Seattle Creek

Seattle Ridge above Turnagain Pass can be a skier's paradise early season before the sleds invade. Snow machines are always prohibited from the east side of the highway, but snow machines are allowed on the west side of the highway after sufficient snowpack develops. After the sleds are allowed, the west side of the Seward Highway can be noisy, smelly, and not super friendly to self-propelled skiers, but usually before the area opens to snow machining there is a good window with good skiing.

There were a few rocks, but trading a little p-tex for a lot of powder was a good deal.

Why is Jonny Rocketship Smiling?

He felt the sunshine and knew the snow would be terrific on the descent.

After climbing up from the highway trailhead, we spent all day lapping the Main Bowl above Seattle Creek on the backside from the road. We scraped a rock or two on the backside, but mostly found a good snowpack for skiing with excellent quality. On the frontside run back to the trailhead where the snowpack is typically thinner, I did find a rock garden with only about 6" snow coverage. Being watchful of the terrain and finding the swales with the deeper snow make the run back to the car more enjoyable.