Today was the Cinco de Mayo celebration at Alpental just outside of Seattle. I was able to score some special liberty and was able to attend. It has been a long snowy winter here in the Northwest so we still have a lot of snow on the ground up at elevation. Alpental was boasting 73" at the base and 180" on top. Unfortunately this week we have had some variable weather as well and some thunderstorms came rolling through the last night. Not enough to kill the snow but enough to give it that rained on feel. Fortunately the temperature did not drop below freezing overnight so the snow did not freeze up hard. The result was some great spring corn!
I arrived at the hill at just after the nine o'clock opening and there was a light mist falling. As is typical in the Northwest it was a bit foggy as well. Never the less I purchased a lift ticket for all of 30 bucks and head up the hill. The crowds were light early but built during the day. Everyone I spoke to on the lift was a hard core local so happy to be adding another day to their season.
Alpental is part of the Summit at Snoqualmie ski areas locted at the Snoqualmie Pass about an hour outside of Seattle . It was its own area up until the 1990's when it was merged with the other Snoqualmie pass ski areas. Thus it is kind of the big brother to the other areas. A little older, a little higher and bit more challenging that the other "Summit" areas.
For Cinco de Mayo they were running 4 lifts one of which was high speed on a reported 18 trails. Really the high speed served the main face and there were about 5-6 ways down. There is a Top part of Alpental above the High speed is served by a slow double. The terrian up top is more hard core and not for the faith of heart. However the fog was so thick up high that after picking my way down 2 times I had enough and stuck to the high speed and an old fixed double on the front. I never waited more than a minute in line.
The snow was pure sugar without any bare spots! The rain had soften everything nicely that all the moguls were very forgiving. It was the kind of day when any one could ski the bumps with ease! I skied for about two and half hours till the mist became rain and I was soaked. Still got in just over 15k of vertical most it on the bumps.
It was a great way to celebrate and extend the season!!! Tried to post photos to no avail......
Link to Photos on the DCSKI FB page...
10 days later New England is getting in on some late snow...over a half foot on Mount Snow...Mount Washington is 25 degrees and snowing good...must be good Snow cover at Tucks...saw a pic recently that showed good cover....
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