Growing up in Bellingham, WA, I’ve been lucky enough to say Mt. Baker is in my backyard. While it’s been one of the worst snow seasons in years, I heard the possibility of snow in the forecast and I definitely didn’t want to miss out.
I drove up east route 542, otherwise known as the Mt. Baker highway on my mission to find snow. Just before the last climb to the ski area I turned off onto a forest road called Twin Lakes road, a very steep and windy road that has little room for error. There wasn’t any snow but I found a good spot to pull off for the night. The road sees very little traffic so it’s no problem to camp just off the road.
I awoke to a light dusting of snow, and not too long after I woke up it really started to come down. I stayed surprisingly warm in the rooftop tent, the fabric does a great job of keeping the heat in and preventing wind from blowing through. I hadn’t yet had the chance to camp in snow so I’m glad I got to put the gear to the test before the little snow there is melts away.
I decided to keep driving up the road to Twin Lakes. I grew up camping there as a kid and It’s definitely a hidden gem of the Northwest. It has two alpine lakes surrounded by mountain peaks in every direction. It’s a great place to camp, If you can make it to the top that is. Not too long after I began driving the road began to be swallowed by snow and it became too steep and slippery for my car. I’m sure a 4×4 with a little more clearance could make a good run at it, but I wasn’t willing to risk the climb.
nice trip story. great photos.