Shoulder Season Ski Trails & Routes Slideshow at REI
Shoulder Season Ski Trails & Routes Slideshow at REI
Multimedia Presentation on Spring Season Ski Trails and Routes in Western Washington.
From REI Washington Ski Touring Club Presentation March 03 2016.
Best of the Northwest Human Powered Spring Skiing Strategy
The best way to get around in the winter is on skis. I think some of you might agree with that statement..?
So here we are past the half-way point of winter. But it feels like the fuel gage my car, when it hits half way you know the second half goes so much faster. I’d love as long of a winter and short shoulder season as possible. Full winter perfectly groomed trails, champagne powder and the next day clear dry hiking trails.
But, that’s not the way it works…
So this is my approach to the Spring Shoulder Season.
Peak condition immaculately groomed trails in mid-winter Nordic centers, and snoparks with grooming sticker (skinny ski time).
Prefer spring to the fall shoulder season. Days are getting longer. Snow is receding at lower elevations.
Followed by rock skis or wider touring skis, maybe wood with metal edges and waxless fish scales. For longer ski tour loops maybe a picnic and couple tellie turns on the way back down.
Snow melted out in lower elevations go high on volcanoes or backcountry routes with backcountry set up I use dynamite now because I’m a lousy tell skiier.
120 Sno-Parks (parking lots cleared of snow) available statewide during the winter.
Approximately 80 of the Sno-Parks are designated primarily for snowmobiling.
40 Designated non-motorized use
Even fewer with reliable grooming
We categorize year round trails by
National Parks
Seaside, Urban and East-west Innerstate corridors
Groomed Nordic Trails Epicenters From North to South:
The Methow highway 20 closes in the winter
Highway 2 Stevens Pass to Leavenworth
I90 Snoqualmie Pass
Starting with the Methow valley
four trailheads
over 200+ km of groomed trails
the largest continues groomed nordic trail system in the United States
Mazama and Winthrop connected by the community trail it is the backbone between Mazama and Winthrop connecting other trail heads and a great introduction to the area.
elevation 3544 overall elevation loss from Mazama to Winthrop
Distance 30k – 18.6 mi
Elevation: + 917 / – 491 ft
Best in Mid-winter
2-4hrs
We are working on the overview video of Methow Nordic Trails now.
Next Corridor Highway 2 Stevens Pass to Lake Wenatchee Snopark / Nasan Ridge to Leavenworth, can extend onto Echo Ridge
Highway 2 Nordic Trail heads
Scottish Lakes High Camp over night accommodations need reservations
We gps track every route for BOTNW on a Suunto Ambit and capture GPS files that we use to build corridor interactive maps connected to video and illustrate custom trial maps. Annual event replaced long running Hog Loppet. Less avalanche danger and logistics shuttling people. Here is a trail video of the inaugural Moose Trek from last year.
The 190 The Summit at Snoqualmie and Snoqualmie Pass Sno Parks. Best groomed trails near-by
Innerstate 90 Nordic Trail heads
The Summit at Snoqualmie Nordic featuring lift accessed upper trails and the Mount Catherine Loop.
The John Wayne Trail, Hyak to Crystal Springs 12km extends to 20 when groomed towards Lake Easton
Cabin Creek 18k groomed trails, Kongsberger ski club hosts winter nordic races. Mount Amabilis loop above.
Lake Easton 8k short loops along Yakima river
The Summit Nordic and 4 Snoparks with groomed trails Connected by the John Wayne Trail, AKA The Iron Horse trial, Hyak to Crystal springs.
Snoqualmie Nordic overview video.
Cabin Creek Total Trails 18k lower trails both sides of road
Higher Trail Touring 10 mile loop.
Mount Catherine Loop
Clockwise loop Nordic Skiing lift access from Summit East.
Even though you take the lift up there is still some significant climbing to reach the high point of the loop near windy acres.
Descend Cold Creek Trail which is forest service road approach to Mount Catherine hike in the summer.
I have clocked faster speeds on skiing down this road than driving it in the summer (gets pretty potholed and washboarded).
Counter-Clockwise loop ski touring Mount Catherine Loop
Long gradual climb up Cold Creek. Descend alpine runs to
Creek Run to Lodge and lift which won’t be running in spring time
By difficulty
□ Mount Rainier – 14,410 Camp Muir
□ Mount Adams -12,276 South Chutes
□ Glacier Peak – 11,449 (have seen it Skied in a day in the spring 30+ miles)…
□ Mount Hood – 11,240 (can get a gentlemen start) Snow Cat from the featherbed in the lodge to 10,000 feet. Carry skis to Devils puncbowl or to summit.
□ Mount Baker – 10,781 (Coleman or demming glaciers, lots of vertical gain and creases to deal with).
□ Mount St. Helens – 8,366 Ski on Mothers Day in a dress allow unlimited permits this day only. We are going!
Have a few resources to pass on at the Ski Washington Page.