Topping out at a lofty 10,778 feet, Mount Baker (aka sleeping straovolcano) is one of the most heavily glaciated peaks in the Cascade Range,  covered year-round on its upper flanks with a cloak of ice and hardened snow. In spring, foliage and flowers appear at the base of Baker and ice-free streams flow freely right into summer, when alpine meadows throw their own quilt of color over Baker's flanks, and North Fork Nooksack River burbles blue-green with cold run-off waters. Fall ushers in first frosts and trees turn to brilliant reds and yellows, before succumbing to winter snows, which envelope the area and provide a new range of recreational opportunities.

There are more than 400 miles of trails around Mount Baker, ranging from hour-long hikes to longer overnight trips. For views of the Cascades, choose from a number of trails that climb up out of the trees, usually steeply; if you're after vistas without the work, hike a mile-long loop in popular Heather Meadow at the end of Mt. Baker Highway,  also the access point for hikes to Lake Ann, Table Mountain or 9,127-foot Mt. Shuksan. Determined backpackers with time to spare can also tackle some of the lengthier trails that criss-cross North Cascades National Park to the east for access to Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park in British Columbia or the last stretch of the Pacific Coast Scenic Trail - just be sure to get the appropriate permits before you start.

Rafters ride the Nooksack River during warmer months, which boasts rapids  of the manageable Class II-III variety over the eight-mile stretch run by local rafting tours. If you'd rather float alone, go to slower sections of the Nooksak River -- best is the South Fork of the river.

When snow keeps hikers home, skiers hit the slopes of Mt. Baker Ski Resort, where average snowfall is 647 inches. Cross-country and back-country skiers are not left out in the cold either - miles of trails around the ski area are designed for those seeking nothing but the sound of their own skis sliding through fresh powder.