Mount Baker (in Washington)

On a whim, we drove to Mount Baker (to Artist Point). This gorgeous location is about an hour outside Bellingham, Washington.

I’m embarrassed to admit that I’d never before been to Mount Baker. I can’t explain why, especially since I’ve been looking at Mt. Baker, from afar, for what seems like a lifetime.

One of the wisest moves we made while heading up to Baker was to stop at the Glacier Public Service Center—for huckleberries, clean flush bathrooms, and advice.

Our drive to Mount Baker was so peaceful. Maybe this was due to the weather … sunshine, blue skies, and crisp air. Or maybe because it felt like we were the only humans on the road.

Somehow, as soon as we reached the top, people were everywhere. That was lovely, too.

Artist Point is the beautiful alpine area at the end of the Mt. Baker Highway (SR 542). The location allowed us to view Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan.

The views, topography, and geology were stunning. I still can’t get over the layers (upon layers) of unique rock masses that continued to reveal themselves.

An unplanned outing, we accidentally arrived under the harshest sun of the day. So many of my photos did not turn out—of wildflowers, water, and more.

But my mountain photos did turn out, some magically appearing as if they are brush-stroked paintings, yet they are completely untouched. I could gaze at them forever.