Mar 15, 2014, Stevens Pass, Ides of March

Apologies for the late post - spent the evening in Easton jamming out on a backyard QP and kicker setup with friends and locals alike in the moonlight.

Where to start? Maybe the parking lots which didn't fill up all day? Or the go-ahead and load on Chief as I slid up at 8:45? No, definitely the third chair up Double Diamond and the first tracks straight down the fall line beneath Southern Cross. I didn't cross a track on my subsequent run through Orion Chutes and only a few on my third lap down the back via the cornice into Aquarius Face and straight down below Jupiter. All-in-all, I logged 9 laps of fresh turns in the first two hours. Do I need to mention the foot of snow in the past 24, half of which stacked overnight?

This was the view from my *second* ride up Southern Cross of the morning, enroute to the third lap of the day:


No lines on the mountain all day with high overcast and patches of blue made for one of the best days of the season. As the goods thickened and the powder was reduced to pockets, we stretched our hiking legs and put in a few laps through the usual places on the other side of the ropes. By early afternoon the snow was cooked and what wasn't touched became knee-deep 'taters. No rain either, except in the trees where you were guaranteed a soaking. Departed the pass at 15:45 and headed eastbound for a change due to evening plans in Easton. Took a short detour up the Icicle in the sunshine before wolfing down a polynesian-styled sausage burger and a few pints in Washington's most Bavarian town. The drive over Blewett at sunset was scenic but sad - there isn't much snow along the road.

Not a bad place to stretch the legs:


The rain started in earnest ~22:30 in Easton and only intensified on the way over the pass until finally letting-up in Issaquah. Tomorrow could be an interesting one - I think I'll spend the morning half of it in bed dreaming about this:

Fun photos with your report. We had a very good day too, with lots more fresh than forecasted and no crowds or lines. I'm surprised that the snow (5" plus 6"since Friday) was not noted on the Stevens website.
There ws an annual informal tele race set up in Tye Bowl. I've never seen so many pinheads on one slope in my life! I might have to try it out next March.
It was quite warm and heavy, though---no floating, just smashing blobs of chowder. Very fun until packed, then the tips got thrown around more. Still, we found uncut in the woods all day long, though the back side got temp-impacted with sun breaks and warm temps. It was about 40 deg. much of the afternoon. Flat and sun-facing aspects got really grabby.
Another plus of the day: extensive grooming all over the mountain, making for lots of acreage to open 'er up!