Last year brought snow days a-plenty, so we’ve put together a few suggestions for having fun in the winter sun!
Your first step on any adventure is getting the proper equipment. Check out Backcountry Essentials or Yeager’s Sporting Goods in Bellingham, or if you’re planning on going for a serious trip, Northwest Mountain Shop & Mt. Baker Guide Service in Sedro-Wooley can rent you all the gear you’d need.
Skagit Guided Adventures can help you get the most of the wilderness with guided snowshoe tours through Washington’s national parks. They’re flexible, so your trip will depend on the weather and your determination. For something more tame, Berthusen Park in Lynden is a walkable winter hike on well-kept trails and a historic farmstead.
For snowboarding and skiing, you can’t go wrong with Mount Baker. This well-known natural wonder is tentatively expecting above-average snowfall this year, which means plenty of powder on the 1,000 acres of ski-able terrain. Mount Baker offers season passes for the dedicated snowsports enjoyer, day-lift passes, and areas from easy to double-diamond.
Although sledding is prohibited in the Mount Baker Ski Area, the nearby Picture Lake and Highwood Lake make perfect sledding bowls when frozen over! If you’d like to stay closer to home, wherever that might be, investigate your local parks.
Around this time of year, ice skating rinks may pop up in plenty of places, but for a surefire venue there’s the Whatcom Sports and Recreation Sportsplex. They have indoor soccer, hockey, figure skating, and yes– public ice skating! They’re the perfect place to get in a few practice laps before you hit the ice anywhere else.
