Get Stoked! Local ski photographer Grant Gunderson talks about his craft. Grant Gunderson, a Bellingham-based ski photographer, has been published in every major ski publication worldwide, including Ski, Skiing, Powder, Outside and many foreign titles. Powder Magazine describes Grant “as one of the world’s top action sports photographers.”
Wild and Untamed I awoke cold and shivering, wondering where I was. Looking up, I saw the stuff of nightmares – the Picket Range looming overhead, her ridges and slopes beguiling but terrifying at the same time. I tried to fall back asleep, but slept fitfully realizing that I was indeed in the Pickets and scared as hell they’d keep me forever entombed in moonlit fingers of snow and ice.
Snow Night Nothing is as magical as camping in the winter. Often seen as a cold, wet, survival-only experience, winter camping is a perfect way to extend your ski or snowshoe trips an extra day or two. If you’ve ever backpacked or camped, you’re halfway there. You’ll just need to be prepared, and never underestimate how much energy and focus it takes to stay warm and dry. If you’ve never tried camping in the snow before, staying close to the car is a good idea for the first trip.
Eagle Eye Witness the annual bald eagle migration.
Raven Hut A new Mt. Baker lodge opening this winter. Skiers and snowboarders carving up the powder at Mt. Baker Ski Area will soon have another place to rest their weary, boot-clad feet.
The best piece of advice I ever received on living in the Pacific Northwest was to learn a sport for every season. So, 15 years ago I took a cross-country skiing course from ski guru Steve Hindman and his equally skilled wife, Susan.
Moonstruck My first moonlight snowshoe trip was with the Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department. An excited bunch of snowshoers with skills ranging from novice to expert gathered in the late afternoon for the trip up to the mountain. While the slopes may be overrun with skiers and snowboarders during the day, at night they are open and lonesome, shared only by the night-owl grooming crew and a few intrepid souls willing to venture out into dark.
Winter Gear A guide to the season's best by Molly Baker.
Shape up Do you think of winter as your lazy time of year? With shorter days and grey weather, playing outside often gets trumped by movies, books and comfort food. Don’t get too comfortable, though – late fall and early winter are the key times to start a fitness program that will last all year long. The following combination of exercises will increase stamina, stability and energy.
Winter Ready Just call her La Niña’s twin sister. Weather experts say heavy snowfall is on the way for the Northwest with another La Niña system moving in.
Brewed in Bellingham In the Northwest, you don’t have to go far for good beer. If there isn’t a craft brewery within a half-hour’s drive, you’ll probably be able to find a bar serving a variety of local, handmade or hard-to-find brews.
