There is still lots of snow out west.  This past weekend I found myself in Springfield OR with a few hours to kill and jetted off to Wilmette Pass ski area. A typical Forest Service day use area. There is a just a lodge and a few out buildings at the area. But they boast the only high speed six pack in the state!   Even better they sell tickets by the hour. $14 an hour with a 2 hour min.  So I spent a couple of hours here late in the afternoon.

Now I should note the area is located at about 5100 feet elevation. It was raining when I left Springfield  and the rain snow line was hovering around 5000ft that afternoon. So I drove up in pouring rain the whole way until I was almost at the doorstep to the resort. Then the rain turned to a rain/snow mix.  This late in the day and the season business was pretty slow thus I had to track someone down to sell me a ticket, but in no time I was heading up the hill alone on the six pack. There were less than 10 people on the slopes.

At the base there was more rain than snow in the mix but at 6600 feet where the six pack lift tops out it was all snow. The lay out is such that there is a front side with the six pack and a back side with a fixed triple. The back side was at a high enough evaluation that just snow was falling on those slopes. I was able to get some great laps in off the triple. However ever time I ventured over to the front and rode the six pack I got very wet. I have always said skiing in the rain is not bad, however skiing after the rain is bad. This day was a bit of a mix. The snow up top was nice but down below a bit rain worn.

I got my 2 hours in but by the end I was wet. I should of used a rain poncho. Over all Wilmette Pass is a nice little area. I am pleased to have skied it no matter the weather. Notch another one up as the quest to ski all the areas in the country continues!

That sounds great.  I had to look it up, 75" base at the lodge.  Must be nice.

Just to be clear, it's Willamette Pass. 

I skied in the rain two days ago Apr 2, 2016 at Snowbasin, but fortunately only for lowest 400' of vertical.  snow higher up.  thank goodness for modern ski clothing.  charlie from timberline

the whole gang higher up in snow zone, pretty fun actually

Modern ski clothing AND the Needles Express Gondola saved the day. I don't thnk i would have lasted that day riding the chair lift. It was a fun day; good to ski with Tromano again.

jimmy wrote:

Modern ski clothing AND the Needles Express Gondola saved the day. I don't thnk i would have lasted that day riding the chair lift. It was a fun day; good to ski with Tromano again.

Jimmy loves skiing in the rain.  Look how stoked he is in this picture from Snowbasin.  A rough day skiing is better than a great day cutting the grass back home:-)

I am taking a break today after five days skiing in Utah and will try to post later today on DCSki some of my favorite photos so far in Utah this week. Got to get the dirty ski clothes laundry going first.

The Snowbasin day was the wettest day I've experienced out West. But the rain turned to graupel higher up, and we had some excellent runs from late morning until last call. Skiing with that great group always makes the weather better.