Best Washington mtns
- Thread starter DoubleDDs
- Start date
13822505:Casey said:
Nationally it is not well known. I've had people tell me Alpental has better terrain than Park City. I don't know, as I've never been to Alpental, but it is not nearly as famous as lots of mountains with lesser terrain. Seattle has a huge population of skiers, so it is not surprising that Alpental gets big crowds, but nationally it is not well known. How many people from Chicago are taking their winter break there? Probably not many. Alpental is known among serious skiers, but among people who ski 5 days a year and don't live in Washington it is not very famous. Unfortunately with a big city close by crowds will come with the territory. So I would consider Alpental nationally unknown, even if it is crowded. Put it this way, it is not nearly as famous as Breckenridge and I've heard it has better terrain.
IanAvery-Leaf
Active member
13822594:dan4060 said:
that is pretty easy benchmark to surpass when it comes to western mountains
Skier_Javarius
Member
Never been to Colorado but Washington can have some pretty good skiing, although you might have to put yourself through a few rainstorms to get the pow. Summit at snoqualmie is the most well known resort due to its proximity to the Seattle area. On Friday nights when all the middle schoolers come up the lift lines are 30 mins for maybe 1000 feet of vertical, never go on Fridays. However it also has smaller side "mountains", don't really know what to call them, fittingly named East and West, that are much less crowded. East does not offer night skiing. West is largely shit. East however is not. Of the three areas go here if it dumps. I think it only has two or three chairs, but we got about a foot in February and I skied about eight runs right onto the lift. Also has some pretty sick tree skiing. Alpental is also run by Snoqualmie and is a short ten minute drive away. Far less popular, this may due to quality of chairs, it accesses much more and much more advanced terrain. If you are really good skier this is your go to mountain if you live in Seattle.
Crystal Mountain is about a two hour drive from Seattle but unlike the Summit at Snoqualmie if is actually a mountain. Has a bunch of really nice lifts and if you want to walk a bit, some pretty nice bowl skiing. Due to its size you can usually find some pretty empty lift lines upper mountain.
I've never been to Stevens or Baker but if you are looking for really good skiing go to Baker, if gets a shit ton of pow, in fact I think it has the world record for snowfall in a season, and a lot of ski movie parts or just short segments are shot there. Baker has the best big mountain skiing especially if you can walk or tour.
Looking at your question again I realize I forgot to answer the park part, both summit central and crystal have parks, I think central's is better, but not too sure. Welcome to the city of rain.
Crystal Mountain is about a two hour drive from Seattle but unlike the Summit at Snoqualmie if is actually a mountain. Has a bunch of really nice lifts and if you want to walk a bit, some pretty nice bowl skiing. Due to its size you can usually find some pretty empty lift lines upper mountain.
I've never been to Stevens or Baker but if you are looking for really good skiing go to Baker, if gets a shit ton of pow, in fact I think it has the world record for snowfall in a season, and a lot of ski movie parts or just short segments are shot there. Baker has the best big mountain skiing especially if you can walk or tour.
Looking at your question again I realize I forgot to answer the park part, both summit central and crystal have parks, I think central's is better, but not too sure. Welcome to the city of rain.
I wish Washington had just one big resort. I love washington, but the skiing just seems so mediocre.
Yes there are some gnarly lines some places, and Baker looks fun. But the overall vertical, acreage, and just the experience of the ski mountains they have set up, feels smaller.
They have the big mountains, just not the infrastructure around them.
Yes there are some gnarly lines some places, and Baker looks fun. But the overall vertical, acreage, and just the experience of the ski mountains they have set up, feels smaller.
They have the big mountains, just not the infrastructure around them.
RousedWits
Member
I've skied Washington my whole life...I gotta say its really awesome if you know "the spots" skiing endless groomers is kinda lame, but if you find someone who can show you alot of in between lines you will be set. Also a lot of people say it is really wet and rains. It does to an extent, and you will become familiar with the term "cascade concrete"... but once late December/early January hits its pretty much always gonna be snow.... at the end of the day you gotta realize "bad" conditions are just a mindset!
Your best bet coming from Colorado in my opinion has got to be Crystal Mt. right on the edge of mt. Rainier National Park, Its got the highest elevation (4 and a half thousand at the base and 7 grand if you hike to the very top) its actually got some really sick underrated terrain. The park scene is pretty piss poor, but it has some of the best "side country" I've skied. Its made up of about 7 valleys. The middle 3 are generally where most people ski because its where they groom... But a hike out to the "south-back" or take an afternoon in "north-back" and you can have an insanely sick time. Rad trees with some sick cliffs hidden in them are easy to find with a little exploring. Cornis's and giant bowls are a blast to shred especially on powder days which can happen pretty often. lift ticket prices have irrationally gone up ever since they re-labeled themselves as a "resort" but comparing it to the ski resorts in Colorado and Utah its definitely still just a ski area.
If your looking for park skiing Summit at Snoqualmie (just 45 minutes from Seattle) has one and you need to take a course to get in.... Which in my mind is a good thing because it keeps oblivious people out...Its been a while since ive been so I couldn't really rate it for you... I believe Stevens pass also has one, but I haven't been there in years, ever since I got kicked off the hill for hiking the lifts...
I hope you enjoy Seattle... don't let the passive aggressive rando's around town shy you away, there are actually some really cool people in Seattle, you just gotta find them.
hang loose!
Your best bet coming from Colorado in my opinion has got to be Crystal Mt. right on the edge of mt. Rainier National Park, Its got the highest elevation (4 and a half thousand at the base and 7 grand if you hike to the very top) its actually got some really sick underrated terrain. The park scene is pretty piss poor, but it has some of the best "side country" I've skied. Its made up of about 7 valleys. The middle 3 are generally where most people ski because its where they groom... But a hike out to the "south-back" or take an afternoon in "north-back" and you can have an insanely sick time. Rad trees with some sick cliffs hidden in them are easy to find with a little exploring. Cornis's and giant bowls are a blast to shred especially on powder days which can happen pretty often. lift ticket prices have irrationally gone up ever since they re-labeled themselves as a "resort" but comparing it to the ski resorts in Colorado and Utah its definitely still just a ski area.
If your looking for park skiing Summit at Snoqualmie (just 45 minutes from Seattle) has one and you need to take a course to get in.... Which in my mind is a good thing because it keeps oblivious people out...Its been a while since ive been so I couldn't really rate it for you... I believe Stevens pass also has one, but I haven't been there in years, ever since I got kicked off the hill for hiking the lifts...
I hope you enjoy Seattle... don't let the passive aggressive rando's around town shy you away, there are actually some really cool people in Seattle, you just gotta find them.
hang loose!
MothaHucker
Active member
crystal baker or alpy for big mountain or backcountry, depending on where you are and how far you want to drive. Stevens probably has the best park, and has some pretty solid terrain too. Snocompton has a damn fun park too and you cant beat 35 minutes from bellevue
cobra_commander
Active member
Yeah, skiing is underserved, minimal vertical, long lines, go to Mount Hood, or fly back to CO each week. the one good side of Amazon and co fucking this city over is the plethora of flights out of SEA every day.
elm.
Active member
lived in seattle all my life. What it sounds like you're looking for is stevens. They gotta park and pretty solid big mountain. It is crowded, though. If you want pow then go to Baker. Easily best mountain I've skied in Washington. Alpental/Snoqualmie is the shortest drive. I like to ski Alpental in the morning, then drive over to Snoqualmie to hit park.
Bamski
Member
It's gotta be Baker. Granted I haven't skied Crystal, but from what I've seen Steven's Pass and Alpental are shitshows on the weekend (which is really the only time working stiffs like me can get down there). The terrain at Baker is solid, I love changing it up from Whis and going down there instead. The snow is usually good, albeit heavy, and the lines are manageable. I have yet to get in to the BC there, since I don't know anyone from the area who could be a tour buddy - but I've heard good things.
Problem is, Baker's still pretty far from Seattle.
Problem is, Baker's still pretty far from Seattle.