Glacier is a quintessential mountain town in the North Cascades
Glacier is a small mountain community on the edge of North Cascades National Park, about 10 miles northwest of Mount Baker’s summit. Originally developed in the early 20th century as a hub for logging and gold mining, the community has become a hotspot for outdoor recreation in recent decades. “It’s probably about three-quarters second homes and vacation rentals, which makes sense because it’s beautiful up there,” says real estate broker and East Whatcom County native Julie Brown of Windermere Real Estate. “It’s about as close as you can get to Mt. Baker, and in the summer, there are basically endless hiking opportunities, not to mention fishing and kayaking. The only real drawback is it’s kind of far from everything else.”
An assortment of upscale cabins and modern condos
Most of Glacier’s housing stock was built in the last 30 years, as the area gained recognition as a vacation destination. The area features a large selection of luxury cabins, condos and townhomes. Many homes showcase views of the surrounding forests and mountains via large windows and sprawling deck areas. Condos and townhouses usually sell for between $210,000 and $400,000, while single-family properties go for anywhere from $490,000 to $1.1 million.
The town borders North Cascades National Park and Mt. Baker
Mount Baker Highway, the community’s main thoroughfare, is also the primary access road for North Cascades National Park. Glacier sits right on the park border, so residents get easy access to some of the best hiking in Washington. “There’s year-round stuff to do, and people really take advantage of that,” says Brown. “You’ll see everything from paddleboarders and mountain bikers in the summer to backcountry skiing and snowmobiling in winter.” It’s a 19-mile drive to Mt. Baker Ski Area and nearby hiking spots like Heather Meadows and the famously scenic Artist Point. There are also a number of well-known waterfalls in the area, including Maple Falls, Nooksack Falls, and a number of smaller falls and rapids hidden among the mountains. The North Fork of the Nooksack River, which runs through Glacier, is popular with both anglers and kayakers in warmer months. In winter, many local trails are groomed for cross-country skiing and the locally popular sport of splitboarding.
An event schedule centered around Mt. Baker skiing
Local events center around the area’s ski culture. The Legendary Banked Slalom and Golden Egg Hunt competitions at Mount Baker Ski Area draw crowds through Glacier’s restaurants and lodges. Glacier is also the start of the paddling leg of the annual 93-mile Ski-to-Sea race, which sees relay teams race from Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay.
Some nice local restaurants, but limited retail
The flipside of all the natural beauty surrounding Glacier is, predictably, limited access to amenities. The area is home to three well-liked restaurants: Wake’N Bakery coffee shop, Gunner’s Tex Mex BBQ and Chair 9 Woodstone Pizza & Sports Bar. However, local retail is limited to a single general store, Graham’s, which offers snacks and a limited supply of groceries and necessities. Locals looking for fresh produce — or a place to fill up their tank — have to head 8 miles west to the nearby communities of Maple Falls and Kendall. It’s even further to the nearest shopping centers of any size, which are located across the Canadian border in Abbotsford.
Local public schools require a bit of driving
Because Glacier has relatively few full-time residents, there are no nearby public schools. Kendall Elementary is a little over 10 miles away, while both the junior and senior high schools are a 20-mile drive from Glacier. Glacier is part of the Mount Baker School District, which earns a C grade from Niche. Kendall Elementary School receives a C-minus rating, Mount Baker Junior High has a C and Mount Baker Senior High scores a B-minus.
Local transportation revolves around Mount Baker Highway
Mount Baker Highway is the only way in or out of Glacier. The highway is mostly single-lane, so traffic can back up pretty severely when accidents, deadfall or heavy snow occur along the road. It’s about 27 miles by car to Abbotsford, and 35 miles to Bellingham — both cities have international airports. Public transportation in Glacier is more or less nonexistent — there are occasionally shuttles to and from Mt. Baker — and locals generally rely on cars to get around.