SIE and I don't care how long the drive is - it's the hike that counts. Leaving the Brickyard Park and Ride at 7:30 we arrived at Artist's Point above the Mt. Baker ski area somewhere around 10 or 10:30.
The trail more or less contours a hillside to a junction with the Chain Lakes trail, which drops to the right. After a short bit, the trail drops a few hundred feet to round a rocky face and does a short climb and short drop through mossy streams and monkeyflowers. The trail enters a rocky ""meadow"" and splits below the ridge top it is aiming for. We headed right and where we could have followed the path, headed right up a soft and not steep snowpatch and regained the trail on the ridge.
The trail follows this ridge a short ways, climbing, then bears left to contour a steepish slope. From here we were able to see smoke from a fire down in Swift Creek valley. The snow patches were soft and pretty well boot-marked across. Poles were not necessary, although always helpful.
On the far spur ridge was a nice viewpoint were many folks stopped. We continued on, contouring another basin and traversing a few more snow patches to the next ridge - an even better viewspot and lunch spot.
After eating, we headed uphill above another basin to ""Camp Kiser,"" where the trail drops and contours to its rocky end by the glacier. We headed uphill a few dozen feet, then cut across a snow patch not far from the Coleman Pinnacles and ridge-walked some ways further through rocky gardens towards Baker.
The trip back was just as pretty and uneventful, but we sure met the ""thundering herds"" after the Chain Lakes junction. It was a beautiful day to be out and in the mountains.
more photos at www.mtnlover.smugmug.com/gallery/188251
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