Dec 23, 2008 - Stevens Pass ski area

Went up to check out Stevens Pass ski area today. Temps in upper teens, but felt balmy. All lifts on front side operational except Double Diamond; suprise to see 7th open, its still pretty exposed up there, lots of deep moguls with nice suprises, in the form of rocks, when you get over the tops... must be on the look out constantly.

Both Big Chief and Tye bowls still boulder fields w/ snow pillows, will need many more feet of snow to fill in sufficiently. All the groomed runs really compact now but some good powder stashes on the front side (esp Big Chief area) if you look around, in trees, sides of runs, etc. Lots of exposed stuff on the steeper terrain, but its challenging and fun to ski around (hey it's decent tree skiing practice).

Backside still closed but great powder runs to be had on the lower to mid angled terrain, then you skin back up and do it again.

     I was there yesterday too, and the patrol had just opened the access from Skid Road to the south end of Cowboy Mountain.  I asked if I could go around the rope blocking Gemini and he said that was fine, so I went back to the car for my BC kit and did 2 laps down that narrow left cutoff from near the top of Gemini.  Very deep and good coverage. 
     They have groomed the roads on the backside, which makes for easy skinning on the climb back.  A patroller said Mill Creek won't open until they get another storm or 2, so there may be a few more days of mucho untracked right out the Tye Mill back door.