Hey Friendly Folk Of The PNW!! First Timer In WA, Know You'd Love To Help!

[daviski]

OK Guys, and you gals too, just a heads up I'm coming your way in April and could use some local knowledge about best runs and secret stashes at your favorite areas. You seem like a quaint and probably friendly state and while I usually ski in the southeast as well as Aspen and Vail on alternating years I thought it would be fun to travel a little off the beaten track to a lesser known region

SOO Here goes! Sarcasm!! maybe, who can say? OK truth is Loveland, Monarch, and the passes are where I ski Colorado. And others thru BOGOS and cheap lodging, but aside from a few days on Hood, the PNW is all new to me


I'm seeing my son in Portland end of March but am going to head up to WA for at least a few more days. I haven't ever skied in WA and am very excited about the prospect. But it's hard to get around, I've realized I probably need to focus on a cluster in the south or the north, in less than a week I can't go top to bottom. I was going to be looking at back country but I'm not now just familiarizing myself with a few of the regions resorts will be great for a first excursion. Was going to stay in Yakima, lodging is dirt cheap and I have a patented Ceiling suspension sleeping system I perfected in Idaho Springs. But then I discover that while White Pass is close by Crystal is on a winter closed highway from that side-- most inconvenient. I can stay in
Seattle and drive or shuttle to White, Crystal, and that unpronounceable Summit place with Alpenthrall. That would be cool and I know the locals would be thrilled.

Or I could head straight north and focus on Stevens, Mission Ridge (completely news to me until today) and Maybe even Baker... no idea where I would stay to accomplish that.

Pardon the snark, I am genuinely thrilled to be skiing and seeing new mountains and I like a road trip. Any input would be greatly and humbly appreciated

[daviski]

Moved thread -- FlowingAlpy thanks for the response without even jonging me over in Tech Talk. Do you or anyone know if season pass holders at Alpental or others have a buddy discount for pass holders --for example at Loveland and Monarch you can find a pass holder to go to the window with you, it's one a day so no downside to them, except getting tourist on them.

Any input on the various hostels in Seattle and aside from there where would be a good home base to hit a few places over a few days. Small places esp. with slackcountry options are fine with me, love to support the mom-and-pops and they will all be new to me.

[NW_SKIER]

Pm Alpinezone greg

[daviski]

BTW I'm talking about the first week in April

Pm Alpinezone greg

Love ya, mean it

[oftpiste]

Crystal will still be spinning on full at that time.

[snoqpass]

[TAFKALVS]

I'd be happy to show you around Mission Ridge.

[daviski]

Anyone know about the buddy tickets for pass holders at Alpental or elsewhere?

Backcountry map circa 1936

[NW_SKIER]

White Pass weekends only after 4/10. Pm if in area for tour.

[daviski]

I'd be happy to show you around Mission Ridge.

That looks sweet, it's out of the way since I ultimately fly back out of Portland but still only 3 hrs? from Seattle if I'm there a couple of nights

Thanks I appreciate that.

[daviski]

White Pass weekends only after 4/10. Pm if in area for tour.

thanks, even if only for a few runs, more and I'd probably be slowing you down. I've followed the northwest threads and all you guys posts, great skiing, great terrain.

[TAFKALVS]

That looks sweet, it's out of the way since I ultimately fly back out of Portland but still only 3 hrs? from Seattle if I'm there a couple of nights

Thanks I appreciate that.

Drive over highway 2, ski stevens for the day and then head east to mission. Ski there and stay in Wenatchee. It's about 3.5 hours from Wenatchee to Portland down highway 97. Pleasant drive vs I5. I'll be available for tour guiding Saturday or Sunday.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

If you want to hit White and Mission it's closer than you think from Portland if you drive through the gorge, especially if you are going to be in Hood anyway. It will be less crowded and you will have a better chance for good weather and/or drier snow on the east side this time of year. I can hook you up with a buddy pass at Mission, I have a couple left on my pass. It will be less expensive over here too. If you stay on this side you can always jet up to Steven's or Alpental if you get the urge, they're close enough to 97. If you want to camp or stay in cheap lodging, travel time will be less getting to the hills every morning.

[PNWbrit]

Steven Pass.

Definitely.

[TAFKALVS]

If you want to hit White and Mission it's closer than you think from Portland if you drive through the gorge, especially if you are going to be in Hood anyway. It will be less crowded and you will have a better chance for good weather and/or drier snow on the east side this time of year. I can hook you up with a buddy pass at Mission, I have a couple left on my pass. It will be less expensive over here too. If you stay on this side you can always jet up to Steven's or Alpental if you get the urge, they're close enough to 97. If you want to camp or stay in cheap lodging, travel time will be less getting to the hills every morning.

1 hour to Stevens Pass, 1:30 hour:minutes to Alpental, 15 Minutes to Mission Ridge from Wenatchee. Not sure on White Pass but NWskier could chime in on that one. Plus downtown Wenatchee is pretty nice and has lots of breweries and restaurants.

[Buster Highmen]

There's friendly people in the PNW?

Oh, yeah, there's the eastside. And Bobby. And the rest of lot4.

Anyway, I can't really tell what you're asking.

I'm not you, so I won't posit the usual hyperbole regarding conditional yous, but I dislike driving I-5 from Portland and I think there's a lot of merit to driving out to Hood River, up 97 to Yakima, then over 12 to ski White Pass. It's a pretty drive and more relaxing than I-5. Avoid I-5 in general and avoid the bigger ski areas on weekends. Again, that's just me if I had the choice.

Feel free to mimic the neuroses of we dashabouts on waking ridiculously early to sit in traffic on some inadequate transport relic from the 60s like our interstates however and fiendishly compete for the nonsensical and ethereal. It's fashionable now. All the 'in' people are doing it. M00.

But if you have time in an afternoon, that route through HR->Yak->WP is nice and there's some places to stay right up there @ WP. Yak has inexpensive motels, but don't leave anything valuable in your sled (apologies to Yaksters).

From WP, one could roll back East through Yak, up 97 to Wetsnatchee and toss one's carcass of the bomber cliffs @ Mission Ridge. An excellent spot for avoiding the weekend urbanities and urbaneities at Crustal/Alpental/Stevens.

One could also head W. from WP and slide N. on some State Routes to get up to Crustal via Orting. You can tel your friends you've been to Orting then. Think of the cachet, independent of other little burgs thereabouts like Bucoda, Yelm or Puyallup. Many recreational opportunities abound in Enumclaw, particularly those of equine extramarital sports. Enumclaw is the closest cheap lodging to Crustal. Again, do not leave anything in your sled.

Should you decide to go on the Mission, that sets you up for hitting Stevens easily and allows you to drive back down through Leavenworth to get your lederhosen properly waxed and up over Blewett again, ogling Mt. Stuart and rolling through the verdant E. side of Cascappalacia to Rood Hiver and back to Stumptown.

Or you could just stay in high priced Seattle hotels, go to the public market to see salmon thrown and generally horde with the masses.

[daviski]

There's friendly people in the PNW?

Oh, yeah, there's the eastside. And Bobby. And the rest of lot4.

Anyway, I can't really tell what you're asking.

Yeah my post was pretty vague as are my plans at this point, so I appreciate the detail that's been provided..it's already helping me just starting to put my ear to the ground.

I am now seriously thinking of driving up and skiing White Pass on my way to a two day base in Wenatchee or leavenworth.

I can then jump according to conditions although I'm guessing there isn't a lot of difference in weather and conditions among the places I'm looking at? This is all mid week first week of April so I should have a great experience with just a little help from the weather.

My son has a pass to Stevens but we'll just do a day at TimberL or Meadows, my non skiing wife who's put up with a lot this season doesnt want this to turn into my personal ski pilgramage so i'm staying extra days. Great information and later as I focus I'll repost with better specifics if I have more questions

Much thanks to the collective

[Buster Highmen]

... although I'm guessing there isn't a lot of difference in weather and conditions among the places I'm looking at?

This is an incorrect assumption, the weather varies wildly. Alpental and Stevens have the most common weather, but Crustal, WP and MR can be a different planet.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Yeah my post was pretty vague as are my plans at this point, so I appreciate the detail that's been provided..it's already helping me just starting to put my ear to the ground.

I am now seriously thinking of driving up and skiing White Pass on my way to a two day base in Wenatchee or leavenworth.

I can then jump according to conditions although I'm guessing there isn't a lot of difference in weather and conditions among the places I'm looking at? This is all mid week first week of April so I should have a great experience with just a little help from the weather.

My son has a pass to Stevens but we'll just do a day at TimberL or Meadows, my non skiing wife who's put up with a lot this season doesnt want this to turn into my personal ski pilgramage so i'm staying extra days. Great information and later as I focus I'll repost with better specifics if I have more questions

Much thanks to the collective

If your wife is going I'd definitely favor staying on the east side. Sunny, warmer, wineries, prettier drive from the gorge. There is plenty for her to do in Wenatchee and Leavenworth while you're skiing. As far as the weather for skiing, this time of year can be good for snow but a lot of the time it will be rainy at the passes and sunny and dry farther east(Mission), not sure about White but it's at the crest so similar.

[daviski]

Glad to hear of the variables because then I can stay flexible ....

Me and my wife are going to be hanging with son in Portland THEN she flies home and I will remain for an undisclosed period of time and fly home on a standby pass.... a selfish ending to a selfish season, I have a lot of goodwill I need to recover this summer.

Will almost certainly pull the trigger on a cheap place in Leavenworth.

Now saving the most gaperific for last, I'm in a compact rental, in the happy case of a storm coinciding how realistic is it to hitchhike to Mission or Alpental from some local coffee joint

[TAFKALVS]

Glad to hear of the variables because then I can stay flexible ....

Me and my wife are going to be hanging with son in Portland THEN she flies home and I will remain for an undisclosed period of time and fly home on a standby pass.... a selfish ending to a selfish season, I have a lot of goodwill I need to recover this summer.

Will almost certainly pull the trigger on a cheap place in Leavenworth.

Now saving the most gaperific for last, I'm in a compact rental, in the happy case of a storm coinciding how realistic is it to hitchhike to Mission or Alpental from some local coffee joint

I can almost guarantee that the drive to mission will be doable in a 2wd car. But if you prove to non-sketchy and its a weekend I could probably give you a ride from hi2/hi97 junction (big y park and ride).

I've got a big faggy truck with a loud exhaust and 4wd so the local yokels won't try to bother you.

[Buster Highmen]

Now saving the most gaperific for last, I'm in a compact rental, in the happy case of a storm coinciding how realistic is it to hitchhike to Mission or Alpental from some local coffee joint

Do not try to go up I-90 (Snoqualmie/Alpental) in a storm in a 2wd. Hitching on I-90 is illegal. One could try hitching from a park and ride.

[TAFKALVS]

You need to carry chains on Stevens Pass and Blewett Pass also. Blewett is fairly passable in a storm in 2wd (I would doubt that in april any storm that would hit Blewett would be very intense anyways.)

Stevens on the other hand, at least the last 5 mi or so can get very nasty if it's dumping, with copious amounts of wet snow and a steep grade.

Consider a small SUV.

[snoqpass]

Snow doesn't stick to road in the spring like it does in the winter

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Snow doesn't stick to road in the spring like it does in the winter

Until it does. I had one of my most white knuckle drives coming home from Mission in the first week of April about 7 years ago.