Possible new pay parking policy at Mt. Baker

While waiting for the Helicopter to control Shuksan Arm yeserday and thus allow Backcountry Access, Duncan Howatt, the Mt. Baker Ski Area Manager/ Share Holder, approached my son Cooper and I and said, " I have a great idea I want you to hear!" He then went on to outline his plan to charge $10.00 for every Backcountry enthusiast that uses the upper parking lots. This can be avoided if: A. You are a Season Pass Holder, or B. You have bought a lift ticket for the day. His plan is to stop all cars as they egress the lots at the end of the day and check for passes.

I was stunned, and the first question out of my mouth was " What does the Forest Service say about this?" His answer, with a grinch-like grin, " They LOVE IT!" Dang.

There are options. You can park at the Lower Parking lot and hitch-hike up " ( his suggestion), or park on the highway loop BELOW the parking lots and walk up.

Well folks, I don't know about you, but this seems punative to me. Yes, we Backcountry users enjoy the use of lots that are plowed by Mt. Baker employees at a cost, but doesn't Mt. Baker Ski Area enjoy the use of a plowed Mt. Baker Highway paid for by State Tax Dollars? Seems to me IF you are to charge for parking you cannot separate user groups to subsidize retirement plans. Every other ski area I have been to that charges parking (they are few and far between), have charged EVERYONE and not just one user group enjoying the National Forest.

Enough ranting; I am switching to De-Caf for my second cup of morning coffee..

Do the same at lot4 and I'll throw another party.

Do the same at lot4 and I'll throw another party.
[Translation please?
]

I suspect it depends on how their lease/permit is written. Given how many BC-bound folks I saw my one trip up there early season in November, I can understand why they may be starting to want to get some $ from all the folks using up prime parking in the upper lot who aren't buying lift tickets. I also get your highway plowing thought (i.e. would they even plow past the Nooksack if not for the ski area's being there?).

It's been a while since I've been to Baker on a busy weekend day - does the upper lot ever fill to capacity, including out behind the big maintenance building (my memory is that there's a lot more parking back there...)?

As for translating flowing alpy, my impression is that he's grumpy about the BC skiers and snowshowers and booters who park up in the upper Alpental lot (apparently clad in the latest most expensive BC gear), some of whom take their dogs off-leash and let them poop under his skis.

I'm thinking they'll have traffic jams at the end of busy days if they're stopping folks to check for lift tickets on their drive out. Might be interesting to see how that goes...

Thanks Powrhino! Time to crack the books and see exactly what the deal is. Maybe Duncan should start building a parking garage at WS...

I hear what flowing alpy is saying on the one hand. But, as long as I do my job of getting there early enough I kind of like a full lot and smaller lift lines. How about if everybody car pooled and we had twice the lift lines from the same number of cars? That also could mean twice as many free-defecating dogs running about. I hear these new-school free-defecating dogs are bringing their specialized pooping skills from the dog parks to the backcountry. 'My dog is all about progression brah!' Commented an REI dog person.