Both Alpental (plus Snoqualmie Pass back country) and Stevens are situated at passes which divide two very different air masses; often cold continental high pressure and maritime low pressure (the later driven by prevailing westerlies, over the longest fetch on the planet). The Cascade Mountains offer up one of the steepest slopes anywhere on earth. Moist air is forced up causing winter precip nearly unmatched anywhere giving these places arguably more powder days per steep than anywhere else. Combine that with the notorious low level "easterly flow" that can maintain lower temps than anywhere at these elevations (just fractions of a mile to the west) and you've got winter wonderlands like no others. Alpental, however, has little in the way of any "bunny" slopes, separating this mountain and it's regulars from other areas with pretty much only serious to hard core skiers. This place is not for Texas wanna-be skiers, or anyone looking for a 5 star hotel with a hot tub....go back to Seattle.