Valerie & Keith’s Wild Friday the 13th Backcountry Ski Elopement at Snoqualmie Pass

Written By Michael Graw
A photo of a couple in full ski gear, including ski jackets, helmets, and goggles, touching their helmets together and smiling at one another. Their skis are visible in the foreground and they're in a snowy forest.

I’m no stranger to unpredictable mountain weather. But Valerie and Keith’s backcountry ski elopement at Snoqualmie Pass ended up being one of the wildest days I’ve experienced as a wedding photographer.

The original plan was straightforward: an easy backcountry tour with close friends toward Source Lake and Snow Lake, where Valerie and Keith had gotten engaged the previous winter. After getting some turns in, the plan was to drive over to Gold Creek Pond, snowshoe in with family and a few additional friends, and hold a snowy ceremony by the lake.

We aimed for mid-March, expecting a good snowpack and decent odds for clear weather. Valerie and Keith loved the idea of getting married on Friday the 13th, so we settled on that date and they flew in out-of-state family for the occasion.

I’m still not sure whether to call the day lucky or unlucky, but Friday the 13th definitely delivered.

Heading into the week, the forecast called for over 8 feet of snow at Snoqualmie Pass, with 2+ feet dropping on Friday alone. We had planned a backup date for the following week, but their family was only in town for the 13th. So on Thursday night, with the latest forecast indicating the snow would taper off early Friday morning, we made the call to go for it and roll with whatever the mountains gave us.

Touring Alpental in a Massive Winter Storm

Friday morning, we arrived at the Alpental parking lot to find the ski resort completely closed and almost zero cars around. As it turned out, I-90 had shut down right after we drove through, and it would stay closed for over 24 hours due to the sheer volume of snow. The power was out across the entire pass, and the chairlifts were completely buried.

Fortunately, our plan was always to earn our turns, so the ski area being closed was no problem.

We started out with a few photos on the famous Alpental bridge. Keith grew up in the Seattle area, so Alpental was his home resort and he had a deep connection to the mountain. Plus, the bridge was covered, so it gave us a chance to get out of the blizzard that was still taking place around us!

A photo of a couple in ski clothes standing in deep snow with their skis over their shoulders, looking back at the camera. The Alpental ski area sign and wooden bridge is behind them.
A photo of two people in ski clothes and ski boots sitting on the tailgate of a truck. The ski boots and parking lot are covered in snow.
A photo of a couple in ski jackets and ski boots kissing while holding their skis out to their sides. They're on a wooden bridge with a snowy forest behind them.
A photo of a couple in ski clothes with skis over their shoulder smiling as they walk towards the camera together. They're on a wooden bridge at Alpental and walking through large metal gates with the Alpental logo.

Shortly after, we started skinning up the road from the Alpental parking lot with the snow still coming down hard. We knew we wouldn’t make it to Snow Lake in these conditions — it would take hours in the deep snow, and avalanche conditions were a concern — but we figured Source Lake was still a good option and there were some gentle, gladed slopes above the lake we could ski.

Once we got to the trrailhead, we were thrilled to find that someone had already broken a skin track up the valley, saving us a massive amount of work. Even in the track the snow was waist-deep, and it was dumping hard the entire time we climbed. It was increasingly clear as the snow continued to fall that the weather forecast we looked at the night before had been overly optimistic. But at least it gave us the push we needed to commit to the day.

The tour took a few hours, but it flew by as we were chatting the whole time. Keeping my lenses clear of snow was a challenge, but I pulled out all the tricks I’ve learned for protecting my camera from the weather and I never had more than brief fogging to deal with. The photos I took of Valerie and Keith skinning up the valley really captured just how hard the snow was coming down — and how much fun we were having just being out there.

A couple backcountry skiing up a snowy road, with the Alpental ski lift in the fog in the background. It's snowing and the skiers have their hoods up, but they're smiling.
A photo of a couple skinning uphill on backcountry skis in a snowy forest. It's snowing and the skin track is knee deep.
A photo of a couple in ski jackets holding ski poles and smiling at the camera. They're on a backcountry ski track in a snowy forest with trees in the background.
A photo of a backcountry skier breaking trail through deep snow at Source Lake, near Snoqualmie Pass. His fiance is standing in front of him smiling at him.

Powder Turns and Changing Plans

When we reached Source Lake, we cut uphill through the low-angle glade. It was a safe zone to ski and the large trees offered a great backdrop for photos.

We spent a few minutes transitioning, then dropped in for the much-anticipated powder turns. It was on the verge of being too deep — every turn was a huge effort. But when every turn is a face shot, it’s hard not to smile. Valerie and Keith linked some turns together and we got exactly the photos we were hoping for. All three of us were thrilled and it made all the morning's uncertainty feel completely worth it. It’s certainly a backcountry ski tour Valerie and Keith won't forget.

A couple with backcountry ski gear standing in the snow, each holding climbing skins, as they get ready to transition from skinning to skiing.
Photo of a couple standing in the snow in a snowy forest as they transition from uphill skinning to downhill skiing. A ski is upright in the foreground and the man and woman are standing together smiling at the camera.
Photo of a couple skiing through deep powder in the backcountry around Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, during a heavy snowstorm. They are lined up in the center of the photo so they look like they're skiing together.
Photo of a couple skiing through deep powder in the backcountry around Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, during a heavy snowstorm. The snow is knee-deep and the woman's skis are creating a cloud of snow.
Photo of woman skiing through deep powder in the Alpental Valley at Snoqualmie Pass, Washington. She is creating a waist-deep cloud of powder and the forest behind her is covered in fresh snow.
Photo of a man in a red jacket backcountry skiing through deep powder above Source Lake, near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington.
Photo of a couple on skis in deep snow in the backcountry around Snoqualmie Pass. The woman is looking back and smiling at the man and they're both covered in fresh snow.

After the ski, we had to break some trail back down the valley to get out, but it went quickly. We even had time to stop for a few playful photos of the soon-to-be-married couple in the snow before making our way back to the trailhead.

When we arrived at the cars, we had to laugh. It had snowed so much while we were out that we had to dig them out! I estimated we had gotten 18 inches of new snow in just 5 hours.

A photo of a man and woman in ski gear, including ski goggles and helmets, standing together in the snow and pressing their helmets together in an intimate pose. Their skis and poles are visible in the foreground and the forest behind them is snowy.
Photo of a man and woman in ski clothes lying in deep snow while smiling and laughing. The woman is on top of the man with her ski boot kicked up in the air.
Photo of a man and woman in ski clothes, including ski goggles and helmets, kneeling in deep snow and kissing one another. It's snowing and the trees behind them are covered in snow.

Once we were dug out, it was time for our next major pivot. Holding a ceremony at Gold Creek Pond was obviously out since we knew by now that I-90 was closed. So we moved to Plan B, which was to hold the ceremony at Pine Lake Park in Sammamish, near Valerie and Keith’s house.

Then as we were (carefully) driving back down I-90, we found out from their family that Pine Lake Park was closed. In a final Friday the 13th twist, it had been snowing all day in Sammamish, too, and all the town’s parks were shut down.

An Intimate Living Room Ceremony

Ultimately, one of Valerie and Keith’s friends graciously offered to host the ceremony at their home at the last minute. It wasn’t the lakeside gathering we had originally anticipated, but at least we would get all of their family and friends in one place!

The twists and turns of the day were perfectly captured by the fact that the guests showed up in a hilarious, impromptu mix of formal wear and Gore-Tex ski gear. But despite the chaotic weather and changing plans, it was exactly what Valerie and Keith wanted: a relaxed, intimate ceremony celebrating their marriage, surrounded by the people they care about most.

Photo of a couple in the middle of a wedding ceremony, as the woman puts a wedding ring on the man's hand. They're in a living room in front of a fireplace, with the officiant between them.
Photo of a couple kissing at the end of their wedding ceremony. The woman is wearing a white wedding dress and the man a gray suit, and they're in a living room with a fireplace behind them.
Photo of a woman in a white wedding dress and a man in a suit kissing in a snowy backyard garden underneath a tree. The woman is holding a bouquet of roses in front of her.
Photo of a just-married couple in wedding clothes raising champagne glasses in a toast. They're in a brightly lit home surrounded by friends and family who are also raising glasses.
Photo of a pair of wedding rings in ring boxes on a dark wooden table in front of a lit fireplace.
Photo of a woman in a white wedding dress and a man in a gray suit holding hands and looking lovingly at each other while they walk towards the camera. They're in a snowy backyard garden surrounded by trees.

It was a wild day, and absolutely one for the books.

Michael Graw
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