You can see Mount Baker from my parents front window. I have a vague memory of my dad driving a few of us (I think it was just me, Lisa and Tina) up mount baker. This was back in the early 90s with no internet, no cell phones etc. I remember just driving up winding roads for a long time as the temperature kept dropping. Eventually my dad decided we had gone far enough and turned around. We never made it to any sort of look out point--as far as I can remember (although I was about 12 or 13, so we may have haha), but we drove for what seemed like a really long time!
After exploring Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens last year, I decided that I needed to explore Mount Baker this year! We had perfect weather, lucked out with a last minute camping spot, and my knee and Mike's foot (he hurt it over a month ago helping someone move and it is still not healed) held up pretty great--although my knee has been a bit sore since:(
Our agenda (short and sweet):
1. Artisit Point hike
2. Fire & Ice hike
3. Sunset at Picture Lake
4. Camp
5. Sunrise at Picture Lake
6. Bagley Lakes Loop
7. Home
It was a long winding road (with zero rails of shoulder) up to Artist Point, but it was so worth it! I almost insisted we drive up there again the second day, just to see it at sunrise too! Pictures don't do it justice, although I did stop every few steps to take pictures haha. It was just a short easy trail with views of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan. Mike always wears his 10% shirts on hikes and gets so many chuckles and comments.
And there was a lot of snow--which is pretty exciting when it's summer time:)
There are only two campsites close to Mount Baker: Silver Firs which is about 25 min. away and Douglas fir which is another 15 min further. Both were "first come first serve" so we headed up early hoping one of them had some room. We drove past Douglas Firs in hopes of a closer spot (since we were going up for sunrise) but we got there and there was a "no vacancy" and not a soul in sight to talk to. Luckily Douglas Firs had 2 spots available and Mike snagged to one next to the river. It was so perfect! We could walk down the rocks right to the water. And yes, this is the same tent we had when Tyson was a baby...and possibly earlier!
Summer playing on the rocks.
We drove back up to picture lake for sunset. Just breathtaking.
There were a lot of photographers...and a lot of bugs!
Mike decided to have a Mountain House snack when we got back to camp (I tried it for the first time and was actually impressed). Summer and I headed to bed because we were going to get up at 4am to head up to see the sunrise.
I'm not sure if sunrise at Picture Lake was any better (or different) than sunset, but it was quieter...and colder...and there was a bride and groom getting their wedding photos taken...and no bugs!
We fired up the jetboil and made breakfast and hot chocolate right at the lake. It was magical:)
Then we went to do our Bagley Lakes "Loop" hike...we couldn't quite figure out the loop and ended up walking on the road back to our car instead of on the path. But before we turned around, the whole thing was so beautiful. Mountain water streams, lakes, wildflowers...and it was like 5am so we were the only ones on the trail (which scared Summer since we saw a bear on the drive up to watch the sunset--which was actually really awesome--the seeing the bear part, not Summer being scared)
Overall, such a great trip!
I can't wait to explore more of the PNW...it may just be the most beautiful part of the world!
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