OK, you got a bit of a wait still (almost two weeks of summer left still), but if you've seen Mount Rainier this week you've probably noticed that the weather is changing in the mountains. (Keep this in mind when you're hiking.)

Over the weekend Rainier transformed from it's rocky summer look to its snow-covered winter garb.

And this morning at 3:18 I got my first e-mail from a Northwest ski area - Mount Hood Meadows - saying it got it's first dusting of snow.

For the record it's 49 degrees there right now, but so you can start getting excited here's a pic from the Meadows webcam:

Several of you noticed that Sturtevant's Ski Mart on South Hill closed earlier this year.

However, Sturtevant's absence is only temporary.

The Seattle-based company is opening a new Ski Mart on South 38th. According to an e-mail from the company the new shop will open in October.

Jeff and I teamed up to write a story about our favorite food stops after a day in the outdoors.

No fine dining here. Just fine burgers, fries, shakes and cherry pie a la mode (Twede's famous pie pictured to the right).

Check it out and see if your favorite was included. If not let us know about your favorite. We'd love to check it out.

(Picture by Drew Perine)

A climbing ranger was airlifted from the northern slopes of Mount Rainier on Wednesday afternoon after he fell about 40 feet into a crevasse, park spokeswoman Lee Taylor said.

Sam Wick, 27, broke through a snow bridge at about 10,000 feet while skiing down from Rainier’s 14,411-foot summit. Fellow ranger Cooper Self, also a member of the Crystal Mountain Ski Patrol, was skiing with Wick and was the first to respond. Both men were on their scheduled patrol.

An off-duty climbing ranger and a guide from Ashford-based International Mountain Guides also assisted in removing wick from the crevasse, Taylor said. Guides from Seattle-based Alpine Ascents International also helped with the rescue.

Anne Keller, a former Crystal ski patroller, was the lead guide for the IMG party that helped with the rescue, IMG co-director George Dunn said.

An Aerostar helicopter landed on the Emmons Glacier and lifted Wick off the mountain at about 3:50 p.m. Wick was taken to Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center.

Wick may have a broken leg, but his injuries did not appear to be life threatening, Taylor said.

Wick is in his fourth season as a climbing ranger on Mount Rainier and is stationed with Self, 28, at Camp Schurman, located at 9,510 feet on the north side of mountain. Wick was honored by the park in 2007 for giving more than 1,000 hours of volunteer service.

Mount Rainier rescue rangers are reportedly working to rescue a skier who fell in a crevasse.

Our news partner, KIRO-TV, is broadcasting live footage from its chopper.

Click here to check it out:

http://www.kirotv.com/video/19919667/index.html

With a view a sweeping view of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount Hood and a massive lava dome, there are few place scenic plays than the crater rim of Mount St. Helens to take mom on her special day.

In fact, climbing to the 8,365-foot high rim has become a Mother’s Day tradition in the local skiing community.
The tradition is for the climbers to wear dresses – even the guys – and then ski down all in honor of their moms.

“We’ve received a lot of calls,” said Jeanne Bennett, executive director of the Mount St. Helens Institute. “But so far (as of April 28) only 35 people have signed up.”

Bennett says the small sign-up is likely because the most direct climbing route (10 miles and 5,000 vertical feet round trip) can’t be reached by car because of snow.

Climbers will use the winter route from Marblemount Snow Park adding making the hike about 13 miles and 6,000 vertical feet.

“I’ve never done it,” Bennett said, “but it sounds like a lot of fun.”

The event is not organized so you’re climbing party will be responsible for itself. National forest officials remind climbers not to get too close to the crater rim because of the massive cornice that could easily give way.

Bennett says don’t worry if you can’t find a dress for the climb.

“Dressing in drag is up to the individual,” Bennett said. “You don’t have to do it if you don’t want.”

A climbing permit costs $22 and can be ordered online at mshinstitute.org.

If you liked that, try . . .

Rock climbing: So you think your mom’s too old to learn new tricks. Not true. Tacoma’s Edgeworks Climbing is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday and is will to teach anybody who’s willing to try. One employee said they’ve had climbers in their 80s scaling the walls.
Routes range from easy to tough enough to challenge even the fittest moms. No Mother’s Day discounts. A day pass is $15. An extra $8 will cover the gear rental (shoes, harness, belay device and chalk bag). Edgeworks-climbing.com

Canoe Spanaway Lake: If your mom like to fish or just relaxing on the water, the Spanaway Park Boat House offers several options. You can explore Spanaway Lake by paddle boat or canoe for $6 per hour or by row boat for $4.25 per hour. All rentals require a $10 refundable deposit. 253-531-0555

Foothills Trail: The Foothills Trail runs 15 miles from Puyallup to South Prairie offering a slight uphill grade going toward South Prairie. The trail is flat enough for mom’s of all ages to enjoy a nice stroll or a casual bike ride. For hardcore mom’s you can easily tack on some hilly riding on the roads (particularly Tubbs Road) south of South Prairie.
For the most scenic section of the trail park in Orting follow the trail southeast. Piercecountytrails.org

(PHOTO BY PETER HALEY, The News Tribune)

Ski season is down to its final week.

Once again Alpental on Snoqualmie Pass will be the last ski area in the state to close when it holds its season ending party May 5.

Alpental will be open Saturday and Sunday and May 5. Washington other ski areas closed earlier this month.

Many who visit Alpental for it’s traditional Cinco de Mayo festivities choose to ski and snowboard in costume. The Summit at Snoqualmie will hold a snowboard rail jam called Kinko de Mayo on Saturday at Summit West. The event is free. Visit summitatsnoqualmie.com for more information.

From the PNSAA:

The membership of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association is pleased to announce that Duncan Howat has been honored with a prestigious Mel Borgersen Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is bestowed upon an individual who – over the course of an extended ski industry career – has made significant contributions to Pacific Northwest ski and snowboard facilities.

=> Read more!

Whistler Blackcomb’s stranglehold on the title as the Northwest’s best ski resort might be slipping.

At least in the 10-and-younger demographic.

My daughter, who has long considered Whistler to be the coolest place on earth, turned 10 last week so, as I gift, I took her with me on an assignment that included a stop at Silver Mountain in Northern Idaho.

“Dad,” she said during a ride on the resort’s 3.1-mile gondola, “this place is cooler than Whistler. When can we come back?”

Keep in mind this is coming from the perspective of a 10-year-old who probably wouldn’t place skiing in her top 10 required amenities for a ski resort.

The skiing at Silver Mountain above Kellogg, Idaho, is good, but hardly on par with Crystal Mountain let alone Whistler Blackcomb.

But what Silver Mountain does have is something no other Northwest ski area can boast – the ability to ski and surf before lunch.

In May, Silver Mountain celebrated its 40th anniversary by unveiling an indoor water park.

John Williams, marketing director for Silver Mountain, said the Silver Rapids Water Park has turned a ski area longer considered a “hidden gem” into a year-round resort.

“We get people coming here just to use the water park,” Williams said.

The park has three large water slides that require climbing 81 steps for a ride through the darkened tubes. It has three hot tubs, including two next to the bar where I was able to hang out while watching the NCAA Tournament regional finals last weekend.

It has tame slides for kids, a glass roof designed for year-round sun tanning and a 315-foot river you can float on an innertube.

Then there’s the FlowRider, a 60,000-gallon constant wave that’s kind of a treadmill for surfers.

Needless to say, all this waterpark fun made it hard to keep my daughter on the slopes.

“We get a lot of that,” said Neal Scholey, the resorts’ real estate director. “It’s like parents are having to make their kids eat their vegetables before they have their dessert.”

From the Associated Press:

Extreme skier Shane McConkey was killed jumping off a cliff with a parachute while filming a movie in Italy. He was 39.

His sponsor Red Bull confirmed his death Thursday.
McConkey was in Corvara, Italy, on a ski-BASE jump when he had a mid-air malfunction, Red Bull said in a statement.
Italian emergency responders arrived within minutes and pronounced him dead at the scene, according to the sponsor.

“Shane loved life and innovated both sport worlds he touched, skiing and B.A.S.E. Jumping,” Red Bull spokesman Patrice Radden said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the sport he pioneered also carries inherent risks.”

McConkey founded the International Free Skiing Association and had grown popular in recent years for his BASE jumping competitions and big-mountain film exploits.

During his career he won the IFSA world tour of freeskiing in 1996 and 1998, and finished second in the 1999 Winter X Games Skier X competition. In 2001, Skiing Mag listed him as the top skier in North America, and Powder magazine readers voted him skier of the year three times.

McConkey lived and trained at Squaw Valley’s Olympic Village south of Truckee, Calif. He is survived by his wife, Sherry, and 3-year-old daughter, Ayla.

Sunday we are going to take a look at Movie's filmed in Washington's outdoors. While Washington's outdoor makes a glorious set for Hollywood flicks. We'll look at 12 places you can recreate where movies were filmed on Sunday.

Until then here are 15 other movies that are at least partially filmed in Washington.

Here's how the end of ski season is shaping up (Get up there and hit the slopes while the skiing is good - and it is very, very good right now.):

SPRING SCHEDULE
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN
Open through April 19. Could extend season or reopen in May if skier numbers are up.
SUMMIT AT SNOQUALMIE
Night skiing at Summit Central ends Saturday. Summit West and Summit East are closed for the season. Summit Central and Alpental will remain open as long as conditions permit.
WHITE PASS
Open daily until April 12 then Saturdays and Sundays until April 26.
STEVENS PASS
Open daily until April 5. Open Thursday to Sunday until April 19.
MISSION RIDGE
Closes April 5.
MT. BAKER
Open weekends through April. Closing day depends on conditions.