Kayaking on Baker Lake + River & Lake Swimming!
Details
NOTE: I have 19 extra seats in kayaks (including paddles and life vests) available to borrow. More details below.
NOTE: For legal reasons, our events begin with a live safety lecture that will be video-recorded and pan across all of the attendees.
NOTE: This meetup is cross-posted in the Seattle Kayaking Club Meetup and Seattle Paddleboarding Club Meetup, neither of which have an age limit.
NOTE: I created a Discord community with a channel called "8-17-baker-lake" to facilitate communication between the three meetup groups for this specific event, since the meetup app doesn't always work well. You can join here:
Join us for a pleasant weekend paddle at Baker Lake! It's a large beautiful alpine lake situated in the shadow of Mount Baker, one of Washington State’s five enormous stratovolcanoes! Soak up the views of this mountain and the also-impressive Shuksan mountain while surrounded by crystal clear teal glacial water and hills of conifers. We will also swim in the lake and explore Baker River and Noisy Creek.
We will be paddling approximately 6 miles, which is a medium-length trip for us. It should be very doable even for beginners. It involves 2.5 to 3 hours of paddling. This trip also involves driving 2 hours each way. We'll start by paddling east to Baker River for an icy swim and then paddle southwest to a campsite for a second warmer swim. After that, we'll make a quick pass by Noisy Creek (without getting out) and then paddle north, back to our launch spot.
Attendees are required to physically sign a waiver at the start of the event :
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeBr6y8g_WG6TBaHauUk--QOF9IIjyMz-sRFeKG3UodI7VRtQ/viewform
Please read through the waiver BEFORE the day of the event, since the waiver also contains safety information that may require personal reflection and impact your preparation or your decision whether or not to attend. Unless something changes in the future, your waiver should be valid for all future activities and you will only need to complete the waiver once.
Prior Experience Required
I require that all attendees have at least one hour of paddling experience before attending any events. This can be as simple as renting a kayak on Lake Union. If you are bringing your own paddleboard or kayak, I require that you have at least an hour of experience paddling with your equipment.
If you are bringing a paddleboard, Oru, or inflatable kayak, I require that you have prior experience doing at least one 5+ mile day trip with it. We will be paddling a decent distance on a larger, open body of water that may have strong winds, and these particular watercraft can struggle. If you are borrowing a kayak from me or have a hard plastic kayak, you are fine!
What To Bring
Be sure to bring snacks and water to consume before, during, and after the paddle! Kayaking can be more draining than hiking, especially for beginners, and you will need energy!
You will have time to eat a bagged lunch before and after the paddle, and we will also stop for a lunch break at the mid-point of our paddle. You will also still have a minute here and there during the paddle to grab a quick drink or a bite from a quick snack like a trail mix bar.
Please bring clothes and especially SHOES that can get wet! Sandals or flip flops can leave your feet exposed to injuries from rocky terrain if we encounter it. I recommend close-toed shoes like beach shoes, crocs, or best of all, neoprene diving boots like these:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J86CN66
Don't forget SUNGLASSES and SUNSCREEN either! For the rest of your outfit, I recommend SYNTHETIC or wool fabrics that will dry quickly. Swimsuits and polyester running shirts are great for warm weather. For colder or rainy weather, I recommend a fleece or wool sweater, a rainproof shell, and hardshell pants.
You should also consider bringing BUG SPRAY for this event.
Schedule
We'll meet at the Shannon Creek Campground and we'll try to be finished setting up and ready to launch by 12:15 PM. If you are bringing your own gear, I recommend arriving at least 15 minutes early (noon). If you are borrowing a kayak from me and meeting me at the launch, please arrive 45 minutes early (11:30 AM) since I need to take a headcount and I need more time than other paddlers to set up, and I will need your help.
Regardless of whether you are bringing your own kayak or are borrowing one, please let us know if you intend to meet us at the launch, and confirm that you are on your way on the morning of the event. When you arrive, look for a silver Honda Pilot hauling a red trailer with a kayak rack on the top.
That being said, I recommend meeting at the carpool location. Most of our launch sites lack cell signal and it can be hard to find each other, so it helps to meet in person beforehand. We may also appreciate additional vehicles for carpooling. Also, it’s a meetup, and carpools are a great opportunity to get to know the other paddlers! Carpools are discussed in more detail below.
I estimate that we will return to the launch spot at 5:15 PM, finish packing up by 6 PM, and be back in Seattle at 8 PM.
Here's the location of the launch :
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jDFaHwrtnB9ha1RY7
Please reach out if you have any questions!
Borrowing Kayaks :
I have 19 extra seats in kayaks (including paddles and life vests) available to borrow.
Each seat has a weight limit of 250 lbs per person including gear. My collection includes 13 boats: 4 plastic single-seater sea kayaks, 1 plastic two-seater sea kayak, 6 two-seater high-pressure inflatable sea kayaks, and 2 high-pressure inflatable paddleboards. I will do my best to put everyone in a boat that they like, but I may need to shuffle people around depending on skill and fitness level. I need people to be flexible with me on this.
I require $15 to reserve a spot. This fee is non-refundable if you do not attend; this is to discourage cancellations. However, if you DO attend and the cost of the gas for towing the trailer is less than $15 per person, you will be issued a partial refund of the difference. Usually, gas costs between $3 and $10 per person, but it depends on the number of attendees.
To reserve a spot, please check that there are still spots available in the Google Doc for kayak borrowing:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1poCqpRXaPGuaQK_Q5dFOiTjs_p0jJyQXB-AxcRbdem8/edit?usp=sharing
Please note that this is a separate Google Doc from the carpool signup! After making sure that there are available spots, please venmo me or zelle me and then add your name to the Google Doc. You can zelle me at 314-898-2150 or venmo me at andrew-davidson-26!
In addition to the payment for gas (which is required), I would appreciate (voluntary) donations! I am not trying to profit off of these events, but I would like to be able to build up a nest egg to (at least partially) cover repairs or replacement for lost or damaged kayaks and gear in the future. I also spend $100 per month on a parking spot for my trailer and $400 annually on my Meetup Organizer subscription. I would generally ask for a donation of $10 per person, but this is optional, especially if you are having a rough time financially. That being said, if you are doing well and are able to donate more, that is appreciated as well!
If you own extra kayaks and are willing to loan them to people, feel free to post a comment on the event page or in Discord! A life vest and paddle must be included with each loaned kayak. You may charge fees to the people who borrow them, but the pricing structure must be split into two parts like mine :
- a required gas fee, which is a good-faith estimate of the ADDITIONAL cost of gas for bringing the extra kayak(s)
- a voluntary donation for wear-and-tear on the kayak and gear. You may SUGGEST a specific donation amount. You must clearly state that you do not pay the meetup organizer subscription dues.
Also, please reach out to me to make sure that the kayaks are adequate for the event.
Carpooling :
We'll meet at the Starbucks at 1200 Westlake Ave N at 9 AM and split into our carpools at around 9:15! Let us know before 9 AM if you are on your way. We generally wait 15 minutes for people to arrive. If you are arriving with your own car, be sure to park in a spot marked "ALL DAY" parking (in case you end up not driving)! Please coordinate carpools in the comments or better yet, the google doc!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KEi6H8RljAPNy1Tr67PDZI5M9i0W_kk5_AfvgqKq5Mo/edit?usp=sharing
Please post if you can drive or if you need a ride!
Riders are expected to (at a minimum) split the cost of gas evenly between the driver and the other passengers, as well as a reasonable amount for projected wear and tear on the vehicle.
If you are going to arrange your carpool to meet somewhere OTHER THAN the Starbucks on Lake Union, I suggest a park and ride such as Greenlake, Northgate, Eastgate, or Tukwila/SouthCenter. Passengers, please do not ask to be picked up at your home; drivers, please don't offer to do so. It usually creates problems and makes the timing and logistics much more complicated, since people often aren't ready on time, cancel last minute, or just plain don't show up. On the other hand, dropping people off at their home at the end of the trip is logistically much easier, but this is at the driver’s and passengers’ discretion.
Kayaking on Baker Lake + River & Lake Swimming!