[polarbear]

Seattle Times article... But can they make it affordable to the masses?

[Backpacker Joe]

[polarbear]

Snoqualmie's proximity to Seattle will always make it a ski area, even if it snows lacadaisically there. I've got to think that when development comes to the Kechelus area, Snoqualmie will turn itself into more of a year round destination area, how I do not know. It stumps me to think of the area being developed, but I'm sure the developers have a reservoir of ideas on the back burner.

[Allison]

[greg]

The point everybody is missing is that Booth Creek has had a couple bad years in a row, especially last year. I'm not sure they're going to want to dump a truckload of money into areas with unreliable snowcover, minimal vertical and lame terrain. One of those four areas, Hyak, almost never runs now as it is. Why expand? Might make more sense to focus resources on the best of the four, Alpental, and not expand the others at all. Also, this is just FS approval of the plan, does not mean squat will happen anytime soon.

[Backpacker Joe]

[lookout bob]

BPJ...I would hate to see any more development around Stevens. There's enought support for the ski area in Skykomish and down lower. I think the last thing that's needed up there are more restaurants, stores etc. Snowqualmie may not have enough snow, but it's already pretty much a lost cause environmentally( at least along I 90....) In the summer, when the skiers are long gone, at least one can get away from the bustle of highway 2 fairly easily...not so at Snowqualmie...... one mans opinion.....

[MtnGoat]

A one chair hop to the top of Alpental and another to the Back bowls/upper international? Sweet.

[SlowWalker]

That sounds like a good plan to me I'm sure there will be a lot of people who will object to the idea of making access to the top of Alpental easier, but I'm all for that idea. I really like the expanded night skiing at Alpental part of the plan. I also think the East / Central consolidation plan is a good one, as East is almost completely wasted terrain given that it is rarely open and difficult to access. I only wish they had something in the plan for Nordic skiing as well. Looks like they have no plans to change anything there. Actually, all I would ask them to do is open the Nordic trails more often (currently only 3 days a week).

[greg]

[blue_tuberosa]

I'm surprised that they want to go for this development given the last few bad years, and climate change predictions. A resort in the PNW like Snoqualmie, hovering just over 3000 ft. will be hit pretty hard by even mild temperature increases. The UW Climate Impacts Group is doing some pretty interesting research... http://www.cses.washington.edu/cig/pnwc/cc.shtml

[Allison]

I can't see much benefit in expanding the areas on the south side of the highway. It might be nice to have more lift service at Alpental, but one of the things I like about the place is that it has a certain character to it that might be compromised by more lifts/more people.

[Malachai Constant]

What I would like to see is a lift up Cave Ridge then one to the top of Snoqualmie Mountain. There be some sweet runs up there and it isn't really pristeen. Chair is too steep. Don't see much on the South cept a lift up Catherine and a lift up the back of Hyak like the old Dinosaur lift. Do not really caare much about the CC stuff, because why pay, the Hyak lift is a pain in the youyang.

[polarbear]

I would like to see a lift all the way to Snow Lake. This would save me alot of hiking each year and I would no longer need a flashlight.

[MtnGoat]