Snow at Artist Point, Mt. Baker in August

My wife has never been to Artist Point at Mt. Baker Washington and it was on my list of places to take her for a while now.  It is not often she rides with me.  She says we have been here before.  Yes dear we have.  So I try and change it up for her once in a while.

Last year WDOT did not bother to try snow plow Artist Point - there was too much snow and it would have cost a small fortune to plow out.  So the trip sat on the side lines for a while.

This year there was less snow and the WDOT opened the road during the 3rd week of July.  Here is a photo from late July courtesy of WDOT.  Mt. Baker is in the background.  The amount of snow is deceptive for just behind the snow blower is a solid ground so maybe the snow is 3 to 6 feet deep.

The wife and I had a rough couple of weeks with her daughters visiting and bickering with her and each other.  Good grief.  We need a break so what better way to take a ride?  She readily agreed to my suggestion, especially after offering a wife friendly start time of between 9:00 and 10:00am.  Damn late in my book but I had a motive.

The route:

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We were off by 9:30 or so and headed up I-5 to Arlington.  Boring riding.  Along the way I notice one young lady texting with her arms between the steering wheel using her wrist to steer leaving her finger free to tap away.  Grr...... Take a deep breath and ride away.

At Arlington we join Highway 9, familiar pavement, one of those roads rode to often.  Still it is a nice road in a scenic pastoral setting dotted by Lake McMurray and Big Lake with twisty asphalt pavement.  In other words no matter how many time I ride it it beats the heck out of I-5.

Highway 9 - Does this photo need a caption?

Highway 9

Highway 9 near Lake McMurray

We near the town of Van Zandt a dot on the map, featuring Everybody's grocery which is known for exotic cheeses, sausages and local wines.

Everybody's store cheese and meat case.

We are 1.5 hours into the ride, have yet to stop, and to my surprise the wife is wants to continue.  This is good PR for my Russell Day Long saddle.  Happy wife, happy life.  Thanks Russell.

In the early 1980's I skied at Mt. Baker.  It is was a 2:47 minute drive for us, each way.  Back then Mt. Baker was closed Monday through Thursday so on Saturday or Sunday the snow was rarely packed out and often there was lots of fresh powder and loose snow everywhere.  As a result I learned to ski in powder long before I made a nice carved turn.  I was worth the 2:47 hour drive.  We skied it a lot, can you tell?

On the way back from the ski day we would stop at Everbody's for Landjaeger sausage and a fresh gourmet deli sandwich.  Everybody's has picnic tables and is a destination in it own right.  This could be a Ride to Eat destination.

Today we go to Glacier the last town before Mt. Baker ski area.  On a ski day in the 1980's the goal was to arrive at Glacier at 7:15am.  Any later and you got to follow school bus' to the top.  We rarely followed a bus and today with a late start I expected to follow some cars to the top.  That didn't happen either as I passed a few cars or waited in a turn out for the cars ahead to move on up the road so I could enjoy the twisty road unimpaired.

The reason I didn't mind the late start is I wanted to take a photo of Mt. Shuksan at Picture Lake and it is in the shadows until the afternoon.

The Goal - take a photo like this!

The reality - my photo on this day.   It is too early in the season and it was not a clear blue sky day.  

The FJR and Wife and at Picture Lake.

Now I have an excuse to return in late September or early October.

On we go for the very twisty, and steep ride up the the Artist Point parking lot.

Mt. Shuksan with people playing in the snow at Artist Point

Mt. Baker at Artist Point

Mt. Baker gullies filled with snow at Artist Point

After the photos ops we head back down and I take a few more photos of this stunning landscape. Mostly while I am on the go with my Canon S95 pocket camera.

Did I mention the road is scenic, twisty and steep?

Along Hwy 542, as with roads in the Alps, you can see the road wind down the hill, but here you don't have to wait in a que at the switchbacks and it is not nearly as crowded.

Road in the Alps waiting in the que.

Hwy 542 near Artist Point

A fellow on a Triumph Speed Triple with Mt. Shuksan in the background.  Taken while on the go with my Canon S95.

Mt. Baker ski area White Salmon lodge with Mt. Shuksan in the background.

Just west of Nooksack Falls there is about 1 or 2 miles of fresh asphalt along a section of Hwy 542 that was previously very bumpy and awful.  No more! Yee Haw!  It quickly comes and it goes, leaving me with a silly grin from ear to ear.  We go on the Glacier where we have a fine lunch at Graham's restaurant.

Wifey is in a hurry to get home so we take the fastest route home.  Warning.  Going along I-5 from Tulalip Casino to Marysville on a Sunday afternoon is brutal in the summer time and there is really no alternatives to head south quickly.

The End