KING COUNTY, Wash. — A couple of feet of snow have already fallen at Stevens Pass over the past week. Conditions are good for another snowy winter, and folks are eager to get their first taste of snow for the season.
Some of them, like Jenna Breedlove, a Texas transplant of just two weeks, are getting their first taste ever. She came to walk the trails around Stevens Pass Wednesday.
"They sure don't have this in Texas," Breedlove said. "I love it! It's cold but I love it. It's fun."
Things will be a bit different on the mountain this year thanks to the pandemic, but there is one piece of good news.
The reservation system employed last year is gone, and Stevens Pass will operate at full capacity once it opens for the season. Skiers and snowboarders will only be required to wear masks indoors.
Cash transactions are still not allowed, and customers will need proof of vaccination to eat inside.
All that sits just fine with folks who ventured out on the mountain before the lifts are even running.
Scott Coney has been skiing at Stevens since he was a teenager. He strapped on his skis Wednesday and trudged up the mountain on foot to take his first run of the year.
"It's good," he said. "There is enough to scoot around on and get tired out. I know that nothing is guaranteed, but we've gotten this favorable La Niña forecast, back-to-back La Niñas, so I'm hopeful."
Skiers will face other issues as well this year, the biggest of which may be a shortage of snowplow drivers at the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
WSDOT is already warning people that it will take longer to clear state highways this winter, and mountain passes will likely be closed longer than usual in the event of heavy snow.
Ian Strawn said that will not deter him.
"Absolutely not," he said. "No way. I've been snowboarding since I was 12 years old, so there's not much that's going to keep me from getting up here."
Other issues include the ever-present parking problems at Stevens Pass.
Overcrowded lots often leave skiers parking their cars along Highway 2, making for a dangerous situation.
But Breedlove said she won't let that, or anything else, keep her away.
"I'm really excited to be a part of it," she said. "I'm really excited to be here and experience it."
KING 5 asked Steven Pass officials about how they plan to fix those parking problems.
A spokeswoman would only say, "We acknowledge that parking has been an issue in the past and we will be releasing more details soon. Please stay tuned to the website and our operational Twitter feed for more information."
Opening day at Stevens Pass is scheduled for Dec. 3, but the resort could open earlier if conditions allow.