HIKING -- It's mid-August and snowshoes are still de rigueur at Mount Baker hiking trails.

John Frankhsuser of Spokane snapped the photo above last week as he ventured toward from the Heather Meadows trailhead parking area. The snow around the plowed area of the parking lot was over his head.

Seems rare to for and East Sider to travel to Western Washington so he can get that "above the arctic circle" feeling. 

The Artist Point area normally is overrun with hikers stretching their legs and smelling the wildflowers this time of year.