Since moving to the Pacific Northwest I have been interested to try snowshoeing. Growing up in Texas I was never really exposed to any snow activities. I assumed snowshoeing would be just like hiking in the snow; therefore, if I love hiking then I will love snowshoeing. With an REI gift card burning a hole in our pockets, my husband and I decided we were going to rent snowshoes and head to the mountains. We loaded up the car mid-afternoon and after a quick trip to REI we headed north towards Mount Baker. Our evening was spent in a charming cabin in Deming, WA. The only heat source for the entire cabin was a wood burning stove that warmed us as we spent the evening reading by the fireside. We woke up the next morning chilled as the fire from the previous night had died out hours before. We were filled with energy as we packed up for the less than an hours drive to the Mount Baker backcountry ski area. Within an hours drive we went from a green, lush environment to a winter wonderland in the North Cascades.

We were geared up and hitting the trail by 10:00 am. Right away snowshoeing was a lot easier than I thought it would be. After reading trips reports from recent visits to the area I learned that when travelling up the trail we needed to stay to the right of the roped-off downhill ski area. Following this guideline we spent the morning and afternoon snowshoeing around the snow filled valley watching the skiers and snowboarders fly down the mountain zig-zagging through the fresh snow. Several feet of light and fluffy surrounded the area for miles in every direction. At times we would follow tracks created by other people and sometimes we would choose destinations and create our own pathways through the snow. As beginner snowshoers we decided not to attempt the hike to Artist Point and instead we spent the day familiarizing ourselves with the equipment snowshoeing around the valley.

Exhausted from our days efforts hiking through the snow, we headed to the parking lot to load up and picnic in the car before heading down the mountain. As we left the snowy mountaintops behind, a sign for Nooksack Falls lured us off the highway for a short side trip. We made the quick trip the the waterfall viewing point, but the perspective from the fenced area near the top of the falls gives you just a peak of Nooksack Falls. I enjoyed the landscape looking downstream as a light fog hung over the valley in the distance.

The cold air urged us to head back to the warmth of our car and we continued our way back towards Seattle. As we drove away from Mount Baker and the North Cascades all I could think about was when I’d be back again. Soon I hope.