Mount Baker Travel Guide

Just east of the tiny town of Glacier along highway 542 (Mount Baker Highway) are the Nooksack falls. A good sized year-round falls with an impressive amount of water flowing over it. There isn't a lot else to do but look at the falls, it makes for a good (but brief) stop on the way up to the ski area.

You will see a sign for the Nooksack Falls. The gravel road winds down about a mile to a wide spot where cars park then its 50 yards or so to the overlook. The overlook is quite safe with a large chainlink fence preventing accidents.

The falls are definately worth visiting, an impressive amount of water flows over them and the lookout is quite close.

The best place to eat out Baker way is North Fork, a pizza joint that also does grinders and a couple of other items. The owners are usually the ones working there, and they'll get to know you pretty quickly. They are a brewpub and when their beers are rockin, they're really rockin'. The Hefeweizen and Stout have been especially outstanding at times and most of their other beers are also made to a high standard.

The place is basically a shack, and is filled with old beer bottles and beer ads. On winter weekends, it gets busy as all the skiers come here.

Favorite Dish: Pizza - I dig pepperoni, pineapple and cappicolo but we all know pizza toppings are a personal thing. Wash it down with great beer and take a growler home with you (especially if you're a hop-deprived British Columbian).

one of the coolest things about Mt Baker is the large number of trees on the slopes... but the chances of falling in a tree well are of course EXTREMELY high since Baker gets so much snow.. A deep snow or tree well accident occurs when a rider or skier falls into an area of deep unconsolidated snow and becomes immobilized. The more the person struggles the more entrapped in the snow they become. If a partner is not there for immediate rescue, the skier or rider may die very quickly from suffocation - in many cases, they can die as quickly as someone can drown in water. 90% of people who fall into a tree well are unable to get themselves out and die.. so make sure you are always in sight of another rider when in the trees..

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Mt. Baker has the best backcountry trails in the Northwest but there are a few rules that you MUST follow while in the backcountry:

1. Avalanche transceiver and demonstrated ability to use it
2. A partner
3. Shovel
4. Knowledge of the terrain and your ability.
5. Avalanche knowledge
6. Knowledge of local avalanche conditions;

• know this winter’s snowpack layers
• know the recent snowfall & type
• know current NW Avalanche Center forecast
• know today’s weather forecast (snowfall, temperature & visibility)