Mt. Baker, WA – With an early opener/November powder pounding and mid-season warming lull, April 2010 proved to as legendary as other legendary winters in the North Cascades. Deep, deep sessions well after the spring equinox reminded all that it ain’t over ‘til the Howat’s power that last lift down. And the closer proved to be the icing on the slush.

With the other Sea-town and North Shore resorts mothballed for the season, many of Sub-Pop rock city’s finest bee-lined for the lower White Salmon parking lot and a freaking Baker-palooza of BBQ’s, 70’s funk dress, and the requisite blaring cacophony of Marley/Metallica. Crews from Tacoma to Tswassen filled the lot well past even Banked Slalom crowd standards and the party done got started correct. Actually, for those who were on it, both Fri and Sat provided pow lines only weeks before May, and even on Sunday, with summer encroaching, there were groovy and soft lines to be had off the Arm, Herman and not-all-that-far out of bounds.

Outfit highlights: Matt Edgers in quasi-Easy Rider garb pedaling a chopper-bike around the lower lot, Santa Claus, Spiderman, a posse of Glacier girls in NBA-style jerseys (AKA ghetto gowns) with flesh-colored lycra shorts, for the “bottom-less” effect. As for topless, there is never a shortage of sporty college dudes focused on their best Abercrombie pose while trying not to blow the six Keystone Lights they had on the lift. Sightings included the usual heads of Rocker James, Maxx von Marbod, Billy Bear, Lucas Debari, Pat McCarthy, Tarek, and others. The Mervin heads got it all in the previous sessions, with VP of Rad Peter Saari having logged four days in a couple weeks of blower goodness before Quik shareholders dragged him back to Sequimtucky.

With brats, beers, snowball fights and a clear and positive disregard for the signs in the parking lot noting the USFS ski area (with a liquor license) policy of requiring the public (AKA landowners) to not have open containers outside their vehicles (apparently to be in compliance with both WA state law and USFS policy, one is expected to drink in your car, with the keys out of the ignition; brilliant) the closer was as classic as any in recent memory. Special thanks to the Mt. Baker staff and especially the Howat family for continuing to provide an oasis of stoke in an era when too many ski areas resemble and act as alpine malls.

God bless Mt. Baker and see all in 2010-11.

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Item: Mt Baker Closing 2010
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