MOUNT BAKER OPENING DAY (AND A QUICK MOVIE)
We hit up Mount Baker on Sunday for Opening Day. A big storm had finally given our coast the snow we needed to get back on the hills.
I tell you — Baker on Opening Day is a good, good thing. Especially when it snows 20 inches just before you arrive.
I put together a quick video of our day. It’s not great in terms of editing since I threw it together in about 45 minutes so I apologize for the quality. It’s not at all indicative of the HD snowboarding movie I’m working on, but it was fun to do. 
I apologize for the shaky cam and focusing. I’m still getting used to using the camera. I’m hoping after a few more sessions I’ll have the hang of it. ENJOY! Click the image above to watch it on Vimeo, or you can right-click save as here to download the original movie. (You will probably want VLC Player to watch it.)
We woke up at 6 AM and were off by 6:30. It was still snowing when we left the apartment building. It was nice not to have to deal with many slow Vancouver drivers in the snow at that time, too. A bit of a wait at the USA border (and no Nexus lines at the Sumas crossing, BOO!)… and we were on our way.
We got to Baker just shortly after the first chairs went up. Everyone in the line of cars we were in turned off at the lower parking lot, so we continued up to the upper parking lot… we had our doubts if it was open, but sure enough it was! There was no waits for the chairs, and only 1 in 4 chairs actually had anyone on them.
It was pretty much untracked when we got up there. The area under the chairlift (see picture above) had a few lines, but everywhere else we hiked it was completely untouched. Awesome!
Our first turns of the day, we hiked for about 15 minutes to a spot on the Pan Dome face. This was where we decided to drop in.
First turns in powder were a little shaky for me, but Allan tore it up pretty good. What a feeling to not ride over anyone’s tracks!
Of course, I decided to turn on the GoPro camera on that run and lost it in the powder. I was so upset. I spent about an hour climbing up the face where I had ridden, digging and searching for the camera. Allan met me at the top and we spent another couple hours looking for it. No luck. Yup. You heard me. I freaking lost my new camera! I don’t know what I’m going to do now.
Well, we still had a great time. We stopped for lunch in a half empty cafeteria and then got a few more runs in that day. Legs were burning and tired, but it was exhilarating to be out again!
Can’t wait to go back to Baker. We’ll see where we hit up next! Tomorrow, I go to Trevor Linden’s Retirement Game… *sniff*.
Tags: film, GoPro camera, HD, Mount Baker, movie, Opening Day, powder, short, snowboard, Snowboarding, Vimeo, Washington
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December 16th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Cool video Allie! Looks like you had a fun time. Gotta love the HD movie mode on the Nikon D90.
December 17th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Fun little teaser movie, Allie – that looks like a lot of fun to film and put together, even if it’s just a quickie trial run… So sorry to hear about the rotten luck of the GoPro camera popping off in the powder though!!! >:U
It’s still snowing around here! My evil will is working…
December 17th, 2008 at 3:06 am
Damn all that tech in these modern days.
Forgive my anecdote outburst in this blog.
…so easy to publish multiple moving/pictures instantly for the masses to see, with text to describe ..not muted and anonyme.
All can access, friends and unknowns, 24/7.
Can send information on the move, to others on the move.
So easy to edit, no developmen time, doesn’t take up real living space ..but mere virtual space.
Big bulky photoalbums has been assasinated by the electronics, along with other bulky things like VHS tapes, music media, books (phone books, novels, comics, cook books ..etc ..etc) all can be stored in same insignificant small media, or even stored exclusivly on the internet.
..indeed our everyday has been exalted in just a lifetime.
December 17th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Glad to see you were able to hit the slopes on the weekend, pretty cool video also
December 17th, 2008 at 8:07 am
What you lost the cam? Bah that sucks
looks like you two had an awesome time though. We have more snow here in Vancouver, so I’m hoping Cypress has more now too (they got 6more cm and their mid base is 96cm) Hitting whistler this weekend! I’m excited!
December 17th, 2008 at 8:26 am
And I thought losing a ski pole in the powder a few years ago was bad enough.
Sorry to hear that you lost the camera. Yep, it’s needle/haystack time, no matter how well you remember your turns.
December 17th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Sweeeeeet! Way to keep your chin up. Losing a camera is super sucky…I just lost one a month ago. The D90 seems to do a pretty good job, nice work.
December 17th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Sucks about losing your camera. You can always go back to Baker in the spring and try to find it. :p
Looks like you two had way better luck finding pow than I did during the weekend…
December 17th, 2008 at 10:06 am
OMG! I am so sad for you! I will see what i can do about that….How and where was it mounted?
I like your video with your D90 though. Getting me excited for the snow! We have about 30″ on the base last week and another 3′ suppose to get on Mt Hood this next 3 days!
Sorry i cant make the Big White trip…would be totally random to just go alone to meet some total strangers
I can bet it woudl have been fun though.
December 17th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Sucks about your camera. Looks like you had a good day otherwise though. I have high hopes for this weekend given the snow falling in the City at the moment
December 17th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
great pics and video, looks like good snow there. I haven’t been down to Baker yet (only 2nd year in Van) but hopefully this season
December 17th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Sick Video. I really enjoyed watching it. You say that was only a teaser?? Now I can’t wait to see whats to come.
You guys got some really nice first tracks. 20 inches would be amazing right now where I am, so even though you lost your camera im glad you still made best of the day. I mean.. i would give my camera away for 20 inches of fresh tracks right now
December 18th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Yeah powder! Oh I can’t wait for some pow days… Awesome video, great song also. I’m stoked to see more vids!
Bummer about the camera! Don’t lose all hope though… A couple years ago my sis lost her ipod on the mountain and we looked all over for it, couldn’t find it and thought it was gone forever. Then like 4 months later, after all the snow was gone, we were hiking the same mountain and we found the ipod! We charged it and it worked, so crazy.
So where are you planning on riding in Tahoe? I think I’m going to pencil in the trip!
December 21st, 2008 at 12:30 am
Looks like some awesome powder! Nice job with the video too, short and sweet..and pretty amazing since it was all done on a DSLR.
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:50 pm
condohype, wow thanks for dropping by! Yeah I’m loving the movie mode so far I can’t complain
Mike, yeah I’m so upset I lost it… they might be sending me a replacement though! I can’t wait!
HexHammer, it’s true, it is very easy to document now and share our lives with others. I don’t think it is necessary a bad thing though. There will always be a place for physical albums and books, and other ways of sharing our lives. It just makes it faster
Keith, thanks! I knew you’d appreciate the video
Tyler, yup.. I lost the cam
We searched for FOREVER. I can’t believe it didn’t turn up.. yes I’m so stoked that the local mountains are getting snow too.. WOHOOOO!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!
John, I know EH… I totally had my route down and I was SURE we’d fine it.. but it didn’t turn up. I probably ended up stomping/digging it down even deeper inadvertently.. =/
Lovewine, sorry to hear you lost your camera. Losing the footage is always the worst part.
Tawcan, yeah I’ve actually heard about people finding their lost belongings in the spring! Not a bad idea
Tauran, thanks, I’m so sad too
What do you mean what you can do about it? 
It was mounted on the back of my board with the suction cup mount. No worries about the Big White trip, it sold out, but there’s always another time! I’m sure we’ll get to board together soon 
David, I hope even more snow comes too!
Josh, thanks so much! Yeah you should definitely hit up Baker! Thanks for dropping by!
Dan, thank you so much! It took a little bit to put it together. I think the final movie is going to be great, but it is still a year or so out. I hope you get 20 inches soon!
Zac, wooo thanks!!! Planning on going to a different mountain every day in Tahoe. It’s from March 6-11… YAY!
Kevin, thank you sir! I’m hoping to pick up a real camcorder soon, but for now the D90 is doing its job alright!
January 19th, 2009 at 11:21 am
[...] really managed to luck out! As I mentioned a month ago or so, I lost my GoPro camera at Baker in the deep powder. I was really bummed out [...]
February 11th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Hey Allie – what software did you use to edit the HD movie clips you took?