Welcome back to the 2020 / 2021 season!
We are picking up where we left off! Still social distancing darn it.
This is my 101st of these weekly news updates! Once the temperatures start to drop and the snow comes, I wake up. As it is with most of you, its time.
I will start off with what is happening and not happening as far as season opening goes.
You will need your Sno-Park permit now as all contracts are in place, sani-cans arriving daily, and most Sno-Parks are plowed to some degree. Winter sign installations are work in progress.
Grooming. Nothing on the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail until it snows. The P2C is groomed by Lake Easton State Park and the amount of snow at Crystal Springs is typically half of what it is at Hyak. They need enough snow so they don't damage the roadbeds. Cabin Creek has an update on the Kongsbergers Ski Club grooming page. LandTec is the contractor and they will try to get Amabilis opened up tonight! The Road is snowmobile groomed.
Sled Hill, closed until more snow arrives.
So, pretty much a typical early season start after all. Lets just hope we get more before the holidays! The jet stream seems to be pointed at SE AK, but it should drop south soon enough.
This website will undergo the seasonal update this weekend. Your webmaster sort of took on too many obligations and is suffering from not enough exercise and lack of hours in the day.
Most of the links are fine, but event calendar is not updated and I will add a bit more info here and there.
The Sno-Park program is planning all systems go and it is up to us to do the right thing so we can keep everything open. If this past summer is any indication, it will be a holiday up there every single day. Rumor has it that REI is already sold out of some winter equipment! Anticipate a lot of newbies who will need to learn the etiquette of each area and it will be up to us to politely embrace them into the winter recreation community and teach them the ropes. This website has a trail etiquette page that you can point folks to. Found HERE
The Snoqualmie Visitor center will be a limited resource this year, so while purchasing a permit there will be available eventually, its best to buy it now. Online. HERE
Events for the winter are mostly a wait and see how it goes. Kongsberger Ski Club still have all their races scheduled and they will decide if adjustments are needed as time gets closer to each race. All events hosted by Snoqualmie Nordic are cancelled. Meany Lodge is closed for overnight use, but their day ski programs are a go. Ski For Light is planned, but with a smaller program and you will most likely see them out on any given Saturday at Erling Stordahl. I have not heard the latest on Trollhaugen Lodge – I think they are still figuring it out. Northwest Sled Dog cancelled all races but expect to see dog teams out on the sled dog trails at any time. Washington Ski Touring Club week and weekend events are cancelled.
All the USFS snowshoe programs are cancelled.
