Amazing location. Almost don't want to leave a review so it can remain a secret. Mt. Baker Lodging…read moredid a great job setting us up. Highly recommend, great for families with kiddos 12 and younger.

Snowater and Resorts West Vacation Club: Esoteric Cascades…read moreMountains The genesis for this business/ski trip was serendipitous. A primary professional organization to which I have been a lifelong member decided to hold a membership lottery. I have presented scholarly papers, chaired several committees, served on the national Board of Directors, and certify national higher educational programs for this organization. The national organization prepared a lottery for professors who recruited new members, and I was entered automatically in the lottery. The lottery prize consisted of two coach tickets to any national/international conference anywhere in the continental U.S. Little did I suspect that I would win free airline tickets. I already had papers accepted for presentation at an international conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. Remember the airline tickets were negotiable for the U.S. I know U.S. and Canadian geography. We redeemed the prize tickets for round trip coach tickets to Bellingham, WA. Do you know the location of Bellingham, WA.? Bellingham, WA. is beautiful town located on the Puget Sound, and Bellingham is one and one-half hour south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Nearby is Snowater and Resorts West Vacation Club. Snowater and Resorts West Vacation Club is only a twenty-minute drive to the Mount Baker Ski Area that has an average annual snowpack of 250 inches and fantastic skiing from November through April. Delta quickly redeemed the lottery prize, and we used our Delta Elite membership to upgrade to first class from Dayton to Sea-Tac international airport. Normally Sea-Tac international airport has a hefty cab fee into Seattle, and the rental car drive into Seattle might be an unpleasant experience due to heavy traffic. However, we were able to by-pass this problem because we connected with Alaskan Air to Bellingham, WA. We were somewhat amazed at the quality of service of Alaskan Air. Naturally, we were flying a commuter flight from Sea-Tac to Bellingham, WA. To our surprise the flight attendants were serving free wine to all passengers aboard the flight. I know several large carriers that could learn some lessons from Alaskan Air. Bellingham is a very small airport, and the car rental is a few steps from the luggage area. We always pack our own skis and ski boots for any ski trip. It is too much of a gamble to use rental ski equipment. Following deplaning we were home at Snowater and Resorts West Vacation Club within an hour. The following day we drove to Vancouver, B.C., presented the papers, found a great seafood restaurant for lunch, and returned to Snowater and Resorts West Vacation Club to prepare for nearly a week of skiing. Snowater is situated on the Nooksack River at the edge of the Mount Baker National Forest. Mount Baker is part of the Cascade Range. The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to northern California. Many peaks in the Cascades exceed 10,000 feet, including Mount Hood (11,235 feet), Mount Rainier (14,410 feet). Most of the summits are extinct volcanoes, but Lassen Peak (10,457 feet) and several others have erupted in the recent past. Mount Baker (10,778 feet) steamed heavily in 1975, and Mount St. Helens (8,365 feet) erupted in 1980 and again in 1981. The Cascades are beautiful to view from a commercial jet, from the urban areas, and especially from the ski slopes. The Interval International website does not do justice to the interior and exterior beauty of Snowater and Resorts West Vacation Club. The cedar siding of the townhouses blends in with the mountain forest. Check in required minutes, and there is absolutely no confusion in locating the specific condo. The kitchen is very functional, as is the cookware and plate ware. The dining room and living room are comfortable. The fireplaces are essential for the ambiance of a mountain retreat. We had a two-bedroom unit, and the master bedroom is very usable and comfortable. We had plenty of room to spread out our skis and all the ski apparel. The window seats with the extended large windows permitted the outdoors to merge with the condo. Snowater and Resorts West Vacation Club is at an elevation of only 1,000 feet. This meant that it was virtually spring at the condo, but winter at the Mount Baker Ski Area. We were able to find provisions nearby. There are a few restaurants in the area. Our holiday focused on intense skiing, and we were pleased to prepare most of our meals at the condo. Following an exhaustive day of skiing, the Snowater and Resorts West Vacation Club sauna, hot tub, and heated pools were beneficial to tired muscles. We transitioned from a mountain of snow to a national park setting in spring conditions in a few minutes. Often in Centerville, Ohio, we might receive eight - thirteen inches of snow overnight. My snow blower will clear the driveway and sidewalks in less than an hour.

I was looking for places to stay to hike Ptarmigan Ridge trail in Mt Baker Snoqualmie National…read moreForest. I think Glacier is one of the closest towns. The website is archaic - maybe a relic of the 90s. You have to apply to book a room. You type in your credit card info. And then you'll get a confirmation back that it was booked. This happened relatively quickly. You pick up your keys at 9 chairs, the pizza restaurant right next door. The restaurant closes at 9 but they can accommodate after hours check ins. The room was clean. There's a small balcony as well. The wifi was very bad. There are 3 options and one of them worked better than the rest. There's no cable, just a stack of DVDs. We could hear our neighbors, but the sound died down around 9 or 10. Check out was easy - we just left the keys in the room. Blue T Lodge is a good option for the area.

Ok so...this place is awesome and, after disregarding some of these reviews and spending 4 nights…read morehere this past week, I can say with no remorse that some of these other reviews seem like some big ol' "Karens", to me If you want to call the lodge, it's better to dial the phone number for Chair 9 (the restaurant that's basically attached to the lodge). There are only 6 rooms and it's sort of a secondary business, owned and operated by the Restaurant 5 feet away.......its that kind of small town. Google said 147 people but the locals swear they're closing in on 200 now So in a place this isolated, I was thrilled to find a spot with super cute rooms, a restaurant and a vibrant bar...when the rest of the area doesn't even have cell phone service, Uber, grocery stores or public transportation. This place is an Oasis, is my point. It is the closest place to trails/slopes where you can get WiFi... which is important because, again, you won't have cell reception. It's also the closest place to find a bed and a roof over your head, a beer and/or a Jameson, pizza, nachos, wings or the occasional live band. I ended up staying here for 4 nights because my backpacking trip got screwed up due to the Bear Creek Fire and an unexpected lightning storm. The restaurant/lodge staff welcomed me in like I had known them for years. They really went above and beyond for me. I ended up just doing day hikes in the area during the days and hanging out at the Chair 9 Bar with their rockstar staff, the handful of half-crazy (but very sweet) locals and all the other tourists every night. It was a nice consolation prize for mother nature ruining my 90 mile, 7 night backpacking plans. If you're a hiker, snowboarder, photographer, mountain climber or wilderness lover (if you're not, then why would you come up here?), then this place is your launching point into the North Cascades and Baker Wilderness. You will meet like minded, alpine enthusiasts and may even get a room next door to a professional mountaineer who invites you up a glacier with them (like I did ). The rooms are certainly nicer than I was expecting for an area so off the grid. I forgot to take a picture I stayed in #2 and #1 on different nights. The downstairs units have small, open patios and the upstairs units have balconies. Both up and downstairs have views straight into the surrounding forest. It's really pretty. There's also a swing out back made out of an old ski-lift chair. Is this place in the middle of absolute nowhere? YES! TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. Usually when I venture to obscure mountain or desert locations, I have to stay at whatever crappy motel or campground happens to be closest...not up in this area. You've got an awesome spot with a fantastic staff...treat them with kindness and they'll bend over backwards for you. I'll be back up in the winter. I hear the snowboarding is awesome.

I've taken multiple courses through Guided Exposure over the last couple of years, including AIARE…read more1 and 2 and AIARE Rescue Course, and have been thoroughly impressed with the depth of knowledge and quality of learning experiences. Jere, Jess and recently Katie, are professional, welcoming and exceptionally skilled in avalanche training and rescue. Class sizes are intentionally small for meaningful one on one instruction, and usually two instructors are involved for even more individualized guidance and support. Guided Exposure strongly encourages avalanche education, emphasizes back country safety and offers a wide range of courses to meet learners at every level. Additionally, guided services are offered, locally and abroad. Jere is well traveled and has experience guiding in numerous places. The website has a list of future trips while stopping by the office offers even more trip options and hype! I'll continue using Guided Exposure for continuing education and trips. It's hard to beat the camaraderie, expertise and skill-based learning offered here.

We just stayed two nights here in late summer. Very reasonable rates, and comfortable room. Not a…read morestate-of-the-art mattress, but the rest of the gear was fine and worked well. A real log cabin. Full kitchen, plus some plastic chairs, a fire ring, and a year's supply of seasoned firewood outside. The guy in charge, Tom, was great - full of good advice and accessible, and his wife and kids as well. The cabins are in a nice, sparsely populated and wooded neighborhood, within walking distance of a big creek and lots of woods. Good choice for settling in for a while to explore Mt Baker and the small towns on the road in, which include some decent restaurants.

Awesome 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom vacation rental house up near Mt. Baker. Sleeps up to 12 and has a…read moresuper open floorplan. It's right between to two little towns of Glacier and Maple Falls so there are restaurants nearby. Easy to book on VRBO or their website. It's a great getaway either for fun times with friends or with family!

We spent the most wonderful week-end at the Sasquatch Mountain Hideaway cabin, perfect distance…read morefrom Mt. Baker. I've been trying to come up with one word to describe the area and I can't! It's peaceful, relaxing, beautiful, amazing, lovely, just everything you would want to experience on a week-end get-a-way. I would suggest staying a week! We went exploring on Saturday, our first stop was the small town of Glacier just 4 miles up the road. We stopped at the little Grocery store, to pick up a few supplies. They have espresso!! If you order it before you shop they bring it to you while you shop. Also, ice cream on the cone. There's an adorable 2nd hand store, they sell homemade soaps and candles as well. I Love this town! Leaving Glacier we headed toward Nooksack falls just 7 miles further up the road. Breathe taking view. I watched the Deer Hunters movie a few weeks ago, and I knew that the Nooksack falls were featured in the hunting scene of the movie. Did Meryl Streep and Robert DeNiro walk the same path as we did??? Probably not, but it's still absolutely worth the stop, it's beautifully dangerous. Back on the one way road to Mt, Baker Highway, then 14 miles to Artist Point, located at the very end of Mount Baker Highway. I felt a little intimidated on the road to artist Point, it's only about 3 miles long and with the switchbacks it's crazy exciting and lovely winding up more than 5000 feet above sea level as you arrive at the top. Yes, it boasts 360-degree views of Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker. All of this, just 22 miles from the Sasquatch Mountain Hideaway cabin. We climbed a short distance to an open area, and had lunch in the snow, on a beautiful August afternoon. What do you do when you didn't bring a sled? Well you use your coat and you go Coatesbogganing! We returned to the cabin, and started the grill. We had Grilled salmon, salad, baked potato and white wine, all out on the balcony. A very pleasant non-exhausting day. This mountain hideaway features a gourmet kitchen, private bedrooms; lovely bathrooms, leather sofas big screen TV's and choice of movies, or bring your own. If you wish they have big foot slippers to wear around the cabin, and much more. This cabin is perfectly located for enjoying every season for any reason, I love our beautiful Great Northwest. The Sasquatch Mountain Hideaway makes it easy.

Super cute lodge! Room was super clean and beautiful only an hourish away from mount baker…read more Reasonably priced as well! would absolutely come back.

Only reason this place gets a two star rating is that the room was quite clean and the girl at the…read morefront desk was very nice. Beyond that it was pretty much a disaster. First of all the window closure was broken so it couldn't be closed completely. The window blinds also couldn't be closed so no blocking out the light from the outside. The bathroom faucet had a steady stream that couldn't be stopped. The air conditioner barely worked, was noisy as f@!k, and since it was warm outside the room was like a sauna. And, because our room was right above the restaurant, and the window wouldn't close, it smelled like old grease. As much as I'd like to say this place has potential with some renovations, the location is seriously lacking. Yes, it has a partial view of Mt Baker but beyond that there is little " mountain" in this lodge. It's located in a flat open valley with no trees, lots a pavement, and and only a few businesses, half of which are closed. Seriously, the town of Sumas is pretty sketchy and feels more like it could be the setting of a PNW version of Breaking Bad than a mountain town. Next time we come up here we'll look into Airbnb options in Maple Falls or Glacier, not going to Sumas Mountain Lodge again.

I went here with a group of ladies from the Bridge Church in Oak Harbor, WA in the fall of 2024. It…read morewas an amazing experience --it was absolutely gorgeous! The rooms were big, clean and had everything needed. There were common sitting areas upstairs to just lounge and read. There's also a big room off the chapel kitchen where we played games at night. It rained the weekend we went, and I didn't have boots, so I got soaking wet (recommend bringing )! We enjoyed warming up and drying off by the warm fireplace (always going) in a little cabin near the main dining hall. As for the dining...WOW! Every meal was top quality...I might have even gone just for the food! The retreat message was great, and I made a lot of friends, but this venue really sealed the experience for me.

This place is underrated and extremely manicured and Beautiful. God is truly here and you would not…read morethink about it but the food is really good, like Mom makes

Lake Ann did not disappoint. Breathtaking vistas, meadows, glaciers, and of course the lake. It is…read morerated on the Washington Trails Association as a HARD hike. Approximately 8.2 miles round trip 1900 feet elevation gain, with the highest point 4900 feet. I do recommend getting there early, before 9am, as the parking lot is very small and fills quickly! 4 stars because of the crowds. The trail starts downhill which is a confidence booster especially when you are backpacking. But what goes down, must come up! The last mile is probably what classifies this hike as hard. Hiking up, over loose gravel and boulders and up to almost 5000 feet elevation is difficult for us non-Colorado living people. On the trail you cross many small creek beds that were almost all dried up when we went here at the end of the summer. There is plenty of water at the lake for water source. There are multiple well groomed areas for tents along the trail uphill from the lake. I appreciated these spots at night when the mosquitoes came out and we're a nuisance (only when getting water). Speaking of night... do dress for cold weather! You do get the breeze coming off of Shuksan's glaciers. Very little salmon berries left on the main trail but plenty of huckleberries left. Night time is beautiful. The sky is completely full of stars and the sound of waterfalls coming out of the glaciers is relaxing. No campfires allowed at the lake. Pack out trash and human and animal waste. Trailhead provides blue bags for this.

If you're a hiker: Lake Ann is a gorgeous place to camp! You have sweeping views of Mt Shuksan and…read moreit's cracking Upper and Lower Glaciers. Rushing waterfalls augment the flanks of these enormous sheets of ice. The lake is a deep blue and there is plenty of flat space to find the perfect camp site. If you're a climber: this makes for a LONG summit day. Best to keep moving and camp higher on the peak.