Tides and Transformations

Mt. Shuksan/Mt. Baker via Artist Point

Some of the most spectacular views in the Lower 48 states may be found at the end of the Mt. Baker Scenic Byway, 58 miles east of Bellingham. Weather permitting (views are nonexistent if the mountains are socked in), ASDAH attendees will have the option of car pooling to Artist Point, which is located at the very end of Mount Baker Highway, State Route 542 (elevation 5000 feet). Artist Point offers 360-degree views of Mount Shuksan (9,131 feet), Mount Baker (10,876 feet), and surrounding peaks as well as access to a variety of trails. It is snow-free--and thus accessible by car—less than three months of the year. A Northwest Forest Pass (or America the Beautiful Senior Pass or interagency pass) is required to park at Arist Point.  Trip leaders have a Senior Pass for their vehicle and another pass that can be used by a second vehicle. Day use passes cost $5 and can be obtained at a kiosk at Glacier Public Service Center, a Forest Service Facility on the Mt. Baker Highway near milepost 34, or near the Heather Meadows Visitor Center, milepost 56.

  If we are blessed with good weather on Sabbath, this is how our day will unfold: we will pick up sack lunches at breakfast, and after our morning worship service we will head to Mt. Baker.  We will drive about 40 miles to Bellingham, where we will pick up the 60-mile Mt. Baker Highway. A rendezvous point for car poolers will be the Glacier Public Service Center just east of the tiny hamlet of Glacier, 30 miles east of Bellingham, where restrooms are available and day-use passes can be obtained. Then we will stop briefly at a turnout between mileposts 43 and 44 to view a grove of old-growth Douglas firs. Near Milepost 56 we will stop at the Austin Pass Picnic area to eat our lunches while viewing the nearby Bagley Lakes. Then we will wind up a steep hillside to the parking area at Artist Point at Mile 58.  Pit toilets area available at both locations. The Artist Ridge Trail, an easy, 1.2-mile loop, affords numerous photo opportunities in all directions. It can easily consume an afternoon. Intrepid souls who want to cover more ground can scoot along the 1-mile trail at the foot of Table Mountain to a junction: Ptarmigan Ridge Trail to Mt. Baker on the left for an out-and-back experience, or the Chain Lakes Trail to Bagley Lakes (where you ate lunch) to the right, a distance of about 4 more miles, where, if your carload plans ahead, someone will meet you. Have fun!

Whale Watching

Embark on an unforgettable adventure as you set sail from the picturesque town of Anacortes, Washington, renowned for its unparalleled whale watching opportunities. Witness the awe-inspiring beauty of some of God's largest water creatures as they glide gracefully through the pristine waters of the Pacific Northwest.

We suggest booking a spot with Island Adventures for the 10am slot. Costs are $119 per adult for a three hour tour (discounts available for booking more than a month ahead of time).

Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

Get out on the water and explore PNW history in the San Juan Islands! We will take the ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Once there we will have the opportunity to visit the Whale Museum, with rich natural history exhibits on resident whale populations like the orca. We will also have the opportunity to walk up to the British and American camps that participated in the 1859 Pig War, a non-military confrontation that ended up determining national ownership of the San Juan Islands (all started over a pig). 

Friday Harbor - Whale Museum Tour

11:00 AM meet in Rosario parking lot to organize carpool up to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal

               Car parking at terminal: $13 per car

12:00 - 1:10 PM Ferry Anacortes to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

               Ferry Walk-on: $16.50 adults, $8.25 seniors, Free - under 18

1:30 PM Unguided group tour of the Whale Museum

               Group Rates: $6 adults, $4 seniors, $3 students/youth (under 5 free)

               Museum fees will be collected ahead of time by Monique Roddy 

Free time to walk around Friday Harbor, visit the site of the Pig Wars, etc.

3:50 - 5:00 PM Ferry Friday Harbor to Anacortes

               Return trip is free

Alternative ferry option: 6:35 - 7:45 PM

Rosario Beach

If you don’t feel like a grand adventure to explore Mount Baker, a trip to the whale museum on San Juan Island, or a whale-watching boat excursion out of Anacortes, there is always a lot to do right at Rosario Beach. There will be an organized short hike from the marine station to Deception Pass State Park. From there, we will take the short Lighthouse Point Trail for views of Lottie Bay and the Deception Pass bridge. There will also be time for fellowship at Rosario Beach. In the evening, for everyone who has stayed or returned, we will have supper on the beach together