I just returned from a week in the Mt Baker area with still 264 e-mails to look at.? Seeing lots of ptarmigan subject lines and none away from Mt. Rainier, figured I should report on Mt. Baker, what little I could reach.? The snow hasn't melted sufficiently to open the road up to Artist Point, where there is still 10' in the parking area.? Wednesday I hiked up to find only the roof of the restroom building above the snow!? With several snow fields to cross I did get over to the Ptarmigan Ridge T rail off the Chain Lakes Trail but decided not to go more than another 1/4 mile due to icy snow.? The pass just south of the split had a few MT BLUEBIRDS, TOWNSENDS WARBLERS, one flock of ROSY-FINCHES, and?two flocks of BAND-TAILED PIGEONS flying through.? On the way out and coming back there was a female WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN with two 3/4 grown chicks foraging?next to ?the deepest cut stream channel at 75-80% of the way from the wilderness boundary (leaving Artist Point) ?heading toward Ptarmigan Ridge Trail.? Other than climbing to get up to Artist Point, the hike to the ptarmigan had very little elevation gain.? Be sure to take gripping footwear and ski poles or a good hiking stick.



Randy Hill

Ridgefield