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Baker Mountain Guides

@bakerguides

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Explore Your World with the Local Experts of the Pacific Northwest • Avalanche Education • Backcountry Skiing • Ski Descents and Traverses

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First twin sisters workday of the season! Big shout out to everyone who came up to help fix bridges and brush out the trail. Improving access to the twins has taken a Herculean amount of work over the years, and we’re grateful to anyone who has ever lent a hand. We’re going to be working up here throughout September and October, so let us know if you want to join.

#trailwork #backcountryskiing #twinsisters by @bakerguides

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20 days ago

Termination dust. That’s what we would call it growing up in Alaska. The first dusting of snow on the high peaks. The termination of summer. The beginning of the end. There may be more warm days to come, but slowly and surely, the northern hemisphere is tilting further and further away from the sun. The jet stream is moving south. It’s only a matter of time…

#terminationdust #winteri̇scoming #goodbyesummer☀️ by @bakerguides

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a month ago

We’re hearing a lot of chatter about the forecasted super El Niño, or Godzilla El Niño, or whatever massive adjective they’re using to describe this winter‘s weather. Obviously, as a business that sell skiing and snowboarding, we want to know what to expect, so we did a little research of our own. Although the phrase “El Niño” strikes fear into the hearts of Pacific Northwest snow lovers, 15 years of snow dorkology in the North Cascades has taught us that the absolute worst years are almost always neutral, or weak El Niños and La Niñas.

Local famous meteorologist, Cliff Mass, concurs. Surprisingly, the last handful of very strong El Niño events have produced average winter snow packs for the Cascades, even down to lower elevations like Snoqualmie Pass. Check out Cliff’s most recent blog post on the topic. Link in bio.

#elniño #snowforecast #prettycolors by @bakerguides

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a month ago

Well, that ended up being a pretty good weekend. We've never had an avalanche course with such bipolar weather. Yesterday was one of the worst days in the mountains that many of us can remember, and today was one of the best. #lifeislikeaboxofchocolates #skiinginfishinggear #somuchrain #somuchpowder #thankyouweathergods #bakermountainguides by @bakerguides

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2 years ago

The weather continues to deliver! Our mid-week recon into the Twin Sisters Range had us wishing we brought the snowmobiles. Normally, we have to wait until January or February for quality backcountry ski conditions in the Sisters, but this year the zone will likely open up before X-mas. #hellowinter #longerwalkthanwethought #bakerguides taken in Twin Sisters Brewing Company by @bakerguides

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2 years ago

OK, it seems like there's been some confusion over the last few weeks about what's actually happening up in the mountains. We are still getting calls from people asking us if there's going to be enough snow for our avalanche courses in December.

So, to be clear, this was from today (Nov 18th). We are not recycling media from previous winters. The skiing is already better than it was for most of last season. By the end of the week, we might have close to a 100 inch base at Heather Meadows. No joke. #happening #putyourmountainbikeaway #powday #bakerguides by @bakerguides

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2 years ago

Meanwhile, outside of the election echo chamber...

#iguessitswinternow #skiseason #bakerbackcountry #bakermountainguides by @bakerguides

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2 years ago

Monday morning PSA...

The Twin Sisters Range is an awesome place to play, but the west side is accessed via private timber land. Hampton Timber has been gracious enough to offer a recreational access program that allows for the purchase of both walk-in permits and motorized permits. If you are accessing their timber roads via the bridge over the middle fork of the Nooksack, you need a recreation permit. Having a key to the gate is not enough. You also need legal permission to be on the land. Every member of a walk-in group needs a permit. Motorized permits can be used only for immediate family traveling in a single vehicle. None of the recreation permits allow for the use of E-bikes, scooters, motorcycles, quad runners, snowmobiles, etc.

Hampton Timber has hired a security company that patrols the area. They have and will continue to prosecute people for trespassing. Most timber companies simply lock their gates. The recreation permit program is a privilege, but could easily go away if abused or ignored. We encourage anyone who is using Hampton Timber Roads to access the twin sisters to purchase a permit and travel in accordance with the rules. by @bakerguides

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2 years ago

Well that doesn't happen every day... by @bakerguides

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2 years ago

We first approached the Forest Service about establishing a backcountry ski hut in the Twin Sisters almost 6 years ago. After our first winter of experiencing incredible backcountry skiing and riding in the range, we decided that the best way to realize the full potential of the zone was via a hut.

It's been a long road with a lot of starts and stops, but the wheels are finally spinning and our proposal is moving forward. There are three other shelters being proposed in the Mt. Baker Ranger District as well. Two commercial huts at Heliotrope and Anderson Watson operated by Aspire Adventure Running and Round House Touring, respectively, and a warming hut up at Bear Paw that will be operated by the the Whatcom Snowmobile Club

For those of you who would like to share your thoughts regarding temporary winter shelters, there will be a public meeting at the Forest Service Office at 810 State Route 20 in Sedro Woolley on Wednesday, April 17th, from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Comments can also be submitted online and/or mailed to the Forest Service.

For more information, please visit the project webpage. Link in bio.

#backcountryskiing #skihut #twinsistersrange #forestservice by @bakerguides

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2 years ago

What an incredible difference a week makes...

Winter is back with vengeance. Time to put on the white pants.

#letitsnow #mtbakerweathermaker #powday #fashionfirst by @bakerguides

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3 years ago

Our second contribution for our quarterly column, "Peak Experiences," in Adventures Northwest has dropped. These days, the Twin Sisters Range has become notorious as a magical, backcountry paradise with a steep price of admission. However, there was a time, not too long ago, when nobody thought twice about the little, orange mountains between the bay and Baker.

We enjoy exploring and skiing in the Twin Sisters, but we also realize that our actions opened the floodgates to an untouched landscape. I'm not sure how I feel about that. My piece "Requiem for the Raptors" is an exploration of that grief.

Give it a read. Link in bio.

#mindfulrecreation #tragedyofthecommons #eagles #humanimpact by @bakerguides

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3 years ago