Skyline Divide

While we were wandering about the Alps, Jon (J2) told me about a Pacific NorthWest hike that we definitely needed to do when we got home. In his words, it was "the best views for the amount of effort that you put in." Mumsy is training for Kilimanjaro, and I needed a recovery trip after hiking the Enchantments a few weeks before... so on a weekend while I was still in Washington, we headed up the mountain!

 

The first few miles of the trail winds uphill through the woods, climbing the side of the ridge, until the trees begin to open into pockets of grass and wildflowers. Finally cresting the ridge, Mt Baker was suddenly in front of us. We could see the trail threading up and along the crest of the ridge, slowly making its way to the brown toe of the mountain.

After crossing a few of the crests, we dropped into a valley below the mountain. J2 loves streams running through mountain meadows, and we hiked until we found one such stream. The trail dissappeared after that, becoming first braided in the heather and finally vanishing into small game trails. We could have cut south, directly up the slope, to where we would more than likely find the trail again, but decided to stay on the trail and go back the way we came.

The stream near our turnaround point. I think J2 could have easily taken up residence here. 

 Looking back at the mountain, it's obvious why Skyline Divide is so highly rated by PNW hikers. Evidently, the rest of Whatcom county thinks it's a no-brainer, too, because the trail was packed and dotted with tents by the time we hiked down mid-day. If you plan on hiking it, go in the morning. Watch the weather, because the ridge is exposed, and I wouldn't like to be out on it in a blow or without sunscreen.

 The parking lot was tight as a sardine can and nearly as impossible to get out of when we tried to head back down! Cranking out of a boxed-in parking space took popping the truck into 4WD, and Mom stood at the end of the 'alley' to let us know when it was clear to squeeze through the Subarus and Priuses that were nose-to-tail on both sides of the access road. A few miles from the turnoff, just before the worst of the ruts and monster potholes, a guy in a pristine white Subaru Outback waved us down and asked if he'd be able to make it to the top. Buckley thinks he probably made it...