SNOW IN THE PNW 2016-17: Return of the Shred-i

[PNWbrit]

That does not bode well for uncrowded xtal days or anyone who wants to commute from BD to Seattle....

The morning rush hour traffic going northbound on Hobart Issaquah Road is pretty much at a standstill as far as the interchange with 18. Nearly as bad in the evening going south.

It's difficult to see where or how all those people are going to get from Black Diamond to anywhere else.

[Buster Highmen]

One new phenomenon to me is how the parking lots @ Crustal can be crushed, packed, jammed all the way down to F lot and yet there's hardly any lift lines. I generally don't go in all day and notice at the end of those days that the Elk is really crowded.

The other problem with skiing is access up to the ski areas. I virtually never go to Stevens anymore because of US2 and the number of times I've gotten stuck for 4+ hours trying to get back.

I-90 is already a fecal fest of high od0r, but at least has (had?) federal funding to improve it.

SR410 really could not handle more traffic as it is.

I

[Buster Highmen]

The morning rush hour traffic going northbound on Hobart Issaquah Road is pretty much at a standstill as far as the interchange with 18. Nearly as bad in the evening going south.

It's difficult to see where or how all those people are going to get from Black Diamond to anywhere else.

Dingding: a lot of the problem is all about the infrastructure that the Puget Sound lacks.

Trains are a great way to move people.

[NW_SKIER]

Really, the only added terrain in the last 20 years is Stevens backside.

Wrong. White pass expanded in 2010.

[Buster Highmen]

Wrong. White pass expanded in 2010.

OK, I should have articulated a 'Puget Sound ski area'. WP is not a frequent destination of the Puget Sound skier.

[NW_SKIER]

OK, I should have articulated a 'Puget Sound ski area'. WP is not a frequent destination of the Puget Sound skier.

You'd be surprised. We have quite a few skiers now from Tacoma and Olympia

[PNWbrit]

One new phenomenon to me is how the parking lots @ Crustal can be crushed, packed, jammed all the way down to F lot and yet there's hardly any lift lines. I generally don't go in all day and notice on those days that the Elk is really crowded.
I

Agree it's been really noticeable this season that the lots and lodges are just crammed but lift lines have not worsened.. other than very first thing when there's any new snow.

I think it's a function of the Stevens traffic issues and I90 so often being closed or a nasty drive this winter.

The drive to Crystal has just been easier for people.

Of course it used to just be

not as far as you think

.

[Buster Highmen]

You'd be surprised. We have quite a few skiers now from Tacoma and Olympia

This is an example of the failure of didactics.
WP is a great hill, Goat rock access is way cool. YAY! You WIN!

But, it doesn't begin to absorb the skiers from the 230000 new people since 2010.

Should I send them your way?

[Buster Highmen]

Agree it's been really noticeable this season that the lots and lodges are just crammed but lift lines have not worsened.. other than very first thing when there's any new snow.

I think it's a function of the Stevens traffic issues and I90 so often being closed or a nasty drive this winter.

The drive to Crystal has just been easier for people.

Of course it used to just be .

Right, but it's weird how there have not been the monster lift lines I'd think would happen.

[NW_SKIER]

This is an example of the failure of didactics.
WP is a great hill, Goat rock access is way cool. YAY! You WIN!

But, it doesn't begin to absorb the skiers from the 230000 new people since 2010.

Should I send them your way?

It only rains there. Stevens has room.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

As Wenatchee continues to push its identity as a recreation town (and grow) and Stevens continues to get hammered by Seattle, Mission will get busier. Lots of Leavenworth people I know are getting passes at Mission instead of Stevens this year.

If the Windy Hill can go a weekend without a lift breaking down, catching fire, derailing, etc we're fucked.

Maybe, but there's not much room to grow, this is what I gather talking with friends who are realtors, contractors and developers. People won't come in droves here because it's too gritty for the tourist. It doesn't have the appeal as a place like Bend. As far as Mission goes most of the people who come over here are families and not the hardcore skier who puts pressure on the areas I care to ski. Like I said, the lot might get full and the lodge crowded but the slopes are empty. It's an easy workaround on weekends and it's been this way for at least five years and it's not getting more crowded in that time. The current average of 100,00 skier visits has remained pretty stable for 10 or more years. That's industry wide too.

[Buster Highmen]

It only rains there. Stevens has room.

Drolleries now?
Stevens has room in the parking lot if and only if one get's there before 8:00.
Crystal has been closing the access road shortly after 9:00 on some bad days.

And lets not omit the moto metal manglings on I-90 in their triple toe loops.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Agree it's been really noticeable this season that the lots and lodges are just crammed but lift lines have not worsened.. other than very first thing when there's any new snow.

I think it's a function of the Stevens traffic issues and I90 so often being closed or a nasty drive this winter.

The drive to Crystal has just been easier for people.

Of course it used to just be .

Right, but it's weird how there have not been the monster lift lines I'd think would happen.

It's been the same here. There are a lot of people who show up at the hill and don't even ski or board. They just hang out and absorb the scene and be seen, have some food and a drink in the lodge. They don't even buy tickets. A lot of parents show up and hang out while their kids are in lessons etc. too.

[PNWbrit]

Right, but it's weird how there have not been the monster lift lines I'd think would happen.

Agreed. Increase in once a season, rental skis, two or three laps of discovery and they're done demographic? That'd normally have gone to the Summit or Stevens? would explain why rest of mountain isn't noticeably busier?

Apparently sales of Gondy walk on tickets have also been stratospheric this year.

Lots of H-1B families wandering around.

[NW_SKIER]

Drolleries now?
Stevens has room in the parking lot if and only if one get's there before 8:00.
Crystal has been closing the access road shortly after 9:00 on some bad days.

And lets not omit the moto metal manglings on I-90 in their triple toe loops.

I've seen the clown show plenty at Alpy.

[Buster Highmen]

I've seen the clown show plenty at Alpy.

And you get to come the easy way.

Agreed. Increase in once a season, rental skis, two or three laps of discovery and they're done demographic? That'd normally have gone to the Summit or Stevens? would explain why rest of mountain isn't noticeably busier?

I'd attributed it to sparse timers and parents. So yeah.

Apparently sales of Gondy walk on tickets have also been stratospheric this year.

Lots of H-1B families wandering around.

More rationale to reign that shit in.

It's been the same here. There are a lot of people who show up at the hill and don't even ski or board. They just hang out and absorb the scene and be seen, have some food and a drink in the lodge. They don't even buy tickets. A lot of parents show up and hang out while their kids are in lessons etc. too.

Instagrammerians?

[PNWbrit]

Instagrammerians?

Rode the gondy on Saturday with a guy on rentals who filmed the entire ride up with his selfie stick and gopro.

He was Russian.

[TAFKALVS]

Let's crowd the lifts Sunday at the Windy Hill.

Bring it, we can track up all of Aarons favorite spots

[Mofro261]

Agreed. Increase in once a season, rental skis, two or three laps of discovery and they're done demographic? That'd normally have gone to the Summit or Stevens? would explain why rest of mountain isn't noticeably busier?

Apparently sales of Gondy walk on tickets have also been stratospheric this year.

Lots of H-1B families wandering around.

All those people moving here are in part doing so because of easy access to outdoor activities. So yes a massive influx of non-lift-skier traffic of snow-shoers, hikers, ski tourons, and lodge lizards.

The "rest of the mountain" does get noticably busier anytime the powder alert rings out that a big dump was received, there were truly massive lines at all the close in ski areas, heck even Mission when they got that one 26" storm. But those in the hard core broletariate that ski 70+ days a year and can pick and choose midweek and storm days might only see the big influx on 10% of those days, with the rest having the same old empty feel they are used to.

[NW_SKIER]

Bring it, we can track up all of Aarons favorite spots

They should really put a lift in that spot

[Dromond]

A huge difference I see at Xtal vs. Alpy or Stevens is that the way the terrains and lifts are set up, there is significantly less overlap between beginners and everyone else. The impact of weekend lessons on lift lines at Alpental is huge, where at xtal I can barely remember seeing a lesson. Even while doing BC runs at Alpy you are constantly lapping through the maze of beginners. Granted, it's also much easier to get in/out of with how the parking is arranged. Also, broletariat is my word of the day

[Buster Highmen]

. But those in the hard core broletariate that ski 70+ days a year and can pick and choose midweek and storm days might only see the big influx on 10% of those days, with the rest having the same old empty feel they are used to.

I'm going to be one of them when I grow up.

[Buster Highmen]

A huge difference I see at Xtal vs. Alpy or Stevens is that the way the terrains and lifts are set up, there is significantly less overlap between beginners and everyone else. The impact of weekend lessons on lift lines at Alpental is huge, where at xtal I can barely remember seeing a lesson. Even while doing BC runs at Alpy you are constantly lapping through the maze of beginners. Granted, it's also much easier to get in/out of with how the parking is arranged. Also, broletariat is my word of the day

Yeah, that's mostly true.

One can run into lesson groups up on Crustal chair 6 frequently. It was a couple years ago when one of the instructors freaked out and tried to start fights with people that were going around his lesson pod on the Hamburger traverse. That was weird.

The last weekend @ Alpy during the race and freeride comp the lots were full and lifts ran without much liftline density.

Ultimately, OK, maybe these are feeb justifications. I just want more lift accessed skiing around the Puget Sound because I think it would be cool. The virtual ski management monopoly must be busted.

[Norseman]

I thought I heard you bitching about the Northway chair ruining the place...? 😁

I want to see some Instagrammaries.

[Mofro261]

I thought I heard you bitching about the Northway chair ruining the place...? 

I want to see some Instagrammaries.

I like the Instamamm idea, you know, Tits or GTFO.