April 3-5, 2009 Stevens Pass Ski Area

Last Friday and Saturday at Stevens Pass were arguably the two best days of lift assisted skiing that I have experienced this year. I have had better powder days and more socially satisfying days, but none of those days featured non stop steep turns in hero snow. My ski partner, Tom, tore up a quadriceps muscle on the first couple turns of Friday morning, which placed me in a position of having no companionship and no contrary opinions on where I should ski. So for two days I did nothing but double-blacks in snow that caused me to hoot and holler until I was hoarse. They both great days, but different. Friday was overcast with snow showers; uncrowded and offering lots of untouched snow. Photos 1 and 2 were taken Friday. We woke up to a brilliant blue sky on Saturday;dry powder was still available on the steep runs. Sunday was a bit anti-climatic. I still had fun in the sun, but the snow paled in comparison to the other two days. Wild Katz (photo 3) no longer had cream on its whiskers.Off-piste areas were often unpleasant and hard work for my old legs. Like most ski areas, Stevens Pass will close in two weeks with perhaps the best snow coverage of the year. I will get a couple more lift assisted days at Whistler, then its earn your turns for me until next November.
btw I got seven days on the Stevens Spring Season pass; possibly the best $79 that I have ever spent.

AGREED… great spring skiing was had all weekend (I too had to put my pass to good use with the avy conditions HIGH)! Saturday the backside was surprisingly awesome, snow was wet but cornin’ up nicely on the open and steep exposures, pretty cut up but very skiable with a little work and tons of fun.  Big Chief and Tye Bowls soft snow and firm under.  7th (chutes & trees) was probably the best for dry powder, still to be found but finally (with warm temps) showing a little bit heavy by closing Sunday.  Some great spring skiing to be had, but I’m still hoping for one more of those “spring” cold fronts to dump another foot of powder before Stevens calls it quits…