Pros:
Located in Whatcom County, Glacier is a gateway community for the Mount Baker community and is the last outpost on the Mount Baker highway before entering the national forest. The community caters to summer hikers and river rafters, and winter skiers and snowboarders. While Glacier offers food and lodging, there is no gas available, so you will need to return to Maple Falls for fuel.
Nestled in a beautiful valley, Glacier DGC is located just inside the Mount Baker National Recreation Area, and north of the Mount Baker Wilderness Area. The community is about 24 miles west of the Mount Baker Ski Area, and about 32 miles east of the intersection of I-5 and State Route 542 in Bellingham. As other reviewers stated, this course is one of the more beautiful courses in the state. The course has players weaving in and out an old growth forest, incorporating several peaks and valleys with vibrant moss covered trees, massive ferns, winding creeks, and much more native growth making this course very dense.
The holes on the Glacier DGC back 18 are around 200 feet with a few that reach closer to 250 feet. This course utilizes the landscape, creating tight fairway shots which require a great deal of accuracy in order to shoot for birdie. However, the back 18 is much less developed and the dense brush makes lines to the basket much less visible, which also makes navigating more difficult. All holes can be reached with a midrange or putter off the tee like on the other course, and tee pads are all natural and present little issue considering how short the holes are. The same unique baskets on the front 18 are on the back as well and are unlike any other I have played. The hula hoops with the netting make putting a challenge. Baskets lay horizontal about three feet off the ground, and a floating putt will prove much more beneficial compared to a turbo or spin putt.
Cons:
Navigation on the back 18 is even more difficult then the front 18. Hole one on the back 18 branches off after hole eight or nine on the front 18 and then connects back to the front 18 once finished with the back allowing for all 36 holes to be played in one VERY long round. Again, without the help of the locals my first time, I would have found myself wandering through this densely populated forest in search of the next tee pad at several points during my round. Because Glacier DGC is on the outskirts of the Mount Baker Wilderness Area, getting lost would not be in anyone's best interest considering the area is bear country.
Course design on the back 18, although more hazardous due to all the crossing fairways, is much more balanced in terms of lefty versus righty holes. This course, like the front 18, also lacks much variation when it comes to distance and therefore is most suitable for the intermediate to advanced player. It is a great course to work on midrange and putter upshots, and often requires a balance of finesse and power in order to shoot under on any given hole.
Other Thoughts:
One of my more memorable holes on the course was an anhyzer shot about 175 feet long. Players threw from an elevated tee downward to a hanging basket up in the tree. The design of the hole allowed for multiple lines off the tee and brought yet another unexpected turn to this unique course. Both courses at Glacier DGC were truly memorable for me, with such an amazing way to get out and experience all nature has to offer with its beauty and tranquility, I felt truly blessed.