Artist Ridge - Huntoon Point, Artist Point Snowshoe — Friday, Nov. 23, 2001

North Cascades > Mount Baker Area

The snow has closed the state road from Heather Meadows by the Mt. Baker ski area up to Artist Point. Our group of ten snowshoers left the Mountaineer's Baker Lodge as the snow kept coming down. With all the new snow, we needed to take turns breaking trail. Even with snowshoes on, we still sunk in about a foot. Once up to the parking lot at the end of the road, the visibility was only about 100 yards in the blowing snow. No views today (Friday Nov. 23rd). The weather cleared up on Saturday morning with the view of Mt. Shuksan from the lodge windows. Some of us who had gone up to Artist Point in Fridays snow storm, decided to go back up again. The snow trail was now packed with snowboarders, teleskiers, cross country skiers and more snowshoers. With only high clouds, the view out to Mt. Baker was open. Some of the boarders and skiers were going down Table Mountain. I snowshoed around the area from Artist Point before heading back to the lodge. If you haven't been up to this area in the Winter, check it out on a clear day for the great views.