Stephens Pass Backcountry, 2-28-2015

I'm new to the forum and wish I had discovered it sooner. The content and exchange of information is excellent. I'm lamenting the end of lift served ski season and hoping that I can get out for one or two more ADK backcountry trips.

I hope this is not inappropriate but thought I would share a few trip reports from earlier in the winter.

In February I traveled with friends to Washington for several days of backcountry skiing.

As you may know, it's was a low snow winter in the PNW but fortunately fresh snow arrived just in time for our trip to Seattle & the Cascade Mountains - a region typically known for the deepest winters in the lower 48.

On our first ski day it was still storming in the high mountains so we planned a trip to Heather Ridge at Stevens Pass for some tree skiing where we expected better visibility and lower avalanche danger. Couldn't ask for a better first day in the Cascades with spectacular scenery, deep snow and steep terrain.

Awesome! If you come back around to the PNW, you should check out Mission Ridge.  We don't get near the quantity that Stevens gets, but it's much colder on this side of the Cascades, so our snow is typically lighter and drier.

nepa wrote

Awesome! If you come back around to the PNW, you should check out Mission Ridge.  We don't get near the quantity that Stevens gets, but it's much colder on this side of the Cascades, so our snow is typically lighter and drier.

Thanks, looks like Mission Ridge has some really nice terrain. The PNW has an amazing amount of easily accessible back-country options - wish we had even a fraction of your options back east.

We may get back west next winter with a trip to BC, Canada thru Spokane, Washington. Our plan is ski Schweitzer in Idaho before driving north to BC. I would add a side trip to Mission Ridge but we most likely won't have time.