Alpental Plea

Not sure quite how to start this, but would like to ask cooperation on not using the Alpental Ski area and near Alp backcountry for hiking, ski touring, snow shoeing and the like during the operations season (basically from now til spring) - even while the area is closed.  We are just about to start setting up the mountain for the season and will need to do explosive control work, ski testing, and everything else that goes along with it.  Some new signs to the same effect will be going up shortly and this is not just a CYA. With the amazing amount of folks out and about these days I have very real concerns that eventually we will either not be able to get our work done, or worse yet, send a slide toward someone.
After reading all the comments on the recent avalanche accidents, some may be surprised to know there were plenty of skiers and riders on the Alpental slopes during the same period and hazard was very high. Looking out this morning with 16" new in the last 2 days, weak snow underlying, and the forecast for another foot or more coming, the potential is pretty clear to the wary and I'm worried about the next few days. It's not possible to predict when we will be working on the hill or needing to do control, if conditions indicate the need, we have to react in a timely manner, even at night or on a closed Monday. Please help in this effort to avoid an accident.  Thanks for listening.  Gib

Hi Gib,

Thanks for the thoughtful warning. But there must be some less drastic solution to this than saying "please don't use the Alpental backcountry for touring etc. at all times during the winter".
What area do you think of as the "near Alp backcountry"?

After all, as you say, there are tons of people who use the backcountry in the vicinity of Alpental for recreation beyond visiting the Alpental ski resort. The people who do this must make their own judgement about avalanche danger for sure. As you say, this weekend will be a scary time to be out there (I was planning to go, but cancelled after reading the weather and avalanche forecasts - that's why I'm sitting here posting stuff ).

What area does the Alpental patrol do avalanche control at? I assume you don't go as far afield as pineapple pass or the climb up to Chair Peak. But I guess you do set of chutes coming down from the ridge between pineapple pass and the resort.

Perhaps it'd be a good idea to have more warning signs posted, explicitly at each of the chutes through which there'll frequently be patrol triggered avalanches coming? I know there's already a general warning sign or two when hiking into the valley towards Source Lake, but once a backcountry skier/hiker/snowshoer is in that area, it isn't really clear what specific areas they should stay clear of due to Alpental avalanche control activity (as opposed to staying clear of places due to just evaluating the snow pack).

/K

I think it would be nice if the ski area had a large sign that stated avalanche danger (low-med-high-extreme) similar to that of the forest service for fire danger. Right at the parking lot, or off the road just as you enter the area....anyway, just a thought.

I got the warning in person this morning. I don't know if that was you or not but he seemed friendly enough. Some more clarification on what you mean as Alpental BC is probably worth clarification since many of us travel that area. Of course we would rather be worked with on the issue rather than just being excluded altogether.
For what it's worth I broke trail up Debbies Gold this morning and didn't see any dramatic signs of instability. I turned that the top of the Armstrong Express chair so I couldn't say much about what the snow was like was above that. A big party headed to International and a couple toward shot six area. The wind was going pretty good then so I was curious if those guys found international loaded or not.

Some more clarification on what you mean as Alpental BC .

I would guess anything in the SUP boundry. From the gates, to Draft Dodger Ridge, the river, back out ?

In addition, I've heard rumors to the effect that Alpental also occasionally controls the forest service land on Cave Ridge/Mount Snoqualmie (Phantom slide path, et. al.). If that's the case, it would be most helpful to have prior warning for when it's apt to occur. A consistently updated sign at the Snow Lake TH might be sufficient, even for avy wary folks who head up the Commonwealth Basin side of Cave Ridge.

Thanks, Gib, for posting!