Most people need to keep their mouths shut about Alpental. You're only bringing more people in. Fortunately, many people can't ski this place that hard and wind up in the BAR. Although, Alpental has some of the states most advanced skiers and back country enthusiasts. You want cliffs, and terrain you can die for and die in, then this is the place to ski and I say this quietly because there will be deaths here as there are in most years. Many people go into the back country unprepared and find themselves over a 100 plus foot precipice and go... oh shit. I was there last year and watched a helicopter evacuate a kid who went over 50 feet into a river bed head first and smash his face. This place is not for the lame ducks so keep away. If you are fit enough to ski 30,000 plus thousand feet in a day on true double black diamonds... this is the place but get in line cause a lot of experts find this place too but get the hell out of the way cause we're coming down and will eat you up in a heartbeat!

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Alpental is not only great because of the drive compared to Crystal, Stevens, or Baker while providing steep slopes and challenging terrain. Unlike the rest of the Snoqualmie, Alpental has shorter lines, more terrain, and less idiots.

I have been skiing and snowboarding the resorts in Wasington for over 30 years and there is no place like the "Big A". If you are looking for easy terrain and a family freindly environment then go to Summit West, Central, or Stevens Pass but if you re looking for balls to the wall gut check terrain ride Alpental. The inbound terrain is more difficult than anything at Stevens Pass or Crystal and the Back Country is un-real if you are willing to put the work in to get to it. If you are looking for big open terrain that is fun to ride on a large mountain and love the feal of a snooty skiers moutain then go to Crystal, it is fun but it can't touch the challenge "Big A". Other than going to Baker or making the trek to Hurrican Ridge it just doesn't get better. All those who have issues with the conditions should read the signs that say experts only, that is what this mountain is all about.

The snow can be great, as well as it can be horrible. The lifts never have lines on week days and the snow stays perfect all day. It has one of the steepest ski runs in the state and is said to rival the steeps of Jackson Hole! By far the best place out of the other three Snoqualmie Pass areas to go to on a weekday!
On Weekends, that's a different story, The parking is very few and the lift lines for the express and top chair can be triple the time that it takes to get down and thats just the lift line! The Summit provides a shuttle service, but it's always slow and it has taken me up to a half hour and the bus is always crowded on staterday and sunday. The lift ops. don't seem to care about anything but their music. One operator screamed at anyone who did one small thing wrong, such as not moving fast enough to the line or not makeing a group of four even if there was no possible way!
Do not waste your time here on a weekend but if you come here any time else, it's a blast
-Jeff

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Just discovered Alpental. Granted, the snow conditions were out of this world when I was there and it may have influenced my opinion, but I skied Stevens Pass in deep snow the day before and was not as impressed. For advanced skiers, Alpental is a dream. No crowds, very low key, steep remote terrain, great views, what else can I say? It wouldn't be fun for beginner/intermediate skiers, but you can drop them off at Snoqualmie and meet them at the end of the day.