OT : A different type of gloat

[lakeside53]

After a week of being snowed in with cabin fever peaking, we decided to seek out more snow...


The crowds sucked, the snow was awful, wind was howling and visabilty was zero. Oh... wait... that was last week in my yard!

Stevens pass today. About 60 miles east of me.






The wife - 60 next month and can out ski anyone on the mountain!



Yep... It's as steep as it looks!



The snow was a good as it gets in the NW... and today pretty good for anywhere!

[lakeside53]

Cowboy mountain. 7th Heaven lift gets you almost to the top (about 7600ft?) for 3000 vertical of skiing. Mostly double diamond, but we like it that way.





Wife again, but somebody else in the picture mucking up our snow - ruined...

[J Tiers]

Nice.............

Snow looks a bit cut-up, but it looks like there are some decent moguls.

It's been far too long since I lived within reasonable distance of actual skiable snow. So long that I took up cross-country skiing instead.... The old downhill equipment I have would not even be allowed on the mountain these days.

[lakeside53]

Cut up? HA! That was us and a handful of others. I didn't take pictures until after the first runs. Ski patrol made first few tracks (as always). No lack of untracked at 8.45am (lift open) and even noon.

About 8-15 inches of over night snow on top of the weekend "skier packed".

[duckman]

It sure looks nice, but I don't pasture ski, come East some time and try Mad River Glen, our biggest pasture is right at the base before getting on the "single" chair 1 of 2 still operating, if there is a crowd at the top it's because 2 or 3 people are waiting for there friends to get off the lift, never a crowd because the lift is set for 800 people per hour, but there's only 2,100 feet vertical. The mountain is owned by a co-operative and one of the best by-laws is no snow boards allowed, if you show up with a sb, they tell you to buy a ticket and you will get your ski gear for free for the day. The only limits on the mountain is you can't go off the property, woods, trails and every thing in between.

[vpt]

I like the skis with the motor between them, they go down and up the mountain.

[sasquatch]

Lakeside, thanks for posting the gorgeous scenery!!

I'd never live anywere that didn't have four seasons!! Too many picturesque scenes during the changes.

[gizmo2]

Very nice! Our snow sucks this year, most of the peaks are still bald. If Mother Nature doesn't get with it soon, our ski areas are going to lose their butts this year.

[justanengineer]

Pretty little hills. Ski patrol? Whats that?

Seriously though, that reminds me of the hills I grew up skiing in VT. Ahhh...memories.

[legendboy]

Wife again, but somebody else in the picture mucking up our snow - ruined...

If you want I can photoshop that person out of that picture for ya

[legendboy]

looks like an awesome day

[Jim Shaper]

Why the snowboard hate?

[lakeside53]

Most have got over it now. It all started in the early days when they were seens as a menace to anyone else both on the slopes and on the lifts. The gear got better and they learned how to board and ride lifts, and apart from the few idiots (on both sides) coexist well. I skied Alta in the early 80s - they banned boards then, but Snowbird (right next door) didn't. Took a few years before many maintream ski areas allowed them to coexist.

I like how the Boarders scrape the tops of the mogals and make big wide trails though the trees. Sometimes when following a trail at mach 1, I wish they turned more.

[Jim Shaper]

I was an early adopter in the mid 80's (got my first burton in '86), and there was a lot of hate - one hill even banned them, the other only allowed them on about half the lifts. I have messed up knees now, so I haven't gone in about 15 years and don't know the current climate.

Since I'd been skiing for a couple years prior to boarding, I never got why anyone cared? Each has the same right to use the hill since they pay the same for the lift ticket. If you don't like what they do to moguls, ask them how they like your destruction of the half pipe sometime.

You're looking for something to b,p&m about if you have any gripe with them, and the same goes for them about you. Just my .02.

[lakeside53]

Yes, it's got a lot better in the last 10 years to the point where for a long time around here there have been no issues.. Can't speak for the rest of the county.

Stevens Pass has no restriction on where anyone goes (except "out of bounds!") and they constructed a boarder park off one lift. Funny thing is, I've never been over there to even look at the half pipe . I did try to ski one of the rails ar Whistler. lol... leave those to the boards.

And I actually do like the way they scrape off the moguls!