Spring 2025 Newsroom

Washington state $5 million e-bike rebate program to start in April

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is set to begin a pair of new programs with the goal of allowing more people access to electric bicycles. The new programs, a rebate for e-bike purchases dubbed “WE-Bike” and an e-bike lending library, were funded by the Washington State Legislature in the 2024 supplemental transportation budget.

WSDOT, along with vendor company APTIM, LLC. will launch the program starting in April 2025. APTIM has been working on educating local bike shops on how to participate in the program.

All Washington state residents are eligible to receive a $300 point-of-sale rebate, with up to $1,200 available for low-income households – though purchases must be made at brick-and-mortar stores, not online, WSDOT said.

“I am thrilled to share that following a competitive bid process in 2024, WSDOT identified APTIM, LLC., to develop the technology and process the agency needs to safely and securely manage the program,” said Adele Peers, who oversees WSDOT’s e-bike program.

APTIM has been administering e-bike rebates at local and state levels for cities like Boston, Boulder, Denver and the state of Colorado, and will now work with local retailers in Washington state to administer the rebates.

Prospective e-bikers with a household income at or below 80 percent of the county-area median income ($64,791 or less in Whatcom County) will be eligible for a $1,200 rebate – roughly covering the cost of an entry-level e-bike, while those not meeting the low-income requirement are eligible for the $300 discount.

Before you go out to the nearest e-bike dealer come April 1, WSDOT made it clear that not everyone who wants a rebate voucher will be able to get one. WSDOT wrote online that it expects to give out “about 8,500” vouchers, most of which will go to low-income households, of which there are about 3 million in the state. A household is only eligible for a single e-bike rebate, WSDOT said.

Among other hoops to jump through for the rebate, only bike shops officially associated with the program are eligible to give out rebates. A list of participating vendors has yet to be revealed. APTIM expects roughly 100 bike shops around the state to be selected for the single-use, point-of-sale rebate voucher.

According to data from the American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, just 0.7 percent of Washington commuters choose to bike for work in 2023, and a majority of those are in urban areas. That figure ranks roughly 12th in the nation.

For those not able to purchase an e-bike or who miss out on the rebate, WSDOT is also piloting an e-bike lending library, allowing local communities to establish their own lending and lease-to-own programs.

The 2023 Move Ahead Washington transportation bill approved by the state legislature earmarked $2 million for the program, which will focus on grant applications for local and tribal governments and their employees, nonprofit organizations, and low-income communities.

Canada closes border permit to Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers

The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced in January it will no longer issue permits to thru-hikers finishing the Pacific Crest Trail without going through an official port of entry, ending a decades-long entry program for weary travelers on the final leg of the 2,650-mile trail.

In a January 27 press release, CBSA said the new policy is an effort to increase security along the border and is in line with U.S. border policy that does not allow hikers to enter the U.S. through Canada without a permit.

“This change will facilitate monitoring of compliance of trail users, enhance security at the border, and aligns with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection who does not allow travellers to enter the U.S. from Canada on the trail.”

The Pacific Crest Trail stretches from Mexico, through California, Oregon and Washington and ends at the Canadian border.

“This is disappointing news,” Jack Haskel, trail information manager for the Pacific Crest Trail Association wrote in response to the CBSA policy. “That said, we can appreciate their points, and the fact that this policy is consistent with the United States’ policy which does not allow entry into the United States via the PCT.”

Before the change in border policy, thru-hikers would take heroic photos at the final marker post, Monument 78, cross the Canadian border, then hike eight miles north to B.C. Highway 3 near Manning Provincial Park and find a ride home.

Now, thru-hikers must immediately double-back at the border and re-tread the 30 miles they just hiked, back to the closest U.S. road at Hart’s Pass and head back to the nearest town of Mazama or Winthrop, Washington.

“Hikers and equestrians should turn around after reaching the Northern Terminus,” Haskel wrote. “We ask that everyone travels with the utmost respect for nature by practicing gold standard Leave No Trace practices. This area will experience increased use now that more people are traveling this section of the PCT twice.”

If thru-hikers wish to continue traveling into Canada, CBSA said they must declare themselves at an official land point of entry. The nearest of those are 60 miles away in Abbotsford or Osoyoos.

The change is another page in a tumultuous chapter of U.S.-Canadian relations since the start of the Trump administration’s second term, which has threatened 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports if the country doesn’t take steps to deter illegal border crossings and boasted of annexing the country as the U.S.’s 51st state.

Mt. Baker Splitfest to fund crucial avalanche organization

Mt. Baker Splitfest is set to return to the Mt. Baker backcountry starting Friday, March 14 through Sunday, March 17.

The weekend event will feature splitboarding tours organized by Glacier-based adventure guides Guided Exposure, ample demo opportunities with a host of top of the line splitboard brands, and a raffle at Chair 9 in Glacier at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 15. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit Northwest Avalanche Center, the region’s leading mountain weather forecaster.

Bob Rodgers and Terry Schmidbauer co-founded Mt. Baker Splitfest to allow the splitboard community to celebrate some of the best terrain in the Pacific Northwest. After starting in 2010, the festival has become one of the largest winter sports mixers in the region.

In the past six years, the Saturday night raffle has raised over $28,000 for Northwest Avalanche Center, Rodgers said.

“It’s a good way to demo gear, it’s a good way to meet up with a bunch of people who want to go out into the backcountry, and we do a safety talk so people know what kind of condition to expect,” said Rodgers.

The festival is free to attend, but Rodgers recommends bringing cash for the raffle – which features prizes from various winter sports manufacturers – and for those who plan on touring the backcountry to bring their own avalanche gear and the knowledge to use it properly.

For schedules, a full list of sponsors and demo vendors, and more information on the weekend of fun, visit splitfest.com.

Legendary Banked Slalom returns after hiatus

It’s no secret that the 2023-24 winter season at Mt. Baker had some of the worst winter weather in recent memory.

According to the Washington State Climate Office, last year’s winter snowpack on Mt. Baker ended with 94 inches of snow depth, the fourth-lowest in the past 30 years. Not only did that mean fewer days for good skiing, it also meant Mt. Baker Ski Area was forced to kibosh its 35th edition of the Legendary Banked Slalom.

The world’s longest-running snowboard race returned to Mt. Baker Ski Area for a beautiful bluebird weekend on February 7, 8 and 9, and featured racers from around the globe.

The race starts at the top of Chair 5 at Mt. Baker Ski Area, utilizing a “natural half-pipe” that sends upwards of 400 snowboarders careening down a challenging slalom track until five racers in each age and gender group reach the final round.

Racers range in age from 10 to 70, and feature groups of professional and former Olympians to novices and those just looking to challenge themselves. This year’s top times were set by boarders from Glacier, Seattle and Bellingham to Sollerön, Sweden and Manly, Australia.

Tucker Andrews, 33, from Crested Butte, Colorado claimed the fastest overall time of 1:08.67. Torger Frail, of Brackendale, B.C., and Payten Pitaoulis, from Revelstoke, B.C., both 12, won their age bracket with respective times of 1:13.83 and 1:18.45. Douglas Gundlach, the oldest winner at 62 from Seattle, won the Super Masters division with a time of 1:23.40.