Trip Report
Artist Ridge - Huntoon Point — Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014
North Cascades > Mount Baker Area
We have been blessed with another fantastic New Year's Eve in the mountains. We couldn't have asked for better conditions...well, perhaps a little less bright moon ;) Snow camping on New Year's Eve sort of became our tradition. In winter even the busiest of trails are no longer crowded. If you decide to add an overnighter to your mountain experience there is a big chance you will find plenty of solitude or even find yourself alone...just you and beautiful mountains all around.
We arrived at Mt. Baker Ski Resort well before sunrise so we pretty much avoided all the "craziness" that typically develops in the afternoon ;) We had plenty of time for morning hot tea and then another "tea" just before we put on snowshoes. It was a little chilly, but then sun started to warm everything up. We took a less traveled trail to take some pictures and record some videos. Snow was crispy, but conditions were great with no wind and limitless visibility. We arrived at Artist Point in early afternoon. We only spotted few backcountry skiers on our way up. We decided to find a good camping spot and set everything up earlier to have more time for enjoying beautiful views and take some more pictures. It was very hard to decide on the best spot as there were few good options. We didn't want to stay at the same place as last year. We wanted a little different view this time, but still unique. Once we set up our camp we noticed couple other parties with tents. It was busier than last year, but there was plenty of snow to share ;) As we watched amazing sunset on both Shuksan and Baker we knew it would be a long, cold night, but at the same time we couldn't think of a better place to welcome a New Year. Moon was bright and it was calm. We took some pictures, finished our meal and then patiently waited for midnight (it was only 5 PM). After playing some games and few laughs it was time for some sparkling wine and night photography. It was finally midnight. While most people were celebrating New Year in their warm homes or at all sorts of parties we raised our mini bottles and starred at the mountains in the moonlight. It's hard to describe a moment like that. It's just perfect. Although moon was way too bright we managed to take some nice photos that will always remind us of that special night.
Trips like that are always more emotional than technical given that this particular place is really not that hard to reach even in wintertime. In short, both weather and trail conditions were perfect. It's probably one of the best places to snowshoe in WA. We even spotted families with little babies going up to Artist Point during the day. It's really worth the drive to spend a day in a place like that.
Happy New Year and Happy Trails!!!
Team Indoorphobia :)
p.s. more photos and video from this trip will soon be posted on our blog http://indoorphobia.wordpress.com/
Comments
I couldn't agree with you more. I make this my first hike each new year with snowshoes. I have never camped overnight in winter up there though. Any special advice to give? I would really like to try it. I have camped many places in winter just not up there. Where do you suggest is the better spot? Closer toward Shuksan on the ridge or in the middle and do you need the permit from the ranger station in Glacier to camp overnight there in winter? Thanks for the pictures. I have been up there twice this winter already but I wanted to go again.
Posted by:
Mike on Jan 06, 2015 07:48 PM
Camping overnight is fun. The best part is that not many people are willing to spend a long, cold night in the mountains so if you are camping in wintertime you will find plenty of solitude. Of course you have to be prepared for very cold conditions, perhaps wind/snow. We got very lucky in the last two years as we had close to perfect conditions. It was cold, but fairly calm. I would recommend buying/renting a 4-season tent with snow stakes. It helps to make a platform for your tent so your tent is not as exposed to strong wind and it makes it more stable too. You should take a small shovel with you to make such platform. Selecting a spot is always hard and it depends mostly what view you want to have from your camp. Last year we camped on the highest point on the ridge and view was probably the best, but there are so many spots to choose from. You can probably tell since you have been hiking those nice hills at the Artist Point. I would select something further away from the main trails so you don't have hundreds of people walking by if you decide to camp for more than one night. It's really a personal preference when it comes to spot selection. Personally I like Shuksan view better as it is more prominent from Artist Point and I think Baker is more likely to be covered in clouds. If there is a lot of snow it's safe to camp pretty much anywhere (just avoid snow cornices). Since you can melt snow you really don't need to carry a lot of water up there, but bring some extra food just in case. Also make sure you have a good sleeping bag/pad. My wife used 30F sleeping bag, but she wore some extra clothes at night. Hand/toe warmers also help to get a more comfortable sleep :) Moreover, if you are planning to take pictures bring some extra batteries as they don't perform as good in cold conditions. I don't think you need a permit to camp there overnight, but still need to follow leave no trace behind rules (blue bags,etc). Most importantly, have fun and take lots of pictures :) Let me know if you have any other questions that I can answer. Have fun camping and stay safe!
Posted by:
Indoorphobia on Jan 07, 2015 09:44 AM
Thanks for the information. I will plan it this month or next.
Take Care Mike
Posted by:
Mike on Jan 09, 2015 06:15 PM