12-8-12, Alpental Backcountry, Draft Dodger Ridge

Got a late start, which worked out for the best since It was just me and Holly my amazing ski dog. I could not make it all the way up Alpental Road in my vehicle so I had to hitch-hike from Summit West. There was still a bit of road walking to the Upper lot. Holly and I had to negotiate the snow plows busily clearing the Upper lot, and also a snowcat on the beginning of the trail that had broken a hydraulic line so they were stuck for a bit.

Once we passed the snowcat, we made it to the Source Lake area very quickly as the trail out to the lake is in good condition right now. Once at the lake I started looking for a skin track leading to Great Scott Bowl and found one in the usual area that looked really fresh. Holly and I finally saw the upper part of the bowl in view and it is filled in really nice now. The skin track started leading away from the bowl and over onto Draft Dodger Ridge. Shortly after we had ascended the ridge we saw a group of six, and I asked if they had put in this nice skin track, to which there response was "yes" I told them how much I appreciated their efforts, just as I recognized a voice in the group. The group was a class being led by Martin Volken. They were at their high point, already transitioned for the downhill so the ridge would also be the high point for Holly and I. Pineapple Pass was in view, and very tempting, but it was already late in the day and the snow was so deep it would be totally unmanageable for Holly and I. On the way down the snow was very stable, and the quality level of the powder was superb. Face shots the whole way down from the ridge, and did I mention deep!? Great weather all day, even saw a peek of blue sky for a minute. It stayed nice and cold all day which really helped for the incredible snow quality. I got a few powder days in on my my Dynafit Stokes last spring but they are still new and they handled so well for me in the deep stuff on this trip. Really happy I made that purchase early this year! A great day to be in the Alpental Valley!!