December 12, 2015, Alpental
12/12/15
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2778
2
I suppose a trip report from Alpy is of limited use as Saturday was the last day for touring in the in-bounds area, but maybe this will be helpful for adjacent terrain.
We ran into 'Gib' at the base area and had a nice chat- he told us that starting Sunday, the resort would be closed to up-hill traffic so the resort could start getting ready to open. Felt lucky we could squeak in one day of touring Alpy before the season starts.
Coverage on the lower half of Armstrong Express is marginal, fortunately they'd groomed under Sessel so the ski down was fine over there. Above Armstrong, coverage was much better. Did a lap skiers-right of Chair 2. The pits we dug showed a good bond between the 12" of newish sitting on the rain-saturated old snow- I think the rain pretty much destroyed any persistent weak layer around there.
By noon, the snowfall was just starting to pick up and we decided to save our legs for another touring day today, so we skied down from the top via Upper International. Fantastic coverage- soft snow and just a few tracks from the day before. Lower 'Nash was not as good though- many a rock was discovered lurking just below the surface.
Wonderful to be touring at Snoqualmie Pass again!
We ran into 'Gib' at the base area and had a nice chat- he told us that starting Sunday, the resort would be closed to up-hill traffic so the resort could start getting ready to open. Felt lucky we could squeak in one day of touring Alpy before the season starts.
Coverage on the lower half of Armstrong Express is marginal, fortunately they'd groomed under Sessel so the ski down was fine over there. Above Armstrong, coverage was much better. Did a lap skiers-right of Chair 2. The pits we dug showed a good bond between the 12" of newish sitting on the rain-saturated old snow- I think the rain pretty much destroyed any persistent weak layer around there.
By noon, the snowfall was just starting to pick up and we decided to save our legs for another touring day today, so we skied down from the top via Upper International. Fantastic coverage- soft snow and just a few tracks from the day before. Lower 'Nash was not as good though- many a rock was discovered lurking just below the surface.
Wonderful to be touring at Snoqualmie Pass again!
I was up there on Saturday as well, started up around 1pm and the snow was quickly piling up!
How do you know about up-hill being closed, is there an information page regarding that? Sorry, new to the PNW last year and as everyone knows, there wasn't much in the way of action with the dismal snowfall.
Thanks!
How do you know about up-hill being closed, is there an information page regarding that? Sorry, new to the PNW last year and as everyone knows, there wasn't much in the way of action with the dismal snowfall.
Thanks!
just a coincidence that Alpy employee and TAY poster 'Gib' was outside the lodge as we scooted by Saturday morning and he told us the news.
For the past few seasons, right before Alpental gets ready to open, he posts on TAY giving everyone a heads up that the resort is closing to uphill traffic. This year his announcement, posted Saturday morning, was in a thread previously started about uphill traffic at Snoqualmie, found here:
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=35025.0
For the past few seasons, right before Alpental gets ready to open, he posts on TAY giving everyone a heads up that the resort is closing to uphill traffic. This year his announcement, posted Saturday morning, was in a thread previously started about uphill traffic at Snoqualmie, found here:
http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=35025.0
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