Resort Touring While Lifts Are Running?

Many days when the backcountry conditions have been too risky for me I've yo-yo'd Pan Face at Mt Baker, skinning up the Blueberry Cat Track during operating hours.<br><br>There is one spot where I detour around through the woods to avoid a blind spot where people moving down the track would not have enough time to avoid me if they were going fast enough.<br><br>I stay to the far right the rest of the route and have been passed by lots of patrollers without a word from them. I take this as an OK by them.

Skinned up the edge of the perimeter (west run) at Loup Loup a couple of years back while the chairs were running and it was pretty busy. Nobody said a word to us. They probably thought we were nuts (we hit so many rocks on the backside of Bear Mtn. that day). But hey, what else is there to do when you're staying in that neck of the woods?

I've never had any trouble touring up Quicksilver (C-4) at Crystal Mountain. I just keep to the sides. Sometimes the patrollers stop to make sure I'm aware of avalanche conditions.<br><br>Several years ago, a Mission Ridge ski patroller kicked me off their run as I was touring uphill with my son in a backpack. He said I couldn't do that in the area. So, I headed for the woods, stayed just off the ski runs, and went up anyway.<br><br>Another time, I hauled a kiddie sled with my son from Snoqualmie Summit up the ski runs and along the divide to Ski Acres. My wife was along too. Our objective was Surveyor Lake. A Ski Acres (Summit Central) ski patroller stopped us just as we were about to enter the woods at the top of Bonanza and told us we were not allowed to tour in the ski area.  He even had the incredibly bad judgement to suggest that we return to Snoqualmie Summit outside the ski area boundary (by bushwacking through the forest, I guess).  I got angry and told him his suggestion was more dangerous than the way we came and he consented to allowing us to return via the packed trails. We completed our tour.<br><br>Your mileage may vary.

<br>i got chewed out and nearly turned around for skinning at the edge of the run at summit east (heading to mt catherine). first set of patrollers said to be sure to stay at the edge, the second set caught us on the cat track traversing to summit central, and we got a talking to about how they spend the money to groom the track that we use for free, they wanted to turn us around, had to talk our way out of it and promise we won't do it again...

<br>... I have seen even snowshoers plodding uphill beneath Chair 8 at Baker...

<br><br>That would be Duncan. He has kind of a special status, being the manager and all.<br><br>That aside, Baker has no problem with this, so along as you do not get in the way of the paid skiers.<br>

ema,<br>I applaud you for sticking to your guns with the "ski patrollers" at Hyak. It needs to be said that a number of that group are incredibly misinformed and very vocal. Many of them are property owners at Hyak with elitist/entitlement/control issues. All this from volunteers. Yep, they're not employed by the ski area! Just citizens like you and me. Some citizens are mouthier than others is all. I do see one issue though. Backcountry skiers using the nordic trails behind Hyak (when the nordic center is open, free when closed) are encouraged to purchase a nordic trail pass to support the excellent grooming program. It sure makes the approach to Mt. Catherine easy!