December 13, 2006, Alpental hike
12/13/06
WA Snoqualmie Pass
2261
0
After taking a Holocaust survivor who spoke at my high schoolonto the Bremerton on ferry, my son and I continued up the Pass to try the lifts for our first time at Alpental. To my chagrin they had closed due to high winds, and we didn't even have a pack between us. Inspiration struck: "Let's boot a couple of runs!"
Left the lot at 2 PM after getting words of caution from the info office, and went up to the Soessl lift. With 5-6" of heavy new and no other riders it was some nice turns to the base. A second trip up had Isaak saying he was ready to ride down (inaugural trip for his new snowboard boots); I continued up Lower International onto the Cascades Traverse following an earlier skin track until angle, depth and fading light all bade me clip in.
Did a short steep bit below the Traverse in heavy snow, some planing and some sinking in up to 2 feet, then buttery turns to the car. It was snowing consistently above 4000'. Not very windy down low, and the lowering snow level and precip. look good. The snow firmed up as my pole pushes went in, though there was lots of deeper stuff. That whole valley is really nice looking and there are some cool looking lines across the way. Hope to get back soon.
Left the lot at 2 PM after getting words of caution from the info office, and went up to the Soessl lift. With 5-6" of heavy new and no other riders it was some nice turns to the base. A second trip up had Isaak saying he was ready to ride down (inaugural trip for his new snowboard boots); I continued up Lower International onto the Cascades Traverse following an earlier skin track until angle, depth and fading light all bade me clip in.
Did a short steep bit below the Traverse in heavy snow, some planing and some sinking in up to 2 feet, then buttery turns to the car. It was snowing consistently above 4000'. Not very windy down low, and the lowering snow level and precip. look good. The snow firmed up as my pole pushes went in, though there was lots of deeper stuff. That whole valley is really nice looking and there are some cool looking lines across the way. Hope to get back soon.
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