Alpental
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alpental, the German word for alpine valley, is both a valley in King County, Washington, United States and an alpine ski area in the valley. The valley is about 50 miles (80 km) east of Seattle, Washington and is north of Snoqualmie Pass, in the Washington Cascades. It is a popular outdoor recreation destination in both the summer and winter. The ski area is one of four areas which make up the The Summit at Snoqualmie.
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[edit] The Valley
The valley runs north to northwest from Snoqualmie Pass for about 3 miles (5 km). Geologically, it is a three-sided canyon. Along the west side of the valley a ridge runs between Denny Mountain, Bryant Peak and Chair Peak. Source Lake occupies the upper valley area at the north side of the valley. This lake is the source of the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River, which meets the other forks of the Snoqualmie River prior to Snoqualmie Falls near North Bend, Washington. The Snohomish River is formed at the confluence of the Snoqualmie and Skykomish Rivers, and flows on into Puget Sound at Everett, Washington. and On east side of the valley lies Guye Peak, Cave Ridge and Snoqualmie Mountain.
The valley is about 50 miles (80 km) east of Seattle, Washington. The Alpental Road (Forest Service Road No. 9040) begins at I-90 Exit 52 at Snoqualmie Pass and runs into the valley. The Alpental Road may also be reached by taking the Denny Creek Road (Forest Service Road No. 58) in the summer months.
[edit] Recreation
- See also: The Summit at Snoqualmie
Alpental Valley is a popular outdoor recreation area in the Cascades during both the summer and winter.
In the summer, Alpental Valley provides a starting a point for hikers and climbers. The hiking trails provide access to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness; there is a rich history of climbing starting from the Alpental Valley floor.
During winter, people downhill ski and snowboard at the challenging but relatively low-key Alpental Ski Area (part of the The Summit at Snoqualmie ski resort). The expert run Internationale is well-known among Puget Sound area skiers and snowboarders, and has been affectionately nicknamed "Nash." The ski area is served by four chair lifts and a rope tow on the west side of the valley beneath Denny Mountain. People backcountry ski, snowshoe and ice climb in Alpental Valley using the upper parking lots, traditionally known as lots 3 and 4, as a starting point.
The Sahalie Ski Club operate a private ski area in the Alpental Valley; for members, benefits include access to a lodge and two rope tows.
Avalanches are a risk in the Alpental Valley; a number of people have died in the valley as a results of avalanches.[1][2]
[edit] Ownership and development
The land in the valley is in a mixture of public and private ownership. Most of the upper slopes of the valley are publicly owned under the management of the United States Forest Service (USFS). The Summit at Snoqualmie (including Alpental) is owned by CNL Income Properties with a long-term lease to Boyne USA Resorts. The ski runs of the Alpental Ski Area are on USFS Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest land and are operated under a Special Use Permit (SUP) [3][4]
[edit] References
- ^ Porterfield, Elaine. "Beautiful backcountry can be deadly for the beaconless", The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2005-01-23. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
- ^ Blanchard, Jessica. "Alpental avalanche kills one man, injures another", The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2005-01-23. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
- ^ Welch, Craig. "Bigger, better Snoqualmie envisioned", The Seattle Times, 2005-12-28. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
- ^ Summit at Snoqualmie Master Development Plan. Draft Environmental Impact Statement.. USDA Forest Service - Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (December 2005). Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
For more information of recreation in the Alpental Valley see:
- Spring, Ira; Manning, Harvey (2001). 55 Hikes around Snoqualmie Pass. The Mountaineers. ISBN 0-89886-777-0.
- Volken, Martin (2001). Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass. Falcon. ISBN 0-7627-1066-7.
- Nelson, Jim; Potterfield, Peter (1993). Selected Climbs in the Cascades. The Mountaineers. ISBN 0-89886-767-3.
For maps of the area see:
- Green Trails Inc. Snoqualmie Pass, WA – No 207 [map], 1 : 69,500, 15 Minute. (1996)
- United States Geological Survey. Snoqualmie Pass Quadrangle, Washington [map], Provisional 1989 edition, 1 : 24,000, 7,5 Minute Series (Topographic). (1989) ISBN 0-607-58301-0.
