February 17, 2018: It's been a wild Saturday so far! We've got some weather goin' on. It was nuking down low this morning and we racked up a quick 4-5" at the bases! It’s since changed over to mixed precip, but forecasts are calling for a cooldown later this afternoon and then more significant snowfall. Precipitation at the top of Alpental has and will remain as snow. With precipitation locked into the forecast, the upper mountain will likely get plastered. Which is great looking toward tomorrow because strong winds have forced Lift Ops and Pro Patrol to close Chair 2. (Several other lifts have been delayed or closed due to high winds; see bold paragraph below.) On the bright side, that means even deeper lines tomorrow! Ski with a buddy this weekend, it's deep in more places than Alpental's upper mountain and there are definite deep snow hazards. Hot pow on the lower slopes today, so warm up those legs before you hit the hills. Lots of fun and cool stuff going on up here! We have the first day of Vertfest at Alpental! Race day is Sunday, but today we have clinics, gear demos, a beacon rally, live music, and beer. I walked around and got several free stickers and a few tasty treats as well. Come on up and enjoy the festivities! Roads are messy today, so check WSDOT for road conditions and make sure your vehicle is up to the task. See ya soon!

Chair 2 at Alpental, Hidden Valley Chair at Summit East, and Silver Fir Express will be closed for the remainder of the day due to high winds. Expect wind delays at all Summit Central lifts and Wildside at Summit West. Armstrong Express at Alpental will be put on a half-hour delay at 3:30pm for avalanche control work. Summit East is closing at 3pm.