Late December winter storms add tons of powder for visitors.  White Pass Ski Area is open from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, conditions permitting. Photo by Matthew Poppoff

By CHRIS THORN

Many people who live in the Yakima Valley cherish that we get to experience all four seasons of nature. Although we didn’t get the gift of a white Christmas this year during our winter season, White Pass Ski Area received a late present, more than two feet of snow.

Just two weeks before the storm hit, White Pass spokesperson Kathleen Goyette, was hoping for Mother Nature to kick in a give the mountain some fresh powder.

“It’s a challenge right now,” she said in mid-December. “We’re making the best of it.”

At the time, Goyette said the crew at White Pass was doing a fantastic job creating snow and keeping runs well groomed.

As the Christmas holiday weekend came and went White Pass Ski Area staff was still sticking to their routines and making the mountain the best they could with what they had. But then, those white flakes began to fall from above and in just a few days the resort had dozens of inches of fresh snow.

Goyette said she would have liked to have this same storm system come through before Christmas so they could have had more people enjoying the mountain that weekend. However, she said getting it before New Year’s was excellent as well.

“It’s good news for everybody,” Goyette said.

Another great aspect of White Pass getting heavy snowfall and attracting more visitors is it translates to a hefty economic bump for the community. Goyette said for every dollar spent on a lift ticket, five dollars is spent on services, equipment and within the community.

“Everybody benefits [along] the Highway 12 corridor,” she said.

WINTER CARNIVAL

White Pass staff is also finishing up their plans for the 26th Annual Winter Carnival and they are hoping to make it bigger and better than last year.

According to their website the carnival “celebrates the last weeks of winter with a spectacular interactive snow castle, carnival games and races, world-class snow sculptures, fireworks, and live music.”

“The event centerpiece is a gigantic snow castle located in the base area.  Admittance to the castle and the surrounding snow sculptures is free and open to the public.  Live music, a torchlight parade and fireworks highlight festivities on Saturday night and various fund-rasing games and races support Children's Miracle Network and the White Pass Volunteer Ski Patrol.”

White Pass Ski Area is open from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, conditions permitting. They recommend visitors check the conditions page on their website, skiwhitepass.com, before making the trip to the mountain.

For more information visit their website, listed above, or call (509) 672-3101.