Alpental May 5, 2006

Nice day to close out the season for me at Alpental. Soft snow anywhere that got sun, although upper international was a little hard early in the day. They had a cookout, costume contest and lots of chairs and tables set up in front of the lodge. $5 lift tickets, which would be hard to beat if you didn't have a pass.

Sunny skies, no lines. Made a few runs on shot 6, breakover, and the fan, which I've never hit before. The fan is starting to melt out, and one patch under armstrong, but other than that, really good coverage, with dirty snow in some places, esp under the trees.

I was there too. A buddy and I traversed out to Piss Pass as soon as International opened, climbed to Point 5456 where we took a break for lunch. Then a slightly adventurous (steep and slick) downhill hike to the point where we could put our skis on and traverse to the top of Great Scott Bowl where we found very nice conditions. The bowl had a couple of inches of spring snow on top of a very firm base. Much better than the mank which predominated on most other parts of the hill. We were pretty much alone out there but for one fellow who hiked up and skied Draft Dodger while we were eating. A lovely ski, then to the lodge for Cinco de Mayo festivities and a well earned beer.

We owe a debt of gratitude to whoever had broken the trail for us sometime in the not too distant past as they had left some good, firm steps in what was otherwise 12 or so inches of soft stuff.

It was shirt-sleeve and no-glove skiing most of the day.