However, as the diehards out there know, it's really not that bad. While the snow levels have been a bit high and precipitation a bit lacking, the fact is that the skiing and riding has been pretty good recently. Boot-top, albeit dense, powder has been abundant at higher elevations. Add to that the fact that the snowpack has been quite stable the past few weeks, and we really shouldn't complain.
And let's remember, it's still early February. El Nino years have a tendency to produce in March and April, so don't put your skis, boards, shoes or sleds away yet. And if you don't get out for any epic powder days in the next couple of months, at least join us at the events below to commiserate with friends and like-minded winter junkies.
Say a prayer to whatever snow-god you believe in, and let's hope for a big late winter.
The Friends of NWAC
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Snowball 2010
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 The second annual Snowball Dinner and Auction to support NWAC is not far away...Friday, April 16!
This year's event will be held at St Demitrios Hall in Seattle's Montlake neighborhood. We are looking forward to another fun evening to celebrate the season and share stories...and maybe say a group farewell to El Nino. The evening will include a great dinner, and live and silent auctions. Last year's event sold out, and we received a lot of positive feedback, so we are counting on a full house again this year. Get your $65 tickets now (the price goes up a bit after March 15)!
If you are interested in sponsoring a table or donating an auction item, please contact us at Friends@nwac.us. If you do, we can almost guarantee you good snow karma.
More info here.
Buy your tickets here.
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Snowball 2010
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 Vertfest is ON!
Join Outdoor Research, The Summit, Pro Guiding and Osprey (our fantastic sponsors!) for the 4th annual Vertfest randonee rally at Alpental on Saturday, March 6. Vertfest is the Northwest's mid-winter celebration of backcountry culture and a chance to test your stamina in a fun uphill / downhill ski / splitboard race.
The beer will be flowing when the racers cross the finish line, so come join in the festivities and catch up with your friends even if you don't tape on a bib number. There will also be a companion rescue avalanche beacon clinic to build your snow safety know-how. All proceeds from the day will benefit the Friends of NWAC. While there is only one Vertfest this year, mark your calenders because it's goinmg to be a good one!
Buy your tickets here.
Stay updated on event details on the Vertfest Facebook page.
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Have you tried your local beacon park?
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 Perhaps you have heard about all the new avalanche beacon parks in the area. But have you tried any of them? If not, we encourage you to get out and make the most of these incredible resources.
Beacon parks consist of several buried transmitters and a master control panel that changes which ones are on and off. Searchers locate the "live" beacons and find them with a probe. A successful probe sets off an alarm that indicates a successful search. The set-up provides a very efficient way of practicing your beacon searches. There are currently beacon parks at Alpental, Crystal, Stevens Pass, Mt Baker, Mission Ridge, White Pass, and Mt Bachelor.
For more information, check out the Backcountry Access website or this thread on Turns-All-Year.
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The Friends of NWAC
Got a friend who would like to receive updates on NWAC? Help us get the word out by forwarding this e-mail below.
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