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Best ski area in the Pacific Northwest?

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armada1652
Posts: 65 - Karma: 66
So starting to think about where me and my friends are goin to be heading for next years ski trip. A friend recently moved to Seattle at the end of last years season. We are thinking we are goin to use that area while we have someone out there with a car. Just wondering what everyones thoughts on where to go in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle as a starting point) for roughly 6-10 days. No avy gear so all the skiing will be in bounds, and we are lookin for the most pow we can find any thoughts?
May 20 2009 9:43PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Hurricane Ridge. Bring extra gloves.
May 20 2009 9:45PM
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Gnarwall
Posts: 1180 - Karma: 50
There's no pow here, all it does is rain.


May 20 2009 9:48PM
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Casey
Posts: 7786 - Karma: 23,466

Probly a tie between crystal and baker. both are about the same distance from seattle and both have epic BC.

May 20 2009 9:49PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
word
May 20 2009 9:51PM
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gawd
Posts: 598 - Karma: 2,042
does it dump there or something?
May 20 2009 9:52PM
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NOSNOWJUSTICE
Posts: 1176 - Karma: 83

For inbounds skiing, it's going to have to be Crystal Mountain. It has over 2000 acres inbounds, is closer than Baker (good stuff is outside the lines (sorta)) and gets pretty good quality snow. Baker is farther away, but it gets butt loads of snow. It hold the world record for recorded snowfall in one year! And as I said above, the really good goods are outside of the boundaries...

Stevens is nice, but just hasn't clicked for me like Crystal and Baker have. And if you care, I ski Alpental at the Summit at Snouqalmie, about an hour from Seattle. Good terrain there, if you get the avy gear...

BUY AVY GEAR!!!! It's worth it in Washington.

May 20 2009 9:52PM
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NOSNOWJUSTICE
Posts: 1176 - Karma: 83

Haha! Not quite. It's teeny-tiny.

I'm not sure they even have a chair lift, only rope tows...

May 20 2009 9:53PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Sickest ski area in WA.
May 20 2009 9:55PM
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Aaaron.
Posts: 11817 - Karma: 903
nope.
rains alot.
May 20 2009 9:56PM
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Gnarwall
Posts: 1180 - Karma: 50
Stevens has some sweet terrain and a nice park its 2 hours from Seattle.

Alpental is pretty small but there's some really fun stuff if you go exploring. Its an hour from Seattle and my personal favorite. You can also ski at the other Snoqualmie areas if you want to.

Crystals big and there's tones of stuff to do, Its pretty far away from Seattle but I always have a great time when I go. They don't have a park so if it doesn't snow there's nothing to do.

Bakers fun but its a long drive.
May 20 2009 9:56PM
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freezed
Posts: 12973 - Karma: 500
Cooper Spur.
May 20 2009 10:00PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
so i take it you have never been to the best ski area in the pacific northwest?

i'd also like to toss in the little ski area above lake chelan
May 20 2009 10:05PM
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snocompton
Posts: 2014 - Karma: 267
Baker will give you epic terrrain and tooo much snow

Crystal on a good day when its not crowded is fun

Snoqualmie is where the parks at

Alpental is for your steeps, trees and gnar terrain.


the snow here is generally wet and heavy. not like that dry shit out in utah and colorado. 

Avoid all of these places on the weekends. 
May 20 2009 10:26PM
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TastyZ
Posts: 491 - Karma: 45

White pass! There are no gapers or crowds and some really sick lines and cliffs if u know were to go. Last year they also had a pretty dope park.

May 20 2009 10:30PM
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thegoat
Posts: 518 - Karma: 11
Loop Loop!
May 20 2009 10:44PM
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SirFryanator
Posts: 11149 - Karma: 1,415
Crystal is so much closer to Seattle than Baker is.

But I'd have to say Stevens is the best all around resort in WA.
May 20 2009 10:46PM
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Tmcchesney
Posts: 305 - Karma: 2,548
snocompton
May 20 2009 10:52PM
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El_Barto.
Posts: 11630 - Karma: 24,465
bachelor, but im a homer. and skibowl is worth a visit if your in oregon, its got some really nice cliffs to jump on upperbowl
May 20 2009 10:55PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
billy its loup loup
May 20 2009 11:04PM
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Scott12~
Posts: 73 - Karma: 10
Dont even bother, washington mountains are controlled by vicious local racial gangs. Stevens is the worst, theres this guy named big R, wears a full green suit, 6' 10 350 lbs and very black, he kills more than all avalanches in WA combined~
May 20 2009 11:17PM
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thegoat
Posts: 518 - Karma: 11
with a fur hood made from the scalps of his enemies.
May 20 2009 11:26PM
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edd1e
Posts: 679 - Karma: 16

my geography is terrible but how about uhmmm, WHISTLER.

Whistler is sick and not too far from Seattle especially for a 6-10 day trip.

May 20 2009 11:30PM
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selkirks
Posts: 1978 - Karma: 59
in the cascades, i'd say crystal or baker. but you could go inland if it's a 6-10 day trip. northern idaho (schweitzer, silver, lookout etc) is 4-5 hours from seattle but gets generally drier powder.
May 20 2009 11:38PM
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armada1652
Posts: 65 - Karma: 66
think we want to avoid the olympics
May 20 2009 11:39PM
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NOSNOWJUSTICE
Posts: 1176 - Karma: 83

^^^

You've got that right. lol

May 20 2009 11:50PM
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KevCur
Posts: 378 - Karma: 3,546
You have got to go to crystal at least one day what it dumps. the size is amazing, it is beautiful up there, and has amazing bowls, cliffs, and gnarly lines. The tree skiing is phenominal and it doesn't seem to be crowded at all up top, expesially on weekdays you can ski laps. out of all the ski areas in washington i highly recomend visiting crystal when the conditions are good.
May 21 2009 12:08AM
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CraigAK
Posts: 1871 - Karma: 320
Eaglecrest!!!! seriously tho, i bet no one in here has heard of it either, its in juneau, alaska, not too far from seattle. check out my edit from spring break. plus hardly any crowds here most days. https://newschoolers.com/web/content/viewvideo/id/269952/
May 21 2009 12:13AM
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smooticus
Posts: 1798 - Karma: 27
Winner.   I used to go to crystal every year for spring break, snows at night sunny during the day. like clockwork. 
May 21 2009 12:14AM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
failed at spelling but yes. or MISSION RIDGE!!!!! come visit and say hi!
May 21 2009 12:14AM
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Jamie_Baril
Posts: 2196 - Karma: 2,513

this.

but for real alpental on a good day is heaven

May 21 2009 1:16AM
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family_vacation
Posts: 6200 - Karma: 7,841
Snoqualmie is a sheet of ice for 50% of the season. It rains like 60% of the time.
May 21 2009 1:37AM
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Big_Spence
Posts: 16177 - Karma: 4,352
Stevens or Snocompton.
May 21 2009 1:59AM
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Z_rob
Posts: 3076 - Karma: 152
GTFO! are the McChesneys really from the washington area?

and no offense Tim, but you gotta say, stevens is better
May 21 2009 2:17AM
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enick
Posts: 2468 - Karma: 26
baker is easily the best. and cheapest
May 21 2009 3:13AM
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EVAN.F
Posts: 895 - Karma: 2,820
Schweitzer is worth checking out
May 21 2009 3:22AM
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CraigAK
Posts: 1871 - Karma: 320
except for eaglecrest, we got way better terrain, and cheaper, and way less people , check out my edit
May 21 2009 3:36AM
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Casey
Posts: 7786 - Karma: 23,466
yeah except the dude is going to be staying in seattle, so a ski area thats like 1000 miles away isn't that helpful.
May 21 2009 3:47AM
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CraigAK
Posts: 1871 - Karma: 320
oh my bad, i thought he was gonna make a road trip, they could have put there cars on the ferri, its not that far away
May 21 2009 3:51AM
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Literature
Posts: 13673 - Karma: 3,086
Go to Snoqualmie. Tons of vertical, and the jumps are so money. Especially at Central.

I'm sorry, you are going to have to dig that entire statement out of all the sarcasm that it's buried in.
May 21 2009 4:17AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Dont forget the wonderful elevation its situated at that makes for pristine light pow every time it snows.
May 21 2009 4:24AM
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eheath
Posts: 61110 - Karma: 118,329
Just like all of PNW right?
May 21 2009 4:43AM
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pDails
Posts: 1238 - Karma: 75
the avertisemenst at the bottom of this thread screams "im just a wee little child, but mister i would sure love your balls"

...may bnot be the same advertisement for everyone


...im drunk
May 21 2009 4:58AM
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bmcchesney
Posts: 217 - Karma: 21
nope, great state of montucky
May 21 2009 5:13AM
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Big_Spence
Posts: 16177 - Karma: 4,352
Take that back!
Actually, don't because it's mostly true.

But hell, I would take good skiing lighting vs. good filming lighting any day.
May 21 2009 11:18AM
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andreweckels
Posts: 594 - Karma: -4

it really depends on what your looking for. but if your going for 6-10 days i recomend you go all over. stevens, alpy/snoqualmie and crysta are the closest and biggest. they are all fun and different.

Snoqualmie/Alpy has super fun steep rugged terrain (alpy) and a decent park with fun rails and mediocre to bad jumps depending on the day. hour away.

Stevens has lots of good tree skiing and super nice jumps in their park 1 hr 45 ish

crystal is the biggest and has lots of big open bowls no park though 2 hours ish

baker has dope terrain cheap lift tickets and not many people but its 2 and half hours + depending on snow.

as far as powder inbounds baker or crystal are you best bet in my opinion. but they are all good

if you are willing to drive farther you can go to white or mission.

May 21 2009 12:36PM
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armada1652
Posts: 65 - Karma: 66
Making a reasonable road trip from the seattle area isnt out of the discussion as long as it isnt too far away.
May 21 2009 1:18PM
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Shifty540
Posts: 1843 - Karma: 21
I agree with what the others have said. Hurricane Ridge, Loup Loup, Mt. Spokane and Bluewood are a MUST. If you are open to going down to Oregon, there is Cooper Spur and Anthony Lakes Ski Area.

I am unfortunate to call Stevens my home mountain though, it doesn't got shit on those other places.
May 21 2009 1:32PM
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Ryanvdonk
Posts: 12808 - Karma: 1,945
rainier is taller than anything in colorado or utah, haha, just have to want it.
May 21 2009 1:38PM
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MarkieR
Posts: 5337 - Karma: 98
not true. Mt. Elbert in Colorado is taller.
May 21 2009 1:45PM
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SirFryanator
Posts: 11149 - Karma: 1,415
By 30 feet...
May 21 2009 1:52PM
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