[PHOTOS] Finding the Best Backcountry Lines in Washington State Washington State is best known for its prominent, glaciated volcanoes, but it also has a variety of lesser-known backcountry lines. To get a better sense of the Washington backcountry skiing scene— especially the access out of Seattle, WA— I got in touch with Adam Pikielny. Adam lives in the Seattle area and, when he isn’t in the park at the […] Brains Nicky Blumm | May 5, 2024 0 Comments
Mt. Hood, OR, Backcountry Report: Snowy Celebration Report from May 1, 2024 Starting May with a foot of fresh snow is one of the reasons I cherish living in the Pacific Northwest. I treated myself to a late start, skinning from the Timberline Lodge, Oregon, up toward Crater Rock around 8:00 a.m. Within ten minutes of leaving the parking lot, the clouds had cleared, the sun was […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | May 2, 2024 0 Comments
Mt. Bachelor, OR, Conditions Report: Winter Conditions, Spring Hours Report from April 26-27, 2024 Mt. Bachelor, Oregon, is a special place at the end of April: it can still feel like winter. Although the resort was operating on “spring hours” (8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.) this weekend, it was snowing the entire time we were present. It’s hard to agree with the resort’s assessment that spring had already arrived. […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | April 29, 2024 0 Comments
Mount St. Helens, WA, Backcountry Report: Volcano Season has Arrived Report from Wednesday, April 17, 2024 Mount St. Helens, Washington, may not be as big as it used to be, but it’s still a formidable PNW staple. I was excited to return to St. Helens after a wonderful, placid trip in 2023 and this Wednesday did not disappoint. The route from Portland to the Marble Mountain Sno Park was bare and […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | April 18, 2024 0 Comments
Mt. Hood, OR, Backcountry Report: It’s Hard to Hate Spring Report from Monday, April 8, 2024 Even though it’s hard to hate spring, I really do resent it. The extra hours of sun eat away at the snowpack and erase all the dust from the trees. Sure, it’s the natural seasonal cycle, but it feels like spring comes early every year. My first spring tour was up Mt. Hood’s east slopes. I […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | April 9, 2024 0 Comments
Park City, UT, Conditions Report: Easy Weekend Powder Skiing Report from Saturday, March 30, 2024 Park City, Utah, is a massive resort that spans miles of canyons and valleys. As broad as the resort is, lift access extends far into the upper reaches of the nearby peaks. Saturday was a powder day with six inches of fresh after warmer weather. Snow at lower altitudes was heavy, but the upper mountain […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | April 1, 2024 0 Comments
Snowbird, UT, Report: Falling Through Snow Report from March 28-29, 2024 Snowbird, Utah, changes a rider’s perspective on steepness: not sliding over snow, falling through it. Spending two days in fresh powder at the ‘Bird made hearts race for most of 40,000 vertical feet. At Snowbird, the “black diamond” label covers quite a range of terrain. On the one hand, consider a run called Fluffy Bunny. […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | March 30, 2024 0 Comments
Powder Mountain, UT, Report: PowMow Has it All Report from March 26-27, 2024 Powder Mountain, Utah, stands out among American ski hills. It’s massive, multi-faceted, and has an exciting future. ‘PowMow’ was a cold, wintery paradise, even in late March. Our day began with a top-to-bottom run which was 95% fresh tracks. We quickly navigated from Hidden Lake Express Lift to the Paradise Chairlift. Built in 1999, the […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | March 27, 2024 1 Comment
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