Alpental, named after the German word for ''alpine valley'', is both a
valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...
in eastern
King County, Washington
King County is located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population was 2,269,675 in the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Washington, and the 13th-most populous in the United States. The county seat is Seattle, also the ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and a
ski area
A ski area is the terrain and supporting infrastructure where skiing and other snow sports take place. Such sports include alpine and cross-country skiing, snow boarding, tubing, sledding, etc. Ski areas may stand alone or be part of a ski resort.
...
in the valley. The valley is about 50 miles (80 km) east of
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
and is north of
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 (I-90) through the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Washington. The pass summit is at an elevation of , on the county line between Kittitas County and King County.
Snoqualmie ...
, in the Washington
Cascades. It is a popular outdoor
recreation destination in both the summer and winter. The ski area is one of four areas which make up
The Summit at Snoqualmie
The Summit at Snoqualmie is a winter resort in the northwest United States, located on Snoqualmie Pass, Washington. It provides alpine skiing and snowboarding, Nordic skiing, and winter tubing. Owned and managed by Boyne Resorts, it is east o ...
.
Topography
The valley runs north to northwest from
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 (I-90) through the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Washington. The pass summit is at an elevation of , on the county line between Kittitas County and King County.
Snoqualmie ...
for about 3 miles (5 km). Geologically, it is a three-sided canyon. Along the west side of the valley a ridge runs between
Denny Mountain,
The Tooth,
Bryant Peak, and
Chair Peak. Source Lake occupies the upper valley area at the north side of the valley. This lake is the source of the South Fork of the
Snoqualmie River
The Snoqualmie River is a long river in King County and Snohomish County in the U.S. state of Washington. The river's three main tributaries are the North, Middle, and South Forks, which drain the west side of the Cascade Mountains near the town ...
, which meets the other forks of the Snoqualmie River prior to
Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls is a waterfall in the northwest United States, located east of Seattle on the Snoqualmie River between Snoqualmie and Fall City, Washington. It is one of Washington's most popular scenic attractions and is known internationall ...
near
North Bend, Washington
North Bend is a city in King County, Washington, United States, on the outskirts of the Seattle metropolitan area. The population was 5,731 at the 2010 census and an estimated 7,136 in 2018.
Since the closure of Weyerhaeuser's Snoqualmie sawmi ...
. On the east side of the valley lies
Guye Peak
Guye Peak is a mountain in the Northwestern United States, northwest United States in the Cascade Range of Washington (state), Washington, east of Seattle. Named for Francis M. Guye, who held an iron mining claim on it in the 1880s, it lies in ...
, Cave Ridge, and
Snoqualmie Mountain
Snoqualmie Mountain is the tallest peak in the immediate vicinity of Snoqualmie Pass in the North Cascade Range of Washington state, U.S. Its shape is often described as "amorphous" or "blob-like", although it does display a steep north face d ...
.
The valley is about 50 miles (80 km) east of Seattle, Washington. The Alpental Road (Forest Service Road No. 9040) begins at
I-90 Exit 52 at Snoqualmie Pass and runs into the valley. The Alpental Road may also be reached by taking the Denny Creek Road (Forest Service Road No. 58) in the summer months.
Recreation
Alpental Valley is a popular outdoor recreation area in the
Cascades during both the summer and winter.
In the summer, Alpental Valley provides a starting a point for hikers and climbers. The hiking trails provide access to the
Alpine Lakes Wilderness
The Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a large wilderness area spanning the Central Cascades of Washington state in the United States. The wilderness is located in parts of Wenatchee National Forest and Snoqualmie National Forest, and is approximately b ...
; there is a rich history of climbing starting from the Alpental Valley floor.
During winter, people downhill ski and snowboard at the challenging but historically relaxed Alpental Ski Area (part of
The Summit at Snoqualmie
The Summit at Snoqualmie is a winter resort in the northwest United States, located on Snoqualmie Pass, Washington. It provides alpine skiing and snowboarding, Nordic skiing, and winter tubing. Owned and managed by Boyne Resorts, it is east o ...
ski resort). Recent additions by Booth Creek Holdings have added gas fire pits, heated sidewalks and other human comforts. While most of the mountain is skiable by intermediate and advanced skiers, the cliff areas are the roughest skiing terrain in the state, and must only be attempted by very experienced skiers. The expert run International is well-known among
Puget Sound
Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected ma ...
area skiers and snowboarders, and has been affectionately nicknamed "Nash." The ski area is served by four chair lifts and a magic carpet on the west side of the valley beneath Denny Mountain. People backcountry ski, snowshoe and ice climb in Alpental Valley using the upper parking lots, traditionally known as lots 3 and 4, as a starting point.
Olympic
Olympic or Olympics may refer to
Sports
Competitions
* Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896
** Summer Olympic Games
** Winter Olympic Games
* Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
gold medalist
Debbie Armstrong
Debra Rae "Debbie" Armstrong (born December 6, 1963) is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Seattle, Washington. She was the first gold medalist from the U.S. in women's alpine skiing in 12 years, winning the giant slalom at the 1984 Wint ...
developed her skills at Alpental while growing up in Seattle. The run "Debbie's Gold" and the "Armstrong Express" chairlift are named for her.
Avalanches are a risk in the Alpental Valley; a number of people have died in the valley as a results of avalanches.
[
][
]
Ownership and development
The land in the valley is in a mixture of public and private ownership. Most of the upper slopes of the valley are publicly owned under the management of the
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency in ...
(USFS). The Summit at Snoqualmie (including Alpental) is owned by
CNL Income Properties
CNL Financial Group (CNL), formerly Commercial Net Lease, is an Orlando, Florida based private investment management and commercial real estate company. It was started in 1973 by James Seneff. The company has been a major player in efforts to redev ...
with a long-term lease to
Boyne USA Resorts
Boyne Resorts is an owner and operator of ski and golf resorts in the United States. The company employs over 7,000 full-time and seasonal staff. It operates 13 resort properties: 10 ski resorts and 11 golf courses. The company, based in B ...
.
The ski runs of the Alpental Ski Area are on USFS
Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
land and are operated under a Special Use Permit (SUP)
[
][
]
![Alpental sign](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Alpental_sign.jpg)
Additional smaller private development includes two condo complexes in the upper valley, a small number of private homes in one Bavarian themed subdivision in the mid-valley that began in 1968. In the lower valley are two lodges of outdoor clubs: The Washington Alpine Club on the west and the Sahalie Ski Club on the east which operates two private rope tows above its lodge. These lodges have been cited as significant sources of particulate air pollution in the valley. In 1995 the Sahalie Ski Club clear-cut logged seven acres of land resulted in litigation with the mid-valley home owners over resulting avalanche issues.
References
Further reading
For more information of recreation in the Alpental Valley see:
*
*
*
For maps of the area see:
*
*
External links
The Summit at Snoqualmie Ski AreaAlpental website - History of Alpental and virtual tours
{{coord, 47, 26, 35, N, 121, 25, 46, W, display=title
Landforms of King County, Washington
Valleys of Washington (state)
Cascade Range
Ski areas and resorts in Washington (state)
Buildings and structures in King County, Washington
Tourist attractions in King County, Washington