January 17, 2016, Alpental

The only bummer today was the Hawks game. Snowed all day, and good lines could be found up 'till the closing bell on 2. No partner, so couldn't partake in the Elevator party. Zipper crust a few inches down at and below the top of Chair 1.

Fattest skis floated the heavy (not sticky) pow and crud with aplomb. Coverage is excellent for January; can't recall skiing the "cliffs" below Chair 1 being so filled in this early.

Quite a few little crowns along Alpental Road and the eastbound lanes of 90.

Hey Charlie,

I'm assuming you were the fellow with the Drifters that my son and I rode up with on Armstrong near closing time. If so, a pleasure to meet you! My son commented that "that guy" really seemed now what's going on at Alpy. I agreed...

Bruce

It was good to meet you, too. So many happy snowpeople out there today!

There are many others here on TAY who know Alpy far, far better (paging Bobby to the white courtesy phone, for example). It's so crenulated, it's a lifetime pursuit to know the place.

I did an avalanche course there yesterday so only got 4 or 5 runs at best. It was good riding snow but I got a 12" upper slab to move and propagate routinely on our pit testing and did see evidence of this on many rollover terrain features.

schmooo fest for sure today but still fun snow because i ski PNW pow.