Mt. Baker fired up her lifts to kick off another season yesterday and the freq's were out in full force. The lineup at Chair 7 extended all the way to the patio of the White Salmon Base Area, replete with stoked out shredders from all over the northwest frothing at the mouth for a taste of Cascade powder. A cheer erupted when they loaded the first rider just before 9 a.m. and the lift promptly came to a halt for a few brief seconds, while the crowd surged forward in anticipation. And, despite the hiccup, the lineup depleted quickly as riders dispersed to find a pocket to slash before everything was tracked out.

The poachers had already gotten to a few lines before the lifts opened, but, if you were quick enough, there was plenty of snow to go around. While the inbounds terrain was beat by lunch time, the more adventurous, including a contingent from the Funny Feelings office, made their way out to the elbow and Shuksan Arm to get some virgin snow. Despite minimal coverage in some areas, opening day provided pow-jonesing northwesterners with a much needed fix. With more snow in the forecast over the weekend, the season is definitely underway,