Galbraith Mountain
The people, history and culture behind Bellingham’s most iconic trails
Students in the Spring 2026 Advanced Visual Journalism class hiked and biked up Galbraith Mountain to explore what stories lie along its 70 miles of singletrack. The mountain’s history was traced from its geological formation and early timber-harvesting days to its vibrant mountain biking scene, driven by communities seeking to break down barriers within the sport.
JoyRiding Galbraith
This Whatcom Mountain Biking Coalition riding group is back for the 2026 season! The JoyRiders offer group rides based on skill level for any women, non-binary and gender non-conforming bikers looking for community or a safe space to improve their skills.
Credits:
Filmed by Natalie Jones, Sean Lynch, Lynn Piefer, and Jaimee Wacker
Audio assistance from Kristina Mendoza
Edited by Natalie Jones and Lynn Piefer
Music: “Bay is Gone” by mobygratis
Featuring JoyRiders—Jaime Curtis, Sally Vaux and Cherie Itter
Special thanks to Jaime Curtis and Ellie Price
More info about JoyRiders at: https://www.wmbcmtb.org/joyriders
Beginner’s Guide by Sean Lynch, Jaimee Wacker and Natalie Jones
Map by Jaimee Wacker
Source: Trailforks.com
From Timber to Trails The History of Galbraith Mountain
Galbraith Mountain is a nationally recognized hub for mountain biking. Located in Bellingham, Washington, between Lake Whatcom and Lake Padden, the privately owned mountain wasn’t always open to the public for recreational use. Mountain bikers’ passion and determination, and a logging company’s willingness to compromise, offered an opportunity for an agreement between the two groups. This video covers the history of Galbraith Mountain from timber to trails.
Credits:
Video created by Malia Fraser, Ben Magnus, Kristina Mendoza and Adam Rideout Redeker
Original music by Adam Rideout Redecker
Drone footage courtesy of Storm Hedman
A special thanks to:
Colin Amos, John Broten, Zac D., David Janicki & Janicki Logging Co. and Jeff Jewell of The Whatcom Museum
Infographic by Lynn Piefer
Sources: Ren Jones, Hannah Burns and Craig Piefer
Ready, Set, Vamos
Vamos is a program funded and created by WMBC and Vamos Outdoor Projects in order for more elementary students to get outdoors and learn valuable transportation skills. In this video we explore what the program means to the community and how it helps to improve the lives of Latiné, Migrant, and multi-lingual youth.
Credits:
Filmed by Natalie Jones, Sean Lynch, Lynn Piefer and Jaimee Wacker
Edited by Jaimee Wacker
Music: “Fail Safe” by mobygratis
“Clock sound effect” by DRAGON-STUDIO from Pixabay
“Nature sound effect” by Jurij from Pixabay
Big thank you to Ellie Price, Bea Avalos and Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition