A GIS Site Exploration to Locate

A GIS Site Exploration to Locate

Washington’s Next Ski Resort

Washington’s Next Ski Resort

Mark RaleighMark RaleighAllied Alpine Engineering, Inc.Allied Alpine Engineering, Inc.

CEE 424CEE 424

IntroductionIntroduction

Team Zurshaus, LLC (“the client”) has selected Allied Alpine Engineering, Inc. to conduct a

study to recommend strategic locations for a new ski resort in the State of Washington.

The resort is called:

• Proximity: Within 125 miles of Seattle• Location: On National Forest Land• Access: Off major US Interstate or Highway

– Base within 5 MI of the highway to reduce new road construction

• Neighboring Resorts: No closer than 10 miles• Max Monthly Temperature: Below 32°F & coldest

available to preserve snow & to ensure long-term vitality with regional climate change

• Annual Snowfall: Minimum 200 inches• Vertical Rise Potential: Minimum 2000 ft• Slopes: Diversity of slopes for skiers of all abilities

Client’s SpecificationsClient’s Specifications

Data SourcesData Sources

• USGS – DEMs, Streams, State Boundary• WSDOT – Highways, Cities, National Forest,

Political Boundaries, Lakes• Western Regional Climate Center –

Temperature and Snowfall Data at 68 Weather Stations in the Cascades

• Google Earth – Ski resort locations

OverviewOverview

Viable CorridorsViable Corridors

Annual Snowfall > 200 inAnnual Snowfall > 200 in

Western Slope

Eastern Slope

Average Max TemperatureAverage Max TemperatureDecemberJanuary

Western Slope Eastern Slope

Site EvaluationSite Evaluation

Difficulty Levels & SlopeDifficulty Levels & Slope

• Easier Runs: 6% - 25% slope• Intermediate Runs: 25% - 40% slope• Difficult Runs: 40% slope and greater

– Maximum slope = 80%Source: Appendix G: Mountain Specifications Summary, Draft Environmental Impact Statement

for The Timberline Express Proposal. USDA, U.S. Forest Service.

Site RecommendationSite Recommendation

Phase I:

Front Face

Phase 2:

Back Bowl

• Proximity: 63 roadway miles east of Seattle• Location: On National Forest Land

– Front Face: Wenatchee NF– Back Bowl: Mt. Baker – Snoqualmie NF– 3 miles SE of Lake Keechelus

• Access: Off I-90 at MP 63– New Road Construction ~ 1.5 miles

• Closest Resort: The Summit (~11 miles)• Orientation – North by Northeast facing slopes• Average Max Temperature: 30.6°F (Dec), 29.5°F (Jan)• Annual Snowfall: 350 in - 400 in• Vertical Rise: 2290 ft from base to summit• Slopes: Diversity of slopes

Summit

Questions?