Submitted by belf_priest t3_zcln8j in Washington
Huge_Requirement9200 t1_iyx6zm7 wrote
Wet snow, but dry snow occurs. Hurricane ridge has a poma and a rope tow but endless backcountry if you're a competent backcountry traveler and navigator. PA has hotels. Your drive from PA to highway 2 will be dark and very rainy in all in likelihood.
You will need chains to fit your car, mandatory at national parks (hurricane ridge). Be reasonable driving the ridge, but don't go 15 mph. You will go from sea level to 5250' in about 40 mins so it will be a bit if a different drive for you if you are from the east coast.
Highway 2 can be really sketchy. Many bad accidents on that road. People drive like idiots on it. Get to Stevens really, really early for a parking spot on a weekend. Like 5 am early. Prepare for lines and an inadequately staffed resort. Give the finger to Vail while there for maximum effect. Idk about lodging, Leavenworth is maybe kind of somewhat close but expensive and tourist-ey.
90 then up to Wenatchee might be a good bet, but 2 is fairly reliable, if not traffic laden.
Alpental has some of the best terrain in the state if you hit it on a slow weekday. (I-90) but a terrifying nightmare on the weekends.
Mission is supposed to be rad and less crowded. Wenatchee is pretty.
Go to loup loup.
Avalanche conditions can and do close all of these roads throughout the winter.
Good luck
Edit: PA is really quite far for the tiniest amount of terrain. It is not worth it unless you and your buddy are experienced Backcountry skiers/boarders. I say buddy because you should not enter the backcountry alone. Realistically it takes 3 hours from here to Seattle if you miss a boat (common) or have to engage with Tacoma at all. Don't do what Google says and drive through Olympia. Take the Tacoma narrows bridge.
belf_priest OP t1_iyxbwya wrote
Thank you so much for the details!! In all honesty I don't mind at all that hurricane ridge is on the small side, I'm not into the whole gigantic overpacked resort scene anyway. I was going to take up a couple private lessons while I'm there so I won't be navigating deep pow and backcountry on my own. My home mountain here in michigan (mt bohemia) partners with various resorts out West to give lift tickets to season pass holders, and hurricane ridge/mission ridge are among them which is why I'm hitting them up. Stevens gives me pause because Vail lmfao. But I'll keep it mind!
pala4833 t1_iyxh69k wrote
> hurricane ridge/mission ridge
How many days do you have? Have you looked to see just how far apart those two places are?
belf_priest OP t1_iyxhwcl wrote
Yep, I got my itinerary all planned out. I'm breaking it up into chunks so I'll spend the week slowly trekking eastward, not doing a cannonball run in one day
pala4833 t1_iyxi3k3 wrote
That sounds good. People often underestimate how remote PA is.
Huge_Requirement9200 t1_iyy1a2v wrote
Whistler is fucking wild man. You should just got to Whistler as a whole trip.
Hurricane ridge is closed m-th, and absolutely packed at times. Beware.
Huge_Requirement9200 t1_iyy1xnz wrote
Also you should know the poma didn't open last year. Snowpack has been fickle lately
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