11/14/09 Skinning at Snoqualmie Pass Inbounds

Hello and good afternoon. I've been daydreaming of snow all day and managed to miss my engineering lab whilst reading old trip reports, anyways, tomorrow I'm planning on taking my gf up to snoqualmie for her first time on washington snow. The ski area is closed and I was just planning on us skinning up a few runs inbounds since she has only ever skied on "mountains" in iowa aka small foothills. Where is the best place to do this around snoqualmie pass pre-season/ will we get hassled by anyone at the ski areas. Do we need to be sneaky and go up near the tree line or does no one really care? Never done this b4, let me know what you think my best bet is!

Best to all and pray for snow,
Ben

Go to Hyak/Summit East. The chair was taken out last year, so they won't be opening the area at all this season. It's a pretty common spot for dawn patrols.

I'd stay away from Alpental for now -- they're starting to do control work.

Second the Hyak suggestion. I've seen ski patrol at summit west call the sheriff and snowmobile him up to remove a person skinning in bounds while the lifts were running. Don't know what their policy is before they open (or if things have changed since Boyne took over) but if they're grooming I wouldn't be surprised if they got upset with public on the hill.

Other areas are much more accepting of skinning in bounds as long as you stay off to the side.

FYI Summit West opens on Saturday.

Hyak for sure. hell if you want someone else to go shoot me a PM and i might tag along.

But yeah with Xtal being open and the main summit supposed ot be opening tomorrow i'd stay away from there as in my past experiences the staff and patrol gets a bit pissy with ya once they are getting close to opening.

Go to Hyak/Summit East.  The chair was taken out last year, so they won't be opening the area at all this season.  It's a pretty common spot for dawn patrols.

I'd stay away from Alpental for now -- they're starting to do control work.

Hyak is a great place for this midweek, but your statement is not quite true.  The nordic center will be open this season and once they begin operations (Friday-Sunday) a nordic trail pass is still required to use the hill and trail system. 

As someone else already said, West opens tomorrow and they usually cry about skinners while the lifts are running (not that I'd want to be going up there with all the boneheads that will be coming down). 

*I am not speaking on behalf of the Summit at Snoqualmie, etc. etc.*