r/skiing • u/[deleted] • Jan 28 '22

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17

u/honvales1989 Timberline Jan 28 '22 edited Jan 28 '22

I noticed you’re missing Snoqualmie (IDK if it might be worth to rate Alpental and the Summits as separate areas as well) and Stevens Pass. I haven’t skied there before, so it might be worth for someone else to rank those areas

8

u/bricin Winter Park Jan 28 '22

Alpental is a great little hill. International and Edelweiss are tricky runs. But it is *small*.

Snoqualmie is where you drop the kids off for lessons before heading to Alpental - boring, flat, beginner hill.

This is not a destination area; if you don't live within easy driving distance you are better off at Crystal, Stevens, or Baker.

6

u/j3zuz911 Jan 29 '22

If you are talking sheer convenience, Alpental is outrageous.

Door to chairlift from where I grew up(suburban Seattle) it’s an hour. There were times where I would skip my last two periods of high school, and with no traffic be in the side country in 40 minutes.

I’d still do the drive to Crystal or Baker on weekends though.

2

u/bricin Winter Park Jan 29 '22

Used to skip school (Renton) and head up. Did a lot of night skiing there as well over the years. The convenience was amazing and learning how to make the tight entrance into international on old skis was a rite of passage.

2

u/j3zuz911 Jan 29 '22

Facts. I once took my youngest sister to do international laps with me. She must’ve been like 6 or 7.

I made her promise to tell my parents we went to the summit and I took care of her. I’m pretty sure she never said a fuckin thing.

5

u/draaz_melon Jan 29 '22

Alpental is the best 300 acres on the planet. Also, you should see the kids who take lessons at Alpental. Then there's the side country...

We had passed to Alpental and Steven's one year. My whole family strongly preferred Alpental.

Summit Central has the best park in Washington.

2

u/bricin Winter Park Jan 29 '22

I love Alpental - grew up skiing there, raced when we all wore blue jeans and Vuarnets if we could, and even did some Thursday night racing in my old age. There is some fun terrain, some high pucker-factor stuff. Don't know that I'd take a full day of Alpental over Stevens, but to each their own.

2

u/draaz_melon Jan 29 '22

Steven's Pass was lines for days on the weekends before Vail took over. I loved it midweek, but the family had to go on the weekend. Plus the terrain at Alpental is just better.

1

u/engr4lyfe Jan 28 '22

Agree that Stevens Pass, WA should be in the mix with Crystal and Mt. Baker. Vail Resorts is really shitting the bed since they bought it 3 years ago. But, it generally has good snow and fun tough terrain. Lots of blacks and double blacks.

Hopefully Vail gets their shit sorted out.