Cross Country Skiing Leavenworth: The Season is Still On

Real winter came late this season here in the Northwest, and it does not want to quit. For us skiers, that's a blessing.

Last weekend I switched things up from my usual downhill/alpine skis and opted for cross-country skis instead. The pay-off: some heart-pumping exercise in beautiful Leavenworth, Washington.  

With several feet of fresh snow the week prior, trails that were barely covered over the holidays were now just about perfect. 

We arrived at the golf course just south of town before they opened (about 8:30), although tracks were freshly laid for us already by the Leavenworth Winter Sports Club. 

Just a few other skiers were out, so we mostly had the trails to ourselves as it wound past acres of pristine snowfields and along Icicle Creek.

After an hour on the golf course loop we needed more, so next we headed south to the Icicle River (fish hatchery) trails beside Sleeping Lady resort. 

But first we stopped for hot cocoa at O'Grady's Pantry directly across the street from the ski trail parking area. (The hot cocoa was a tad sweet for my taste, but it still hit the spot on a cold winter morning.)

The Icicle River loops are longer and at one point even cross a bridge. More skiers (and some snowshoers) use these trails, but there's still plenty of space for everyone to spread out.

White above and below; the view from the fish hatchery bridge.

Skate skiers cruised us past in graceful, smooth up and down glides; we opted for slower, classic kick and glide skis on this day. Nevertheless, it's all good exercise.

My favorite parts of the trail are the hill about a half mile after the bridge crossing,and the forested stretch close to the creek. If you're not comfortable gliding down a somewhat steep hill, there are bypass trails to go around them.

What an exhilarating morning! We finished up around noon with over 3 hours of solid exercise in all that mountain fresh air. 

I can only imagine what kind of shape I'd be in if that was a daily routine. My friends who live in Leavenworth and the Wenatchee area are excellent skate skiers and generally all seem about 10 years younger and fitter than their actual ages.

So get on out there and give XC skiing a try, if you haven't already. 

Happy trails and thanks for visiting Pacific Northwest Seasons! 

In between blog posts, visit Pacific NW Seasons on FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Northwest photos and outdoors news.
 


When You Go

A day skiing pass, which allows you to ski at all of the Leavenworth tracked ski areas, is $19 + tax for an adult ticket. Info here on the trails/locations and such. Tickets are available at a booth at each area.

  





 

Skiing in the Pacific Northwest: It's Prime Time

With a record-breaking stretch of warm weather in January during an El Nino winter, Pacific Northwest skiers were getting a tad worried. It's not supposed to be almost 60 degrees in the middle of winter here.

When I skied just over a week ago at Crystal Mountain, we passed over patches of exposed rock on the ride up Rainier Express chairlift. It didn't bode well for the remainder of the season.

But then....winter showed up here in the Northwest. Like, record-breaking snowfall winter. 

So we grabbed our (new!) skis and some friends and headed to Crystal Mountain yesterday.

What a contrast to my trip there a week earlier. We glided over powdery fresh snow, cut through some fluffy "pow," and overall had a hella fun day.

And beyond that, the thick layer of fresh snow on the surrounding forest and trees was just plain picturesque. Which, to me, is part of the big picture appeal of being in the mountains.

So, skiers and riders, if you've been dragging your feet, now is the time to go. According to a King 5 TV in Seattle, Crystal got 7 feet of snow in the last week, with more to come!

When you're out there, look for the smiles. Because there will be many. IMO, life doesn't get much better than an exhilarating day on the slopes with lots of cold, powdery, fresh snow.

I'm pretty sure there was a smile behind the snow.

 
And maybe if you're really lucky, the clouds will clear and the surrounding mountains will be revealed under bluebird skies.

So how about you? Have you gotten up and out in the last week? I'd love to hear your experiences in a comment below. (BTW, if you do comment, please leave your name, or even a fake name, so I know you're not spam.)

Happy trails and thanks for visiting Pacific Northwest Seasons! 

In between blog posts, visit Pacific NW Seasons on FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Northwest photos and outdoors news.

When You Go
Be sure and check the forecasts and avoid backcountry skiing if the avalanche danger is high, like it was this past weekend. Here are a few links for Northwest ski conditions: Open Snow blog and Sno Country.
  

BC Road Trip: Rossland and Red Mountain

For years I've heard from friends about the fantastic skiing at Red Mountain and charm of Rossland. A few weeks ago in March, it was finally my turn to experience this fun mountain and great little outdoors town.

While I can't speak authoritatively about the mountain from just one day of skiing, I did have a splendid day skiing there in spring-like conditions. 

Locals told me that about 4 years ago, Rossland got "discovered" and now draws visitors from all over the world. Despite the uptake, Red still retains a local mountain feel.

After a scenic road trip from Seattle, our day skiing was bracketed by two nights in Rossland. We scored a room at the Prestige Mountain Resort on the main street in downtown Rossland, convenient to all the shops and cafes.

We ate very well. Our first evening, we enjoyed an excellent dinner at Gabriella's Restaurant in the lobby of the Prestige. My housemade butternut squash ravioli with wild mushrooms was excellent. I had to restrain myself from finishing it all and getting stuffed.

A brilliant mountain sunrise greeted us before skiing Saturday. Of course I had to grab the camera and snap some shots outside our window.

Before driving the few short miles to the mountain, we walked down the street for coffee/tea/breakfast at the Alpine Grind a couple blocks away. Outside a line had formed before it opened at 8 am, and it was definitely worth the wait. Good quality tea (I can't speak for the coffee but everyone seemed happy) and a toasted whole grain bagel with peanut butter and jelly hit the proverbial spot. (Personally I don't like a big breakfast before skiing).

And on to the mountain, which is literally the other side of the hill from town and less than 10 minutes driving. Morning clouds were cleared off by the time we hit the slopes, which took an hour or so to soften up. However, good grooming made it easy peasy to ski regardless.

There are three mountains at Red, and we didn't go up the actual Red Mountain due to a ski race set up over there.  After a few warm up runs down below, we headed up Granite Mountain, where the panoramic views of the surrounding Kootenay Mountains opened up.

The peak just below is Red Mountain.

For most of the day we stuck to the groomers, and made our way over to Grey Mountain for a few fun runs.

By early afternoon the conditions were softening up quite a bit. I made another foray back over to Granite Mountain and skied down the black diamond front side beneath the chair - Buffalo's Ridge to Main Run.

We quit while we were ahead, tired and happy. Oh, and gotta say, the Thai tofu veggie wrap sandwich I had in the lower lodge was about the tastiest, most healthful lunch I've ever had at a ski mountain.

Saturday night we had dinner at a fairly new place set in an old refurbished gas station/garage in "downtown," the appropriately named Fuel Gastropub and Diner. The salad was tasty, but the real standout dish was the pork belly tacos.

Despite the warmish day, it got chilly as the sun set. We bundled up to stroll and stop in a few shops along the way.

We were up and out early the next day, and while I would have liked another few days to ski, it was a good first taste of what this area has to offer. Next trip I'd like to return earlier in the year - January or February - to hopefully hit some fresh snow and try some of their famous backcountry cat skiing.

How about you, have you skied Red and spent time in Rossland? Would love to hear about it if so.


Happy trails and thanks for visiting Pacific Northwest Seasons! 

In between blog posts, visit Pacific NW Seasons on FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Northwest photos and outdoors news.

When You Go
As I mentioned in my prior post, Rossland is about a 6 - 8 hour drive from Seattle, just north of the border in southern British Columbia. It's a historic former mining town turned year-round outdoors destination, but skiing was the original draw. Here's a link to the trail map for Red Mountain. 

Winter in the Pacific Northwest: Get Outside

Have you gotten outside much this winter? 

Here in Upper Left USA, winter has been throwing us lots of rain, snow, and sun, so I've gotten good use of my rain and cold weather gear. Some hiking, some skiing, a getaway, it all has been fun between bouts of working overtime.

So today's post is a mélange of adventures around Washington since the first of the year. 


Hiking in the Rain
When a pineapple express hit in January, plans to go skiing one Saturday morphed into a hike up Boulder River off the Mountain Loop Highway near Darrington, Washington.

Heavy rain was predicted, which makes for good waterfall viewing. Plus it's more comfortable hiking in the rain than skiing in the rain. (Umbrellas can be your friend, but not on the slopes.) 

We were lucky, the rain didn't really start up in earnest until shortly before we arrived back at the car after a 7.5-mile hike. And yes, the waterfalls and the mossy green woods along the river were gorgeous.

This trail is fairly easy, with a gain of less than 1,000 feet (gotta get your heart rate up a bit). It's also very popular, even on this rainy day the parking lot was full and then some.

After Hike Eats
My friend Andy directed us to the Stilly Coffee House in Arlington on the way home, where we refueled with fresh cookies and hot drinks after a chilly, damp hike. I like supporting independent small businesses, and the Stilly was warm and friendly. (BTW Stilly is the nickname for the Stillaguamish River that flows through Arlington.)

Heading East to Ski
Early February we headed over to Leavenworth, Washington, for a few nights to catch up with some friends and ski Mission Ridge above Wenatchee. After the warm spell, there was a fast snowmelt around Leavenworth, leaving snow levels comparable to late March instead of early Feb.

But the brilliant blue skies were worth the trip. 

We drove up to Mission Saturday, where the snow was mostly hard and a bit  icy (they've since gotten more snow). For several runs I skied with a guy who knew the area well and took me on a some fun runs I wouldn't have found easily. Mission features friendly locals and smooth groomer runs.

The contrast between the mountain and the arid, dry land beyond is striking and so different than skiing on the west side of the Cascade Crest. Plus the views the other direction from the top of the ridge are lovely too, with Mt. Rainier dominant on the southern horizon.

After Ski Eats
Afterwards we met up with a friend down near the Columbia River in Wenatchee at the Pybus Public Market. We snacked at the Cafe Columbia, where I had a  very tasty spiced cookie, but there are numerous other options at this indoor market—a great addition to the Wenatchee food scene.

Hiking Leavenworth
After a great dinner Saturday night at Kingfisher Restaurant at Sleeping Lady Resort, the next morning we awoke to more bluebird skies. Normally we'd do some cross-country skiing, but instead the trail was clear enough to hike up the Icicle Ridge Trail above Leavenworth. 

While I'm an enthusiast for hiking in the rain, I must admit it was wonderful to be hiking in the sunshine again.

Skiing the Pass
To Northwesterners, "the Pass" could be several places. To Puget Sound dwellers, it might be Stevens Pass or Snoqualmie Pass, but on President's Day for us it was Snoqualmie. 

While the "real" skiing around these parts is at Crystal Mountain or Stevens, for a quick morning of fun turns, Snoqualmie is just fine. We arrived before the lifts opened to get a close parking space (Silver Fir Lodge is the way to go), and then skied the crossover to Summit East, which I will always call Hyak.

A morning of cold snowy bliss ensued. While we take Snoqualmie for granted, it really is quite scenic up there.

So there you have it. Just a smattering of outdoors activities around western Washington this winter. Oh, and today I just skied my best powder day ever at Crystal Mountain. Too cold and snowy for action photos!

 How about you? Where have you gotten outdoors the last few months?

Happy trails and thanks for visiting Pacific Northwest Seasons! 

In between blog posts, visit Pacific NW Seasons on FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Northwest photos and outdoors news.

 

Skiing into the New Year

My New Year's tradition involves a road trip to the edge of Mt. Rainier, where I start the year off right with a brilliant bluebird day at Crystal Mountain. With stunning views of the Big Kahuna of Cascade volcanoes just a few miles away, it's hard to not get revved up for the year ahead.

With a series of snowstorms in December right up until Christmas, Northwest skiers and riders are flocking to the mountains to slake our thirst from last winter's drought. And the slopes haven't disappointed.

It's still dark when we leave Seattle on a freezing cold morning. Gonna be really cold up there in the mountains I think as I scrape heavy frost off the windshield. 

Even in the predawn, Rainier looms large on the eastern horizon. I snap a few windshield shots en route at 60+ miles per hour. (No I wasn't driving.)

The world is a little fuzzy this early on New Year's morning. From Interstate 5.

30+ minutes later, from Enumclaw

Even though we arrive before the lifts open, a steady stream of cars has already half filled the lower B lot at Crystal, and people are crowding onto the parking lot shuttle. Wait, isn't everyone else supposed to be nursing their New Year's Eve hangovers?

So we get our tickets (sigh, no reloading your card online anymore for that discount and bypassing the ticket line) and head on up.

After a few warm-up runs over on Forest Queen, it's time to go up to the top. Because of that view. 

And of course the great skiing down the upper bowls.

Probably one of the most popular photo spots in the state of Washington.

Looking back up Green Valley.

Of course it's a five-star day, with all five Cascade volcanoes in the state visible along with many other peaks that divide our region from wet west and dry east. Prominent to the southeast is Mt. Adams, looking for all the world like Rainier's slightly smaller sibling. (Always makes me smile remembering that I've stood atop that mountain.)

Mt. Adams

So we ski easy, then harder, bump into old friends during lunch at Campbell Lodge, and go back out to tear up the slopes for a few more hours. Then quit while we're ahead.

 

Nothing makes me feel quite so alive as an excellent day skiing under blue skies in the mountain fresh cold air. What a way to start the year.

I hope your year is off to an equally good start.

Happy trails and thanks for visiting Pacific Northwest Seasons! In between blog posts, visit Pacific NW Seasons on FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Northwest photos and outdoors news.

When You Go
Crystal Mountain is about 70-80 road miles southeast from Seattle (depending on where you start from in the city) on the northeastern edge of Mt. Rainier National Park. Check out their website for details on lift pricing, hours of operation, etc.

Spring Skiing in the Pacific Northwest: It's not too late!

Now that it's April, maybe you're thinking about hiking, gardening, surfing, or other warmer weather outdoors pursuits. 

Don't hang up those skis or boards yet! Late season skiing in the Northwest/B.C. can offer the best conditions of the season. 

Minimal or no lift lines - check
Longer and more bluebird days - check
Sometimes lots of fresh snow and less competition for freshies - check
Parking closer to the lifts - check 
Special deals on ticket prices - check

Some of my best skiing days ever have been late season. I still smile remembering that early June weekend at Whistler/Blackcomb, with over a foot of fresh snow and hardly anyone else on the mountain.

Run after run of freshies!  It was exhilarating and awesome. 


Just last Sunday a group of us had similar conditions at Crystal Mountain, less than 2 hours from Seattle. Big smiles all around.

On a bluebird day at Crystal last week, almost everyone (including me) stopped to take shots of Rainier....

...because Rainier is always so awe-inspiring.

So put off that yard work for a few days and head to the mountains to grab the last and maybe best weeks of the season. And then enjoy the spring and summer knowing you truly seized the snow days.

When You Go
Skiing extends well into the spring at several NW resorts.  Crystal Mountain is open daily until April 20, then weekends until May 18. Of course Mt. Hood just east or Portland is THE place for late season skiing, click here for links to all of the Hood ski areas and info. Mt. Bachelor in central Oregon is open daily until May 25. Up close to the Canadian border in Washington, Mt. Baker is open through April 20 and possibly longer. Mission Ridge above Wenatchee in central Washington is closing April 13.