Sherman Crater Fumaroles
Sherman Crater is a steam field on Mt. Baker National Forest land in Whatcom County, Washington. The temperature given is well above the boiling point of water. Peaceful Valley, twenty-odd miles off, is the town the record names. Open access is recorded, but this is a climb, and the record counts it as thermal because of the vents and for no other reason.
About four miles on foot from Middle Fork Nooksack Road, at nearly nine and a half thousand feet. The climate record is extreme, with an average temperature well below freezing and a snowfall figure north of four hundred inches. Precipitation is well over a hundred inches. Forest Service ground in a national forest, with nothing recorded about a fee.
Boulder Creek Campground is roughly six and a half miles off, the camping the record gives. December through February sit on record as the best months; at this altitude and snowfall that is not a recommendation. Steam above boiling. Stay clear of the vents entirely. Mountaineering skill and a weather window are the real prerequisites here.
Aircraft with laser scanners measured this ground to within inches. The scan strips out trees and buildings, leaving the bare shape of the land around Sherman Crater Fumaroles.
Drag the handle to compare the two views. The orange dot marks the spring, in a frame about three quarters of a mile wide.
- Setting
- Canyon floor
- Steep ground climbs away on both sides of the spring.
- Highest ground nearby
- 686 ft above the spring
- Within a quarter mile, to the north
A slice through the ground from southwest to northeast, about 0.6 miles end to end.
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
That's close to the US average of 65. It's higher than at 14% of the springs on this site.
Heat flow measures the warmth working its way up through the ground from deep inside the earth. Where it runs high, rain and snowmelt that seep down through cracks in the rock come back up hot.
See every spring on the geothermal heat map →
Heat flow estimate: Stanford Thermal Earth Model (Aljubran & Horne, 2024), CC BY 4.0.
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Overview Boulder Creek Campground sits along the banks of Boulder Creek in the stunning Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The unique setting offers many recreational activities and scenic views. Baker Lake is close by, and several hiking trails and climbing routes are within a short driving distance.Recreation The surrounding area is a prime location for hiking, climbing, boating, fishing, picnicking and horseback riding in summer and early fall, and snowmobiling in the winter months....
At 9,463 feet, Sherman Crater Fumaroles is in high-altitude territory where the air is noticeably thinner. Soaking in hot water accelerates dehydration and can amplify altitude effects like headache and fatigue. UV radiation is roughly 38% stronger here. Wear sunscreen even on overcast days and take breaks from the water to rehydrate.
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Sherman Crater Fumaroles is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. The water is dangerously hot, so bring water shoes and test pools carefully. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
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