Snowfall in the PNW

Snowfall in the PNW
Mount Bachelor
Mount Bachelor

The Alps aren’t the only mountain region getting hammered at the moment. They can’t really complain in the Pacific Northwest either. The ski resorts in the US states Oregon and Washington have a great start of the season!

Mount Bachelor

Summit at Snoqualmie

Stevens Pass

Arjen
was born with maps of ski areas in the cradle and has visited almost all of them. His great passion is freeriding.

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor6 November 2017 · 15:38

Hey, thanks for the PNW love.

We are easily the most overlooked ski zone in the world for top quality snow and steep skiing. Check out Mt. Baker, Alpental, Stevens Pass and Crystal Mountain!

Chinook Pass closed for the season yesterday, so the lifts should start spinning soon!

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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mhilbertsAuthor7 November 2017 · 16:35

Hey Cool to hear PNW comments on wepowder. Looks like we are off to a good start. More storms coming our way soon. I agree with Chester on this region not getting nearly as much attention as it deserves. I moved a year ago from NL but have had more powder days in alpental than I had in Europe in 5 years.
But then again, maybe we should just keep it quiet and have Utah and WY get all the focus.

Expert
meteomorrisAuthor7 November 2017 · 16:55

@@mhilberts @@Chester_Tartsnatcher we love the PNW. NOAA announced a new La Niña episode for this winter, so it could be really deep again. Keep us posted!

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor8 November 2017 · 15:53

mhilberts - come on up to lot4 @ Alpental where the miscreants lurk. I’m the guy in the tall grayish toque.

Currently still dumping, Crustal to open Friday.

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor8 November 2017 · 15:54

And yeah @@meteomorris, a weak La Nina coupled with the negative slope PDO has had great effects before in the PNW, see the winter of 71-72!

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor10 November 2017 · 04:39

Crustal failed to get the 12 inches needed to spin the lifts for Friday. If the forecast prevails, there’s a fine rack of snow coming in next week.

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mhilbertsAuthor10 November 2017 · 16:22

@@Chester_Tartsnatcher looks like we just missed out a couple of inches. But if this chart really happens we get a lot of precip in the next 10 days. 5-10" of water ? If temperatures stay low enough, which it looks like it will, that’ll be 50"-100"(125-250cm), which is enough to burry either a mini or a hummer in snow. NICE, bring it on! https://cdn.wepowder.com/site/forum/13/e3da792f4a8c0f071ea08aa6d794903f_cumulativewater.jpg?width=800

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor10 November 2017 · 20:09

Yeah, a nice little fall storm for the PNW, huh?

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor12 November 2017 · 03:32
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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor12 November 2017 · 05:04
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mhilbertsAuthor14 November 2017 · 04:53

We have liftoff here in the PNW. I suggest we call it PNWPA#1?
I have been eating a lot of this pasta https://cdn.wepowder.com/site/forum/13/05f3c65858c225bd582ed76b9ef762ae_7027ca04_56b4_471a_b074_77c50393f573.jpeg?width=800 and it really helps!
Even though no resort is open yet I feel it’s time to issue PNWPA#1.

Expert
meteomorrisAuthor14 November 2017 · 13:27

@@mhilberts, POWpasta… where did you found this?

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mhilbertsAuthor14 November 2017 · 15:55

@@meteomorris found the pasta in the QFC (local supermarket).Tastes like ahit by the way…but everything for the cause!
Mt Baker is opening this Thursday and Crystal is opening 3 lifts wednesday and more most likely this weekend.
Season 17-18 is open!

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor14 November 2017 · 19:22

We lost power up here on Union Hill in last nights windstorm which knocked down trees and power poles and lines. Evidently the wind scoured the upper mountain at Crystal, so the opening is only for the lower mountain. I’m going anyway and will likely skin up to some wind protected stashes up there I know.

Crystal Mountain has a lot of great touring.

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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mhilbertsAuthor16 November 2017 · 04:23

Stevens Pass will open tomorrow Nov 16 Bachelor and Hood to open this weekend.
Alpental is trailing a bit but it shouldn’t be long before most PNW resorts are open.

Whistler will open this Friday with impressive stats:

RECENT SNOWFALL Whistler
Snow depths measured at Pig Alley Weather Station 1650m (Mid-Mountain) on Whistler Mountain. Snowphone: 604.932.4211
38cm-last 12hr
86cm -last 24hr
117cm-last 48hr
171cm-last 7 Day
198cm Base
202cm Cumulative this season

And more snow in the forecast. Thanksgiving in Whistler!
@@Chester_Tartsnatcher How was Crystal? Planning to go Saturday with the kids.

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor16 November 2017 · 04:33

@@mhilberts - Familial temporal reallocation obfuscated the Crustal option today and that event has been rescheduled for tomorrow. It’s forecast to be colder.

David Hilbert was a famous mathematician expounding the axiomatic view.

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor17 November 2017 · 01:06

Taking extreme traverses on the second open day up @ Crustal today lead to some choice crotch deep fluffy untracked pow. The groimers skied well with good cut up snow on the edges. Great start to the season!

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor19 November 2017 · 04:04

Day 3 @ Crustal with my son: chunder to chalk, good groimers, surprisingly good coverage. Definitely getting beaten in compared to the previous 2 days and with a biblical deluge in the forecast, I’m worried that the base will get washed away. Chair 6 opened to the mobs, but I skipped it to ski around with my son and avoid the multishark edge and base grind for free up there.

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor20 November 2017 · 17:52

After 8 inches of overnight snow at 4500 feet elevation and 10+ inches of new snow at 6000 feet elevation, the forecast turns to a Pineapple Express. The Pineapple Express name derives from the direction of these warm moist atmospheric rivers that cross over Hawaii on their way to sloshing our snowpack.
We are keeping our hopes up that this one, which is forecast to run though Wednesday, won’t wash away the wonderful early season snowpack we’ve been enjoying.

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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mhilbertsAuthor20 November 2017 · 19:45

@@Meteomorris you should do a special on an Atmospheric Rivers sometime (if you are bored) Its not a phenomena that I ever heard about in Europe but it does produce a shitload of precip in a short amount of time and really dwarfs a retour d’est in potential imho.
@@Chester_Tartsnatcher Crystal was great this Saturday. Its tough to beat a handful of faceshots on the opening day of the season! Did the same as you and did a trip with my son mostly on the northside. I agree on the mob@ chair 6 skipped that one until the PM but the ridge cover was nasty.
Looks like it is all snow so far rather than rain, but it’ll be ungly in the next day or two.
Going to Whistler this Thursday, just hope that the freezing level will be OK…but not so convinced.
https://cdn.wepowder.com/site/forum/13/7ebb236ce5125b6e405ee5184ecb9873_img_1703.jpg?width=800

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor20 November 2017 · 23:46

@@MeteomorrisGoing to Whistler this Thursday, just hope that the freezing level will be OK.

pssst:[size=2]Whitewater and Red are way more fun[/size]

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor23 November 2017 · 16:36

Record warm temperatures in the PNW (66F in Olympia) coupled with massive rainfall have washed out the good snow - Crustal is running limited on paths of slush between the mud. There is some chance for a bit of snow in the next 4 days but not enough to fix things. The longer term forecast shows snow next week so there’s hope.

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
Expert
meteomorrisAuthor23 November 2017 · 17:02

Record warm temperatures in the PNW (66F in Olympia) coupled with massive rainfall have washed out the good snow - Crustal is running limited on paths of slush between the mud. There is some chance for a bit of snow in the next 4 days but not enough to fix things. The longer term forecast shows snow next week so there’s hope.

Chester_Tartsnatcher op 23 Nov 2017 16:36

Yeah, have been following the news lately. Even interior regions are suffering. Saw the freezing level going up to 2000 meters in Canada…

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor23 November 2017 · 21:43

Bachelor is delaying opening some lifts (Pinemarten) as well and only opening Sunshine Accelerator. There’s a flood watch in Western Washington too.

The forecast predicts lowering freezing levels Sunday and snow below base elevations next week.

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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mhilbertsAuthor26 November 2017 · 02:21

In whistler now (23/24/25)where conditions are remarkably good considering the Pineapple Express dropped 50mm of rain on the snowpack last Wednesday. There is a solid base above mid station and could even ski down to the valley.
Even managed to score some knee level powder today but it was mostly crud, concrete and slush…
Still not complaining. We are off to a go start!

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mhilbertsAuthor26 November 2017 · 02:21
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mhilbertsAuthor30 November 2017 · 22:36

Were back on with Some fresh pow. Looks like summit west is opening dec 2, so all resorts in the PNW are now whizzing. Just alpental…but that shouldn’t be to long. The atmospheric river last week is a distant memory…

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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor1 December 2017 · 02:43

Light snow @ Crustal today. Gomering on the groimers since anything steep lost its snowpack, from the Doors to Memorial Forest on the frontside. Best snow quality, cut up pow with 2" of cream, was on the North facing portions of Green Valley. Gotta say the snowmaking snow on the bottom was eminently edgable. Sir Arcs A Lot was out today.

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor3 December 2017 · 22:03

A big shift is occurring in the PNW and forecast to stay for up to 10 days: high pressure and a drought in Seattle for December!

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L2OCNs_1btE/WiItoU04hpI/AAAAAAAAsfA/t_zDmpoJx5M7Z1SaTX-1ARLFb0AGpPJeQCLcBGAs/s1600/gfs_namer_120_500_vort_ht.gif

See : http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-upcoming-december-drought-in.html .

Bummer for us, let it snow in Yurp.

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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Chester_TartsnatcherAuthor11 December 2017 · 02:37

Alpental skied great in the weirdo inversion layers.

In the parking lot at around 3200 ft elevation it was about 23F with slight fog and overcast.

Up 1200 vertical feet at 4400 there was thick ice fog at 19F.

Then riding old chair 2 one broke through a layer at about 4800 ft elevationand the temperature changed at least 15F in 200 feet of elevation into sunshine at 45F at 5400.

What snow they have has been really well groomed (‘bashed’ for those of the Anglican vernaculars) and despite Alpentals chock full of blocks and rocks the coverage was amazingly well filled in.

International skied really well, some rocks at the entrance as usual and decently chalky moguls in it’s perennial shade. Edelweiss bowl in the sun was starting to suffer from the warmth and sun but skied nice corn warmed up snow. The lower mountain in the fog was bad visibility but decent texture and coverage.

This high pressure is supposed to abate by Friday with some storms rolling in. Hopefully well get some of those December blasters where all the weenie lightweights stay inside and only the k00ks and freaks are out there raging in the storm filling their tracks, erasing their skifitti.

(what’s a Pagina? see upper left at http://wepowder.com/en/forum/topic/248655?page=2 under “Snowfall in the PNW”. Is that why Al Franken got the boot from the Senate?)

EuroBBI2024 Rueras, CH March 1-9, 2024
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