Home > Trip Reports > November 22, 2012, Source Lake and Alpental

November 22, 2012, Source Lake and Alpental

11/22/12
WA Snoqualmie Pass
3573
5
Posted by patrick on 11/22/12 4:42pm
We turned up our noses at the grassy slopes of Alpental and set off for Source Lake, hoping for better.  We set a truly terrible skin track out, through lots of dense trees and over plenty of rocks and streams.  Upon reaching Source 75 minutes later (it was a really bad skin track), we were treated to beautiful views of just barely covered talus fields - the basin above Source is definitely not in yet.  We guessed another foot would make it a pleasant ski. 
Back at the parking lot in *only* 45 minutes, we found Alpental looking a lot more appealing.  We did a couple quick laps up towards International bowl, turning around a little below the elevation of the top of chair 1.  More barely-covered rocks above there.  Down low the shrubs are minor and the rocks are few, and we had mediocre (but great for early-season) turns down 5" of wet snow atop a soft but supportive crust. 
Small day, mostly shut down, wet snow, but great to get back out there. 
Good report, thanks.

Yesterday, I found the skiing to be better under the lift line for chair 1 than towards Lower Nash.  It's still a bit brushy over there, but found it more enjoyable than the boulder fields of lower Nash.  In fact, I would say it was quite pleasant.

I took a look up chair 2 the lift-line, and decided it probably wouldn't be worth the climb compared to lapping Debbie's.  Certainly do-able, but bumpy looking.

Well seeing that it's totally ruined today with a nasty rain crust to the top, here's what Upper I was like yesterday:





12-15" of surfy pow, though Lower I is still a bit of an adventure that another 18" of coverage would do best to smooth out.

A+ on the dog picture







12-15" of surfy pow, though Lower I is still a bit of an adventure that another 18" of coverage would do best to smooth out.

nash looks posing like that

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november-22-2012-source-lake-and-alpental
patrick
2012-11-23 00:42:44