Baker Uphill Policy

Does Mt. Baker ski area have any sort of published uphill policy? Under their Forest Service lease, can they tell non-lift users to leave the ski area?

On our way up for some mellow turns in the Swift Creek drainage today, Duncan (the general manager) buzzed us by about fourteen inches on his snowmobile, clearly trying to run us off the road. At the time, we were just passing chair two, hugging the right side of the cat-track. Happy to be alive, we continued skinning, but a short while later he returned, screaming at us to get out of the way (whose way were we in?). His parting words were "It's pretty simple, this ski area is for going downhill. If you are going uphill, get outside of the rope!" Wanting to get as far away from him as possible, we were happy to oblige.

I have heard of the strained relationship between ski area management and the backcountry community, but was shocked at the agressiveness and use of intimidation tactics. Going around the ski area is not difficult, but it surely will push people with little backcountry knowledge into avalanche terrain. Is there, in fact, a no uphill policy at Baker?

Other than that, soft snow, a little low visibility excitement, and good times were had by all. 

All Mount Baker policies are whatever Duncan says they are on that day.

If pushed they will just put "Run Closed" signs on the groomer at the edge of the parking lot and then start ticketing people who have gone beyond the signs. It's not a fight worth starting.

They are already using the closed signs at the tops of all the steep runs in bounds when avalanche danger is high or coverage is low. It's easy enough to skin up Austin at (or outside) the rope line and they have signage near Terminal Lake that says to do so. Especially in early season conditions when the cat track is narrow on that steep pitch there isn't much room to share between a beginner skier and a couple of people skinning up two-wide on the groomer.

Yeah, I am not interested in starting any fights, just rather appalled by the way the situation was handled. It's a shame things are that way.

Yeah, I am not interested in starting any fights, just rather appalled by the way the situation was handled. It's a shame things are that way.

I really don't miss the baker ski area.