While looking at these forecasts, you may also double click on the Google map inside these forecast and get a forecast thats tailored to a more specialized region, like Mt. NCMG has been offering snowmobile-accessed backcountry in Washingtonfor almost 20 years and we are excited to offer this opportunity to skiers in the Stevens Pass area. For inquiries specific to resort offerings such as lessons or general questions please reach out to the resort directly: As an Epic Pass holder, you get 20% off food, lodging, lessons, rentals, and more. THE GOODS: Because of its proximity to the ski area, Skyline Ridge is a popular but worthy spot for yo-yoing: From the maintenance road behind the electric substation in the corner of the lot, it takes a half-hour to 45 minutes to gain the ridge. Log in and send us This probably translates into very slow travel conditions and significant avalanche hazard around the Cascade Crest. Stuart. We have a wide variety of offerings at Stevens Pass from huge multi-peak ski mountaineering objectives to gravity-fed powder skiing inside and outside of the ropes of the ski area. We were in that neighborhood as well. For extremes, we have the two very different snow and climatic conditions of Stevens Pass to the west on the Cascade Crest and Blewett Pass/Mission Ridge over 40 air miles east of the crest. Perfect day. 2 from NCMG on Vimeo. You can find anything from steep couloirs to some of the best tree skiing if you can find a parking spot. Maximize your mountain time and save when you book in advance. 
3) Theres been a foot of snow at Stevens Pass and only 2 inches of new snow at Mission Ridge (not unusual). At Vail Resorts, we have a unique responsibility to protectthe environment and futureof the sport we love while supporting our communities. Hey Lou are those the Wailer 99s??? are you sure those were in the Cascades? Ive also included some ski tours off of Mountain Loops Highway for additional options. The 600- to 800-foot fall line runs are great for skiing laps throughout the day.
North Cascades Mountain Guides offers traditional backcountry skiing trips,Out-of-Bounds skiing atStevens Pass Mountain Resortand Snowmobile-Accessed backcountry trips out of Stevens Pass, Lake Wenatchee, Leavenworth and Blewett Pass. With so much powder, I ended up on the DPS most days. Thank you for taking the time to check out this page and hopefully it gave you some inspiration for some new ski tours in Stevens Pass and beyond. Glad you had a good job, but quit posting photos of sun in Washington. When looking at these graphs, the safest region to ski is often obvious. From here, you can head east up the ridge toward the summit and ski the fall line slopes directly below the saddle through an old clear cut. Finally the Icicle and Entiat canyons are tweener snowpacks. Guests will start the day by snowmobiling to the base of the day's objective, where they will then use alpine touring gear or splitboardsto climb to the top and ski down for as many laps as the day allows. f you are scheduling this as a non-course related activity, please limit your group size to 12 people. Please contact us for more details. Order a Jim Jack burger (its actually a chicken sandwich), so named in honor of a local freeskier who for some reason is known as the mayor of Altaa. Opened in 96 by T.R., a local ski bum and ex-Stevens Pass liftie, the pub pulls in outdoor jocks of all sorts. updates, images and resources. We can accommodate your day to your level of fitness, but the more you prepare, the more you will enjoy your day. From hiking to mountain biking, a summer well spent awaits. In late winter and early spring the slopes are perfect training grounds for practicing ice axe arrest and other snow travel techniques. Participants dont need to be advanced riders but the more experienced you are, the more fun it will be. Please use the Live Chat tool within your account or contact us at (970) 754-0005 to connect with an agent today. His movement is directed across the center of the frame rather than away from it. Your day will start before the lifts start spinning so you and your guide can go over the necessary safety briefing, including how to use your beacon, shovel, and probe and how to get the most out of skiing with a guide. However, if daytime temperatures have been warm, the slopes around Stevens may be gloppy or even crusty. Even with the open boundary policy at adjacent Stevens Pass resort, the areas numerous backcountry bowls and chutes are rarely crowded. This is a list of titles that represent the variations of trips Each year he would have a new zone that was his interest of the year. Stevens waved goodbye with a brocken spectre. It was always a pleasure to head out with Scott McAlister. But dont: A rescue will run you $1,000.THE SNOW: When the early rays of spring turn the Northwest snowpack into freshly poured cement, Stevens often has predictably fluffier stashes. Helping people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Summer Activities , opens in a new window. This post by Andy Dappen was originally published on 11/22/09. Depending on weather and conditions we can stick close to the Cascade Crest where you will find the deepest snow and amazing tree skiing as well as some bigger mountain descents. From Highway 2 on the east side you can find yourself on a ferry heading towards North Cascades National Park. Road grades crisscross the area and allow for easy route finding and mellow skin tracks. Please use nearby Routes & Places like, Backcountry Skiing, Climbing, Downhill Skiing & Snowboarding, Scrambling, January, February, March, April, May, November, December. ** Study the topographic maps associated with those tours and make sure the aspects and general terrain match up with what you know about avalanche hazards and/or snow conditions. The result is a deep and dry snowpack that lasts well into May. WOW! Downhill skiing or snowboarding skills are the most important skills to have for this program. Some examples: 1) 18 inches of new snow just blanketed Stevens Pass. There are parking lots on the east and west sides of the pass. Camp at Lake Wenatchee State Park (parks.wa.gov), 20 miles east of Stevens Pass on Highway 2. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who made our trip so magical. He's also wearing a Mountain Equipment shell. Under the Condition Reports heading see the Weather & Road link. We remain committed to doing everything we can to help keep you safe this season, so you can focus on having a great time on the mountain. The snowpack near Stevens Pass borders on the ridiculous as do the number of stormy days. click here to use the app to support your local avalanche forecasters, Friends and Resupplies on a Ski Traverse of The Colorado Trail. Why Are So Many Climbers in Trouble on Mount Hood This Year. It does not exist. Bonanza PeakGoode MountainMaude and Seven Fingered JackExtended Ptarmagin TraverseSuiattle TraverseMount Fernow. Note: one problem with this link is that after clicking the telemetry site you want to see, youll need to scroll down to find the actual graphs.
Your email address will not be published. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lou.dawson.writer. A tweener destination. Perched on the crest of the range at 4,061 feet, the pass is a geographical anomaly, benefiting from both heavy snowfall out of the west (450 inches most years) and cold air flows from the east. Sleep at the Cascadia Inn in Skykomish, 16 miles west of Stevens Pass (from $75; 360-677-2030). Really great photo though, with the distant mountains in the background. 3. Winter Sports Hiking/Trail Running/Backpacking Mountain Biking Climbing, Mountain, Sport and Ice Water Activities. 2022 Vail Resorts Management Company. Since you are on a Mobile Phone I have the trips listed above the Images. OurEpicPromise ProgressReportdetails this commitment, including $19.4 million donated to community partners thispast year and our advancement toward a zero net operating footprint by 2030. Home to groomed resort skiing and access to some fantastic backcountry ski routes. NCMG 2021. This includes side trips, extensions Ill be at Hilda Hut in the Selkirks in a couple of weeks and I hope we have snow as good as you found. The, When is the last time you went backpacking? On Thursdays, the Sourass Blue Mountain Bottom Boys-a ragtag ensemble of area musicians and skiers-fire up live bluegrass. Mountaineers Books is a registered trademark of The Mountaineers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Log in and send us From this one site you can see weeklong graphs of whats taken place at Stevens (On the Pacific Crest) , at Tumwater Mountain (20 miles west of the crest) and at Mission Ridge (40 miles west of the crest). Based on such experience, Washington State sojourns tend to be exercises in shell jacket testing under full moisture conditions. We're tourists, so we can't get enough of the ghost trees. Jove? Unbelievably beautiful photographs! All rights reserved. If daytime temperatures have remained below freezing, the Stevens Pass backcountry could be stellar especially on north-facing slopes. Until you really know your stuff, when the hazard hits 4 (high) or 5(extreme), opt to downhill ski or Nordic ski on a groomed trail system. Or, for a full day tour, continue half a mile west from the saddle to the summit of Big Chief Mountain. Its about more than standing on the mountain top. can allow you to get out and enjoy a tour with good turns without exposing yourself to undue risks. WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering.
2) No new snow has fallen for a week. Full summer hours of operation are Thursdays-Sundays, 10am to 6pm. Six to eight hundred feet of vert later, youll drop down to an old logging road that leads back to where you started. I envy your vision and scenery. Turn a long drive over the pass into an overnight stay at the summit, or extend your day of biking or hiking into multiple days of fun by taking advantage of RV Camping at Stevens Pass. Deep Snow, Old-Growth Trees and Classic Northwest Descents. Happy New Year to you and Craig. To access Skyline Ridge (also known as Heather Ridge), park in the resort lot on the north side of the highway. Designed and Developed by WildSnow, Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings Info Index, Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings Info Index, Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings Info Index, Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ, Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ. Farm the gentle north-facing slopes off the summit and youll end up on the open runs of the old ski area. Find the most up to date information regarding operating hours for various services. 1.
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Pre-Trip Briefing - Snowmobile Safety from NCMG on Vimeo. If you include all the terrain within this area you can see why the Stevens Pass ski tours are so vast. Sorry about the headache and a full version can be seen on desktop. People will still need to climb for their turns but the snowmobiles allow us to access terrain deeper in the mountains. Backcountry riding does require a certain degree of fitness. Get to planning your trip and enjoy the most time on the mountain! Using snowmobiles to access more remote terrain allows us to make the most of the day and get away from the crowds. We believe good things come from people spending time outside. Join Outside+ to get Ski magazine, access to exclusive content, thousands of training plans, and more. Come to Colorado soon for more of those blue skies. This is a great way to warm up the legs before heading into the backcountry. Out of Bounds Skiing Explore the terrain surrounding the ski area with a local guide. This year the reservations system makes things a little more complicated. for all ages and levels in the Pacific Northwest. Its probably time for me to replace my Scarpa Lasers. Blewett Pass offers some amazing skiing and often holds cold, boot-top powder on the shady aspects. Woody took good care of us and it was especially nice to see the new line from Mountain Equipment. It can also make all the difference in whether youre slogging through storms with almost no visibility versus skiing sunshine, or whether youre skiing slopes coated with a few inches of powder versus busting through breakable crust. The first look at these scenes takes my breath away. Not seeing a title that fits your trip? The thinner snows and sunnier skies of the Blewett Pass area. For more vert, continue skinning two miles west to the summit above Skyline Lake, where you can drop into steep south-facing bowls that yield a thousand vertical feet of nicely spaced old-growth pines. We'll cover as much of it as possible over coming months. Pre-Trip Briefing - Pt. This lesser-known area can stay good weeks after a storm and has a completely different feel to skiing near the pass. Rock MountainRock, Howard and Mastif Traverse, Camping in the ChiwaukumsBig Chiwaukum Couloir, Cardinal PeakSeven Fingered JackBlack Hole CouloirChocolate Glacier Glacier PeakTenpeak MountainDakobed Traverse. Union? you can take at this route/place. NCMG offers threetypes of backcountry experiences at Stevens Pass. Expect snow depth here to be closer to be 50 to 60 percent of the snowpack at Stevens Pass.
Well spend about a week back home then were on the road again, or in the sky. After getting a sense of the expected weather, open up the Winter Reports matrix (also in the Condition Reports area). Once youve decided on a general destination (Stevens Pass, Icicle Canyon, Blewett Pass, Mission Ridge area), open up our online Skiing-Backcountry guidebook and use the geographic locators and the tour difficulty numbers to identify possible tours. Tax ID: 27-3009280. The definition of shralping is never clear, but throwing Cascadian powder around does perhaps qualify. A sordid history of logging and some variably successful development (including two ski resorts: Stevens Pass, which is up and running, and Yodelin, now defunct) means theres an abundance of clear-cuts and access roads-a blight on the landscape to be sure, but a blessing for skiers seeking easy skin-ups and open backcountry slopes. If your request is not time sensitive, please email us at seasonpass@vailresorts.com. I have a pair myself this year and think they might be in the running for best quiver of one from October to July!!! The Mountaineers teaches skills and leads outdoor activities The telemetry site at the bottom of our column WA State-All Mtn Weather Sites is especially valuable for letting you monitor the regionit gives you links to graphs for each weather site that is much easier to analyze. Head straight up the small glade behind the lodge to find the road grade. A variety of terrain makes Yodelin fun for both beginners and experts. We wish you equally wonderful adventures in 2013. Experience freeride or technical trails via Hogsback or connect with an expert guide for a Bike Park 101 or private session to hone your downhill skills. Snowmobile-AssistedBackcountry -We have several zones to choose from when using snowmobiles. From scenic chairlift rides, guided hikes, disc golf and hiking we have a range of activities to suit all ages, whether you are planning a quick stop over on your way over the pass, or planning a day fun of adventure in the heart of the Cascades. We have been skiing in this zone for decades and know where to find the best lines. Visit Pro Mountain Sports in Seattle (206-522-1627), run by renowned Cascade climber Jim Nelson. Tax ID: 27-3009280. Woody Dixon finds yet another patch of untracked Cascadian whiteness. The Mountaineers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Ive done a lot of ski trips in my life. Today we tested some Mountain Equipment shells, but a water column eval was not to be. These are some of my favorite Stevens Pass ski tours with colder temperatures on the east side and two 9000 foot peaks in Leroy Basin. After 1,500 vertical feet, youll hit the highway-the parking lot is about a mile back to the right, depending on where you pop out. Its about protecting what sustains us. We will be happy to help you learn backcountry skiing and snowboarding but we want to make sure you get the most out of your day. And while safety should be the overriding factor in where you decide to ski, on those days when the entire region has rather uniform hazards (not unusual) the telemetry data can help you see where the skiing will be best, what aspects you might want to ski (or avoid), and the elevation you might want to ski (or avoid).