Spring Skiing is Still Alive and Well in Southeast Alaska

"Southeast Alaska still has 225 cm (89 inches) of snow, and people are touring from the base. The local avalanche center is still posting forecasts, you won't spot a mountain bike anywhere in town, and ice still lines the hiking trails. While many mountain towns across North America have traded skis for bikes, people are still stacking ski days in Juneau, Alaska. Douglas Island remains dressed in white, and Eaglecrest Ski Area still has top-to-bottom snow for spring skiers to enjoy. These are the best days of the year to be in Juneau."

"At just 2,670 feet (814 meters), the summit of Eaglecrest Ski Area's Pittman Ridge is still holding a 225 cm (89n inhes) snowpack, and yes, you can still ski to the base. Thanks to an exceptional snow year and a maritime snowpack that spent much of the winter hovering below freezing, there are few signs that touring season is winding down. The big lines people usually wait until late spring to ski are still well filled in. There's no rush to get high into the mountains either, as the snow is not disappearing anytime soon."

"With daylight stretching later every evening, multi-hour tours after work are still very much on the table. Juneauites are still reeling from a season that delivered more than 350 inches (889 cm) of snowfall - the snowiest winter recorded in the city since 1943. Spring is trying to make an appearance, but after the damage Old Man Winter did to Juneau this year, it still has a long way to go. In many places, spring skiing means hiking over dirt patches to find snow. In Juneau, it still means clicking in at the parking lot."

Southeast Alaska has about 225 cm of snow, and people are touring from the base. Avalanche forecasts are still being posted, mountain biking is not common, and ice remains on hiking trails. Juneau continues to stack ski days in spring, with Douglas Island staying covered and Eaglecrest Ski Area offering top-to-bottom snow. Pittman Ridge at Eaglecrest still holds a 225 cm snowpack at 2,670 feet, and skiing to the base remains possible. An exceptional snow year and a maritime snowpack kept much of the winter below freezing, leaving major lines well filled in. Daylight lasts longer, supporting multi-hour after-work tours. Juneau received over 350 inches of snowfall, the snowiest winter since 1943, and spring has not fully arrived yet.

Read at SnowBrains