What we’re about
This Meetup is led by volunteers of the Sierra Club Mount Baker Group that serves members and friends in Skagit, Whatcom and San Juan Counties. We love the outdoors and we'd like to have you join our activities in the forests, shores, in our parks, and anywhere else we plan interesting hikes, walks and overnight camping trips.
For information about the Sierra Club Mount Baker Group, please visit our website
The purpose of this outing is to support the Sierra Club's mission. You do not need to be a member of the Sierra Club to join us, yet we highly encourage you to show your support. For more information about becoming a member of the Sierra Club, please click here.
We strive to have minimum impact on the environment during our outings, as we follow the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace. Whether you are in the wilderness or a local park, outings, with proper planning, can provide a wonderful opportunity to unplug for a mindful hiking adventure.
Whatever type of trip you are planning, take items with you (the "Ten Essentials") that you cannot improvise so easily in the field and will go a long way towards ensuring a safe and rewarding experience.
Limited trailhead parking can be frustrating. Be kind to yourself and the environment by considering public transportation. To see if the trailhead may be available via bus, please check out WTA's Bus Tracker.
Participants under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
We seek to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all participants on our outings. Sierra Club's Outings Programs insist on a safe space agreement among participants, leaders, volunteers, and staff. We want to support everyone in exploring, enjoying, and protecting these phenomenal spaces, and hateful and dangerous behavior will not be tolerated. We don't want to deny participation in these outdoor programs and we will always say no to racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, impairment, and disruption. Our space is to be a safe space, no matter your sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, race, religion, or language. The Sierra Club prohibits any form of inappropriate, bullying, harassing, or other discriminatory behavior (“inappropriate behavior”). All people who lead and participate in Sierra Club outings have the right to be treated appropriately. For a description of ways inappropriate behavior might manifest, please click here.
Generally, pet dogs are only allowed if the write-up includes language specifically welcoming them. If you need to bring a service animal on an outing, contact leader prior to trip date.
Upcoming events
4
Lookout Mountain Hike
Lookout Mountain Preserve, Bellingham, WA, USTo attend this event, click here to register and obtain detailed information.
Join the Mount Baker Sierra Club on a hike through Lookout Mountain Preserve, a protected area that showcases a variety of forest ecosystem growth stages. After meeting at the main trailhead, we'll follow the Rufus Creek Trail to Lookout Mountain Overlook, then descend via the Baneberry Trail in a loop that takes us back to the trailhead. Be prepared to make plenty of stops along the way to look at interesting plants, animals, and fungi we find.
This trail is moderately challenging. Total elevation gain is close to 1,000 feet, and length is about 5.4 miles round trip. Well behaved dogs are welcome.
We will meet at the Lookout Mountain Preserve Trailhead
The purpose of this outing is to support the Sierra Club's mission. You do not need to be a member of the Sierra Club to join us, yet we highly encourage you to show your support. For more information about becoming a member of the Sierra Club, please click here.
Questions? Contact the leader listed on the registration page.7 attendees
Birding in Samish Flats
Samish Unit, 11730–11988 Samish Island Rd, Bow, WA, USTo attend this event, click here to register and obtain detailed information.
Join the Mount Baker Sierra Club for a birding adventure in Samish Flats, one of the premier winter birding locations in Northwest Washington. Every year, the wetlands and agricultural fields of this area provide a refuge for thousands of migratory waterfowl including snow geese, northern pintails, green-winged teal, northern shovelers, and trumpeter swans, as well as raptors like bald eagles, rough-legged hawks, short-eared owls, and northern harriers. Seeing any particular bird can't be guaranteed, but we'll visit some of the best sites for finding these and other species.
This outing will involve driving to three different locations. We'll start by meeting at Samish Unit West 90 and explore the wetland there that are frequented by numerous waterfowl. We'll then drive less than a mile to the Eagle Tree, an aptly name site home to a huge bald eagle nest that is also one of the best places to see elusive, day-flying short-eared owls. We will finish by driving about 15 minutes to the Padilla Bay Trail North Trailhead for an easy walk along the bay and multiple sloughs and wetlands (this trail is about four miles round trip if we go all the way to the end).
Please leave dogs at home for this outing, since they scare away wildlife (trained service animals are welcome, but please contact the leader in advance). Bring binoculars if you have them!
A Discover Pass is required for parking at Samish Unit 90 and other sites we'll be visiting.
The purpose of this outing is to support the Sierra Club's mission. You do not need to be a member of the Sierra Club to join us, yet we highly encourage you to show your support. For more information about becoming a member of the Sierra Club, please click here.
Questions? Contact the leader listed on the registration page.1 attendee
Chanterelle Trail Hike
Chanterelle Trail, North Shore Road, Bellingham, wa, USTo attend this event, click here to register and obtain detailed information.
Join the Mount Baker Sierra Club for a hike up the Chanterelle Trail! This is a beautiful trail at any time of year, with views of Lake Whatcom on clear days and lots of opportunities to observe native plants, fungi, birds, and other wildlife. We’ll take our time meandering up to the Lake Whatcom Overlook, stopping along the way to admire any interesting nature we come across.
This is an approximately 5-mile round trip, out-and-back trail that ends at Lake Whatcom Overlook and involves about 1,000 feet of elevation gain. On the way up, be prepared for switchbacks that zigzag through a forest of young Douglas-firs and other conifers. Be sure to bring sturdy hiking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, a packed lunch, and plenty of water. Well behaved dogs are welcome.
We will meet at the Chanterelle Trailhead.
The purpose of this outing is to support the Sierra Club's mission. You do not need to be a member of the Sierra Club to join us, yet we highly encourage you to show your support. For more information about becoming a member of the Sierra Club, please click here.
Questions? Contact the leader listed on the registration page.1 attendee
Blanchard Mountain Oyster Dome Hike
Blanchard Mountain Upper Parking Lot, Blanchard Hill Trail, Bow, WA, USTo attend this event, click here to register and obtain detailed information.
Join the Mount Baker Sierra Club for a hike up to the Oyster Dome Overlook, which offers one of the area's most spectacular views of Samish Bay! If it's a clear day, we can expect a scenic panorama of the San Juan Islands with the Olympic Mountains visible in the distance. Even on cloudy days this is a beautiful trail through Mount Blanchard's second-growth legacy forest. Well behaved dogs are welcome.
This is an approximately 6.5-mile round trip, out-and-back trail that involves almost 1,800 feet of elevation gain and is rated by All Trails as challenging. We'll take our time getting to the top, stopping to look at interesting plants and animals and pausing for a discussion or two about the impacts of past and present logging. Be sure to bring sturdy hiking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, a packed lunch, and plenty of water.
We will meet at the Blanchard Mountain Trail Upper Parking Lot. Please note you will need a Discover Pass to park.
The purpose of this outing is to support the Sierra Club's mission. You do not need to be a member of the Sierra Club to join us, yet we highly encourage you to show your support. For more information about becoming a member of the Sierra Club, please click here.
Questions? Contact the leader listed on the registration page.1 attendee
Past events
88
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