Resort Touring While Lifts Are Running?

For the mt. catherine approach (and silver mt), I've found that parking at the base of the Silver Fir lift and taking the old mountaineers trail (blue tree blazes) is the best way to go. It is a nice tour that merely crosses a few of the cross-country ski trails and eventually works its way up to nordic pass. From here you can access Catherine or Silver. <br><br>M.V.'s snoqualime bc guide describes the tromp through Hyak, which I've done many times. This always worked for me until I did it once while they were open. I got the same raft of crap from the Ski Patrol as described above. Since then I've tried to get a really early start, or approach from Silver Fir. I hate to broadcast this, but if more people used the old trail it might turn into a really nice (fast) track through the woods. <br><br>This trail isn't a secert btw, it is in at least one of the x-country guides for washington, and I believe the mounty's may have some info on it. Can't remeber, but I think it was part of the old "Patrol Race" course. Lowell, I know we've talked about this? Is this true?

I have gotten a talking to at Mission Ridge once when snowshoe boarding up there.  That one time was in early season when they were actively prepping to open chair 2 for the season.  The reasoning was that I might get hit by a groomer.  It seems to me that if I can't avoid a growling beast lumbering up the hill at 3 mph with a million plus candlepower beaming ahead, I've got bigger issues.  But hey, these are the days of frivolous lawsuits.  Other times when the mountain is being prepped but isn't quite open I just get a "be careful".  Concurring with what Lowell said, it seems like Mission doesn't have a very open mind on this issue, at least in relation to other areas.

I've toured as discretely as possible up Summit Central to access the trail system from just east of the top of the quad. No hassles. I will look for that trail, Silver Fir is nicer terrain than the main area. We did get stopped by the nordic patrol one time after descending from Nordic Pass and hanging out by the warming hut. They were nice, though, after some initial grumbling and it motivated me to buy a season nordic ticket last year. Of course I never used it last season, but Snoq. management are nicely honoring those passes for this year. One attracts more bees with honey than with vinegar. Now I just wish I could see their grooming schedule on line or something, they are open Fri-Sun but I have learned it does not pay to be bright and early if its been icy and you want freshly prep'd set tracks; nothing like re-frozen ruts with death cookies on skinny skis!

This trail isn't a secert btw, it is in at least one of the x-country guides for washington, and I believe the mounty's may have some info on it.  Can't remeber, but I think it was part of the old "Patrol Race" course.  Lowell, I know we've talked about this?  Is this true?

<br><br>No, the Patrol Race began at Lodge Lake, which is west of the Cascade Crest, just over the Beaver Lake pass from Summit West. Weird, huh?<br><br>When the Mounties built their original lodge in 1914, the Snoqualmie Tunnel was just being finished from Rockdale to Hyak. There was no year-round road access to the pass. The best way to get to their lodge in winter was be to de-train at Rockdale and hike. They built their lodge at Lodge Lake, west of the crest. The race started there and stayed west of the crest to Ollalie Meadow. The lodge burned down in 1944, after the race was discontinued.<br>

I hike up to the summit of Hyak quite often and prior to the Nordic Center moving to Hyak I never once had anyone of the patrol say a word. Since then I've had them say something to me now and then and I just replied to them "I'm just hiking up to take photo's" but when I showed them my season pass they would leave me alone. I guess they thought I was nuts to have a season pass and be hiking the hill. Can't take good photo's from the lift....As far as the ski patrol being a bunch of local cabin owners that want to keep outsiders away I really don't see that as being the case. The ones that have yelled at me are not locals from Hyak, that's for sure.

The Hyak to Mt Catherine route with blue diamond blazes is part of the old Cascade Crest Trail. The route also includes the "Common Corridor" on a part of the Nordic Center's groomed trails. This was part of an agreement arrived at by the Mountaineers and Sierra Club when the ski areas developed their stuff up there, according to my old Mountaineers snow trails and ski tours guidebooks. You don't need a trail pass on that section.<br><br>Use it or lose it.