pindude Posted October 4, 2002 Share Posted October 4, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Off White: Hey there Pindude, I don't mean to belittle the snowpack out there, and my observation is somewhat limited (I only look when I'm thinking about going) but I kept seeing Steven's get multiple 18" overnight dumps and Schweitzer report 1" in 7 days for the same time period. Maybe you're in the track but sometimes the good stuff gets wrung out of the clouds before it makes it over to you? For what its worth, Mission Ridge mostly seems to get much less snow out of a storm than the areas closer to the crest (but one could argue that its better snow). Does stuff further east, like the Big Mountain in Montana still count as inland NW? There's some great hills out in your neck of the woods, and I wouldn't discourage anyone from checking them out, I'd just say check the conditions and predictions before heading that far away. Schweitzer is just about top of my list for places I'd like to be for a big dump. Now that I re-read my post, I WAS being overly defensive, sorry to come on so strong Off White! The storm track over here on the drier side is real variable after the Cascades wring out their moisture. If the Cascades get 18", it seems typical for the mountains here east of the desert to get anywhere from 6-12". And it can vary quite a bit by specific locale. Several times this past season 49 Deg No near Chewelah, WA got way bigger dumps than Schweitzer to the north and slightly east, and Lookout Pass to the south and east. Lookout, though, usually wins for the earliest and most big dumps, and deepest snowpack, but the vert off the chair is only about 1,000'. Lookout's BC is great if you know where to get away from the snowmobiles. I decided to compare ski hills--hey, this is a good psyche-up in addition to being informative. Looking at the season snowfall totals, this is what Intellicast reports (these have to be cumulative totals, not depth of snow pack): Stevens Pass - 450" Mission Ridge - 170 Schweitzer - 300 49 Degrees No - 240 Mt. Spokane - 100 (uh, that's wrong, should be 200+) Lookout Pass - 400 Big Mtn - 335 I followed Mission Ridge's reports this last year, and I was sorry for all the central WA folks as their snowfalls and totals were WAY less than ours here--I think that generally, being more in the rain shadow like you mention, Mission Ridge can really suffer through its dry periods. But we will have high-pressure inversions here, too, and at least one seems to set up each winter (common more in January) for anywhere from 1 week to up to 3 weeks or so, keeping new snow away but sometimes allowing for spring corn in the sun above an ocean of fog. Big Mtn is about 6-8 hours away from Spokane (4-5 hours from Schweitzer and Sandpoint), and while some ine the Spo-CDA area may claim them to be part of the INW, those in Whitefish and Flathead Valley sure don't--they're in more of a different world including meteorologically. When we get high-pressure in the INW, Big Mtn is far enough east and north they will at times get good snow when we're dry. But most of their moisture is from the same storms that cross over from the Cascades and us here. Overall, they get some great skiing there, as you likely know. Bottom line, you're right on: it's a matter of watching the weather and following the snow. Hope you have lots of happy turns this winter. --Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AARON1 Posted October 17, 2002 Author Share Posted October 17, 2002 Need at least 5 more people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelawgoddess Posted October 17, 2002 Share Posted October 17, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Off White: I've been to Schwitzer once, and it was a great hill. yeah; "hill" is the right word. go ski a real MOUNTAIN, dude!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thelawgoddess Posted October 17, 2002 Share Posted October 17, 2002 quote: Originally posted by gapertimmy: ummmm, bachelor ownz all, even blackcomb, bachelor is the coolest mountain ever [...] if you ski bachelor you will become very cool and hip, and people of the opposite sex will solicit you with sexual favors and you will become very wealthy. yeah, whistler/blackcomb way sucks ... so stay as far the hell away from there as you can!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted October 18, 2002 Share Posted October 18, 2002 I might be in. when does the deal expire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AARON1 Posted October 18, 2002 Author Share Posted October 18, 2002 I think it expires Oct. 29th Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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