Navionics just released v2.0 for its highly acclaimed Ski app for iPhone which offers the largest number of N. America, European and Australasia resorts on iTunes. The Navionics Ski App combines detailed ski maps with all of the usual resort info: tickets, rentals, lessons and more. But what’s interesting is the App additionally taps into the iPhone’s GPS to integrate features that once required spending more on dedicated devices: we’re talking about tracking your entire run, distance, max speed, average speed and total vertical descent. The data can be saved to your favorites along with geo-tagged pictures.  You can also playback your runs and share them with your friends or with a few clicks post them on Facebook and Twitter. This latest version for “Ski: US & Canada” contains 493 resorts and 7350 miles of trails (including all WA resorts). “Ski: Europe” contains 1576 resort and 22000 Km of trails.

Here’s the latest from WSDOT for Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass and the Western slopes of the Cascades. Looks like the best is yet to come!!  They’re forecasting up to another 37″ by tomorrow night.  And “heavy snow” on Wed.  Again, these are pass level forecasts so we’re expecting much more snow up higher.  It’s really starting to add up so be avalanche aware and prepared before heading into the backcountry.  Check back for updates on this storm and snow totals later today.

We were waiting a long time to say this again:  Viva la nina!  See you out there. Live to ski another day!

830pm update: Per TNT, Snoqualmie Pass has received 10″ since 5am or 5″  since 5pm and it’s still coming down hard – nice, dry feather lite.

Jib This was a the “snowboarder only” day one of the “Jib This, Jib That”, Jib That being the “skier only” day of the event. Turned out to be the Jib This “Dry” & the Jib That “Wet” because of the bluebird skies on day one and full on rain for the skiers on day 2. Everyone had a great time and really pushed each other on both days. Check out the short vid of day one – Jib This.

With all the snow piling up and National Safety Week underway at ski resorts, now’s a good time to be reminded about avalanche awareness and preparing yourself before heading into the backcountry. Those interested in learning how to safely navigate, evaluate and ski backcountry terrain can take a look at Martin Volken’s Pro Guiding Service in N. Bend – they offer numerous intro to advanced ski touring and avalanche safety courses every week so there’s sure to be one that fits your schedule. Martin is an internationally renowned and certified Mountain Guide who wrote the book on “Backcountry Skiing Snoqualmie Pass” and “Backcountry Skiing: Skills for Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering”. Martin and his team will get you on your way to conquering more of the mountain and not the other way around. Let it snow, let it snow. Hope to see you out there. Be safe and Live to ski another day!!

This storm is delivering as promised. Crystal Mtn. and Snoqualmie Pass both received 6″ new today and it’s still coming down hard. Mt. Baker never fails to impress when it comes to snow: they got 10″ new and 17″ in the last 24hrs. The current winter storm warning is calling for another 7″ tonight at Mt. Baker’s 3600ft elevation plus up to 6″ tomorrow and 13″ Monday and it continues all week long with possibly another 15 on Tues. at that elevation. Snoqualmie Pass is also getting hammered and forecasters are calling for up to 10″ tonight, another possible 8″ tomorrow and 7″ on Monday for a possible storm total of up to 31″ all at the low 3000ft pass level. So, again, more up top.

Just a few sights as we enter the New Year on Snoqualmie Pass, WA. I put this edit together last night for the Summit at Snoqualmie along w/ the help of a few Snow Troopers Jay, Ryan and Becky who all found different types of adrenaline rushes at the Summit. Also wanted to note: Playing the waiting game here on Ice Station Zebra has been much more enjoyable thanks to the Summit’s excellent grooming fleet who has been laying out the sweet corduroy daily through our dry spell.

OK, You all asked for it and we aim to please: A Winter Storm Warning is in effect starting 10pm tonight and into the weekend!! Per NOAA: A VIGOROUS FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL PUSH THROUGH…BRINGING SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL TO THE OLYMPICS AND CASCADES. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS WILL OCCUR ABOVE 3500 FT. MT BAKER IS LIKELY TO RECEIVE HEAVY SNOWFALL. In fact, we’re looking at possibly a whopping 47″, repeat 47″ by Monday night for Mt. Baker at their base area. Below are specifics for the WA and OR resort areas at or near their base elevations (so higher elevations will get much more!). Bring it on.

Finally (!) just about every resort is getting snow, except, unfortunately the ones in the California Sierras. WA and OR are in the path of a strong, cold system that’s expected to move in Sat. and stay all next week. NOAA”s calling for our base areas to receive up to 5″ at Snoqualmie Pass, 8″ at Stevens Pass, 10″ at Mt. Baker and possibly even some snow in the lowlands by Sunday. Read NOAA’s current Special Weather Statement for the region below:
A STRONG COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH WESTERN WASHINGTON SAT. AFTERNOON USHERING IN A COLDER AIR MASS WHICH WILL LINGER INTO NEXT WEEK. THE AIR MASS IS EXPECTED TO BE COLD ENOUGH SO THAT SNOW LEVELS WILL BE AT OR NEAR SEA-LEVEL BEGINNING SAT. EVENING….THERE IS A THREAT OF SOME SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OVER PORTIONS OF THE LOWLANDS. NEXT WEEK, A SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BRINGING A THREAT FOR A VARIETY OF WINTER WEATHER TO WESTERN WA. THESE STORMS WILL SPREAD SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS RAISING THE POTENTIAL FOR AVALANCHES AND PERIODS OF DIFFICULT TRAVEL ACROSS THE PASSES. THE EXPECTED OVERALL AIR MASS OVER THE REGION THROUGH THIS PERIOD WILL BE COLD ENOUGH THAT THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A THREAT FOR PERIODS OF SNOW OVER THE LOWLANDS ESPECIALLY EARLY TO MID WEEK.

Our friend Bob Legasa w/ Peak Productions hit it perfectly last week on their trip to the Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing operation. The operation offers 500,000 acres of terrain in the Selkirk and Monashee Mountains along w/ a 40 to 60 foot average of snowfall per year. Bob and company made the short trip up from the home base in Northern Idaho and met up w/ the heli, powder, and ski legend, Eric Pehota & son then the powder slashin’ began. Check the vid then book your flights!

Ski legend Eric Pehota and son Logan.

Our friend up in Alyeska, in Alaska’s Chugach Mountain, or should I say powder, range pinged us asking who’s heading up and when. Seems with all their snow and lack of it elsewhere, their Chugach Powder Guides’ heli and cat skiing trips are filling up fast. Indeed, Alyeska’s reporting 16 and 18″ new at mid-mountain and on top today. And a ‘blizzard’ warning’s in effect for more snow and drifts of up to a few feet tonight. We want some and more! We yearn for another trip to Alyeska where we were in heaven after nearly 4 feet fell overnight. Yes, AK gets some big storms. Just check out today’s news about Cordova, AK – they declared a state of emergency and called in the national guard today to dig them out from under 18 FEET of snow so far this season. Cordova is just south of the Chugach range. Other parts of AK such as popular heli skiing destination, Haines, saw record precip too on Sunday. Per The Anchorage Daily News, as of last Friday, the city’s already received 70 inches this winter (just a bit short of the city’s average winter total of 74.5 inches). So, if it’s deep powder skiing you’re looking for, nothing tops Alaska right now –at least not in N. America, for Austria’s Tirol and Vorarlberg also got shut down and buried under record snow of up to 7ft this past weekend. Europe was off to a slow, dry start but with snow totals like the ones below recorded Jan. 5-9, 2012 in the region – WOW – they’ve certainly caught up now.
· 85” in Hochfilzen (elevation 1000m)
· 69.7” in Langen am Arlberg (elev. 1260m)