Skiing Snoqualmie Pass: It’s not always SnoCrummie

I like to think of Snoqualmie Pass (a.k.a. the Summit at Snoqualmie) as Northwest grunge skiing.

It’s about 1,000 feet lower in elevation than most other Washington ski areas and often lives up to its nickname: Snocrummie. And it doesn’t have nearly the size or vertical of Stevens Pass and Crystal Mountain, also easy day trips from the Seattle area.

So what’s to love?

On a good day when the snow is fresh, the freezing level hasn’t risen yet (it will soon), and the sun shines, Alpental is an expert skier’s dream. In part because it is so close to Seattle and not a destination resort, Alpental’s hidden chutes, accessible backcountry, and varied terrain are local Northwest skiers’ private playground. (Well, private is a bit of an exaggeration since thousands of Seattle area skiers and riders play there each season.)

Tucked away up a hidden valley off Interstate 90 near the Alpine Lakes Wilderness boundary, Alpental feels alternately cozy and thrilling. While I’m not a hard core Alpental skier, I’ve been there enough over the years to have experienced some truly awful skiing conditions (icy, rocky) and exhilarating times (fresh pow, gorgeous views).

Alas, I wasn’t able to sneak away from work yesterday to make tracks in the foot+ of fresh, cold snow at Snoqualmie Pass (“The best day at Alpental I’ve ever had!” gushed a mutual friend… sigh), but I did enjoy one of my best days ever at Alpental last weekend.

We pull into the uppermost parking lot early enough to get a good spot—good enough to ski down to the lift from the car and then to ski back to the car. Really, parking doesn’t get any better than this.

Sunshine, electric blue sky, and decent snow make for a great day skiing. We warm up with a run down the tree-lined gully that is Debbie’s Gold (named after Olympic gold medalist Debbie Armstrong, who grew up skiing and racing at Alpental), then head up Chair 2 to the top.

With an amazing, glorious 360° view from the top, I have to stop and gape. To the north, volcano Glacier Peak rises above the rugged, lesser Cascade peaks of Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Southeast, Lake Keechelus shimmers light blue against the darker blue mountains, and southward Mount Rainier is partially visible above Denny Mountain. Sinuous tracks slice through Sharon Bowl in the backcountry just northwest beyond upper International.



Since there’s not much of a lift line yet on Chair 2, we take a couple quick runs down Edelweiss Bowl, a nice mix of short but fairly steep up top that mellows to a good cruiser run. Between our first and second run, the snow softens up a bit.

While it’s a cold day, with temps in the 20s, we get plenty warm skiing down International, Alpental’s premier black diamond run. After a short stretch of bumps to the lip, there’s no choice but to plunge right in to the very steep, usually icy entrance. At first I sideslip tentatively and do a little whining until Rich says “You just have to straighten your skis and drop in.”



Done. And then the fun really begins.

North-facing upper and lower International (“Nash” to locals) stays shaded enough that the snow is usually pretty nice up here. Unless of course it warms up (yes, it will) and then freezes again. But the pitch is consistent and steep, but not too steep, and long enough for some great skiing.

Aaahhhh kind of skiing. Big-smile-evoking skiing.

Today we don’t continue traversing across International into the backcountry, but I see some nice tracks out there. A slight downside to the backcountry is the narrow, sometimes harrowing runout at the bottom.

Regardless, it’s a marvelous day with marvelous skiing and scenery. Sure, Alpental doesn’t have the scope of a larger mountain, but it’s got it all in a more compact form and breeds great skiers.


When You Go
Just go! Preferably on a weekday when the crowds are down. Alpental is about 50 miles east of Seattle off I-90’s Exit 52. If you’re coming from the west, take a left at the exit. At $58/day for adults, tickets at the Summit are slightly cheaper than at Stevens or Crystal.

Seattle Teahouses: Sunday mornings at Miro

Ah, Sunday mornings. The quietest, least stressful few hours of daylight a week.

I love Sunday mornings.

Some of us sleep in and have a leisurely morning, some go to church, some are outdoors jogging or skiing, and some of us have tea with friends. Do you have a Sunday morning ritual?

Over the last couple years, an occasional Sunday morning get-together at Miro Tea on historic Ballard Avenue has evolved into an almost weekly touchstone. Call it the Church of Tea if you will.

As soon as the Ballard Farmer’s Market opens, I’m there with a clutch of reusable bags and a fistful of cash. In the winter this too popular market is less crowded and friendlier.

After shopping, I meet my tea compadres for fine tea, an occasional buttery muffin or extravagant crepe, and good conversation at Miro, just up the block from the market. We call ourselves the teasome threesome, but lately we’ve morphed to four since my niece started joining (the teasome foursome? tea squared?). Sometimes we have drop-ins.

With all the steaming, whooshing, and clatter, coffee shops buzz with frenetic energy—which of course can be a good thing when you need to get revved for the day. But who wants that on a Sunday morning? Miro feels soothing, friendly, and a tad laid-back in comparison.

With a large selection of loose leaf teas, there’s always something interesting to sip at Miro. I’m a creature of habit, so I usually order jasmine, although lately I’ve gone for peach blossom silver needle. We share a pot, but sometimes one of us goes rogue and orders our own, separate cuppa.

Miro serves large, sumptuous crepes. Linds and I often split the Christy—a savory spinach and goat cheese-stuffed crepe topped with a delicate, paper-thin slice of Serrano ham and a lightly fried egg. It’s a marvelous blend of flavors and textures. All of Miro’s crepes are excellent.

Above us, intriguing art hangs on the tall, gallery-scale walls. The shows rotate on a regular basis, from photographs to oil paintings to mixed media. One of my favorite exhibits was Jim Molnar’s photographs of tea estates in the Taiwanese mountains.

Gracious and lovely owner Jeannie Liu is often around, and welcomes suggestions from her customers. The tea baristas like Taylor, Henry, Carly, Emmy, and Andrew are mellow and friendly. After all, it’s a mellow and friendly place.

So we sit and sip, talk about our week just past and the week ahead, compare notes on what we’ll be cooking with the farmers’ market fare, describe upcoming adventures or whatever else comes up. Somehow it’s grounding for me.

I hope your Sunday mornings are equally pleasurable, whatever your routine. If you stop by Miro before noon, I’ll likely be there with Tea Squared. Just follow the aroma of peach blossoms.

When You Go
Besides being a nice Sunday morning stop, Miro is open into the evenings, with occasional live music. Or try their Saturday afternoon tea tastings that feature a range of offerings of specific teas. 

Northwest Winter Hikes: Twin Falls and More

Sure, our winter weather is often dreary, chilly, and damp here in the Pacific Northwest. Think that stops us from getting out and reveling in our splendid outdoors?

It doesn’t stop many of us crazy diehards—even when the freezing level shoots up and it’s raining on the ski slopes (and everywhere else). We love our outdoors here in the Northwest.

In the lowlands and foothills there are still plenty of hiking trails accessible year-round (except for during a rare lowland snowfall). Here’s a sampler.

Twin Falls
Note: Currently the Twin Falls trail is closed  between the first overlook with benches (0.75 from miles from west trailhead) to the west end of the Twin Falls Canyon Bridge (1.75 miles from west trailhead) due to several hazards that make the trail dangerous for hikers. Access the east end of the Twin Falls Trail from the Homestead Valley Trailhead located off of I-90 Exit 38.

Today I managed to find three also-crazy-diehard friends to join me for a hike in the rain to Twin Falls in North Bend’s Olallie State Park, about 30 miles east of Seattle in the I-90 Mountains-to-Sound Greenway corridor.

Twin Falls is a popular, pretty easy, relatively short hike through the forest along the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River with views of gorgeous waterfalls, which are gushing today from the rain and some snowmelt.

I like this hike despite the crowds because it’s close and short enough (2.4 miles roundtrip to the waterfall overlook bridge, or up to 4 miles RT) that I can zip out in the morning, get good exercise, and be back in Seattle for afternoon errands. Although it’s not a long hike, elevation gains and losses along the trail get my heart rate up and work the quads and glutes.

With lots of Gore-Tex rain gear, I rarely hike with an umbrella. But today I do. Here in North Bend along this stretch of river, it rains over 80 inches a year, more than double Seattle’s annual rainfall. This is truly a temperate rainforest, with thick green moss and delicate ferns clinging to tree trunks along the river.

Starting out in the rain at Ollalie State Park Twin Falls trailhead.

We meander along the river for about a half mile, then the trail switchbacks up and down and up and down again. The trail is in decent shape considering the traffic it gets. People come with all sorts of footwear, from Betty in her leather hiking boots with gaiters, to Gavin in his barefoot sport shoes, to Joe-Cool with his naked paws.

There are a couple lookouts along the way before the overlook bridge between the lower and upper falls, which crosses a narrow gorge about 80 feet above the water. Water spilling over the lower, tallest waterfall reminds me of spun sugar threads as it spiders down the rock face and plunges into the river. It’s bracing to behold.

We turn around a little past the bridge and get back to the trailhead after being out a little under two hours, wet but happy.

More I-90 Corridor Year-Round Hikes
Here on Pacific Northwest Seasons I’ve blogged about other foothills hikes in the I-90 corridor between Puget Sound and Snoqualmie Pass. (Just click on the links to posts about these hikes.) Generally the Issaquah Alps, including Tiger Mountain, Cougar Mountain, and Squak Mountain are accessible year-round, with miles of forest trails. Most of the year you can also hike up Rattlesnake Ledge for stunning views of the Snoqualmie Valley and Mount Si. And with a trailhead just across the parking lot from Rattlesnake Ledge, Cedar Butte is another mostly year-round hike in the forest.

City Hikes
Portland and Seattle have some large forest parks with good trails for getting away in the city. Read about winter walks in Carkeek Park here. In Carkeek as well as Discovery Park, with its miles of trails, the scenery transitions from forest, to grassy fields, to sandy Puget Sound beaches. Forest Park in Portland has over 30 miles of trails just above downtown.

After hiking the forest trails in Carkeek Park, I always go down to the beach and touch  Puget Sound.

Island Hikes
Go stretch your legs on an invigorating and glorious hike along the bluff at Ebey’s Landing on the western side of Whidbey Island. In Washington's San Juan Islands, there are numerous hikes on Orcas Island, including the Mountain Lake Loop in Moran State Park and Turtle Mountain.

Along the bluff trail at Ebey's Landing, Whidbey Island

Columbia River Gorge Hikes
Unless there’s a winter ice storm, actually a pretty rare occurrence, you can hike year-round on the many trails in the Columbia Gorge National Recreation Area east of Portland. Be careful of icy trails near waterfalls on cold winter days. In this post I wrote about hiking to the top of Multnomah Falls and back.

Happy trails and thanks for visiting Pacific Northwest Seasons! And I'd love to hear in the comments below about your Northwest experiences.

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

Exploring Seattle: Columbia City Afternoon

Sometimes I like to play tourist in my own city and stray into districts beyond my normal haunts. How about you?

With our plentiful hills, ridges, lakes, and Puget Sound creating natural boundaries, Seattle’s varied geography divides the city into distinct neighborhoods with unique flavors.

I haven’t been to Columbia City in a few years, and today I’m lured there by Columbia City Bakery and the novelty of riding our new light rail line. Seattle is a latecomer to light rail compared to über-progressive Portland. But the first link in our light rail system makes it much easier and quicker to get to south Seattle without battling traffic on I-5.

It’s a classic rainy, gray Northwest winter day when we catch Link in the downtown Seattle transit tunnel. After we emerge from the tunnel and make a few stops, the route takes an eastward turn and rises to an elevated guideway before plunging into a tunnel through Beacon Hill. Great view of downtown.

After only about 10 minutes, we hop off at the Columbia City station on MLK Way. It’s a 3-block walk to the core Columbia City business district. Oh well. I wouldn’t live here if I couldn’t handle walking in the rain.

Columbia City lies in one of the more ethnically diverse parts of Seattle, Rainier Valley, and started “gentrifying” over a decade ago. It was a big deal when the Starbucks opened here, and they even brought in Magic Johnson for the grand opening. Since then, the main two-block stretch of businesses has morphed and is now lined with hip eateries and pubs, gift shops, an art gallery, an indie bookstore, meat shop, and of course that fabulous bakery. In the summer the local farmer’s market draws fans from around the city.

We wander past La Medusa, the first destination restaurant to open here, but it’s not open for lunch. Julie suggests Geraldine’s, a busy, warm diner-type spot, but I’m craving Asian, so we end up at The Spice Room, a Thai restaurant.

We’re enveloped in a sleek, modern, dimly lit setting inside the Spice Room, which seems more suited for an evening out than a lunch break. Our food is good, but to be honest, ever since I had Thai food in Thailand, American Thai restaurants pale a bit in comparison.

We start with fresh veggie spring rolls, nicely presented, and then split a very spicy green papaya salad and a chicken garlic stir-fry with veggies and brown rice. After tip, we each spend a little over $17. (More than I’d really like for lunch, but next time I need to pay attention to the prices on the menu, not just the food.)

Across the street, Tuttabello’s Pizzeria is packed as we walk past. Same with Geraldine’s.

Inside the Columbia City Gallery, the brightly lit whitewashed walls are a welcome contrast to the gray afternoon. Instantly I see about 10 things I’d like to take home. This gallery has an eclectic offering of paintings, mixed media, ceramics, prints, framing services, hand-crafted jewelry, and lower-priced, artsy knick knacks for easy gifting.

For things African, Baol’s African Imports is a cozy, narrow shop stuffed with wooden masks, baskets, beads, and more. This neighborhood, after all, is one of the more African-American in Seattle. We pop in and pop out, overwhelmed with the quantity of merchandise in here.

Of course I have to spend time in the Bookworm Exchange, the neighborhood indie bookstore. Tall shelves are lined with used and new books, and I see some great deals on recently released, slightly used books. It’s with considerable restraint that I walk out without a book purchase. Too bad I didn’t buy anything because I just read that the owner is considering closing in a few months due to slow sales.

“Is it bakery time yet?” I ask Julie as we near the end of the business strip.

Yes, ‘tis bakery time. Even on a damp winter day, people are willing to eat at the sidewalk tables because the Columbia City Bakery is packed and hopping.

Good bakeries make me happy. Everybody seems happy in this good bakery. Beautiful cookies, pastries, cakes, pies, cupcakes, sandwiches, homemade granola, crostini, interesting artisan bread…oh my!

We split a poached pear/frangipane tartlet, which we both ingest quickly. But not without savoring the crumbly buttery crust and perfectly poached pear topped with crunchy toasted almonds. For the road I grab a refreshingly small chocolate chip cookie and a peanut butter thumbprint cookie stuffed with raspberry jam. These small treats are exquisite, as expected.



Within a couple hours of our arrival, we’re ready to head back north to downtown. Lucky for us, we only have to wait about 3 minutes for the next train.

When You Go
Columbia City lies about 5 miles south of downtown Seattle, east of the Beacon Hill ridge that lines Interstate 5. Besides the places I mentioned, for nightlife, try Lottie’s or the Columbia City Ale House and then catch a movie at the historic Columbia City Cinema, “Seattle’s Coolest Neighborhood Theater.”

Classy Cooking Classes in Seattle: Seasonal, Healthful, and Tasty Fare

Who doesn’t want to eat more healthfully?

Okay, not everyone. But if the proliferation of year-round farmer’s markets and organic food here in the Pacific Northwest are indicators, a lot of us are embracing cooking and eating better.

I’ve taken a couple great cooking classes recently in Seattle’s Ballard community that featured seasonal, sophisticated, and surprisingly easy-to-prepare dishes. Creamy parsnip soup, sautéed kale, roasted veggies with spicy yogurt sauce, and more.

Since I’ve been working lots of overtime the last couple weeks and will be for a few weeks more, I’m cheating a bit with today’s post. Read about the classes in my 101 Things to do in Ballard column in the Ballard News Tribune.

When You Go
The classes I took were through Dish It Up on historic Ballard Avenue and Olaiya Land Catering at Delancey restaurant on 70th Avenue Northwest just north of Ballard High School.

Bon Appetit!

Portland’s Lan-Su Chinese Garden: Serenity in the City

Can’t we all use a little more serenity in our lives?

In Portland’s Chinatown near the Willamette River, Lan-Su Chinese Garden is a perfect place to unplug and contemplate the nature of beauty, harmony, or maybe even a cup of fine tea.

Historic Chinese artist and scholar Wen Zhengming couldn’t have said it better, about 500 years ago:

“Most cherished in this mundane world is a place without traffic. Truly in the midst of a city there can be mountain and forest.”

Here on the east side of the Pacific Rim, Lan-Su was built by Chinese artisans from Portland’s sister city in China, Suzhou. In fact, the name Lan-Su is derived from Portland and Suzhou. Nifty, huh?

Lan-Su claims to be the most authentic Chinese garden outside China, although to me it seems very similar to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Vancouver, B.C.

Lan-Su replicates a classic Chinese garden of a wealthy merchant or scholar from about the 16th century. Life was very different back then, of course. There was lots of contemplating going on, along with poetry, games of wit, calligraphy, meditation, storytelling, and lofty discussions.



Chinese gardens are carefully designed to engage all your senses through the use of architecture, specific plants, texture, scents, and sound. As I stroll through the garden on a chilly but clear winter morning, my eyes rest on small details, like how the edge of a roof pierces the sky, tiles with lovely Chinese characters, or the curl of intricately decorated roof tiles.



Pathways lead into courtyards that lead into covered walkways that lead into open rooms and more. Today I don’t have the time to linger as I’d like, but I absorb as much as I can on this quiet morning.



Inside the replicated scholar’s study, glowing hand-painted silk lanterns float above the room. Since there’s no heat in here, it’s actually warmer outside in the sun.

For us tea lovers, though, a real highlight of Lan-Su is the Tower of Cosmic Reflections. As I enter this light, warm two-story teahouse run by the Tao of Tea, I get a whiff of fragrant tea.




“Help yourself to a taste,” says the server. On the front counter is a pot of Taiwanese osmanthus oolong tea beside small tasting cups. This amber tea is slightly floral, smooth, and wonderful.

I can’t stay as long as I’d like today, but this teahouse is a treasure. This garden is a treasure.

Go get serene.

When You Go
Okay, so this is a place to get serene. But there’s also a lot going on at Lan-Su. Classical Chinese music is performed in the teahouse regularly. Tai chi classes are offered. A photography exhibit of images taken at the garden is on display when I visit. Click here for a list of events. Better yet, become a member and get their newsletter.

Perfect Port Townsend Afternoon

We’re lucky to have great getaway destinations here in the Pacific Northwest, but Port Townsend, Washington, is near the top of my list. Why?

This former Victorian-era seaport has great places to eat or sip, charming shops and galleries, historic buildings and architecture, and an interesting cultural artsy-literary-outdoorsy vibe, all within an easy day trip from the greater Seattle-Tacoma area. (Of course you can make it an overnight or weekend trip as well.)

I’m overdue for a visit to Port Townsend to see my aunt and uncle, so today I catch the 9:40 a.m. Edmonds-Kingston ferry, which leaves me plenty of time to get there for lunch.

It’s a chilly morning, with snow squalls scurrying across Puget Sound while the ferry churns through the whitecaps. As we near Kingston after the 20-minute crossing, the clouds lift and the Olympic Mountains hover close by on the horizon, gorgeous in a fresh coat of snow. I’ll never tire of looking at these craggy peaks.



Just a couple miles before the highway crosses Hood Canal, I make a quick stop in scenic Port Gamble. Founded in 1853, this company-owned mill town on Hood Canal/Port Gamble Bay is now a National Historic Landmark, with a few shops, a kayaking center, and a newly revamped General Store. I’m too early for lunch, but the café now offers meals with an emphasis of local and seasonal fare. Next trip.



My Aunt Sylvia calls and asks me to pick up lunch at the Chimacum Corner Farmstand on the way to Port Townsend. This homegrown little store, which just opened in November 2010, features mostly Olympic Peninsula-grown and -produced food. I get a couple ham and Mt. Townsend Creamery cheese sandwiches on locally baked bread, although I’m bummed that the guy in front of me snagged the last two Cape Cleare (a local, sustainable fishery) tuna sandwiches. I also grab a package of stew meat from the freezer because it’s all grass-fed beef from Short’s Family Farm just down the road here in Chimacum.



After enjoying our sandwiches, my aunt and I head into Port Townsend to explore. Our first stop is Wild Sage tea and herb shop on Washington Street, a block away from Water Street and the main tourist action. “Would you like a taste of tea?” says the proprietor as we step inside the cozy little shop. Today’s she’s offering a yerba maté blend that’s redolent of almonds.



We were expecting to have a cupcake in the adjacent space, but the cupcake folks are moving into their own shop soon. In January 2011 Wild Sage will expand into the space and serve tea and light bites. I leave with a small package of a fragrant blended white tea with rose, vanilla, lemon, and white peony.

Next we cut downhill to Water Street and stop in a few galleries on our way to The Writers' Workshoppe, tucked upstairs in the back of an old building. Port Townsend is home to many writers and writer wannabes (well, anyone who writes is writer, right?), and this cute, small shop offers a room for writing and poetry groups to meet as well as books about writing and (my favorite) Writer’s Block chocolate bars. It’s so warm and bright up here I just want to settle in with my laptop and start composing prose on the spot.



My aunt bids me goodbye, leaving me with time to wander some more. My next stop: Lehani’s Deli and Coffee shop on Taylor Street for a quick cup of tea and then, even though I’ve had lunch, Hanazono Asian Noodle shop next door. I’ve been falling hard lately for savory and spicy Asian noodle soups. As I watch some big steaming bowls of Thai Tom-Yum soup come out of the kitchen, I wish I was still hungry. Instead I get a couple fresh spring rolls to go for dinner (they are very good).



Of course I have to go to my “must stop” in Port Townsend next: William James Books on Water Street. This long, narrow bookstore buys and sells used and out-of-print books, with a consistently fine and varied book selection at very reasonable prices. Just my luck, today I find a hardback Asian Noodle cookbook with full-page color photos for less than $10. I have a hard time restraining myself as I pull books off the shelf to buy. (I made myself put a few back before checking out.)



For old times’ sake, I walk up Water Street to Elevated Ice Cream and pop in. I’m not in the mood for ice cream, even though I’ve had some great scoops here in the past, but I do buy a soft, chewy handmade caramel, hmmm.

So I don’t completely ignore Port Townsend’s beautiful setting at the convergence of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and northern Puget Sound, I wander over to the waterfront and gaze at the sea for a moment. This is a great sea kayaking town, with mellow and exciting paddling up the Strait and down around several nearby islands.



My last stop today is the Haller Fountain and Terrace Steps on Washington Street. This lovely fountain is a recast of an original and lies at the bottom of a set of stairs leading up to the bluff above downtown. I dash up and down the stairs for the exercise and views, and trust me, it’s a decent cardio workout.



About 3:30 I need to get going to catch a ferry back to Seattle. After seeing posters around town for a community New Year’s Eve gathering, I wish I could stay and just settle in for a while.

When You Go
Click here for a map and directions to Port Townsend, which lies on the smaller Quimper Peninsula that juts off the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula. And really, an afternoon is just scratching the surface here. You could easily spend a weekend exploring the area beyond town. Above downtown, historic Fort Worden State Park features cultural events throughout the year, from an annual writer’s conference to Fiddles Tunes organized by Centrum, an arts organization that presents workshops, concerts, and artist-in-residence programs at Fort Worden. There’s lots more going on up here….another blog post!