Mr. Forrester Cools Down Washington Heatwave Via Mount Baker

The past couple days I have been hearing from my old home zone of Western Washington that the Puget Sound is experiencing a record breaking heatwave.

A couple days ago I found myself explaining to a Texas local how different the landscape is at my current Texas location than the landscape at my old home zone.

As in, in Mount Vernon on a hot day, or any old day, I could drive a few miles to the west and be at a saltwater beach, with multiple choices as to which beach at which one wanted to be.

Or, on a hot day, or any old day, I could drive a few miles to the east and be in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.

I screen capped that which you see above last night, from Facebook, via my Facebook Friend, Mr. Forrester.

Yesterday Mr. Forrester and his wife escaped the 85 degree heatwave and headed a few miles northeast, eventually ending up at the location you see above, a view from the Mount Baker ski resort.

I do not know if the record still holds, but at one point in time the area of the Mount Baker ski resort had the world's record for deepest snow.

As you can see via the words Mr. Forrester posted "It was 85 degrees and 15 minutes ago."

That is about how fast one can go in Western Washington from being HOT to being cooled. The final ascent to the Mount Baker ski resort is rather steep, going from the Nooksack River valley, up and up, with the temperature dropping as the elevation rises.

Patches of snow remain at the Mount Baker ski resort through the summer, with the road to the final parking lot sometimes not opening til late August or September. From that parking lot, when it finally opens, one has a direct view of the Mount Baker volcano. and an excellent trail of switchbacks to the summit of Tabletop Mountain.

Or, from that final parking lot, one can hike the trail up the north side of Mount Baker. I have only done the Tabletop Mountain hike. I have hiked up Mount Baker, multiple times, from the south side.

And at my current location, for hundreds of miles in any direction I can not find a saltwater beach, or a mountain with snow. I can currently find a lot of colorful wildflowers, and sneeze provoking pollen from various sources...