Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:11 pm
I've made several trips to Seattle and this time planned to spend a few days outside of town. Since it was still ski season....
STEVENS PASS reminds me of Loveland. Both are located on a major highway at the crest of the pass and are pure ski areas with no condo retail village junk. Loveland might have more terrain while Stevens has a couple of high speeds and night skiing. Named slopes are rough suggestions and you mostly find your own route anywhere in-bounds. Springtime conditions were in effect and you could easily find yourself bogged down in mush. I like this place a lot and would be more than happy to call this my home area.
Looking down the spine, back side on the left, front side on the right. Double black to blue on each side.
Wide view of half of the back side, I spent most of my time on the middle terrain near the Orion and Aquarius slopes.
Wide view of the front side. In general not as interesting, though still many areas above my skill level.
Looking down at the base area; the slope to the left will make you pucker a bit. Notice the classic Riblet single pole double chair, one of two they maintain.
The far reach of the back side are blue and black runs underneath major power lines, a first for me. Just after this point I found myself a little outside the normal ski area and had to traverse back to the lifts.
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN rocks. The terrain here seems unending, just draw dropping at times. All of it is easy to reach and nothing is off limits. I actually had to stop a couple of times to check the trail map. This is as much fun as I have had on skis. Conditions were better than the day before, due to the higher elevation, but still challenging in the wrong places and I saw several people on ski patrol sleds.
The base area is no more extensive than Stevens with only a few overnight lodges; however, Boyne has big plans to make this into a major destination resort starting with a new gondola next year. Thus, I suggest you get there soon before that happens.
Looking up the Ranier Express. Everything you see is open and worthwhile. My last run of the day, and year, was from left of this lift, crossing under midway, and all the way down to the base area, 2600 vertical feet, what a great way to end.
View of the bowl between the Ranier and Green Valley lifts and where I spent most of my time. Better conditions here, skied like normal chopped up powder. That was incredibly fun.
Another view of the same bowl...
I just like the scenery in this one... some of those tracks up there are mine.
And finally, the standard picture that everyone has to get.... the big one in all it's glory.
BETWEEN the two mountains, you can find these scenes....
River views are not bad....
Remember this show? Everyone in our lab was glued to it...
SEATTLE is not bad either.
The end.
STEVENS PASS reminds me of Loveland. Both are located on a major highway at the crest of the pass and are pure ski areas with no condo retail village junk. Loveland might have more terrain while Stevens has a couple of high speeds and night skiing. Named slopes are rough suggestions and you mostly find your own route anywhere in-bounds. Springtime conditions were in effect and you could easily find yourself bogged down in mush. I like this place a lot and would be more than happy to call this my home area.
Looking down the spine, back side on the left, front side on the right. Double black to blue on each side.
Wide view of half of the back side, I spent most of my time on the middle terrain near the Orion and Aquarius slopes.
Wide view of the front side. In general not as interesting, though still many areas above my skill level.
Looking down at the base area; the slope to the left will make you pucker a bit. Notice the classic Riblet single pole double chair, one of two they maintain.
The far reach of the back side are blue and black runs underneath major power lines, a first for me. Just after this point I found myself a little outside the normal ski area and had to traverse back to the lifts.
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN rocks. The terrain here seems unending, just draw dropping at times. All of it is easy to reach and nothing is off limits. I actually had to stop a couple of times to check the trail map. This is as much fun as I have had on skis. Conditions were better than the day before, due to the higher elevation, but still challenging in the wrong places and I saw several people on ski patrol sleds.
The base area is no more extensive than Stevens with only a few overnight lodges; however, Boyne has big plans to make this into a major destination resort starting with a new gondola next year. Thus, I suggest you get there soon before that happens.
Looking up the Ranier Express. Everything you see is open and worthwhile. My last run of the day, and year, was from left of this lift, crossing under midway, and all the way down to the base area, 2600 vertical feet, what a great way to end.
View of the bowl between the Ranier and Green Valley lifts and where I spent most of my time. Better conditions here, skied like normal chopped up powder. That was incredibly fun.
Another view of the same bowl...
I just like the scenery in this one... some of those tracks up there are mine.
And finally, the standard picture that everyone has to get.... the big one in all it's glory.
BETWEEN the two mountains, you can find these scenes....
River views are not bad....
Remember this show? Everyone in our lab was glued to it...
SEATTLE is not bad either.
The end.