At least we got some while it was good...

Yep, the dreaded pineapple express is rearing its pockmarked, pineapple-y face. The rain started today and will be pouring through Sunday into Monday. Apparently it's going to be so bad that Stevens will be running on limited operations tomorrow (Sunday). Only Daisy, Hogsback and Skyline will be open.

Sure, being wet, cold, and miserable skiing down rivers on the mountain might not seem like fun. But if you're equipped for the torrential downpour, it could be a blast. For starters, fewer people are on the mountain so you'll have to worry less about riders doing falling leaf turns right in front of you. You'll also get some early prep for spring skiing! Get Gore-Tex'ed out (or if you're broke like me, wear a garbage bag) and you have yourself a relatively good barrier.

A Surprise for the Friday Crowd

Those who got the chance to ride on Friday hit the jackpot! The backside and Seventh opened, and I was lucky enough to be there when it went down.

Many of us waited for more than an hour for Double Diamond to open. The mob was fierce and as soon as we heard a ski patroller begin his sentence with "Okay..." everyone stormed the lift, not hearing anything else he said after that. The liftie ran out panicked that everyone was ducking the rope, but soon order was established and the chair finally loaded.

The backside was HEAVENLY. Pow-filled faceshots were plentiful and delighted screams echoed all the way down to Southern Cross. It seemed everyone was thinking the same thing: "YEEESSSS!!! POWDER!!!....uggghhh quads are burning." But having my thighs burn like hell was a small price to pay for riding the steep, powdery goodness.

Next we ventured to our secret pow spots. Don't ask me to reveal them, cause I won't. It got me wondering if other people knew of the same spots we were riding, what they called their beloved pow stashes, and if they suspected other people were in on their secret. After lapping the stashes known only to us (or at least we hoped), we headed home, totally stoked on the day.

Sorry, Saturday Skiers. We got there first.

From what I hear, lots of people lined up for first chair on Saturday because Steven's site said they were planning to open the Backside that day...luckily for us, they opened it early. Unluckily for those weekend warriors standing in line, much of the Backside was already skied out by the time they got there. That said, if you're willing to hike for it, there are always goods waiting to be found.

Hello old friend, I haven't skied you in a while

Opening weekend at Stevens was nuts. The parking lot closest to Brooks and Skyline filled up by 9:30am. People got out of their cars, stretched their legs, and breathed in the fresh, crisp mountain air. Snowboarders grabbed their boards, skiers swung their skis onto their shoulder and a migration of riders walked towards the lifts. Whether you were looking do burners on Sky or find untracked pow, it was clear that there was a lot of fun to be had.

First thing is first…get a seasons pass

The atmosphere in the Granite Peaks Lodge this weekend was mixed with anticipation and excitement. Riders from all walks of life stood in line, waiting for the moment they could run onto the mountain with seasons pass in hand. The lodge was packed with people, but no one seemed to care that they had to wait in line. All that mattered to myself and most everyone else: The season has begun.

Perfection

Stevens must be on the snow gods’ good side because the weather was perfect. It was sunny, the snow was great, and people were smiling like little kids on Christmas morning. With most of the front side lifts open (except Seventh Heaven and Double Diamond), there was a lot of terrain to explore. And for some skiers/boarders, it was probably their first day riding in a really long time.

Starting to enjoy life again

Over Thanksgiving Day weekend sales went up 19% at Sturtevants in Bellevue, that’s according to an article in the Seattle Times. Some snow industry insiders said last year’s bad economy made people cut back to save some cash. But this year could be different. If sales at Sturtevants and other shops is any indication, Stevens Pass could be having a pretty good year. I think people are starting to realize that you just can’t stay away from something you love!