Mt. Baker Ski Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mt. Baker Ski Area |
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Mt. Shuksan in 2003
from the White Salmon Lodge |
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 Mt. Baker Ski Area
Location in Washington (state)
Mt. Baker Ski Area
Location in the United States
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| Location | Glacier, Washington, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Bellingham: 52 miles (84 km) west, 75 min drive |
| Coordinates | 48°51′43″N 121°39′14″W / 48.862°N 121.654°W |
| Vertical | 1,589 ft (484 m) |
| Top elevation | 5,089 ft (1,551 m) |
| Base elevation | 3,500 ft (1,067 m) White Salmon Base Area 4,300 ft (1,310 m) Heather Meadows Base Area |
| Skiable area | 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) |
| Runs | 31 - 24% easiest - 45% more difficult - 31% most difficult |
| Lift system | 8 chairs, 2 rope tows |
| Snowfall | 641 in (53.4 ft; 16.3 m) |
| Snowmaking | no |
| Night skiing | no |
| Website | mtbaker.us |
The Mt. Baker Ski Area is a super cool ski resort located in the Pacific Northwest part of the United States. You can find it in Whatcom County, Washington, right at the end of Washington State Route 542. The lowest part of the resort is 3,500 feet (1,100 m) high, and the very top is 5,089 feet (1,551 m). It's only about ten miles (16 km) south of the border with Canada!
Even though it's called "Mt. Baker," the ski area is actually closer to Mount Shuksan. This place is famous for having the most snowfall ever recorded in one season. During the 1998–99 winter, it got an amazing 1,140 inches (95.0 ft; 29.0 m) of snow! Mt. Baker also gets the most snow on average each year compared to any other resort in the world, with about 641 inches (53.4 ft; 16.3 m) of fresh powder.
The ski area is well-known for its challenging trails and awesome opportunities for backcountry skiing. You can reach the backcountry from several chairlifts. Just make sure to follow the rules for safe backcountry access!
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Exploring Mt. Baker's Ski Lifts
At Mt. Baker, the chairlifts don't have names, but they are known by numbers. All of them are "fixed-grip quads," which means they are four-person chairs that stay attached to the cable. Chairs 3 and 4 actually go to the same spot from different sides of the mountain. They use one continuous cable loop!
- Chair 1 takes you from the Heather Meadows Lodge up to Panorama Dome. It has a middle stop where people can get on halfway down the mountain. This is great for quick runs on trails like Austin, Pan Face, and the famous Chute.
- Chair 2 is also at the Heather Meadows Lodge. This chair is perfect for beginners who are just learning to ski or snowboard.
- Chair 3 lets you go to the Raven Hut Lodge area or head back down to Chairs 2 and 3.
- Chair 4 runs from the Raven Hut Lodge area back up to the top of Chair 3.
- Chair 5 replaced two older double chairs. It takes you to intermediate trails and also to the expert-only Gabl's run and the Elbow backcountry area.
- Chair 6 goes to the top of Panorama Dome, just like Chair 1.
- Chair 7 is the only chair that starts from the White Salmon Lodge base area. From here, you can get to Chair 8 or the Raven Hut Lodge.
- Chair 8 is the longest chair on the mountain. It offers longer groomed runs and access to the Hemispheres and Shuksan Arm backcountry areas.
Besides the chairlifts, there are also two smaller "handle-tow" lifts for beginners. One is at White Salmon, and the other is at Heather Meadows. As of 2017, Mt. Baker does not have a special terrain park for tricks and jumps.
Future Plans for Mt. Baker
The General Manager, Duncan Howat, has shared that there are some limits to how much Mt. Baker can grow. Since it's quite far out on a road that ends there, it probably won't become a huge resort with lots of hotels and condos. There aren't public services like water and power lines there to support a lot more buildings.
For example, when they built the White Salmon Lodge in 1989, they had to create everything themselves. This included a parking lot, a water system, a sewage system, and even a power generator! Howat said they will make the current facilities better, but they won't be adding new chairlifts in new areas. He mentioned they have some new plans, but they are keeping them a secret for now!
Exciting Events at Mt. Baker
The Legendary Banked Slalom Race
The Legendary Banked Slalom is a super famous snowboard race that started in 1985. It takes place in a natural halfpipe on the mountain. This event has grown into a big international competition! Many professional snowboarders from all over the world come to compete. What's cool is that amateur riders of all ages and skill levels can race on the same course as the pros. The winners in each group get a special duct tape trophy and a cool embroidered Carhartt jacket.
Mt. Baker in Movies and TV
Mt. Baker Ski Area is often shown in ski and snowboard movies and photos. This is because it has beautiful scenery, tons of snow, and easy access to advanced terrain. The movie The Call of The Wild was even filmed here in 1934–35! Mt. Baker was also featured in an episode of the TV show "Frasier" called "The Ski Lodge" (Season 5, Episode 14).
Ski Season and Hours
The ski season at Mt. Baker usually starts in late November and finishes around late April. The resort is typically open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day.
A Quick Look at Mt. Baker's History
- 1921–26: The Mt. Baker highway was built to Heather Meadows, and people started skiing there.
- 1927: The Mount Baker Lodge opened, and the Mt. Baker Ski Club was formed.
- 1930: The first ski tournament was held at Heather Meadows.
- 1931: Sadly, the Mount Baker Lodge was destroyed by fire.
- 1937–38: The first rope tow was installed, making it easier to get up the slopes.
- 1953: The very first chairlift, called Pan Dome (now Chair 1), was built at the ski area.
- 1977: The resort had six chairlifts and four rope tows. They were called by names instead of numbers back then.
- 1989–90: The first quad chair (Chair 7) was installed in the White Salmon area.
- 1996: The White Salmon Day Lodge opened, providing another base area for skiers.
- 2002: Older double chairs (Chair 4 and Chair 5) were replaced with a new quad chair (Chair 5).
- 2011: Chairs 1 and 6 were marked as "Experts only" for more advanced skiers.
