Northwest Ski Ink

Here is a nice recap of the snow fall activity:
‘Cascades are the place to be’The snow came late to the region’s ski areas. But once it started, it hasn’t stopped.
www.thenewstribune.com/front/topphoto/story/248580.html


A few items from the Trib Blogs:  blogs.thenewstribune.com/adventure/
Friday, January 4th, 2008
Avalanche class canceled
Posted by Jeff Mayor @ 03:23:38 pm
A Level I avalanche awareness class to offered next week at Backpackers Supply has been canceled. The class was supposed to begin Jan. 10.
The instructor become ill. The store is trying to arrange new dates later this month or in February.

Mail Bag: Has anybody died in a Warren Miller movie?
Posted by Craig Hill @ 01:33:44 pm A reader e-mailed recently to ask if a skier or snowboarder has ever died in the filming of a Warren Miller extreme skiing flick.

As it turns out, the answer is yes.

In the early 1990s, Paul Ruff died attempting a cliff jump for Warren Miller's cameras.

Check out a fascinating story in L.A. Times Magazine circa 1994.
www.markels.com/resumelat.htm

Here's a link to a photo of Ruff standing on top of the cliff just before the jump.
www.markels.com/paulruff.htm


Thought I would tack on this edit:
Reading on another site:  www.nwsr.com/reports/CrystalMountain.shtml
.... That there is a problem with Crystal's Chair Six .... doesn't work too well with singles. So gotta have two to go....

Edit:
Never too young to hit the slopesMELYNDA HARRISON; Women’s Adventure Magazine Published:
January 10th, 2008 01:00 AM
www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/250761.html

Well, well....  The New York Times reports on Crystal's Northway Lift:
travel.nytimes.com/2008/01/18/travel/esc...=8&sq=crystal&st=nyt


Nothing new or terribly substantial... but worth a read.

Hi everyone,
I emailed Larry direct, but in case he doesn't check his email:

Two questions:
1. What is the quickest way to Crystal from Seattle? I usually go I-5, I-90, 405, 169 to Enumclaw etc.
2. Do you know where you take a left before Enumclaw that lets you bypass that town and then connect back up to head to Crystal Mountain BLDV etc?
Thanks!
Trent

I go to Crystal from Tacoma...   

However it seems to me that getting to Crystal by way of Highway 169 is quite the scenic drive.   I would recommend going down hwy 167, east on hwy 18 to Auburn Way exit (not C street...) , south on Auburn Way..... up the hill ... out to Enumclaw.   (take a look at Mapquest.com)

Perhaps some other Seattle skiers have timed the different routes.

Pretty much no way to not go through Enumclaw.

The left turn you mention...   If you look at MapQuest... there are a couple of streets you could turn left on before hitting Enumclaw, like SE 416th then right onto 284th ave SE / Farman St to join up with Hwy 410.


Takes me 1.5 hours from Lakewood, south of Tacoma.  I just sit back and enjoy how Bonney Lake, Buckley and Enumclaw wrapped their towns and stoplights around my route to Crystal.  The Buckley stoplight is most irritating.... Grrrrrr   They did that just to be mean.   

Takes two hours from my front door to Rainier-Paradise parking lot... so the drive to Crystal doesn't seem so long.... I just do my gregorian chant, slow down for Greenwater, and I am there before I regain full consciousness. Yes, there should be a straighter route without stoplights to get to the sacred mountain.

$25 lift tickets...  $15 entry fee...   I don't know... sounds kind of iffy for parking.

[size=12pt]Olympic National Park's Hurricane Ridge: The little hill that could[/size]
www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/263551.html

[size=12pt]Ski for free: Resort jobs offer time on slopes[/size] There are two kinds of people on the slopes. The ones who pay to ski and snowboard are the majority. Then there’s the handful of folks who take their turns for free.
www.theolympian.com/wintersports/story/286313.html

Check out what folks on TGR's forum are saying about the NW...

www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110214

It's GAME ON!!!! I heard 50" by Friday on the news last night.