Coal Mines Trail, Jolly Mountain — Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017

Snoqualmie Region > Cle Elum Area

This morning my wife and I skied the Coal Mines Trail in our town, Roslyn. The snow conditions were so good that I went right home,ate lunch, packed up and headed for one of my favorite road ski adventures in the area, the Jolly Mountain Road. This road takes off on the right-hand side of the Salmon la Sac Road, about 15 miles north of Roslyn and a half mile before the Salmon la Sac campground. There is a large Snopark here. The road is moderate in grade and goes all the way to the top of the hill to the summer Jolly Mt Trail. Today I went a little more than an hour, about two miles to the large flat bench area. Snow conditions were fantastic. I followed someone's ski tracks from yesterday, but they were filling in fast. There are spectacular views Of the Alpine Lakes area along this road, but not today. It snowed hard the whole time I was out there. I saw no one else today on the trip. I am always surprised at how few people ski this road in the winter. I think it is one of the best ski trips in Kittitas County. If you ski higher on the road, the upper areas have some potential avalanche slopes you would have to watch out for.