The DOT shuts down Highway 20 in the winter due to massive amounts of snowfall and high avalanche danger, so to access the North Cascades ski playground, you need a snowmobile to drive on the highway. But I don't own a snowmobile.

Luckily, there is a guide service operating out of nearby Mazama, WA that not only takes you out to the best powder caches in the area, but also provides snowmobiles as part of a full backcountry package - The North Cascades Mountain Guides.

Last Saturday was an incredible adventure in these amazing mountains. After an early morning safety and conditions briefing, we strapped our skis to their snowmobiles, and rode ~35 minutes to the start of our human powered ascent. The day was mostly foggy and snowing lightly, but we did get a few pops of views of the epic mountain ranges that we were traversing along. Snow quality was packed powder, and we were guided into some very unique, steep, and big mountain alpine terrain. Huge bowls of snow that were surprisingly untouched, all for us. Seriously, it was shocking to me to see acres of open terrain without any trace of other people. Truly magical. Some of the best skiing I've experienced.

https://www.ncmountainguides.com/adve...