Paradise Road closed w/o prior notice Mon 11.25

Received 3 inches since the gate closed at 5pm last night. Lot now completely plowed.  NWAC forecasts a "Considerable" rating.  Rec. forecast calling for 2 inches today with 10mph winds.  Despite all this, got a text that says the gate won't open due to "High" avalanche danger.   ???

These days it seems if there is any snow the night before, the gate does not open.  I know that I'm beating a dead horse, but I am beyond frustrated.  > 

Blackdog
while the closure is disappointing, at least you knew the night before so you could make alternative plans. We didn't know until arrival, and trying to go to White Pass or Crystal would have driven the day away. At least this "staffing malfunction" has not recurred that I've heard of since the Nov. fiasco.

Blackdog
while the closure is disappointing, at least you knew the night before so you could make alternative plans.   We didn't know until arrival, and trying to go to White Pass or Crystal would have driven the day away. At least this "staffing malfunction" has not recurred that I've heard of since the Nov. fiasco.

Sure, you are correct in that the stated reason for the gate closure today was not a staffing problem and maybe my response to this thread was better posted in the thread dredged backup by Elbe on the same subject; however, the point still stands: management of the park is all kinds of jacked up!

The park knows that the bulk of winter users are people using the sledding hill. So operations that work for people that arrive at noon sled for a couple hours and then have some hot chocolate in the visitor center snack bar before heading home (and stopping for pie at Copper Creek) are the the priority in my opinion. Backcountry skiers and other more adventurous and self-reliant users are secondary as far as the park is concerned. Great conditions for skiing are less great for sledding...

In terms of safety -- I think the parks priority isn't opening the road so that powder hounds can get to the goods -- it's ensuring that the road remains open so that all visitors can get back out at the end of the day. The hillside above the Nisqually bridge can slide and block the road out when the avalanche hazard is "considerable" and depending on which way the wind was blowing the avalanche potential on this west facing slope can be higher than the average for the area.

Skiing at Paradise on a powder day is like chasing a rainbow.

The park knows that the bulk of winter users are people using the sledding hill.   So operations that work for people that arrive at noon sled for a couple hours and then have some hot chocolate in the visitor center snack bar before heading home (and stopping for pie at Copper Creek) are the the priority in my opinion.   Backcountry skiers and other more adventurous and self-reliant users are secondary as far as the park is concerned.   Great conditions for skiing are less great for sledding...

In terms of safety -- I think the parks priority isn't opening the road so that powder hounds can get to the goods -- it's ensuring that the road remains open so that all visitors can get back out at the end of the day.  The hillside above the Nisqually bridge can slide and block the road out when the avalanche hazard is "considerable"  and depending on which way the wind was blowing the avalanche potential on this west facing slope can be higher than the average for the area.     

Skiing at Paradise on a powder day is like chasing a rainbow.

Your point is well taken, but it still pisses me off given this has not always been the policy.  There was a time, not too long ago, when the gate was open the majority of the time.  Administration has clearly sought to limit access more and more every year.  The 5pm gate closing time being the latest example, which is rumored effective until sometime in April.  This is puzzling given parks like Denali have actually sought to improve access.

www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/more-w...69-001a4bcf6878.html

Your point is well taken, but it still pisses me off given this has not always the policy.  There was a time, not too long ago, when the gate was open the majority of the time.  Administration has clearly sought to limit access more and more every year.  The 5pm gate closing time being the latest example, which is rumored effective until sometime in April.  This is puzzling given parks like Denali have actually sought to improve access.

www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/more-w...69-001a4bcf6878.html

Interesting article -- especially this bit:

Plowing the road to 12 Mile will give people who don’t dog mush, ski or snowshoe a chance to get farther into the park while at the same time allowing those who do a chance to get farther into the park quicker, Fister said.