Worst Ski Season Ever?

Did it just take a while for people to start getting "desperate" enough to head to Baker instead of stripping wallpaper? Did reports here on TAY (and perhaps the other sites) generate a wave of skiers all looking for the "sure thing" they were reading about on the web (compounded by word of mouth/networking by the readers of TAY)?

<br><br>I think TAY was largely responsible.<br><br>On February 8, ajjenkin and I broke trail out to Coleman Pinnacle. When we arrived, nobody had ventured beyond Point 5600+, which I believe locals call Ptarmigan Peak. This was on a Tuesday following a glorious weekend. A party of three followed our tracks out that same day. My trip report was vague about where we went.<br><br>On February 18, a TAY poster reported outstanding conditions on Ptarmigan Ridge. That opened the floodgates.<br>

How long does it realistically take to drive from Seattle to your stashes on Baker? I know I've asked this before but I forget the response. Central Oregon has pretty good skiing right now and I think it's about as far for me (3.5-3hrs) as Baker is for you, yet I consider it reserved for well-planned trips with predictable weather. Maybe I should reassess my driving willingness.<br><br>I have had a lot of quality skiing this winter but what I'm really concerned about is spring and early summer which is by far my favorite part of the ski season. So far I'm hoping I can compensating by taking a lot of trips to Shasta/Lassen -- which always has great skiing. It'll be interesting to bump this thread in 3 months to see how we're handling it then.

It takes me 2.5-3 hours from Woodinville to the Baker upper lot, depending on traffic and leadfoot. Decent dining in Bellingham on the way home takes a little of the sting out of it, and it is a pretty drive, but I've love to shorten the commute.<br><br>In 3 months, I fear I may well be focusing any trip reporting on www.wta.org . <br><br>

Day 33 today and counting. Bad ski season, sure. What are you going to do about it, complain to everyone on the internet and sit on the couch? Fine by me, seems everyone is leaving what little goods there are for me. This NE'er sees snow on the ground, and that means skiing. Anyone who wants perfect ski conditions should buy a lift ticket. Backcountry skiing means you have to pay your dues. Complaining is irritating and why I don't ski at ski areas. Get a bunch of people together and they feel entitled to good snow.<br><br>And Lowell, you got that right. Haven't seen much from me this winter on TAY 'cause I like my stashes of powder just the way they are - untouched. I learned my lesson talking about how good mt Catherine was the first year I was living here. And then reading about people complaining that the snow wasn't as good as they heard (as if skiing at 2 pm was the same as 7 am at snoq pass). The internet is NOT your friend if you want snow to yourself. Keep your mouth shut and enjoy!<br><br>Thanks, pessimists, keep up the good work and go golfing!

I sympathize with juan and the others who see the glass as half empty. I think the difference between respondents in this thread often depends on how much free time and flexibility they have. If you're constrained, the loss of close-in, quick turnaround skiing (and lift skiing too!) hurts more than if you're able to go almost anywhere almost anytime. We can't just cast off those constraints (family, job, other commitments). For a lot of people, I suspect, skiing is no longer the central focus of their lives, but it's still darn important, and in our complex lives we have learned to find "chinks" where a ski day can be wedged. A year like this makes it a lot tougher to find those chinks.<br><br>In my historical reading, I have been struck by the sense of wonder that the writers in the 1920s expressed for winter recreation. It was something very new, and previously winter was regarded (as we all know) as a very dreary time for people in the Northwest. I have a sense that we are experiencing the opposite--we're getting a taste of what it would be like to lose our winters. And it makes me wonder about the future, when I read some of the predictions about what may happen to Northwest snowpacks in the next century. <br>

What are you going to do about it, complain to everyone on the internet and sit on the couch?

<br>I don't think we're exactly complaining. We're discussing a disappointing situation, I find this therapeutic and useful; it helps to get other perspectives. No one here is sitting on the couch, you can tell that from TRs. <br><br>

Anyone who wants perfect ski conditions should buy a lift ticket.

<br>Hmm, I generally find better skiing condition in the backcountry then at a resort . . <br><br>

Complaining is irritating

<br>I mean no offense, but if you find complaining irritating, why are you complaining in your post?<br><br>

Haven't seen much from me this winter on TAY 'cause I like my stashes of powder just the way they are - untouched.

<br>I'll be glad to tell you and anyone else in precise detail the exact locations of where I find quality snow around Mt Hood. I appreciate it when others do the same, doing so allows me to more efficiently use my limited time in the backcountry. Seeing other skiers and tracks is not the end of the world, and most winters a tracked slope doesn't last that long. Selfishness is not a good quality. YMMV<br>