[Foist]

I'm up in Mt. Baker area with the fam for the week. We drove up yesterday, and due to packing, errands, and general dilly dallying, we didn't arrive until about 4pm. But it was so clear when we arrived, I had to take a quick hike. It was the hiking equivalent of impulse buying: without a headlamp, alone, at 5:45, I started up the Welcome Pass trail. The road to the trail only has one bad and very rocky patch, and my Corolla survived it. I felt really good, making probably the best time of my life. 3 miles and 2800 feet of gain: 90 minutes up, 45 minutes down. Not spectacular for a lot of you super duper hikers on this site, but it was great for me. Spent about 30 minutes dawdling and ogling at the volcano and that awesome north face of Shuksan. Mosquitos were kind of annoying but not too bad. No one on the trail at all. My parents drove to Artist Point and it was mobbed. So good alternative if you want to avoid the crowds. I'll have pics on Friday.

[JimK]

It's a nice place in February. Guess I'll have to try it in the summer.

[Foist]

Pics:

Shuksan2

Baker

Shuksan1