Jan 14, Heather Ridge, Avoid Hitching Ticket!
1/14/07
WA Stevens Pass
2612
2
My idea of backcountry skiing does not include being accosted by a State Patrol Trooper, said Brian, the skiing Purist.
We had skied down Heather Ridge to the highway and hitchhiked up where a kindly lady didnt want to turn into the parking lot to let us off. Stopping at Stevens Pass, we failed to notice the State Patroller immediately behind us. He barked his reprimand through his external car speakers. In fact, we learned from the ski employee who drove us on our last lap to the highway that the State Patrol is writing $100 tickets to those who pick up hitchhikers -- so make sure you dont stick out your thumb with police around. If you choose to hitch back up the pass, and get dropped off in the parking lot.
Heather Ridge was luscious. We started doing laps after hiking up the snowcat track, which the Purist scoffed at as lacking purosity. The we followed the ridge hamster trail along flattened by hikers, but found ourselves staring down unskied, steep angled and treed chutes. After bagging them, we skinned up the nice track laid down by previous skiers, another abomination to the Purist until he realized that there were so many steep and untracked lines, our increased speed up only meant more runs. This was not Silas territory the Purist commented.
Despite the party of fellow skiers , dogs and avi course participants on the ridge, it was an incredible blue sky day in superb conditions. The hoar frost on top of the foot or so light powder aided in ripping out high speed turns. The only change in conditions as we descended towards the highway was lower depth of powder, but still supremely ripable on top of a very firm crust. We worked our way north along the ridge to the steepest sections on Heather Ridge where we were rewarded with a continuous 1900 vertical drop of untracked sweetness with several sections exceeding 45 degrees. Whoo ha!
Josh G
We had skied down Heather Ridge to the highway and hitchhiked up where a kindly lady didnt want to turn into the parking lot to let us off. Stopping at Stevens Pass, we failed to notice the State Patroller immediately behind us. He barked his reprimand through his external car speakers. In fact, we learned from the ski employee who drove us on our last lap to the highway that the State Patrol is writing $100 tickets to those who pick up hitchhikers -- so make sure you dont stick out your thumb with police around. If you choose to hitch back up the pass, and get dropped off in the parking lot.
Heather Ridge was luscious. We started doing laps after hiking up the snowcat track, which the Purist scoffed at as lacking purosity. The we followed the ridge hamster trail along flattened by hikers, but found ourselves staring down unskied, steep angled and treed chutes. After bagging them, we skinned up the nice track laid down by previous skiers, another abomination to the Purist until he realized that there were so many steep and untracked lines, our increased speed up only meant more runs. This was not Silas territory the Purist commented.
Despite the party of fellow skiers , dogs and avi course participants on the ridge, it was an incredible blue sky day in superb conditions. The hoar frost on top of the foot or so light powder aided in ripping out high speed turns. The only change in conditions as we descended towards the highway was lower depth of powder, but still supremely ripable on top of a very firm crust. We worked our way north along the ridge to the steepest sections on Heather Ridge where we were rewarded with a continuous 1900 vertical drop of untracked sweetness with several sections exceeding 45 degrees. Whoo ha!
Josh G
At least you did not get accosted by the lame patrollers at MP 37 outsode of Index. What constuction zone? There was no construction. Damn speed trap was lame.
Could be worse...you could get a $538 ticket for not chaining up. That could happen after passing a full chain-up area (with no indication of it being the last chance to chain up) and driving slowly behind a plow, with traction control (albeit front-wheel-drive), with snow tires, and stopping at the top to chain up in a safe area (and not blocking anyone). That would be (and was) quite annoying.
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