Feb 23, 2009: Alpental lunch lap

Quick drive up to Alpental around 1pm Monday with hopes of finding some fresh snow.  Alp lifts closed today, all alone empty parking lot, found untracked new snow about ½ to 1 inch.  Temps ranged from high to low 30s.  Skinned up to the top of Armstrong, continued up via Powder Bowl to Rollen and to the top of Edel’ lift.  The little snow (on top of firm base) offered good skin traction; but on steeper terrain, finally resorted to ski cramp-ons due to hard ice in many spots, made life a lot easier   By 3pm it was snowing heavy, blowing in from the south, nice powder cover forming!

First turns down to and into upper International were interesting… in flat light, deep moguls, ice in places under about 1-2 in of new powder.  Nevertheless nice to have a run with fresh snow finally.  On steeps, it was scraped to ice and every turn sent fluff down fall line; moderate angled terrain like lower ‘Nass was much nicer with the couple inches of fresh pow offering nice turns all the way down to parking lot.

Could winter finally be back?  I sure hope so, we’re long overdue here in PNW!!!  With the wind deposits over the firm (icy) base, the avy danger is sure to go up in the bc.

Yes, winter is back. Skied Alpental from 12-3 today. Lots of fresh lines. And it feels so normal, rain-snow mix at the bottom and warm, wet flakes up top. 5-6 inches at the bottom, 8-10 (or more in places) up top. Tomorrow should be good if it continues.

Alpental was good this afternoon. I almost forgot how to ski soft snow.