Took advantage of the bluebird day and did the hike up to Artist Point- spectacular! Hwy 542 was clear to the parking lot at Heather Meadows and the trail starts just to the left of the bathroom facilities. Main route to the top was well trod and easy to follow/navigate on this clear day, used Yak Trax until about two thirds of the way up when snow became a bit mushy as the temps got warmer. Be aware that this trek can travel through avalanche terrain. A must-do adventure for incredibly rewarding panoramic mountain views, clocked 5+ miles round trip after tromping around at the top  #MemberAppreciation 

Concur with the prior report about routes around the last hump to Artist Point.  Taking it straight on is a challenge though that seems to be the popular route. I went down that way in snowshoes which was hard to get purchase & skiers going up were struggling with the same, opting to ditch the skis.  I think just climbing in boots is the way to go.  I went up the longer way to the left which is along the road & that was crunchier ice with slight challenge to get my snowshoes to grip as the path put in for switch backs had postholing and snowshoe teeth can't grab in a hole (physics problems...).  But it did feel safer when compared to down the steeper route.  Either way- the last hump up to Artist Point is a little of a challenge.  But totally doable, as the many tracks up there demonstrate.  A couple of folks were camping near the Huntoon Point & a whole group (surprising for a Friday) was just around Artist Point so I went further towards Table which lent a nice higher view.  I could also see some fractures forming in that steep snow field and some tracks going around Table, which I would not want to do now.  Seems like an increasing avalanche risk there.  I spotted several other areas across the valley (above where the lakes are currently buried) that also has several significant fractures.  So use caution on those other trails if you want to explore further.  Esp with warming weather and new snows.  I'm no expert, but see pics for some of those fractures. 

It's a lovely view up there, though I do contest it being the best in the state.  I've been wowed more but maybe it's way better in summer.  Will just have to come back (shucks).   It was a windy & fun camping adventure and there were all sorts of routes to snowshoe or x-ski even without going near any avalanchey areas. :)

Celebrating the start of spring break, I went into the mountains for some adventure. I've enjoyed some snowshoe trips up the Mount Baker Highway this winter, but I never made it up to Artist Point. Today, that changed - and all I can say is WOW.

I left Bellingham at 6:00am, and arrived at the Heather Meadows parking lot at 7:30am. The road was fine - after Glacier, there is some compact snow and ice on the road, but go slow and you will be fine (by the time I drove home, a lot of it was melting in the sunshine as well). The last couple of miles, you are driving in a tunnel - there is a TON of snow up there.

White Salmon was the only ski run open today, so it was very quiet at Heather Meadows. There are restrooms at the parking lot (heated!), but one was out of TP, so make sure you bring your own. 

The trail starts to the left of the restrooms. To be honest, it was a confusing start - there are lots of different trails going in different directions. I tried to follow the WTA map and the Alltrails map I had on my phone, but there is currently 162" of snow at Heather Meadows, so everything is approximate. I tried to follow the "road most traveled" but that was easier said than done.

The snow was dry and loose, I was glad to have snowshoes, gaiters, and poles today. Lots of boot prints along the route, though, so I'm sure it's possible. 

It worked best for me to stick close to the official ski area - for the first part of the climb, there was a nice path/trough that went just to the right of the fence. I followed that, it had some switchbacks when it got too steep. Eventually, though, the ski area heads to the left, and the trail up to Artist Point heads to the right. 

This is where things went a bit sideways. There is a knob at around 4800ft that you must go around to get to Artist Point. I saw what looked like good switchbacks up the right side of the knob - this was a BAD IDEA. They turned into narrow ski tracks that I (stubbornly) continued to follow, one snowshoe sliding down the ridge with each step. It wasn't like I would plunge a thousand feet or anything, but it could have been an uncomfortable fall at the very least. One switchback took me around the edge where there actually was a long drop - I felt a little too exposed at that point.

**LESSON LEARNED - as you go up facing the knob, head to the LEFT. It looks like it's flat and even downhill a bit, but way better. It loops to the left around the knob, then heads right up to Artist Point. I'm sure it says this somewhere in the WTA trail guide, I just didn't remember.

Eventually, I wound up back on the "main" track leading up to Artist Point. After the knob, it gets less steep (did I mention I was gasping for air multiple times on this adventure? Obviously "walking around my classroom all day" is not the same as "snowshoe training.") Some beautiful rolling hills, and then you are at the top.

Confession: I came out on the ridge about a third of the way from Artist Point to Huntoon Point - but after the hairy moments on the way up, I was happy to stop there and rest for a bit. The views were amazing - all of the guidebooks are right! Mount Baker (Kulshan), Mount Shuksan, Table Mountain, all surrounded by smaller snow-capped ridges and peaks. As I sat for awhile, snacking and drinking hot cocoa, I felt very small. I also felt awe at the surrounding beauty, and a bit of terror at the idea of going back the way I came. 

Eventually, I started back down. Up to this point, I hadn't seen a single person - but suddenly a guy and his dog show up! He kindly suggested that I follow his trail down around the knob, he said it is "more mellow" (he was right!) I felt a lot better after this, and eventually made my way around the knob, avoiding the steepest part. I did have to climb over a small avalanche (see photo) - it must have happened just before I got there, since it crossed on top of the guy's trail I was following. The sun was really starting to warm that side of the hill, and there were lots of tiny little rollers coming down towards me. I just kept moving along.

The rest of the way down was uneventful. More and more skiers were coming up, so I was glad for my gaiters every time I stepped off the path into knee-deep snow. I made it back to my car safe and sound, physically and emotionally worn out, but also content and renewed, all wrapped up together.

It was sunny the whole time. When I started it was 27 degrees, ended at 32 degrees. I wore hiking pants with a base layer, long-sleeve shirt (could have done short-sleeve for most of it, to be honest). Brimmed hat and sunglasses were a big help (forgot the sunscreen, luckily it was still early when I finished). 3.2 miles total, 860ft elevation, 2 hours 40 minutes total time.

If I could have done one thing differently (besides taking the right path), I would have taken someone with me. I often hike and snowshoe alone, but it would have been helpful to have someone to help make route decisions, and also in case something went wrong. Or I could have started a few hours later, and there would have been more people on the trail, I guess. I will confidently go alone next time, now that I know the route, but this first time it added some unnecessary anxiety. Just food for thought.

Grateful to be in the mountains today - first time to Artist Point really is an experience I will never forget.

Another Baker trip that I leveraged for a snowshoe though the shoes got a free ride. The snow was firm and the trails leading up were well packed down. I used spikes which were helpful, especially climbing up to Austin Pass. From there I followed the path of the summer road around a knob and turning south. The road switchbacks up to the saddle but there's a good shortcut that turns directly upslope well before it. There were quite a few rollers on the slopes higher up, but nothing that had me worried.

Baker was in the clouds, but there were great views in all other directions: Table, Ptarmigan Perch, Coleman Pinnacle, Shannon, Sulphide, Shuksan, and a bit of Baker Lake.  I could have made it to Huntoon Point except I ran out of time. The weather was great on the way up and the views amazing, but ominous clouds were moving in as I descended, and a light snowfall started when I returned to White Salmon to pick up the family.

The road was snow free to the Bagley Lakes Trailhead. Between near the White Salmon Lodge and Heather Meadows there are a number of sections of the road which were riddled with dips. The temperature at 4:55 AM in the parking lot was 28F. There was a very light breeze at times. The snowshoe tread routes were well trodden and very easy going. I rarely sank into the snow more than an inch. Since I went to Huntoon Point last week, I headed towards Table Mountain to catch a sunrise as high up as I could get in time. The treads leading that way end some ways up onto Table Mountain and from there it is pretty serious climbing. I made it up the whole way only once a while back in the wintery season (described here… https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2023-01-27.2741646265), and was content with stopping 50-100 feet from the top this time. The sunrise and views were spectacular and made a good bookend to last week’s sunrise (described here… https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2023-03-22.6859767408).