Alpental
Encyclopedia
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
in eastern King County, Washington
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and a ski area in the valley. The valley is about 50 miles (80 km) east of Seattle, Washington and is north of Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 through the Cascade Range in the U.S. State of Washington. The elevation of the pass summit is , and is on the county line between Kittitas County and King County...
, in the Washington Cascades. It is a popular outdoor recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
destination in both the summer and winter. The ski area is one of four areas which make up the The Summit at Snoqualmie
The Summit at Snoqualmie
The Summit at Snoqualmie, located on Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, is a winter resort providing alpine skiing and snowboarding, Nordic skiing, and winter tubing owned by CNL Investment Properties, Inc. and managed by Boyne Resorts....
.
The Valley
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 through the Cascade Range in the U.S. State of Washington. The elevation of the pass summit is , and is on the county line between Kittitas County and King County...
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
Denny Mountain
Denny Mountain is summit near Snoqualmie Pass in Washington state. The Alpental ski area is located on the mountain's eastern flank.The mountain is named after Arthur A. Denny of the Denny Party, who oversaw the construction of the Snoqualmie Pass Road, which later became I-90, and which runs along...
, Bryant Peak and Chair Peak
Chair Peak
Chair Peak is a peak rising west of Mount Britannia on Rongé Island, off the west coast of Graham Land. This descriptive name was given by M.C. Lester and T.W. Bagshawe, who wintered at nearby Waterboat Point in 1921–22 and used this peak as a prominent landmark during their survey....
. 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
Snoqualmie River
The Snoqualmie River is a long river in King County and Snohomish County in the U.S. state of Washington. The river's three main tributaries are the North, Middle, and South Forks, which drain the west side of the Cascade Mountains near the town of North Bend and join near the town of Snoqualmie...
, which meets the other forks of the Snoqualmie River prior to Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls is a 268 ft waterfall on the Snoqualmie River between Snoqualmie and Fall City, Washington, USA. It is one of Washington's most popular scenic attractions, but is perhaps best known internationally for its appearance in the cult television series Twin Peaks...
near North Bend, Washington
North Bend, Washington
North Bend is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The town was made famous by David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks Since the Weyerhaeuser sawmill closed, North Bend has become an upscale bedroom community for the Eastside of Seattle, Washington, with property values more than...
. On the east side of the valley lies Guye Peak
Guye Peak
Guye Peak is a mountain in Washington State, United States. Named for Francis M. Guye, who held an iron mining claim on it in the 1880s, it lies in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area of the Cascade Range and overlooks Snoqualmie Pass from the north....
, Cave Ridge, and Snoqualmie Mountain
Snoqualmie Mountain
Snoqualmie Mountain is the tallest peak in the immediate vicinity of Snoqualmie Pass in the North Cascade Range of Washington state, U.S. Its shape is often described as "amorphous" or "blob-like", although it does display a steep north face dropping down to the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River...
.
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.
Recreation
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
Alpine Lakes Wilderness
The Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a large wilderness area spanning the Cascade Range of Washington state in the United States. The wilderness is located in parts of Wenatchee National Forest and Snoqualmie National Forest, and is approximately bounded by Interstate 90 and Snoqualmie Pass to the south...
; there is a rich history of climbing starting from the Alpental Valley floor.
During winter, people downhill ski and snowboard at the challenging but historically relaxed Alpental Ski Area (part of the The Summit at Snoqualmie
The Summit at Snoqualmie
The Summit at Snoqualmie, located on Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, is a winter resort providing alpine skiing and snowboarding, Nordic skiing, and winter tubing owned by CNL Investment Properties, Inc. and managed by Boyne Resorts....
ski resort). Recent additions by Booth Creek Holdings have added gas fire pits, heated sidewalks and other creature comforts. While most of the mountain is skiable by intermediate and advanced skiers, the cliff areas are the roughest skiing terrain in the state, and must only be attempted by very experienced skiers. The expert run Internationale is well-known among Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
area skiers and snowboarders, and has been affectionately nicknamed "Nash." The ski area is served by four chair lifts and a magic carpet 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.
Olympic
Alpine skiing at the 1984 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1984 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held near Sarajevo, Yugoslavia .The men's races were held at Bjelašnica, the women's at Jahorina from February 13-19, 1984....
gold medalist Debbie Armstrong
Debbie Armstrong
Deborah Rae Armstrong is a former alpine ski racer from Seattle. She was the first gold medalist from the U.S...
developed her skills at Alpental while growing up in Seattle. The run "Debbie's Gold" and the "Armstrong Express" chairlift are named for her.
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.
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 ServiceUnited States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
(USFS). The Summit at Snoqualmie (including Alpental) is owned by CNL Income Properties
CNL Income Properties
CNL Lifestyle Properties is an unlisted Real Estate Investment Trust . The Trust is managed by CNL Financial Group. The company buys resort properties across the nation, but has no day-to-day management involvement in the properties it owns.-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
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
The Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington extends more than along the western slopes of the Cascade Range from the Canadian border to the northern boundary of Mount Rainier National Park. Forest headquarters are located in the city of Everett....
land and are operated under a Special Use Permit (SUP)