Re: Padded Seats 2020

New decade, fresh start, rock-bottom expectations exceeded by today's mediocrity. Reasonable lines which evaporated when the Hawks kicked off, more of the hill in play than many were anticipating, full on nuking this morning and nice visibility once it came time to go stash hunting.

Saw all the usual suspects, hill was remarkably Jerry-free, but maybe they were all stuck down @ Denny Creek.

10 Jan 2020. Delectable.

What a day. Visibility challenge and lots of pillow'd out logs, rocks and creeks but great snow. International closed about 1. Snow got better and better. Gunmount area was tops for me, or Eisfallen zone.

11 Jan 2020 - Uber deep delectable.

11 Jan 2020 - Uber deep delectable.

So good!!!
A few more people made it up the pass on Jan 12, many of the Ikronic crowd. New snow was less deep but slightly easier to ski, and bottomless in the untracked. Still a late start on Nash, but better than the 11th.

January 10th, the best of the 3 days IMHO.

vimeo.com/384150652

Today didn't suck. Hoping it snows bigly in the lowlands overnight so there will be even fewer Pugetopolis Powder Techs in line for 2 tomorrow

Today didn't suck. Hoping it snows bigly in the lowlands overnight so there will be even fewer Pugetopolis Powder Techs in line for 2 tomorrow

Headed over to see.

Mediocre conditions yesterday. I think my skis touched bottom on at least one turn each run.

What can I say! Unlimited deep, skiable powder with nobody in the way - all day! Even met Dangerous Dan who took me on a sweet first run, which I struggled on...tough skiing deep snow with one boot in walk mode!
Top ten powder day of my life for sure. Sorry Seattle.......NOT

Oh yeah...The Backside was open...Southern Cross the best chairlift in the world today!

     We rode lifts for the first time at Alpental; I'd only BC-ed there in summer.  My first of 5 days at Snoq with the Ikon Base Pass. Soft bumps and deep powder leftovers.  Lots of steep challenging terrain.  We did Powder Bowl and Edelweiss a few times, but not International 'cuz we couldn't see anything. 
Temps 20 deg. max at the base, whited out a lot at the top of Edelwiess, howling wind on the upper part of Armstrong Express, but that could be normal like on skyline at Stevens.  Low vis and sore knees told us to  knock off at 2:45. 
     Such a contrast to my first time skiing there: 
     June 21 was both the summer solstice and the last day before summer at the high school where I taught.  We waved goodbye to the students on  the buses, I jumped in the car and drove straight to Alpy.  I hiked and skinned to the top of Edelweiss, summited Denny Mountain, then skied International in evening shade and left near dusk.  So different from today and both great!

Jan 17. Ahhh. Oodles of fantastic snow everywhere. Plenty of pushed around leftovers. Armstrong started about 945 and Chair 2 shortly after; never a line. Nash and Rollen entries tolerable. Elevator gates open; I had a great trip through the upper gate and then working back to lowest Nash. Snowing hard down to about 2000 feet at 4 PM but only about an inch on the car 8-4.

Pretty mediocre, country club Wed. Two loaded timely, l'Internationale was put into play at tennish, Snake Dance & Elevator followed shortly thereafter and the rain failed to materialize as of last chair. H*ck, even the golf course didn't disappoint beneath the lights this evening. Thanks for not coming!

Delayed load, heavy snow, wall-to-wall debris and Pugetopolis' finest Powder Technicians all attending.

So otherwise, a regular Alpental "Super" Tuesday

Valentine's day I guess everyone stayed home.

Arrived around noon and the lower lot (the one with the footbridge) was signed closed for buses/full etc., but the slopes themselves were practically deserted. Like when you almost wish for at least one other skier on International in case you wipe out and hurt yourself. I had no idea the RV scene in the upper lot was so organized. Lodges were also very peaceful. All in all a great day with a couple of inches of new snow with the expected altitude gradation in quality. The usual entry zones were getting nicely filled in and non-angst inducing. Favorite run maybe the assorted Gunmount glades. No real snow accumulation on car 12-5 but it stayed just below 32 with light snow.

Presidents day was surreal. Lined up early and was near the front of chair 2 when it started loading at 9:40. 18" on top skied like a dream. Once Nash opened that was the place to be. By lunch time Elevator was in the mix... steep and deep - so nice I lapped it twice. Grabbed a bear and enjoyed the sun peaking out in the afternoon. Kind people and a great day to be on the mountain

"18" on top skied like a dream"

Dreamy was my description as well. Two runs down Armstrong where you have no other tracks in your view were incredible. Then the same dream on Gun Mount. Top 5 days at Alpy. We really liked them opening up earlier than normal after a big dump and then opening up new terrain as the day wore on.

Poor lifties need to dig out Chair 2 as we saw at least 6 people catch their tips at the start and have to take the walk of shame back to the shack.

Please direct all complaints about tip-sinking to grooming, who did those "poor lifities" a solid last night and saved them a lot of shoveling. Or you could just keep your tips up, eh?

Today was the most mediocre Tues. of the season. The mid-winter break madness seemed confined to Acres, which had full parking lots when I rolled past around 11. Never waited in a line, rode right on to 2 several times, whole mediocre joint was in play, incl. both gates. Broke up four laps thru Sharon's knolls with a pair of laps to Piss, incl. one last one up 261.

Tomorrow should be as, if not more, mediocre than today.

Thoroughly mediocre, although watching the freeride kids send would've convinced you otherwise

Beautiful!  Efficient opening by patrol with lots of bombing. Nice couple of inches of chalky powder on a non-lumpy, non-icy base on most Armstrong lines first thing. Chair 2 opened by by 930 or so with average weekday-powderday lines maybe 15 min max in the AM, gone by noon. Edelweiss bowl, Gunmount, Schluct, I gate, E gate all good.  Definitely warmed up later on, effecting snow quality but the peaceful environs and massive snowpack made up for it. Hoping winter is not over quite yet.

By all measures, a Fat Tuesday indeed

Got first txs from top of Pineapple Pass today. Was stunning and delicious. Access via Nash Gate... Props to patrol getting it open right away. Spectacular way to celebrate the opening of March. Quite a few groups out plying and playing in the basin. Still licking my chops!

Fantastic! In-bounds was crowded where it counts.

Turns-out, when you show up at 8am and the chairs roll early, you can score a baker's half-dozen out the gate, long lines be damned! (Okay, I did luck out on a line-skipping singles maneuver twice in the afternoon, but still)

4 laps inside the Cleaver, 2 beyond Piss, 0 fully inside the ropes

2 inch fresh on a rain crust. Good end of the year snow for educated legs. White-out icy Nash entrance: cool!
Alpy shut down at 4. Over to Summit Central, nice groomers, same basic snow.