NW REDEMPTION: An early November to remember
Redemption. Retribution. Payback. These and other words of high drama were heard from Bend to Pemberton on Nov. 4-6, 2005, three days that will likely go down as the weekend that Mother Nature finally remembered one of her favorite wintertime targets-the Pacific Northwest/Southwestern British Columbia-and dropped a snow bomb unlike anything seen in these parts in nearly 18 months.
Several storm fronts in the north Pacific jockeyed for position at the end of October and one by one each succumbed to a jet stream that for once seemed to be pointed in the right direction (as in not to northern California again for God's sake!). Skiers and forecasters watched excitedly as last year's curse seemed to lift before their eyes. Yes, there would be snow-and lots of it-in the mountains well before Thanksgiving. Oh sweet joy.
Considering that most Cascade and Coast range slopes were nurturing autumnal tufts of moss and heather a week ago, the numbers are staggering. Washington's CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN saw its earliest, and perhaps best-ever, opening in 28 years. The resort scrambled to open Friday with limited staff after more than three feet of new, wet snow buried the resort's upper slopes. The snow kept falling Saturday and by Sunday even venerable experts-only Chair 6 was open for skiers, with coverage appearing to easily outpace anything the resort saw the entire previous season.
The wide storm track also dropped copious amounts of snow north of the border, prompting Whistler resort to partially open Blackcomb Mountain ahead of schedule, for the weekend only. (Daily operation at Whistler-Blackcomb begins Nov. 24.) On Saturday skiers enjoyed a mostly untracked 58cm base at mid-mountain, with pockets of much deeper snow reported at higher elevations. Conditions had locals checking their calendars to make sure they were on the right month. Whistler local Leslie Anthony managed to sneak in a few turns and reported that conditions were "S-I-C-K," adding that he doesn't use the word lightly. "For me it's right up there on the cliché meter with 'progression.' But hey, it really was SICK."
"The vibe was amazing," added Whistler-Blackcomb's Sara Aldridge. "We had kids lining up for first chair at 11pm the night before. We couldn't have asked for a better way to kick things off." Indeed, rumors of thigh-deep snow and near blizzard conditions at Crystal Mountain and Blackcomb seemed to reenergize a slumbering Seattle-Vancouver crowd that had all but given up hope following last year's dismal season.
The clear winner in the weekend snow-depth race was, as usual, Mt. Baker Ski Area with 89 inches (more than seven feet) reported at Pan Dome as of Monday morning. Though it remained closed during the weekend frenzy, the ski area plans to begin operations Tuesday, Nov. 7 with its "deepest opening in over a decade," according to the resort's Web site. That's saying something considering Baker's world-record snow year took place only seven seasons ago.
As far as other Cascade resorts go, as of Monday Stevens Pass planned to open Wednesday, Nov. 9. White Pass' opening date was set for Friday, Nov. 11, conditions permitting. The Summit at Snoqualmie, which includes Alpental, needed at bit more snow before naming an opening date. Oregon's Mt. Hood Meadows planned to open on Nov. 11 and Mt. Bachelor's opening date was set at Nov. 18.
On Monday forecasters were predicting a significant rise in the snow level by Wednesday, likely bringing rain even to higher elevations and potentially creating hazardous avalanche conditions. But after so much new snow so early in the season, a little rain might be just the ticket to help stabilize the young snow pack.
Just don't tell that to the hoards of Pacific Northwest skiers suddenly buzzing over the prospect of a return to huge winters. "There was enough rain last year to last a lifetime thank you very much," said one satisfied skier at Crystal Mountain with a snowy beard. "I'll stick with this from now on."