Todd’s First Trip to the Mountains (Mt Baker, WA)

Baby Todd, you are one lucky boy!  You were born to a family of hikers, mountain bikers, skiers…mountain lovers!  Adventure awaits!  Naturally, your first trip to the mountains would come early…

FIRST TRIP – 9/27/14
Artist Point & Bagley Lakes
Mt Baker, WA

On September 27th, when Todd was 5 weeks old, we felt ready to take on a long car trip.  We were itching to get out into the mountains, so we drove to the end of the Mt Baker Highway (SR 542), to Artist Point, elevation 5210 ft.

(By the way, this is where you access the Ptarmigan Ridge Trail.  Check out these spectacular pictures of Mt Baker and Mt Shukshan, from the route.)

Todd does great on car rides of any length.  He falls fast asleep!  I’m not positive, but I think this trip took about 2.5 hours each way.

Once we arrived at the popular destination, we pulled out some chairs and fed the boy.  Mt Shuksan was in the clouds.

Fueling up

Eric & Todd with Mt Shuksan in the clouds

Todd & Eric

We walked along the stroller-friendly nature path, to views of a partially clouded Mt Baker.  I don’t think Todd opened his eyes to look.

Elisa, Todd & Mt Baker

Some nice people offered to take our picture, with Ptarmigan Ridge in the background.  I’ve hiked that trail before, and we also once did a backcountry ski trip along that route.

Family pic with Ptarmigan Ridge in the background

Eric and Todd with Mt Baker in the background

We took our first family selfie.  No one smiled…

First family selfie

Mt Baker from Artist Point

After we topped off Todd’s tank with some more food, we drove a short stretch down the road to the Bagley Lakes Trailhead.  Another stroller-friendly path greeted us.

The stroller-friendly Bagley Lakes trail

We tried to show him the columnar basalt, but all he would do is sleep…

Columnar Basalt

Sleepy Todd

Pictures of Bagley Lakes…

One of the Bagley Lakes

Another of the Bagley Lakes

Clearly, Todd’s first trip to the mountains was memorable for him!  He slept the whole way home, too.

Todd with Table Mountain in the background

By the time we left, the clouds over Mt Shuksan had lifted…

Mt Shuksan