Mt. Baker hike

I don’t know if I gave the name of the trail we’re planning to hike on Sunday, but it’s the Heliotrope Ridge trail. (I might have said Skyline).

There were only four runners and three walkers out yesterday, so we arbitrarily decided to meet at the E.Dailly parking lot at 7.30 on Sunday morning.

The plan is to car-pool to the start of the hike. It’s about a two-hour drive each way (see directions below).


The route is listed as “more difficult”. Based on our last go at it, it’s a good hike for runners and experienced walkers - it's an undulating (I got that word from Rainy) trail, and along the way you have to wade across three streams which are cold and full of boulders (and sometimes deep and fast-flowing, as we discovered a couple of years ago). It’s about a 10-12 k round trip. The trail ends at the Coleman glacier:



BE PREPARED:

Here is some information which might help us to avoid being "woefully unprepared" (there’s a story there!):

Last time we did this hike, it was a glorious, hot August long weekend. Except at Mt. Baker, where it was raining and cold. It's not a bad idea to bring a day pack and a light rain jacket, plus dry socks and a dry tee-shirt etc to change into at the end. If you bring this kind of stuff, chances are you won't need it!

Definitely bring:

- light hiking boots or trail-running shoes
- water
- a small towel - you'll be crossing three mountain streams along the way, and there aren't any bridges...
- lunch
-ID proving you're a Canadian citizen or otherwise resident here



US FOREST PARKING PERMIT

We didn't know the last time that we did this hike that you need a parking pass. You can't buy them at the ranger station, which means remembering to pick one up en route. You can get them for $5 US at the Glacier Public Service Centre, which is in the town of Glacier - we'll be passing through it. According to the web site, it's open from 8 a.m. onwards. It’s on the main road through town (which is small).


HOW TO GET THERE (according to Mapquest)

It's about 90 minutes to get to Glacier from Eileen Dailly.
Take Highway 1 and head east through Surrey & Langley
Take the HWY-11 S exit- EXIT 92- toward SUMAS / USA
Turn LEFT onto SUMAS WAY / PROVINCIAL ROUTE 11
Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto DOUGLAS ST. this takes you to the border crossing DOUGLAS ST becomes unnamed road and then into CHERRY ST / WA-9.
Turn LEFT onto FRONT ST / WA-547. Continue to follow WA-547.
Turn RIGHT onto WA-547 / SUMAS RD. Continue to follow WA-547.
Stay STRAIGHT to go onto WA-542 / MT BAKER HWY to Glacier, WA

From the Glacier Public Service Center, travel east on the Mt. Baker Highway 542 for approximately 1 mile to Glacier Creek Road (Forest Service Road #39). Turn right on F.S. Road #39. Follow F.S. Road #39 for about 8 miles. The parking area and trailhead are located on the left hand side of the road.


MORE INFORMATION:

Here's the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/

And here's the link to details about the trail: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/recreation/activities/trails/mbrd/mbrd_0677.htm