Richard Olmer
So, I kept a promise to myself
Published on Wed, May 5, 2010 by Richard OlmerRead More Olmer
Since Candy and I moved to Sequim 13 years ago, I have been promising myself to go to Mount Baker. I looked at maps and discovered there was a road built just for this purpose ... to get close and personal with Mount Baker.
Still, despite going to nearby Bellingham for two long weekends, despite walking on Dungeness Spit and seeing it floating above the Strait of Juan de Fuca, despite seeing it dominate the horizon from Port Williams Beach; still I had not been to Mount Baker.
The most spectacular picture I have seen of the New Dungeness Lighthouse shows Mount Baker in the background.
This mountain etched its profile into my mind, stirred my imagination, beckoned me, teased me ... yet I never had gone to see it until last week.
Close view, long drive
The round trip to Mount Baker from Sequim was about 500 miles (including a jaunt into Canada). It took about six hours one-way with stops for food, waits for ferries, a self-guided tour of Deception Pass on Whidbey Island and a photo stop at Nooksack Falls.
How can it take so long to get somewhere that you can see so easily?
The answer, my friend, is water.
To get from here to there without a ferry ride probably would add 100-plus miles each way.
Mount Baker is very special to me because I often find myself admiring it from far away. It gets more snow every year than any other resort just about anywhere.
Colorado had wonderful skiing but they measure their snow base in inches, not feet or hundreds of feet. I love snow. I prefer chills to sweats.
Seeing Mount Baker from 100 miles away makes me happy and being on it was special.
Mount Shuksan
But Mount Baker is even more worth the trip because a little to the east is Mount Shuksan. What a rugged, fantastic mountain. Friends had told me that I'd like Mount Shuksan; they were right.
This is the mountain that I want pictured beside the definition of mountain.
It's maybe not quite tall enough for some mountain lovers, but, to me, it captures the essence of mountain. It has snow, it is jagged, aloof and dominates the horizon.
I know that Mount Olympus is supposed to be the home of God but Shuksan has the look of a holy residence to me.
It's funny, but the view of Mount Baker from the Olympic Peninsula reminds me of Mont Saint-Michel and the Normandy beaches not too far away. Places that capture emotions and dreams for me and memories both good and bad.
I never have seen Mount Shuksan from Sequim. I see Mount Baker often when driving east from Port Angeles. It's funny how just seeing Mount Baker hanging on the horizon makes me happy about being here.
In Maryland, we had mountains, but it would take more than three Maryland mountains piled on top of each other to make one Mount Baker.
Life here is good.
Richard Olmer can be reached via e-mail at columnists@sequimgazette.com.
Still, despite going to nearby Bellingham for two long weekends, despite walking on Dungeness Spit and seeing it floating above the Strait of Juan de Fuca, despite seeing it dominate the horizon from Port Williams Beach; still I had not been to Mount Baker.
The most spectacular picture I have seen of the New Dungeness Lighthouse shows Mount Baker in the background.
This mountain etched its profile into my mind, stirred my imagination, beckoned me, teased me ... yet I never had gone to see it until last week.
Close view, long drive
The round trip to Mount Baker from Sequim was about 500 miles (including a jaunt into Canada). It took about six hours one-way with stops for food, waits for ferries, a self-guided tour of Deception Pass on Whidbey Island and a photo stop at Nooksack Falls.
How can it take so long to get somewhere that you can see so easily?
The answer, my friend, is water.
To get from here to there without a ferry ride probably would add 100-plus miles each way.
Mount Baker is very special to me because I often find myself admiring it from far away. It gets more snow every year than any other resort just about anywhere.
Colorado had wonderful skiing but they measure their snow base in inches, not feet or hundreds of feet. I love snow. I prefer chills to sweats.
Seeing Mount Baker from 100 miles away makes me happy and being on it was special.
Mount Shuksan
But Mount Baker is even more worth the trip because a little to the east is Mount Shuksan. What a rugged, fantastic mountain. Friends had told me that I'd like Mount Shuksan; they were right.
This is the mountain that I want pictured beside the definition of mountain.
It's maybe not quite tall enough for some mountain lovers, but, to me, it captures the essence of mountain. It has snow, it is jagged, aloof and dominates the horizon.
I know that Mount Olympus is supposed to be the home of God but Shuksan has the look of a holy residence to me.
It's funny, but the view of Mount Baker from the Olympic Peninsula reminds me of Mont Saint-Michel and the Normandy beaches not too far away. Places that capture emotions and dreams for me and memories both good and bad.
I never have seen Mount Shuksan from Sequim. I see Mount Baker often when driving east from Port Angeles. It's funny how just seeing Mount Baker hanging on the horizon makes me happy about being here.
In Maryland, we had mountains, but it would take more than three Maryland mountains piled on top of each other to make one Mount Baker.
Life here is good.
Richard Olmer can be reached via e-mail at columnists@sequimgazette.com.
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