 11,000 square feet of meeting space for weddings, banquets and corporate events.

THE CHRYSALIS INN AND SPA804 10th Street360/756-1005thechrysalisinn.com

Each of the guest rooms overlooks a spectacular Northwest seascape. Spacious rooms feature fireplace, down comforters, luxury amenities and a two-person bath elegantly set in natural slate. Three distinctive room types offer increasing levels of luxury.

BIRCH BAYTIDE CATCHER8076 Birch Bay Drive, Birch Bay360/223-2510tidecatcher.com

Beachfront cabins for rent in beautiful Birch Bay. Bay views, pa-tios with deck chairs and a private beach. Families return to this resort getaway year after year. Come and play on the tide flats of Birch Bay.

GLACIERBLUE T LODGE10459 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-9944bluetlodge.com

Conveniently located behind Chair 9 Woodstone Pizza and Bar,

this six-room inn is ideal for fami-lies or groups. Clean rooms have queen-sized beds, a full bathroom and views of Church Mountain as well as access to a meeting space.

THE INN AT MOUNT BAKER8174 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-1776theinnatmtbaker.com

The Inn at Mount Baker, located just west of Glacier, is an excellent choice for accommodations. A stay includes gourmet European-style breakfast, featherbeds and breath-taking views of Mt. Baker and the Nooksack Valley.

MT. BAKER VIEW GUEST HOUSE6920 Central Avenue360/599-2155mtbakerviewguesthouse.com

The Guest House in downtown Glacier sleeps six; two bedrooms, hot tub, kitchen and games. Cas-cade Retreat in Snowline sleeps 15; four bedrooms, plus extra room with fold out, sauna and hot tub. Never raise rates for holidays and no cleaning fees.

SNOWATER10500 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-2724snowater.org

Snowater is a 20-acre condomin-ium community bordered by the Nooksack River. Featuring indoor heated pools, hot tubs, racketball courts, ping-pong, pool tables, Wi-Fi, barbeque areas, tennis courts, sports courts, a log cabin and walk-ing trails.

MAPLE FALLSBAKER ACCOMMODATIONS7425 Mt. Baker Highway360/599-2999 or 888/695-7533

bakeraccomodations.comBaker Accommodations offers

cabins and condos in the resort de-velopments of Snowater, Snowline and Mt. Baker Rim, conveniently located just east of Glacier.

MT. BAKER LODGING 7463 Mt. Baker Highway 360/599-2453 or 800/709-7669 mtbakerlodging.com

Mt. Baker Lodging offers cabins, condos, chalets and executive rental home accommodations. A number of selected units are pet friendly. Walk-in reservations and one-night stays available.

WINTHROPCHEWUCH INN223 White Avenue

800/747-3107chewuchinn.com

Guest rooms for romantic getaways, seasonal travelers and outdoor enthusiasts. The relaxed atmosphere of a B&B with the privacy of a hotel. Centrally located for an abundance of outdoor adventures in the surrounding wilderness areas.

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EVENTSFind more events and submit your own at mountbakerexperience.com

MAYLUMMI ISLAND ART STUDIO TOUR: May 24-25, Lummi Island. Explore an array of beautiful local artworks. Info: Search Lummi Island Studio Tour on Facebook.

SKI TO SEA: May 25, Bellingham. Celebrate the 103rd year of the Northwest’s iconic multisport ad-

venture race. Cheer on the racers at the finish line festival in Fairhaven. Info: skitosea.com

BLAZING PADDLES FILM FESTIVAL: May 29, Lynnwood. May 30, Mount Vernon. Catch incred-ible whitewater action on film. Info: Paddle4ever.com/blazingpaddles

FREE PADDLEBOARD DEMOS: May 31, Bellingham. Demo

paddleboards for free from Kite Paddle Surf. Info: bellinghamkite-boarding.com

JUNEMOUNT BAKER WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL: June 7-8, 13-14, 21-22, 28-29, Maple Falls. Incredible musi-cians from around the world share live music, with proceeds helping the foothills communities. Info: mountbakerworldmusic.com

ANACORTES WATERFRONT FESTIVAL: June 7-8, arts and crafts, family events, great food and more. Info: anacortes.org

WINTHROP TRAVERSE: June 14, Winthrop. Multi-sport race celebrating the lifecycle of salmon. Go solo or relay with friends, and check out the other races in the Northwest Traverse Series. Info: reacreationnorthwest.org

NATIONAL GET OUTDOORS DAY FREE DAY: June 14, Washington state. Entry into Washington State Parks is free. No Discover Pass is required. Info: discoverpass.wa.gov

LUMMI STOMMISH WATER FESTIVAL: June 19-22, Lummi Island. Multi-cultural Coast Salish gathering with carnival, barbeque, concerts and more. Info: stommish.com

FREE PADDLEBOARD DEMOS: June 14, 21, 28, Bellingham. Demo paddleboards for free from Kite Paddle Surf. Info: bellinghamkite-boarding.com

DEMING LOGGING SHOW: June 14-15, Deming. See world champion loggers compete in 31 events and perform incredible feats of woods-manship. Breakfast and BBQ. Info: demingloggingshow.com

BELLINGHAM FETE AND CAR SHOW: June 15, Bellingham. A fête is an elaborate village festival, and this one will have a car show, live music and much more to support Whatcom Hospice. Info: facebook.com/bellinghamfeteandcarshow

KULSHAN QUEST ADVENTURE RACE: June 21, Fairhaven. Moun-tain bike, kayak and trek your way across local trails and waterways. The best route is up to you and your teammates. Six- and 12-hour races. Info: recreationnorthwest.org

BELLINGHAM KIDS TRAVERSE: June 29, Bellingham. The multi-sport adventure race for kids. Go solo or relay with friends. Info: recreationnorthwest.com

JULYSTEVESTON SALMON FESTIVAL: July 1, Steveston. Parade, craft fair, trade show, children’s festival, Youth Rock Fest and more. Info: steve-stonsalmonfest.ca

MEC PADDLEFEST: July 5, Vancou-ver. Paddling festival with demos, clinics and exhibits for kayaking and other water sports. Info: events.mec.ca

MOUNT BAKER WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL: July 6, Maple Falls. Northwestern musicians share live music, with proceeds helping the foothills communities. Info: mountbakerworldmusic.com

SKAGIT COUNTY FAIR: August 6–9, Mount Vernon. Carnival and rides, live music, car show, and kids’ zone. Info: skagitcounty.net/fair

DOE BAY FEST: August 7–11, Orcas Island. Doe Bay Resort and Retreat’s festival features musicians, local cuisine, camping and more. Info: doebay.com

FREE PADDLEBOARD DEMOS: July 12, 19, 26, Bellingham. Demo paddleboards for free from Kite Paddle Surf. Info: bellinghamkite-boarding.com

BARE BUNS FUN RUN WEST: July 13, Issaquah. Clothing optional fun run at FS Family Nudist Park on Tiger Mountain. Info: fraternitys-noqualmie.com/bbfr

WHATCOM WINE AND SPIRITS FESTIVAL: July 20, Bellingham. Taste local wines and support the Food and Farming program. Info: sustainableconnections.org/events.

TIMBER! OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAL: July 24-26, Carnation. Charles Bradley and his Extraor-dinaires and J Mascis headline this talent-packed festival. Info: timber-musicfest.com

OLYMPIA TRAVERSE: July 26, Olympia. Multi-sport race celebrat-ing the lifecycle of salmon. Go solo or relay with friends, and check out the other races in the Northwest Traverse Series. Info: recreation-northwest.org

AUGUSTMOUNT BAKER RHYTHM AND BLUES FESTIVAL: August 1-3, Deming. Ten Years After, The Chris Eger Band, Scott Holt and many more. Info: bakerblues.com

WHITE ROCK SEA FESTIVAL: Au-gust 1–4, parade, market, entertain-

ment and kids zone. Info: whiter-ockfestival.ca

DRAYTON HARBOR DAYS: August 2–3, Blaine. The festival features an array of boats, a 5k run, live music, arts and crafts booths, tours on the historic Plover ferry. The tall ships Lady Washington and The Hawai-ian Chieftain will be available for tours and battle sails.

SUBDUED STRINGBAND JAMBOREE: August 7-9, Deming. Bluegrass, folk and other acoustic performers in a laid-back festival. Info: stringbandjamboree.com

SUMMER MELTDOWN MUSIC FES-TIVAL: August 7-10, Darrington. From the Pimps of Joytime to Zion I, the eclectic lineup of the 14th Summer Meltdown has something for everyone. Info: summermelt-downfest.com

INTERNATIONAL SEA AND SKY FESTIVAL: August 9, Birch Bay. Learn to make a kite, paddleboard and kayak with the whole family. Info: birchbaychamber.com

NORTHWEST WASHINGTON FAIR: August 11-16, Lynden. The North-west’s classic fair with demolition derby, rodeo and big live music acts. Info: nwwafair.com

ABBOTSFORD INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW: August 8-10, Abbots-ford. Daring feats of aviation on display. Info: abbotsfordairshow.com

MUDS TO SUDS: August 16-17, Ferndale. Get muddy with your buddies on an epic obstacle course, with a post-race BBQ and beer garden. Info: mudstosuds.com

FREE PADDLEBOARD DEMOS: Au-gust 9, 16, 23, Bellingham. Demo paddleboards for free from Kite Paddle Surf. Info: bellinghamkite-boarding.com

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE BIRTH-DAY FREE DAY: August 25: Wash-ington state. Entry into Washington State Parks is free. No Discover Pass is required. Info: discoverpass.wa.gov

LUMMI ISLAND ART STUDIO TOUR: August 30-31, Lummi Island. Explore an amazing array of beautiful local artworks. Info: search Lummi Island Studio Tour on Facebook.

SEPTEMBERNORTH BEND TRAVERSE: Septem-ber 6, North Bend. Multi-sport race. Info: recreationnorthwest.org

PHOTO \ ERIC MICKELSON

PHOTO \ ERIC MICKELSON

Blazing PaddlesBlazing Paddles

It’s WET. It’s WILD. Get IN on the ACTION!

a Paddling Film Festival

Brought to you by Paddle4Ever & Washington Water Trailswww.paddle4ever.com/BlazingPaddles

May 29th • 7 PMBlack Box Theatre

Lynnwood • Tickets $18at Brown Paper Tickets

May 30th • 7 PMLincoln Theatre

Mount Vernon • Tickets $15(at the door only)

Sunday, July 13th, 2014 11:00am.$30 registration and Free shirt while supplies last

Free KIDS DASH before the race. All kids get a prize.

FS Family Nudist Park on Tiger Mountain. 425-392-NUDE(6833)

[email protected] Register today at:

fraternitysnoqualmie.com/BBFR.html


Find more events and submit your own at mountbakerexperience.com

Halfway between hiking and rock climbing, there’s scrambling.

Many of the spectacular summits in the North Cascades and Coast Mountains can be climbed without ropes. The terrain may be challeng-ing and dangerous, but the rewards are great.

Here’s how to get to contributor Aubrey Laurence’s favorite scram-bles. Read his full story on page 14.

MT. MACFARLANEElevation: 6,889 feet (2,100 m)Route: Pierce Lake, Class 2-3Round-trip distance: 13 miles (21 km)Total elevation gain: Estimated 6,300 feet (1,900 m), including gains and losses

Directions to trailhead: From Sumas, take the Trans-Canada Highway 1 east to Chilliwack. Take exit 119A, go south on Vedder Road for 3.4 miles (5.4 km), and turn left onto Chilliwack Lake Road right be-fore the Vedder Bridge.

On a long stretch of straight road after passing the fish hatchery and driving up a steep hill, about 14 miles (21 km) from the Vedder Bridge, look for a turnoff on the right with a sign for Pierce Creek Trail. Turn here and drive in a few hundred meters to the parking area.

Drive time from Bellingham to the trailhead: About two hours (in-cluding a border crossing in Sumas)

MT. PUGHElevation: 7,201 feet (2,195 m)Route: Mt. Pugh Trail, Class 3Total elevation gain: 5,300 feet (1,615 m)Round-trip distance: 11+ miles (17+ km)

Directions to trailhead: Note: State Route 530, the traditional route to Mt. Pugh through Dar-rington, has been closed indefinitely due to the tragic Oso landslide.

These directions use an alternate route. From I-5, take exit 199 for WA-528 E towards Marysville/Tu-lalip. Turn left onto WA-528 E and drive east for 3.5 miles (5.6 km). Turn left onto WA-9 N and drive for 1.3 miles (2.1 km).

Turn right onto 84th Street NE and drive for 4.7 miles (7.6 km). Turn left onto WA-92 E and drive for 1.2 miles (1.9 km). At the traf-fic circle, take the second exit onto Quarry Road, and continue straight through the next two traffic circles

to stay on Quarry Road a total of 2 miles (3.2 km).

Turn left onto Mountain Loop Highway and drive for 40 miles (64.4 km), then turn right onto For-est Road 2095. Drive 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the trailhead. A Northwest Forest Pass is required.

Drive time from Bellingham to the trailhead: 2.5-3 hours

TOMYHOI PEAKElevation: 7,451 feet (2,271 m)Route: Southeast, Class 3-4Round-trip distance: Approxi-mately 12 miles (19 km)Total elevation gain: 5,000 feet (1,524 m)

Directions to trailhead: From I-5, take exit 255 to SR 542E (Mt. Baker Highway). Stay on 542 for 46 miles (74 km). Turn left onto FR 3065/Twin Lakes Road, 13 miles (20.1 km) east of the Glacier Public Service Center. Veer left at the first fork. Continue 4.5 miles (7.2 km) to the Yellow Aster Butte trailhead at a tight switchback with a privy. A Northwest Forest Pass is required.Drive time from Bellingham to the trailhead: 1.5 hours

NORTH TWIN SISTERElevation: 6,570 feet (2,002 m)Route: West Ridge, Class 4Total elevation gain: Approxi-mately 5,500 feet (1,676 m)Round-trip distance: Estimated 15 miles (24 km)

Directions to trailhead: From I-5, take exit 255 to SR542 E. Stay on 542 for 16.7 miles (26.9 km) and turn right onto Mosquito Lake Road. Drive almost 5 miles (8 km) on Mosquito Lake Road, and then turn left onto Middle Fork Road (aka Forest Road 38).

Follow Middle Fork Road for al-most 5 miles (8 km), and turn right (going downhill) at the fork. Park near the gated bridge.

Begin your hike (or bike) up the logging road. Follow the main log-ging road for a few miles (4-5 km) to the first main fork in the road, and go right. Ascend through the large clear-cut, cross a bridge over a stream and then take the next fork to the left.

Continue on the main road and try not to be lured by spurs. After the road levels and begins to descend slightly, start looking for a path on the left. You might see a log and a cairn at this spot. Take this trail. It’s

narrow in the dense woods, but it eventually opens up to an old road, which switchbacks up the slope.

About where this road fades and trees open up a bit, head up and left, and find a bushy, overgrown trail that leads through a forest to the ridge. Navigating here can be con-fusing, so it’s best to consult mul-tiple guidebooks, topographic maps and online route descriptions before attempting the journey. It is roughly 6 miles (10 km) or so from the gated bridge to the ridge.

Drive time from Bellingham to the gated bridge: 45 minutes to 1 hour. x

PHOTO \ AUBREY LAURENCE

Mount Baker

e perienceX magazine

I-5, exit 260, west on Slater, left on Haxton to ferry dock, 8 min ferry ride leaves at ten past every hour. $13/car & driver, $7/person, $7/bicycle & rider (round trip). Accompanied children under 12 free!

Paintings, drawings, prints, pottery, jewelry, photography, sculpture, woodwork,

notecards, glass, metalwork, stonework, quilts, clothing, knitwear, and more!

35+ Artists at 20 locations!

May 24 & 25 • Aug. 30 & 31 • 10am to 6pmNov. 8 & 9 • 10am to 5pm

Lummi Island Artists' Studio Tour 2014

360-758-7121 • 360-758-2815visit Lummi Island Studio Tour on Facebook

Balloons mark each location!

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Islander Store


As children we all dreamed of being able to fly. We imagined that somehow we would walk to the edge of a cliff, pause

momentarily to take in the view and jump off. We would spread our arms as if they were wings and suddenly soar skyward, en-tering the realm where only birds were meant to go. Inevitably, as time passed and we grew older we began to dream a little less and focus more on reality. We gave up the absurd dream of fly-ing; after all, humans weren’t meant to fly.

The dream of flight we all had as kids isn’t so absurd after all. In fact, it’s easier than you might think.

The sport of paragliding was born through a prediction made in 1954 by British author Walter Neumark, who believed that due to recent advancements in parachute design, a parachutist would one day be able to go airborne by running over the edge of a cliff or down a slope. This prediction fueled innovation, and the design of the parachute evolved into a sectioned cellular structure shaped like a wing. The cellular structure allowed air to flow in through an open leading edge and into a closed trailing edge, filling the canopy with air to make it semi-rigid and sub-sequently create lift. This new design, known as the ram-air, al-lowed parachutists to be towed into flight down a slope. In 1974 a group of three French men in Mieussy, France took the first unassisted self-powered flight, and with that flight the sport of paragliding was born.

Since its inception, the sport has grown rapidly, with pilots taking flight at locations worldwide. One of those locations is a stone’s throw away from Bellingham.

As you step out of your vehicle at the parking area nestled into the west face of Blanchard Mountain, the first thing you’ll notice is the beauty of the area that surrounds you. The Samish Over-look is perched above a sheer rock ledge that stands some 1,258 feet above the chilly waters of Samish Bay. The views on a sunny day give you a magnificent vantage point to look west over the sparkling waters of the Salish Sea to the islands of the San Juan archipelago, and to the south over the ever-changing postage-stamp farms of northern Skagit Valley. After taking in the views and walking down from the parking lot towards the clearing of the overlook, one thing becomes clear: 1,258 feet is a long way down. But why look down when you can look up?

Above you, eagles and hawks soar in the rising thermals created by the warm air rushing up-wards off the farmlands of Bow. These thermals allow the resident

birds of prey to effortlessly soar for hours on end. These same thermals make Blanchard Mountain a go-to spot for paragliders around the Northwest.

When paired with the right winds, the thermals support flights that last for hours on end. According to Scott Stabbert, president of the Northwest Paragliding Association, winds blow-ing from the south or west at 8-10 mph are the ideal conditions for taking flight at Blanchard. These winds blow straight into the face of the launch areas, filling canopies with ease. Once their canopy is filled, pilots take those few fateful steps down the launch area and part ways with the earth below. They are flying, and suddenly the ground completely falls away to Samish Bay some 1,200 feet down. Stabbert says Blanchard is best for flying during the spring and fall when the air is unstable, and thermals can carry you thousands of feet above the mountain.

As pilots rise in the thermals, the view above Blanchard opens to the north and east with unobstructed views of Mt. Baker. Skilled pilots can hop from thermal to thermal, soaring up one thermal column and targeting another on the glide down before riding the new thermal skywards. This is known as cross-country flying, and many pilots believe this is human flight in its purest form. Whether it lasts 30 minutes or three hours, every flight must come to an end. Paragliders at Blanchard Mountain land in a designated area on the valley floor just north of Bow. From there they can be shuttled back to the overlook to do it all over again in a matter of minutes, allowing for multiple flights in a day. This is helpful for newer pilots looking to hone their takeoff, flight and landing skills through repetition.

If you want to take a shot at the sport of paragliding, there are only a few hurdles to get over. First you will need to de-cide if it’s something that suits you. A good way to do this is take a tandem-assisted flight.

Northwest Sky Sports offers tandem flights at Blanchard. The instructor will teach you some para-gliding basics and even let you take the controls for a moment. If you fall in love with flying, which you prob-ably will, you’ll need to acquire some equipment. Para-gliding requires two main pieces of equipment: a wing and a harness. The wing, also known as a canopy, is

what allows the pilot to capture the air and take flight. This is going to be

your biggest

investment. A high-end wing will likely set you back $3,500-4,500 with good used ones available for around $2,000. The wing is attached to a harness, a lounge-like seat that supports the pi-lot’s weight during flight. The harness is attached to the wing via suspension lines. A harness will run in the ballpark of $500. You will also likely want to invest in a reserve parachute for insurance in case of a mid-flight emergency, and a nice two-way radio for communication with other pilots while in flight. One other use-ful piece of equipment is a variometer, a device that measures the rate of climb or descent. A variometer allows pilots to target the core of a thermal to maximize altitude gain and flight time.

Once you have gathered all the necessary equipment it’s time to seek out instruction and get informed. Stabbert says to plan on spending around $1,800 for a school that will provide you instruction as long as you like.

“You can pay less for an instruction package that will only get you up to a certain rating, but long-term training and educa-tion is worth it,” he said. The training is necessary as the USHPA (United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association) rates pilots based on skill level with five levels of certification. The rankings go from P1 (beginner) to P5 (master). Blanchard is rat-ed for pilots at a P2+ rating, which means they have completed at least 25 flights along with demonstrated ability to manage all

stages of flight as well as passing a written exam. With the right equipment and training, your childhood dream of flying can be-

come a reality, and with a prime spot to fly right in your backyard, nothing

is stopping you. The next time you catch yourself gazing up at birds

elegantly soaring through a beautiful sky, just re-

member – it is possible. You can fly. x

Blanchard Mountain

PARAGLIDINGSTORY AND PHOTOS BY BRAD ANDREW


GETTING TO BLANCHARD MOUNTAIN:Take I-5 exit #240. Head west on Lake Samish

Road for approximately .5 miles. Take the first left onto Barrel Springs Road. After approximately .6 miles, turn right onto the gravel Blanchard Hill Road. On the gravel road you will pass by trail-head parking for Lizard and Lily lakes. After ap-proximately 1.6 miles, turn left. (T intersection) There is an old, rusty-looking barrel gate, swung back on this road. We’ve never seen it closed. Go approximately 2.2 more miles to the end of the road.

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It’s a great time to be a craft beer lover in Bellingham, as this city

continues to spawn new breweries. If you haven’t had a chance to try beers from Bellingham’s two newest brew-eries, Aslan Brewing Co. and Wander Brewing Co.; here is a taste of their delicious offerings.

ASLAN BREWING CO.1330 N. Forest Street, Bellinghamaslanbrewing.comBrewhouse size: 15 barrelsNumber of beer taps: 16 (plus four more for sodas, etc.)Food: On-site restaurant with a variety of menu items, including many vegetarian options.

Aslan Brewing owner Jack Lamb, head brewer Frank Trosset and gen-eral manager Pat Haynes all met while living in Bellingham, and since September 2012 they have been tire-lessly planning and building Aslan Brewing from the ground up. Con-struction on the brewery’s restaurant and taproom took longer than ex-pected, but Aslan brews have been on tap around town since April.

In a market filled with unexciting brown ales, Aslan’s Organic Belling-ham Brown breathes new life into the style. This beer appeals to beer nov-ices and beer geeks alike, as it is full of flavor yet easy to drink. Wholesome notes of chocolate, crackers and nuts keep your interest piqued, and its smooth bitterness resets your palate after every sip.

For something uniquely delicious and refreshing, try Aslan’s Organic Ginger Rye Ale, which is made with freshly grated ginger roots, lime

rinds, honey and Cascade and Citra hops.

Organic Irie Eyes Red Ale has a sweet nose, a smooth 7.5-percent al-cohol by volume (ABV), a solid malt backbone with hints of bread crust and toffee, and a citrusy hop bite in the finish.

Organic Flagship IPA is light golden in color, crisp on the palate and dangerously easy to drink. “At 6.5 percent ABV,” Lamb said, “it’s not really a ‘session’ beer, but it is highly sessionable.” Just before opening the brewery, the brewers tweaked the recipe slightly by adding Simcoe hops into the whirlpool, which im-bues the beer with bright hop flavors and aromas of pine.

Also try Aslan’s Oatmeal Pale Ale, Rye Lager and Pilsner, as well as a slew of other beer styles and seasonal brews to come.

WANDER BREWING CO. 1807 Dean Avenue, Bellinghamwanderbrewing.comBrewhouse size: 20 barrelsNumber of beer taps: 10 (plus one for cider and one for root beer)Food: Food trucks, delivery or BYO.

After globetrotting, soul search-ing, lots of home brewing, intensive schooling and a couple of years of real-world brewing experience, Chad and Colleen Kuehl decided to open Wander Brewing Co. in Bellingham. “After multiple visits to Bellingham, we fell in love with the town and its surrounding landscape,” Chad says. “We really enjoy the deep sense of community here, and we love the city’s access to the mountains and the sea.”

Head to Wander’s brew hall to try one of the brewery’s many unique beers, such as the Washington Un-

common California Common, which is a style rarely brewed in this state. The California common hybrid style is made with lager yeast, but unlike most lagers, it’s fermented at warmer ale temperatures. Wander’s uncom-mon common is smooth, relatively low in alcohol (5.5 percent ABV) and very approachable, and it features de-lectable malt flavors of toasted bread and grains, with a clean bitterness from Northern Brewer hops.

Don’t pass up the delicious Wan-derale Belgian Blonde, which you’ll swear contains spices, but it doesn’t. “We don’t use any spices or adjuncts in this beer,” Chad explained. “The Abbey Ale yeast strain we use gives it flavors and aromas of banana and bubble gum.” The trio of malts, hops and yeast esters culminate in a rounded and flavorful brew that sings with complexity, yet it’s extremely easy to quaff.

For the hopheads, there’s Shoe Toss Rye IPA, which has a solid malt back-bone highlighted by spicy and drying notes of rye. Shoe Toss is brewed with the Falconer’s Flight 7 Cs hop blend, which provides the beer with a bal-anced bitterness and some fantastic hop aromas, and the addition of dry-hopped Ahtanum whole-cone hops take the aromas up to 11.

Belling-Hammer Wee Heavy is a strong Scotch ale that has deep malt flavors of toffee and multi-grain bread. “We give this one a 90-min-ute boil (as opposed to the more common 60-minute boil) to give it that rich caramel flavor,” Chad said. “We also brew it so that it has a nice amount of residual sweetness.”

Beer lovers can also look forward in the future to trying Wander’s Cor-respondent Foreign Extra Stout, Baltic Porter, Belgian Dubbel and so much more.

Both breweries plan to barrel-age some of their bigger beers. x

NEW BREWS

A taste of

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Musicians from across the world are making their way to Mt. Baker this summer to take part in the

second annual Mount Baker World Music Festival, and organizer Samir Hassan is hoping that the eclectic mix of artists will draw people to the mountain and bring people together in a new way.

“Music is the big unifier,” Hassan said. “If you can feel music from all over the world and enjoy it, you can feel and enjoy people from all over the world.”

Over the course of four weeks, Hassan’s festival will bring in eight performers, some of who have been nomi-nated for and won Latin Grammys. Performers include the Jovino Santos Neto Trio, Niyaz, Steve Kindler and Irish band Crumac.

“This would be a great lineup in Seattle or even New York, but they’re coming to Maple Falls,” Has-san said. “We’re looking forward to bringing music to the mountain.”

Hassan said a salsa teacher from Bellingham will be making an appearance during the event and attendees will have the opportunity to learn to dance.

“We’re going to get everyone out on the dance floor, just like last year,” he said. “Even the kids were out learn-

ing how to salsa.”This year the festival is going even further and is on

a quest to help out the micro-communities of the area through music.

Hassan said ticket buyers can purchase an extra ticket in his name, and those extra tickets will go to families in the area so that they can attend the show. Twenty percent of proceeds from every show will also go to the community.

“It’s a good thing to help them,” he said. “Eighty-six percent of the kids from that area are on free or reduced lunch, so we are working with the food bank, the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center and Kendall El-ementary School to give out complimentary tickets.”

He is also arranging a music workshop for Kendall Elementary School children that will be provided by the Iranian/Turkish group Niyaz. Donations to support the workshop are welcome.

Concerts will be held at the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center in Kendall and tickets are $15 for each show.

For more information about tickets and dates, visit mountbakerworldmusicfestival.com. x

World music in

MAPLE FALLS

STORY AND PHOTO BY BRANDY SHREVE

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The most commonly used hiking, climbing and scrambling rating system in America is the Yosemite

Decimal System (YDS). Ratings and routes can be some-what subjective, but they give hikers and climbers a good idea of a route’s difficulty.

A route’s rating is based on its most difficult move, or “crux.” Generally speaking, exposure (danger and sever-ity of a fall) increases with the class rating, but many argue that the amount of exposure on a route has little or nothing to do with its class rating. Some class 1 trails are very exposed, for example, and some class 3 moves might be just a few feet above level ground.

CLASS 1: Easy hiking, generally on a trail. Hands are rarely needed, if ever.

CLASS 2: Rough hiking that may or may not require the use of hands for balance.

CLASS 3: Scrambling on rock using hands and feet. Handholds are necessary, but they are relatively easy to find. Some climbing techniques may be needed, such as mantling, frictioning and counterforcing.

CLASS 4: Scrambling or climbing on steep rock where rock climbing techniques and counterforce measures such as stemming, liebacking and finger/hand jamming are often employed. Handholds may take time to find. A rope is sometimes used, especially for rappelling back down.

CLASS 5: Steep and challenging free climbing where a rope is almost always used for protection against a serious fall (free solo climbing is done without a rope). Fifth-class climbing is further defined based on difficul-ty, from 5.0 to 5.15 with “a” to “d” suffixes above the 5.9 mark. x

WHAT’S THAT CLIMB RATED?The Yosemite Decimal System explained

PHOTO \ JASON HUMMEL

BY AUBREY LAURENCE

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Mount Baker Experience • Summer 2014