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Winter Camping
Mt. Baker - Bagley Lakes Area
| FEBRUARY 21 - 22, 2009 The weather gods smiled on us as
we set out from the Mount Baker ski area for a Mountaineers' winter
camping class field trip. We hiked a short distance to an area
near Bagley Lakes. The sky was bright and clear, the weather was
sunny and warm. We set up tents then broke into three groups to
build snow caves. The snow was consolidated, making our task
surprising strenuous. Only one snow cave was completed by a
particularly determined team, but even they decided to sleep in tents
with the rest of us. The instructors had built a clever kitchen
area while we were toiling on our caves, and after dinner, they showed
off their creativity with Christmas lights draped over a nearby tree
and candles glowing in niches carved into our kitchen area. One
creative instructor built an amazing snow lantern that glowed like a
lighthouse in the dark.
It was a mild, star-filled night. There are few things as enjoyable as the sight of snow-capped mountains under a starry sky far from the interference of city lights, and I spent some quiet time star gazing. The temperature stayed above freezing all night, but it was snowing by breakfast. We broke camp early, and by the time we returned to the trailhead, it was raining.
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