White Pass

Started my Friday early, with a 3:30 alarm. Yesterday I spent the day at Timberline, where the powder was deep, and the lack of steep was notable. White Pass does not have this problem. It was a huge powder day, with more than a foot of fresh, and more coming down. It was also opening day, so the freshies - well, they don't get much fresher. I found myself sailing on powder, then sinking into huge snow drifts as tall as me. Once I learned my way around the hill, I was happily cruising every (open) run on the map. This is a great little hill, with all varieties of terrain, from long meandering trails to cliffs and super-steeps. The cliffs were all closed due to light cover, but the front side was all open, and the blacks there were succulent.

This was a great powder day, no doubt about it, and made me long for a powder board. My narrow little 159 just doesn't cut it when the powder is head high! All morning, there were dozens of folks visible from the lift trying to dig themselves out of deep powder holes. It was great exercise, and I learned about the limits of the set-up I am using. I also learned how to use the board as a sled to extricate myself from four foot drifts. It was altogether an awesome day, and I was glad I got up at 3:30 - it meant I was on the first round of chairs, and got some true freshies before any tracks had been laid. And even though the single express quad had a line for much of the morning, the powder was giving me such a workout that I actually enjoyed the extra chance to catch my breath.

White Pass is a tidy little hill serviced by four chairs, of which two were running today. Both the fixed doubles were idle, which was a shame, but understandable. The paradise chair would have been my place to run laps. Too bad the paradise cliff was closed, too - it looked like a heck of a fun run when the cover sets up.

I will have photos to add soon - but dinner is here, so first thing's first.

Here are some photos of the lodge and me enjoying epic powder: