June 12, 2006, Mt Baker / Table Mtn

The best view of Mt Baker all day was at sunrise from Anacortes on my way out the door €“ beautiful clear blue sky.  The clouds looked thick up the upper Skagit valley so that made the decision to head to Baker pretty easy.  Unfortunately the weather was moving in from the East and it started to rain as soon as I got on the cat track on the way out of the ski area parking lot.  Showers came in and out all morning and never got too bad but they did put a damper on doing anything too ambitious €“ the slopes around Coleman Pinnacle looked tempting but I decided to play it safe and stay closer in (a problem with my brand new Megarides helped make that decision €“ see Random Tracks).  Found pretty good conditions on all aspects.  The snowpack was well consolidated and bootable topped with about 3€ or so of small, soft suncups and rain runnels €“ a little bumpy, but very carveable.  Added a few new white tracks in the slightly dirty snow of Blueberry Chutes and a final run down Austin back to the car.   Felt good to finally get out and enjoy some turns and test out some new gear despite the iffy weather and equipment issues.   FYI €“ The Austin Pass/Artist Pt road is still blocked by a ~6ft wall of snow right at the upper ski area parking lot so the skiing should last for quite a while yet.  Pics added...