You can choose between 42 percent of blue (“more difficult”) trails
including the longest trail at three miles (4.8 km) and any blues on
River Run side, Upper and Lower College, Seattle Ridge, and Flying
Squirrel are recommended.
From Lookout Restaurant intermediate skiers
can choose Cutoff or Blue Grouse to Mid River Run to get back to the
River Run Lift. From there it is a nine-minute lift ride back to the
top. Easier trails are Olympic Ridge and Olympic Lane, and from Seattle
Ridge Lodge you can try all the well-groomed trails designated as slow
skiing (the exception being the difficult Fire Trail). Catch the
Seattle Ridge chairlift, a five-minute ride from the bottom of the
ridge back to the top. Here you’ll also find Gretchen’s Gold—named
after local girl Gretchen Fraser who captured America’s first Olympic
alpine ski medals (a gold for slalom and a silver for the combined in
the 1948 St. Moritz Winter Olympic Games).
Perhaps the most ideal spot
is Warm Springs, named for the warm bubbling water at the base of the
lift. This area is cool for intermediates who are happy being
intermediates. The slopes also get great afternoon sunshine. The top of
the area is home to Warm Springs Face, and most difficult trails
International and Limelight. Halfway down, you can decide which of the
more difficult trails you want but Hemingway is a good route. The Bowls
along the top of Bald Mountain tend to be difficult, but intermediate
skiers can begin at the left of the mountain and move to the right as
they feel more comfortable—try Broadway Face to start with. The Bowls
are easily served by the Mayday chairlift, a seven-minute ride back to
the top.
