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Mt. Baker questions

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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
Im thinking about a trip to baker and stevens pass this winter. I have a few questions. I get out west about once a year, not really much back country experience at all. If i go to baker mid February, how is the snow? will i need avy gear/training? Im from michigan and im looking for somewhere cheap and not crowded and like big mtn. what about accommodations around baker? Were deciding between this and Big sky. Im open to other areas if you guys know of any.

++++++K for help.
Nov 21 2011 12:03PM
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Mama.
Posts: 3066 - Karma: 2,607
A Texan in jeans ain't gon steal my pow stash.
Nov 23 2011 6:48PM
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selkirks
Posts: 1979 - Karma: 62
Much misinformation in this thread. February is not a low-moisture month for the PNW. December typically has more moisture, but February often gets quite a bit of snow and there's less guesswork on coverage. If you're interested in an unpretentious experience with locals that care and drier snow, you're welcome at Schweitzer, Idaho. Whitefish, MT is a similar option. The Cascade rain shadow means drier snow--and with 300" of average annual snowfall and the best tree skiing around, who can complain?
Nov 23 2011 8:38PM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
thanks for the help everyone. +K for everyone that gave serious answers. hopefully i can make it up there sometime
Nov 23 2011 9:19PM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
300" is hardly any. shit, jay peak gets more. Scheweitzer gets a ton of wet snow, and to top it off is pretty darn flat.Ive had too many rainy/sleety days to count...not to mention the fact that it gets rediculously foggy.

It gets really, fucking cold though in december and early january, but then it has similar weather to the cascades...miinus the copious amounts of snow. It is the best area by far in the area, but i was not impressed.

That was my experience for the 4 years i was in the area.
Nov 23 2011 9:34PM
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Casey
Posts: 7899 - Karma: 25,064
god you're annoying
Nov 23 2011 11:28PM
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TheUngroomed
Posts: 1251 - Karma: 335
squaw, alpine, mammoth, kirk, heavenly.  /trip planned
Nov 23 2011 11:37PM
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Ducky.
Posts: 5811 - Karma: 1,420
It rains at Baker, every single day. Don't go.
Nov 24 2011 12:00AM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Baker is nothing but endless pillow lines and chest deep powder. To top it off, there's no yuppie resort bullshit plaguing the are. So yeah, Baker sucks. Go to Colorado if you want to ski on "mountains."
Nov 24 2011 2:19AM
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ReetsAdeets
Posts: 1531 - Karma: 611
Gaper Texan in jeans=bunny hill. Experienced skier= one more person in line on a good day and one more person to put tracks in the untouched.
Nov 24 2011 11:30AM
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DaysToCome
Posts: 1601 - Karma: 86
yeah but only summit county and vail. the rest of colorado sucks. especially the southern part. not worth going down there
Nov 25 2011 12:35AM
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mccsteezy
Posts: 1170 - Karma: 38
groomers arnt pow stashes ashley. willows is.
Nov 27 2011 1:41AM
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PANDA_SWAGGA
Posts: 490 - Karma: 16
Click for larger image
Nov 27 2011 11:20AM
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ReignMan
Posts: 1852 - Karma: 226
you will have a horrible time and it will be wet and warm the entire trip.
Nov 27 2011 12:46PM
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Mama.
Posts: 3066 - Karma: 2,607
??
Nov 27 2011 1:24PM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
4 inches of rain at Baker in the past 24 hours. Please, tell me that it only snows.
Nov 27 2011 2:24PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,684
Seriously, this is perfect timing.

I can't believe all the pow going on at Mt. Baker! Bring your snorkel,
because the puddles will be big enough to swim in.
Nov 27 2011 3:38PM
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gombo8
Posts: 726 - Karma: 131
no. your wrong. i live and hour away from stevens. yes it rains here but opening day i thought i was skiing in utah. it was the dryest and lightest snow ive ever skiied in washington. this season is going to be killer.

OP feb is kinda the downer month in the PNW. march is the best and dec can bring the goods. this season should be great tho. if your going to baker i would suggest avy gear to get the best skiing in. at stevens the backcountry is kinda pointless, unless you like hiking out or hitch hiking back to the resort. we got a bit of a rain system in here this morning and a little bit of yesterday but it started snowing again.

and where else do you get to ski a 24 inches of killer pow on novemeber 19??
Nov 27 2011 9:15PM
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gombo8
Posts: 726 - Karma: 131
actually baker is so cheap because its private...no big corporations own that mountain...and its season passes arnt that expensive, they are 750 i think. compared to whistler or copper or somewhere thats pretty good.
Nov 27 2011 9:17PM
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tj.hall
Posts: 681 - Karma: 37
This.
It's not all that bad, but you better be ready to get wet.. It's always worth it though, unless you're at Snoqualmie. Then it just kinda sucks to ski park in the rain. But it's still skiing. Not much to complain about.
Nov 27 2011 10:27PM
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Inline.
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 432
Come to Bridger Bowl. It's PRIME mid-february. So much pow
Nov 27 2011 10:31PM
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,467
Baker lost something like 10 inches of base due to rain today. Sure come on up here if you like 38 degrees and side ways rain.
Nov 27 2011 10:33PM
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,467
Shhhhhh, thats a secret!
Nov 27 2011 10:35PM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
While I realize that the snow here is technically denser than elsewhere, I have not gotten wet once. It isn't really a problem if you aren't wearing shit outerwear.

And honestly, I much prefer dense PNW pow (with a guaranteed base) over champagne powder on top of jagged rocks *cough*Utah*cough*
Nov 28 2011 12:15AM
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TannerBalls
Posts: 3197 - Karma: 1,310
go to whistler brooooooooooooo
Nov 28 2011 12:18AM
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Glacier-Skier
Posts: 147 - Karma: 211

Baker is my first love. I have a life time of memories there. Opening day was great and the snow was great

http://gallery.mtbaker.us/#/content/Recent Photos/11-19-11 Day After Opening Day/

.

http://gallery.mtbaker.us/#/content/Videos/Opening Day Mt. Baker 2011 Wild Card Movies.flv

Nov 28 2011 1:47AM
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.RYAN66
Posts: 5381 - Karma: 231
Nah man you got it all wrong. Summit is horrible only park people ski here. Everyone needs to head to vail. I hear they have super cheap food there too!
Nov 28 2011 1:12PM
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.zobel.
Posts: 1614 - Karma: 124
Washington sucks. it always rains at baker, and there isn't any real terrain
Nov 28 2011 1:29PM
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Ryanvdonk
Posts: 12811 - Karma: 1,971
yep, colorado has no mountains...as you can clearly see this is a ridge, not a mountain:

Click for larger image
Nov 28 2011 2:32PM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Meh. Likely a mile trek up a flat bowl only to reach a short, overexposed face that isn't incredibly steep to begin with. That's exactly how I remember the place...
Nov 28 2011 4:50PM
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Ryanvdonk
Posts: 12811 - Karma: 1,971
the only part of that you got right was the long tour in...but that's very unlikely the place you remember if you think colorado is flat.
Nov 29 2011 2:58AM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
gotta bump this thread. have a few questions.

next season I want to take a trip out to baker, stevens, and crystal. knowing you guys said thats the weather is really unpredictable, is there usually a month where it snows more then others? im thinking thanksgiving next year. mabye christmas? help me out here. is the weather that unpredictable that I shouldnt make a trip out?

Thanks guys +K for help
Jan 4 2012 4:50PM
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*Bird
Posts: 1895 - Karma: 316
seriously all it does is rain. its so damn annoying. when we get those crazy storms its just extremely heavy. Everyone gets supper hyped on it when its really not that amazing. i would go somewhere that you can depend on having good snow
Jan 4 2012 5:03PM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
cant really tell if your fucking with me or not.


but anways, It seems like every edit out of baker and stevens, it looks sooo gnarly. I know I could go to alta and ski some pow, but the shit at stevens in bounds looks 10x better
Jan 4 2012 5:08PM
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,467
Its raining at baker again. Ski area closed today due to high winds, warm weather, and but loads of rain. Go to whistler still snowing in the alpine.
Jan 4 2012 5:09PM
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*Bird
Posts: 1895 - Karma: 316
people always think we are fucking with them but its true
Jan 4 2012 5:10PM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
shit, your right. would stevens be any different or is it all of the PNW?
Jan 4 2012 5:15PM
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*Bird
Posts: 1895 - Karma: 316
lol i remember when everyone thought this season would be sick after those first weekends of blower.......now tell me how thats going
Jan 4 2012 5:16PM
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,467
Every where in the PNW experiences rain like this throughout the winter. Happens when you live so close to the ocean.

It's hard to plan a trip to baker, best to stay for the whole season.
Jan 4 2012 5:17PM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
sounds like it. thanks much for the help!
Jan 4 2012 5:29PM
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Che~
Posts: 2108 - Karma: 296
Silverton, Telluride, Wolf Creek????
Way more snow and way better terrain. Southwest Colorado is the tits
Jan 4 2012 6:26PM
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