Alpental "access"?! - Seeking advice

This would be a question easily answered by reading the lease. It should be publicly available. Just because it is on public land does not mean they cannot limit access.

The lease is with the forest service, so they will likely have the most definitive answer. The area apparently has the right to trespass anyone breaking established rules, like dropping rope lines for instance. In fact they have trespassed many this year for that reason. Basically, they take your pass and kick you off the hill. Given this, I would say that if the area says, no hiking up the traverse leading from the BC, then they likely have the right to enforce it. I have yet to see them enforce this however...

Trumpetsailor or PeteA have the right idea; use the groomed trail only when they are not open, or use the trail on the other side of the creek. The rest of you guys who are "incensed" at exclusive use need to get a clue. The Cascades is a giant range and you can have all the rest of it anytime you want. The Ski areas pay money to use the lease areas in the winter. And the pro patrol are good people who often tour on their days off. So give them a break and don't try to push it out of some sense of entitlement. After all, there wouldn't be drive up access if the ski area wasn't paying to plow the road. You already are getting a free pass for the approach subsidized by the people who buy lift tickets.

Trumpetsailor or PeteA have the right idea; use the groomed trail only when they are not open, or use the trail on the other side of the creek. The rest of you guys who are "incensed" at exclusive use need to get a clue. The Cascades is a giant range and you can have all the rest of it anytime you want. The Ski areas pay money to use the lease areas in the winter. And the pro patrol are good people who often tour on their days off. So give them a break and don't try to push it out of some sense of entitlement. After all, there wouldn't be drive up access if the ski area wasn't paying to plow the road. You already are getting a free pass for the approach subsidized by the people who buy lift tickets.

Trumpetsailor for the win.

Agreed, very well put...

I think Squakmtn's point is particularly valid especially on weekends.
I would also add that parking in lot 4 for the purpose of touring up valley (on skis or snow shoes) is a questionable act on busy high traffic weekends. It's common now for lots to fill up and people who have paid for a season pass or lift tickets (giving them the right to ride the lifts and ski) get turned away on these days.

No kidding. Weekend crowds up there seem way worse than they were last year. I think the Crystal deal attracted a lot of people that wouldn't have otherwise bought passes. Great for the resort, bad for selfish powder pigs like myself. Lot 4, where we always park, has become a hard place to find a spot post 9:30 on Sundays. The number of people suiting up with snowshoes and skins at the far end of the lot has grown large, despite the signs. Can't say I blame them, the lines have gotten to the point where I think I can get to Piss Pass on skins faster than via the chair on weekends ... so what's the point? What I don't understand is why so many families take there kids/dogs to that lot just for basic snow play. There are so many better/less crowded/closer places to stick your kid on a sled ... especially this season with all the low elevation snow.