Artist Point: Washington's Snowshoe Haven
Artist Point Snowshoe
Distance
7-ish miles
ELEVATION GAIN
~1000 feet
Area
Mt. Baker
Difficulty
Moderate
Permits
None!
Hike Summary
Eager to take advantage of the sunshine and nice weather, we boogied out of Seattle and made the 3-hour drive to Mt. Baker for a day of snowshoeing. From start to finish, it was a delightful time filled with stunning mountain peaks, fluffy snow and very hot toddies. Despite being a popular spot for snow activities, there was plenty of space for everyone to enjoy the day in peace.
Arriving somewhere
Snow makes planning hard, that’s just the way that it is. Recent trip reports of an area can make it easier but conditions can change rapidly. For this adventure, we weren’t quite sure how far the car would make it and subsequently how far we’d need to walk to the actual trailhead. We anticipated making it to the Bagley Lakes Trailhead next to Mt. Baker Ski Resort, and we did. After parking the car in the lot, we found ourselves among skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers and other snow-craving fiends. And dogs, lots of those.
Bagley lakes TH > somewhere else
With tracks scattered all over, this quickly became a DIY adventure. Knowing the direction we needed to go, we took off and ventured into the great beyond. If there is any advice to be had, it is to stop every now and then and look around, mostly because of pretty mountain scenery but also to decide which path is the best to take. At some points, we watched other parties easily prance up while we somehow were slogging through powder on a steep slope. Other times we were in a perfect groove as others tumbled about. Like I said, DIY adventure. Choose your path wisely.
After about two miles generally following Mt. Baker Highway (542), we arrived somewhere in the vicinity of Artist Point Trailhead and continued to climb with no real destination in mind - we were just happy to be in the snow. The whole thing was less of a trailhead-to-trailhead-to-viewpoint scenario and more of a park-car-go-up-and-wander sort of situation. When in doubt, head toward Huntoon Point!
Artist Point
From the area near Artist Point Trailhead to the area where you have a full view of Mt. Shuksan, Mt. Baker and all the other glorious peaks, it is about another 0.5 miles. We added a bit more to that by wandering around the open area to the right of Huntoon Point, which was definitely the busiest spot of them all. The whole area is more or less a big snowy field of fun and once we found a nice little spot away from others, we enjoyed sammies and hot toddies with a mountainous view.
We watched as skiers blazed past and other snowshoers set up tents for the night. With the clear skies, they were likely in for a treat of constellations that night. Personally, it sounds too cold for my taste, but good for them.
Artist point area > bagely lakes Trailhead
As the day’s crowds thinned out and the sun began to lower, we began the journey back. You’d think it’d be easy to just come return the way you came but apparently being surrounded by identical plops of snow makes it tougher than it seems. We found ourselves on a cliffside or two wondering how to get back down; we could see the parking lot and the trail yet each route we found required an uncomfortable 90° drop. No thank you. Eventually, we did a walkabout and met up with the trail we came up on - phew! A few accidental barrel rolls down and a slip or two later, we were back on track.
It was lovely to trudge through the snow as the moon rose and the sun set. As we reached the parking lot, the sky lit up in brilliant hues of pink, orange yellow and purple - a perfect send off after a day in the mountains.
PreparE for Your Snowshoe
Gear
Snowshoeing requires a bit more thought than your casual day hike. The core items needed are:
Snowshoes, obviously (To buy, MSR offers the best quality. To rent, check out REI or an outdoor retailer near you.)
To stay warm and dry, make sure to bring:
For an even toastier experience, I bring along hand warmers, a Z-Seat pad for my toosh and a camp stove to make hot cocktails. Lastly, I always carry my first-aid kit , headlamp, microspikes and extra layers.
need to restock your pack? Check out my guide for Must-Have Hiking Gear!
More info
View more hiking details for Artist Point on Washington Trails Association. There are a few options on AllTrails; use this guide for the portion from Bagley Lakes TH to Artist Point TH and this guide to get to Huntoon Point. For current driving and weather conditions, check WSDOT.
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