Mount Baker, Washington - A Winter Fairytale Come True

Mount Baker in Washington, near the Canadian border, is one of the snowiest places in the world. With an elevation of 10,781 feet it is the third-highest mountain in the state. The summit of Mount Baker was reached for the first time in August 1868. The first homesteads were filed in the 1880s. In 1899 the Great Excelsior Coal Mine was discovered and opened for operation. A few daredevils began using the Mount Baker area for skiing for the first time in 1929 and the Koma Kulshan Ski Club put on a slalom competition on July 4, 1948, which was promoted as the lone summer ski tournament in the US. In 1953 the first chair lift was constructed, and finally, in 1995 a large new ski lodge was built in the Mount Baker Ski Area. Today, Mount Baker has the deepest snowbase in North America.

Mount Baker and the North Folk Nooksack River area provide unlimited recreation opportunities and amazing landscapes. Spring transforms the valley into a beautiful place where you can observe deer and elk migrations, migratory birds returning to build their nests and bears coming out of hibernation. Visitors can enjoy spring skiing and snowboarding in the warm sunshine, canoeing and fishing at Silver Lake, treks on snowshoes and touring skis, searching for flowering plants, such as trilliums and bleeding hearts, and also for mushrooms, wild strawberries, salmonberries, thimbleberries and fiddlehead ferns. In summer you can feel the warmth and radiance in the forests and mountaintops. It is perfect for camping along the river, fishing in the high mountain lakes, picnics and barbecues. The perfectly maintained trails in the region allow different recreation options like hiking, climbing, mountain biking and sightseeing. If you seek adventures, summer at the Mount Baker area is perfect for river rafting. In late August you can feel the approaching fall by the first frosts. Activities during this season include hunting and berry picking. September through October is the perfect time to enjoy a fall drive. At the greatest heights snow begins to accumulate in late October or early November. In the fall you can retreat to a cabin in the Mount Baker area and enjoy the powerful and inspiring beauty of the valley at the edge of winter. By the end of November winter has already settled comfortably in the mountains and the ski area at Mount Baker is open to visitors, who can enjoy alpine skiing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing. The operating season continues until May. From the beautiful White Salmon Lodge, at an elevation of 3,500 feet you will have a spectacular view of Mount Shuksan. There are eight chair lifts in the ski area. But there are plenty of other activities to consider outside of the ski area, like snowshoeing, touring, visiting Nooksack Falls, hikes along the river, eagle watching, winter steelheading and many more.

Mount Baker is an incredibly interesting, stunning and mighty place that will amaze you year-round. But don't torture yourself trying to picture it - its true colours can only be seen if you visit. So why not spend your next holiday there?