Glacier is a small census-designated place in Whatcom County, Washington, set in the North Fork Nooksack River Valley at an elevation of about 900 feet. It sits roughly 10 miles northwest of the summit of Mount Baker, the nearly 10,000-foot volcano that dominates the eastern skyline of the county. The 2020 census recorded 300 residents. Glacier's identity is inseparable from the mountain above it. The community is the principal gateway to the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and to the Mount Baker Ski Area, which lies at the end of the Mount Baker Highway, State Route 542. The ski area is famous for its prodigious snowfall, having held records for the most snow in a single season of any resort in the world. That snowpack, along with the surrounding peaks, glaciers, and old-growth forests, makes Glacier a base camp for skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and climbers throughout the year. The community itself is small and unincorporated, with a collection of cabins, lodges, small businesses, and vacation rentals strung along the highway and the river. Its economy is oriented toward outdoor recreation and tourism, and its population swells on winter weekends and summer holidays. Year-round residents value the quiet, the dark skies, and the immediate access to public land. Students in Glacier attend the Mount Baker School District, which is based in nearby Deming and serves eastern Whatcom County. The city of Bellingham, about 40 miles to the west, provides the nearest full range of shopping, medical care, and employment. For those drawn to the mountains of the North Cascades, Glacier offers a rare combination of living directly at the doorstep of a major ski area and national forest.