Edelweiss Chair and beyond... Alpental , The valley and the rest of snocrummy

**vonn** · 01-27-2023, 11:20 AM

Overheard at Central - "Alpental's nice, but there's just not that much to it."

**counterfeitfake** · 01-27-2023, 11:50 AM

Yeah if you're a low intermediate skier that's true.

We need more parking everywhere.

**californiagrown** · 01-27-2023, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by counterfeitfake

Yeah if you're a low intermediate skier that's true.

We need more parking everywhere.

Honestly, if you are an advanced 5-day per year skier its also true. Alpental is not great unless you are an expert and in great ski shape. And then its phenominal. But if you arent in great shape and an expert skier you aren't likely to have a great time. Its a true experts mountain that is as likely to punish as reward.

**AK47bp** · 01-27-2023, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by vonn

Overheard at Central - "Alpental's nice, but there's just not that much to it."

That comment said from someone at Crystal is understandable, but from Summit Central……hahaha

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**bfree** · 01-27-2023, 03:01 PM

Excellent morning! 3-7" fresh and the place was a ghost town. Left at 1130 and I could still recognize my tracks from many previous laps. Sure, the lumpy bottom could very much be felt in a lot of places, but still, I'll take that over a crowded powder day anytime.

**Ed el Loco** · 01-27-2023, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by californiagrown

. Its a true experts mountain that is as likely to punish as reward.

I was punished by snake dance today.

**SorryBro** · 01-27-2023, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by bfree

Excellent morning! 3-7" fresh and the place was a ghost town. Left at 1130 and I could still recognize my tracks from many previous laps. Sure, the lumpy bottom could very much be felt in a lot of places, but still, I'll take that over a crowded powder day anytime.

Can confirm. Lapped around with the kids until 1:30 with no lines. Snow got real heavy down low, but the groomers got soft and slushy turns were made.

**Mofro261** · 01-27-2023, 07:49 PM

Snow felt good up high but it was damp dank on the lower mtn. Skied w my kid so that was nice.

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**SirVicSmasher** · 01-27-2023, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Mofro261

Snow felt good up high but it was damp dank on the lower mtn. Skied w my kid so that was nice.

Fknsndr

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**carlh** · 01-29-2023, 09:20 AM

Anyone else braving the cold and “lift ticket sold out” to head up today. I’ll be at alpental blue coat orangish helmet and possibly a poacher vest testing out some r99s.

**carlh** · 01-29-2023, 10:24 PM

Parking lot was crowded but the slopes were not today. Nice mix of leftovers, dust on crust and the most grooming I have ever seen at Alpy. Views were top notch.

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**Norseman** · 01-29-2023, 10:36 PM

didn't notice till looking closely at ^that image just now but there are tracks at the Chair Pk summit and two people on the E face

couple more...

upper slopes pristine:

.... lower slopes HAMMERED by lot 4 tourons. Lots of folks out n about.

**SirVicSmasher** · 01-30-2023, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by Norseman

didn't notice till looking closely at ^that image just now but there are tracks at the Chair Pk summit and two people on the E face

couple more...

upper slopes pristine:

.... lower slopes HAMMERED by lot 4 tourons. Lots of folks out n about.

2 climbers spotted on the tooth as well. Sun's out guns out or something like that...

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**altasnob** · 01-30-2023, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by Norseman

didn't notice till looking closely at ^that image just now but there are tracks at the Chair Pk summit and two people on the E face

I was up on the Chair Peak shoulder in April 14 and noticed two skiers climbing up, and then skiing down that line. Turned out to be Drew Trabke, who also is believed to be the first to ski the line in 2011 with Dan Helmstadter

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**snoqpass** · 01-30-2023, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by altasnob

Drew Trabke, who also is believed to be the first to ski the line in 2011 with Dan Helmstadter

It was skied before the internet, I know for a fact. It never ceases to amaze me how many skiers from post social media days think they have done something first especially in the Snoqualmie Pass area. A lot of the terrain has already been skied but not posted about so the whole world has to know what you did. Most of the people who did those lines are quite comfortable in their anonymity. Drew is a pretty good skier and good guy who has done some impressive stuff though.

**counterfeitfake** · 01-30-2023, 11:39 AM

Before the internet? You mean what... before Livejournal? Before rec.sport.skiing? 2011 was a long time ago, Instagram was apparently released October 2010.

If they're comfortable in their anonymity and don't need credit, you should get comfortable with it too. No need to post to take credit away from the first reported descent.

**MagnificentUnicorn** · 01-30-2023, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by counterfeitfake

Before the internet? You mean what... before Livejournal? Before rec.sport.skiing? 2011 was a long time ago, Instagram was apparently released October 2010.

If they're comfortable in their anonymity and don't need credit, you should get comfortable with it too. No need to post to take credit away from the first reported descent.

Sky skied the North Face of Chair Peak in 2006
http://alpenglow.org/nwmj/06/061_Shorts4.html#r2

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Not pre internet but the first documented decent

**SirVicSmasher** · 01-30-2023, 12:31 PM

This is what was skied
https://instagram.com/stories/garret...d=NDdhMjNiZDg=

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**jacob_dbu** · 01-30-2023, 01:38 PM

Yeah Garrett, Scott and Ian did it yesterday. Makes me want to go now.

**Buke** · 01-30-2023, 01:58 PM

I was wondering. A buddy of mine posted some pics from his avy 2 refresh that appeared to show 2 guys near the summit of Chair Peak. He said they were climbers on the NE Buttress. Not sure if it's the same as the people in Norseman's photos or not.

I skied Bryant Couloir a week ago (Monday) and was kind of shocked by how many tracks there were absolutely everywhere around source lake from folks touring on Sunday. Bryant looked like Upper Nash at the end of a busy day. This sport has blown up. On a plus side, if you're willing to go just a little farther out, there are still lots of areas that don't see much traffic. It sure does make it hard to get fresh tracks before work though. It also kind of amazes me what people are willing to ski immediately after a storm. It seems like the odds of more avalanche accidents are going to go up with the hordes of people looking to get fresh tracks. Beware the fresh Tracks heuristic trap I guess.

**SirVicSmasher** · 01-30-2023, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by thejongiest

Yeah Garrett, Scott and Ian did it yesterday. Makes me want to go now.

No offense J dawg but you're kidding right?

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**californiagrown** · 01-30-2023, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Buke

It also kind of amazes me what people are willing to ski immediately after a storm. It seems like the odds of more avalanche accidents are going to go up with the hordes of people looking to get fresh tracks. Beware the fresh Tracks heuristic trap I guess.

Maybe there haven't been more accidents precisely because those areas hammerd by tourons and the snowpack resembles something more inbounds than BC. But yeah, lots of aggressive lines happening when patrol is bombing the same type of slope just down valley.

The line of chair peak is pretty darn sweet especially for how easy access it is. Personally, ill try and stick to fall-friendly lines and zones haha.

**Buke** · 01-30-2023, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by californiagrown

Maybe there haven't been more accidents precisely because those areas hammerd by tourons and the snowpack resembles something more inbounds than BC. But yeah, lots of aggressive lines happening when patrol is bombing the same type of slope just down valley.

Yeah, skier compaction may play into it. Also, our typically stable maritime snowpack doesn't hurt.

For the record, I'm not critiquing the people out skiing rad lines this weekend, or last weekend. I'm sure they were all dialed in to the snowpack and making solid decisions. It's more just my musings about how many people are crawling around on every skiable surface in that valley and I feel like it's somewhat inevitable that someone gets caught in the wrong place in the wrong time.

**bfree** · 01-30-2023, 09:47 PM

One of the neat things about the Chair NE Buttress is it's fairly easy to peer down the top of it. Climb the basic winter route and stick your head over the edge. I'll ski pretty much anything at Alpental, yet looking down that line gave me a BIG pucker.

**garretvs** · 01-31-2023, 12:16 AM

Yeah, we skied the north face of the west sub-peak of Chair. We saw a bunch of climbers headed up the NE Buttress route, but it's way too thin right now for anyone to make a ski attempt on it.

Our line doesn't get skied often, but it's no NE Buttress. To my knowledge that hasn't been skied since Drew did it