Snowpark at SilverStar

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Fun CH
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Re: Snowpark at SilverStar

Post by Fun CH »

Posted Dec 27 as a reply to poster.

My understanding is that the original plan was to locate the snow park at Early Winters. Just west of the FS NF sign would have been an excellent location as it would have created a much needed fire break as well as mitigate other concerns.

Unfortunately no public comment was solicited for the project by the FS that I saw, most likely deemed to be a non significant impact. Public comment would have forced the FS to mitigate public concerns, and that did not happen that I'm aware of. Although I and a few others were personally asked for our opinion by the former FS employee who handles Recreation.

My comment was that my aging sore back would benefit, however other enviormental, habitat, and public safety concerns out weigh my self interest needs.

This SSS location allows for easy access to avalanche terrain. In other areas where this occurs such as Alpental at Snoqualmie Pass, accident and fatality rates increase as overcrowding and competition for resources increases. We saw this competition here during the last storm on the 21st that initiated a widespread avalanche cycle.

Natural Avalanches tend to occur during the storm or within the first 24 hours of a storm. On the 22nd, the powder freezy at the snowpark reminded me of a ski area, only ski areas control for avalanches.

I also observed on the 22nd, a child of around 8 or 10 was sitting at the bottom of one of the Delancey Ridge avy Run out zones on the Hwy.

Lots of avy's released in the Delancy Ridge area with 16"to 20" slabs at the tail end or just after the storm on the 21st into the 22nd ended. However as you can read in the Avy warning that David posted, the danger was not over ( that warning was extended through today with triggering a persistent weak layer a concern)

On the 22nd, what appeared to be one commercial group with two guides and one other recreational group of four were in one of the Delancy Ridge ski areas. At one point, the skin track went up one of the gullies where an avy had already come down, however that one path is fed by multiple Avalanche start zones some of which had not released.

Of course none of us thought another avy would come down, at least that's what we were hoping and the traveling was easy on the Avy debris in that gully path.

On the 24th, my next solo tour, I noticed a State grader knocking back some of the plow berms so it appears that the State is determined to keep the snow park open.

It should be noted that there is a 7-Day snowmobile parking limit up there. My question would be was this an attempt to mitigate fuel spillage near Silver Star and Early Winters Creek?

How is that ever going to be enforced?

Are commercial user groups exempt from the 7 day snowmobile parking limit?

Why was a snow park placed so near to wintertime designated Goat habitat and wildlife travel corridors?

I will be doing a FOIA request to try to get some facts as to why this snow park was located at Silver Star
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding--Nick Lowe
Can't talk to a man who don't want to understand--Carol King
Fun CH
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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2021 4:22 pm
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Re: Snowpark at SilverStar

Post by Fun CH »

Posted on Dec. 23, 2020

"Yesterday, traffic jams up to the SSS (Sivler Star Snowpark) as State plow drivers work to keep primary roads safely open and plow the 20" of new snow up to what is now resembling a city parking lot. I was told that a large loader was brought up to clear a couple of the lower parking pull outs as narrowing of the road continues as more snow falls. The road is icy even as the snow park access road extends into Mazama. Not much sand to be seen.

One of the concerns I expressed to the forest service and WSDOT, when they were in the process of relocating the new proposed snow park, was that public resources would be diverted away from keeping the main State roads maintained and safe for travel for such things as busloads of school children.

As our State struggles with pandemic driven business closures, unemployment, sickness and death, and as the Governor is proposing taxing capital gains, rest assured that there's plenty of money to accommodate the Recreation needs of backcountry skiers.

Heaven forbid we have to snowmobile an extra 7 miles to reach our leisure activities such as skiing as is the case when the road is closed at Early Winters, the original location for the proposed snow park.

And finally a big Thank you to the hard working State crew who are trying to accommodate this apparently politically situated snow park.
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding--Nick Lowe
Can't talk to a man who don't want to understand--Carol King
Fun CH
Posts: 1440
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2021 4:22 pm
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Snowpark at SilverStar

Post by Fun CH »

This is what I wrote at another site concerning the Snowpark issue.

"This is a release from the WSDOT concerning when we can expect the new Silver Star snow Park closure.

This is WSDOT mail feed Nov, 2020

"Road closure points
The closure points start at milepost 134/Ross Dam Trailhead and at milepost 171/Silver Star Gate. When significant snow begins to fall, WSDOT crews will move the western closure point back to milepost 130/Colonial Creek Campground and the eastern closure point to milepost 178/Early Winters Campground. These weather-dependent changes usually happen in January. Signs along SR 20 are posted in advance of the closure point and updates on the WSDOT website will reflect where the road is closed."

As currently set up, the snowmobile parking at Silver Star extends to below one of the Delancey Ridge Avy slide paths and yes, snowmobiles have parked there this year. Snowmobiles are limited to 7 day parking according to the FS posted sign,

There is also one Avy slide path just east of the SS parking lots. I've only seen that path hit the road once, the potential is there. Whereas Delancey Ridge Avalanches have historically hit the hwy on more than one occasion.

Fortunately as deeper snow builds up in the high mountains , increasing the potential for larger avalanches, deep snow also builds up on the highway. According to the above WSDOT statement, the closure point will move back to early winters, as has historically been the case.

I support the WSDOT's effort to keep the public safe.
What's so funny 'bout peace love and understanding--Nick Lowe
Can't talk to a man who don't want to understand--Carol King
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