Confession time: I made a huge, maybe unforgivable mistake. Last night, I put the leftover honey-glazed donuts from Lee’s Donuts (from yesterday’s visit to Granville Island) in the microwave to help keep them fresh overnight. This morning, I forgot to get them out when we left. There were no tears shed, but we came close.
Sadly, today is our final day in Canada. We woke up around 05:30, loaded the van, and began to backtrack south on the Sea to Sky Highway.
Forecast
In Alpha Lake, about 15 minutes south of Whistler-Blackcomb, we arrived at Forecast Coffee right when they opened at 07:00. An acclaimed roaster and cafe, their flagship location is in Whistler Village, but this gave us a head start down the road. Faith ordered a flat white, while Dad and I got each got a drip coffee of their “Powder Day”, a medium roast, single origin Colombian coffee.
All three drinks were excellent, and I wish we’d tried more of their offerings, especially the pastries. Sadly, we’d not yet realized I left the donuts at the condo, so we only ordered coffee and moved on. From what I’ve read, this place would probably get 3 stars, but because we didn’t try any food I’ll be conservative with my rating.
Forecast Coffee
Whistler, BC // Multiple Locations
This place would probably earn 3 stars, but we didn’t try any of their food, so I’m just giving it 2 stars for now.. The coffee was amazing, and the atmosphere was great.
* – Would definitely visit again
** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area
*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there
Tantalus Lookout
Leaving Alpha Lake, we continued south on the Sea to Sky Highway, enjoying the views of the mountains and water. There doesn’t seem to be much explanation for it, but our audio guide informed us the bright-orange trestle bridge is simply called “Bob” by the locals.
Pulling just off the side of the highway, we stopped at the Tantalus Lookout, which is one of the first places you start to have a clear view of the Howe Sound. The wildflowers here were exceptionally nice, particularly the purple foxglove.
Canadian Walmart
Soon, we arrived back in Squamish, and headed for the Walmart to look for some fruit and skin cream for Walker. Turns out that Canadian Walmarts don’t typically have a large grocery section, and pretty much all their medicines required a pharmacist to unlock a cabinet – of course, there wasn’t one on duty until much later. At least it was a quick trip, and there were some nice flowers in the parking lot.
Tall Tree
After our Walmart failure, we drove north to Tall Tree Bakery in the industrial section of town. This modern bakery had a great selection of pastries, and some to-go lunch combos, which we were specifically seeking out for later today. From their pastry selection, we ordered a chocolate croissant, a white chocolate raspberry scone, and a ham and Gruyère croissant.
For lunch, we got three chicken sandwiches, one turkey sandwich, three oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, one peanut butter chocolate chip cookie, a couple sparkling waters (for Faith), a root beer, and a ginger ale.
The pastries were very good, and as I’ll discuss in greater detail later, the sandwiches were quite tasty too.
Tall Tree Bakery
Squamish, BC
Very good pastries and bread.
* – Would definitely visit again
** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area
*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there
Ice Bricks
Did you know that bagged ice comes in a brick shape in Canada? I learned that today. While driving back towards the Sea to Sky Highway, we spotted a large grocery store (Save-On-Foods), so I decided to run inside to get a bag of ice for our lunches and a container of blackberries for Walker. How would you like to have a view of the Stawamus Chief while you do your grocery shopping?
Fox & Oak
We decided we needed another caffeine boost before driving farther, since we projected it would be a while before we stopped again. Conveniently, Fox & Oak, a repeat from yesterday, was right around the corner. I stopped in to order some coffee, and washed Walker’s berries in the sink while I waited. Dad and I each got a cortado (equal parts espresso and steamed milk) made with coffee from Thailand; Mom got a hot mocha latte; and Faith got another iced latte. This place definitely maintains its three-star rating!
Fox & Oak
Squamish, BC
Wonderful brioche donuts, plenty of quality coffee offerings, and attention to detail make this a must-visit establishment.
* – Would definitely visit again
** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area
*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there
Britannia Beach
Coming back down the Sea to Sky Highway towards the Howe Sound and Vancouver, we drove through the small mining town of Britannia Beach. The mine is no longer operational, but they offer tours, and have a giant dump truck parked by the side of the road. During its heyday, the 20-story building housed one of the largest copper mines in Canada.
Furry Creek
Just past the mining museum, we passed the Furry Creek Golf Course on our right. Fun fact: the infamous fight scene between Adam Sandler and Bob Barker (of The Price Is Right fame) in Happy Gilmore was apparently filmed here. Today, it’s an exclusive resort community.
Porteau Cove Provincial Park
At Porteau Cove Provincial Park, we pulled off long enough to walk out on the old dock and climb some of its observation towers. Situated on the Howe Sound away from the bustle of Vancouver, this area is a popular spot for scuba divers, campers, boaters, and beach combers.
Fraser Valley
To avoid some of Vancouver’s traffic, we skirted along the north side of the metro area, staying on Highway 1 (the Trans-Canada Highway). After passing through Burnaby, Surrey, and Abbotsford, we finally began to get out of the metro area and back into farmland. Unfortunately, we had to make way too many stops during the drive. It seemed like one thing after another kept happening – bathroom breaks, diaper changes, snack breaks, or a petrol stop – and none of them lined up.
At least we got a delectable snack during one of our many stops. We purchased bag of sour cream ‘n onion Old Dutch potato chips from a gas station, and they turned out to be shockingly delicious. Old Dutch is a Canadian chip brand, founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1954. Sour cream and onion was already one of my favorite “crisp” flavors, and the Old Dutch version didn’t disappoint.
Finally, after making one last pit stop in Huntingdon, BC, we started seeing signs for US Customs and Border Patrol.
Mt. Baker Highway
At Sumas, WA, we crossed back into the United States (a much easier process than getting into Canada), and drove through Washington’s Peaceful Valley, soon turning east on the Mt. Baker Highway near Maple Falls. The Mt. Baker Highway winds 58 miles up near the summits of Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan. The area regularly receives record snowfalls (averaging 54ft+ every winter!), and is only 10 miles south of the Canadian border. It’s a popular ski area that serves the public all winter.
Lunch
Once we’d climbed the steep, winding road up to the ski area, we drove all the way to the highway’s terminus to take in the views and orient ourselves. Since we were all quite hungry, we decided to break for lunch before exploring further.
Slightly below the road’s high point, we found a place near the visitor center to sit and eat, and opened up our lunches from Tall Tree. The turkey baguettes had roasted turkey, Gruyère cheese, sliced cucumber, lettuce, mayonnaise, and cranberry sauce; the Italian chicken paninis (which we got cold instead of toasted) had herb goat cheese, pesto, sun-dried tomato, roasted chicken, and spinach. The sandwiches were very good, as were the cookies. Everything tastes better when you have a great view, though!
Heather Meadows
Finishing up lunch, we went in the the Heather Meadows Visitor Center, and then I hiked around some of the surrounding trails, focusing on the the Fire and Ice Trail. These paths offer stunning views of Bagley Lakes, Mt. Shuksan, Mt. Baker, waterfalls, and the remaining snowpack.
Artist Point
This was probably the most bizarre weather we’d experienced thus far on the trip…it was once again blisteringly hot, but there was a cool mist coming up from the deep snowpack. Keep in mind, it was over 100°F, and had been for days, and there was still this much snow on the ground! It’s truly amazing how extreme the weather can be in this area.
Faith and I climbed up a steep, snowy hill for a better view of the lakes and valleys below. Once at the top, I realized the way down involved a rather precarious penguin shuffle down the snowy hillside, but I made it back without a fall.
Picture Lake
Winding back down the highway, we stopped at the aptly-named Picture Lake, where the crystal-clear water reflects Mount Baker. I circumnavigated the lake and took some pictures, while everyone else enjoyed the view from the van. There were plenty of huckleberries around the lake, but sadly, none were ripe yet.
A History Lesson
Stopping in the ski lodge below Picture Lake, we enjoyed a photo exhibit about the history of the area. Some of the stills depict the world record snowfall of 1998-1999, when Mt. Baker got over 95 feet of snow! It was fascinating to see photos of the old lodge, golf course, and other amenities that once existed atop the mountain.
Nooksack Falls
Near the base of the mountain, we ventured down a gravel side road, parked, and walked to the viewpoint for Nooksack Falls. Here, the north fork of the Nooksack River plunges 88ft into a ravine, joined by another smaller waterfall on Wells Creek. Pictures truly don’t do justice to this area; the river and waterfalls were spectacular.
Driving
Leaving the summit, we drove back down the highway, turning south on WA-9 to our next lodging destination in Mount Vernon. As we neared Sedro-Woolley and finally had cell service again, we began to look for somewhere to eat dinner. Knowing it would be best to get no-nap Walker into bed soon, we decided we’d call in takeout and take it to a park somewhere.
The Porterhouse Pub
Many of the restaurants I had saved were either closed or not offering takeout, but after working my way down my list, I finally had success. We called in an order to The Porterhouse Pub in Mount Vernon. Faith and I split a Caesar salad and beef stroganoff, while Mom and Dad split stroganoff and an order of fish and chips.
Lions Club Roadside Park
Backtracking slightly, we drove to the Lions Club Roadside Park on the banks of the Skagit River. We ate our food at a picnic table, while the blistering sun slowly cooked us – at least it kept our food warm! All the food was good, particularly the Caesar salad. The stroganoff had good flavor, but was too saucy and made a huge mess.
Walker played on the swings and in the shaded grass for a while, but it was clear he was ready for bed.
Hot House
After finally locating the driveway to our Airbnb, we arrived at the A-frame house we’d call home for the next two nights. It seems everyone was equally unprepared for the heat wave, especially the locals – most places in this area don’t have A/C. According to the heat pump thermostat, it was 96°F inside the house. The owner had thankfully provided a handful of fans, so we opened all the windows and started the slow cool-down process. Walker was so tired, he immediately fell asleep despite the heat.
Ice Cream
Dad and I headed back out on a resupply mission, but first, we made a detour for some cold, refreshing ice cream. The Skagit Valley Food Co-op, which has been operating in Mount Vernon since 1973, is a local grocery that also has a coffee bar, homemade ice cream, gifts, a deli, and more. We plan to visit again in the morning, so I’ll post more photos on the next blog day.
After grabbing a bag of chips and the biggest container of blueberries I’ve ever seen for Walker and Faith, we headed straight for the ice cream counter, getting there just in time before they closed…I don’t think the clerk was too happy we slipped in right before closing. Regardless, the ice cream was delicious. I got lemon curd swirl and strawberry basil balsamic, and Dad got toasted coconut pineapple lime sorbet and “dazzlenut” (hazelnuts, coconut, and chunks of Guittard chocolate). Although uncommon flavors, everything was excellent, especially the strawberry basil balsamic.
Skagit Valley Food Co-op
Mount Vernon, Wa
This is an amazing little grocery store! It’s the sort of place you could spend hours looking around. They make their own ice cream, sandwiches, deli offerings, etc. The prices are very reasonable, and the quality is very high. If I had one of these nearby, it would be the primary place I’d shop for groceries.
* – Would definitely visit again
** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area
*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there
Video
Here’s a short video compilation from today’s adventures.
The Best Things we Saw Today
Isaac
The best thing I saw today was… “Artist Point at Mt. Baker”.
The best thing I ate today was… “coffee and Fox & Oak and the ice cream from the Co-op”.
Faith
The best thing I saw today was… “Artist Point”.
The best thing I ate today was… “the cranberry white chocolate scone”.
Jerry
The best thing I saw today was… “the top of Mt. Baker”.
The best thing I ate today was… “the cranberry white chocolate scone”.
Amy
The best thing I saw today was… “Picture Lake”.
The best thing I ate today was… “the Old Dutch potato chips”.
Conclusion
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Tomorrow, we’re headed east to North Cascades National Park.
– Isaac, Faith, Jerry, Amy, and Walker
