Some of the earliest opening days in years had Pacific Northwestern skiers and snowboarders rejoicing even before they had downed their turkey dinner. Snow lovers gave plenty of thanks for a La Niña winter off to an extremely good start, which will hopefully bode well for a long season ahead.
Snowy destinations sprawl across the Cascade spine, with slopes for skiers, snowboarders and every kind of winter-sport enthusiast from Oregon to British Columbia. (Whistler Blackcomb in Canada’s Coast Range gets honorary Cascadian status for this list.)
Note that many ski areas sell lift tickets with a dynamic or fluctuating pricing scheme. Price ranges are accurate for online ticket purchase as of press time. Buy online in advance for lowest prices. Lift tickets typically cost more at the ticket window and some ski areas do not sell walk-up tickets on peak days.
Do your homework, then head out this winter and sample the excellent ski options reachable from Seattle on a day or weekend trip. But how to choose? See below for suggestions that cover every potential scenario from no-frills powder to destination vacation.
For Ikon Pass resort aspirations: Crystal Mountain
33914 Crystal Mountain Blvd., Enumclaw; 833-279 7895; crystalmountainresort.com
Washington’s biggest ski area and only unlimited Ikon Pass representative is a spot where you can ogle Mount Rainier up close, enjoy après-ski on an outdoor patio, tie one on at the Snorting Elk Cellar and stay overnight to do it all again tomorrow. With its highest point cresting 7,000 feet, Crystal has extensive above-tree-line terrain, another rarity among Cascade ski areas, and wins hands down for sheer variety. While it has a reputation as a skier’s mountain, snowboarders find plenty to love as well. As a dead-end road rather than a mountain pass, the drive is less prone to avalanche closures than Snoqualmie or Stevens, but the upper mountain also suffers from wind holds. With all the bells and whistles, plus an ongoing capital plan that resulted in a new day lodge this season and a possible new hotel on the horizon, Crystal is priced accordingly.
- Distance from Seattle: 85 miles (approximately 2 hours)
- Lift tickets: $89-$189 for adults; $42-$89 for ages 5-12; $81-$172 for ages 13-22; $42-$89 for ages 70-plus
- Vertical rise: 2,612 feet
- Skiable area: 2,600 acres
- Night skiing: Open weekends and holidays only
Getting there: Crystal Mountain Road is a two-lane road with curves and some exposure. Chains generally not required but should be carried. Resort runs free shuttles from parking lots to base area. Free coach bus on weekends and holidays from Enumclaw Expo Center starting Dec. 21 through mid-March; reservations required. Parking is $10 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays; reservations required. Free with valid season pass or lift ticket.
Deals/special pricing: $62 tickets on second Tuesday of every month. Kids 12 and under ski free Dec. 7-13 and all of April. Cheaper tickets available for afternoon and night skiing only (starting at 1 p.m.) and beginner lift only. Three-day Wild Cards valid on nonblackout days are $329; midweek only for $249. People 80 and older ski free. Visit crystalmountainresort.com/plan-your-trip/special-offers for details.
Challenge level: Limited beginner options, ample intermediate runs, loads of expert terrain, from bowls to chutes to trees.
Adaptive program: No
For Indy Pass desert powder: Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort
7500 Mission Ridge Road, Wenatchee; 509-663-6543; missionridge.com
For the allure of drier, lighter snow and hundreds of days of sunshine per year, head east to try Indy Pass darling Mission Ridge. Perched high above the Wenatchee Valley, you can ski with a view of the bone-dry desert below on clear, fogless days. The surreal visual is a sharp contrast to the green canopy of the Western Cascades. With a smaller nearby population, lift lines tend to be shorter, though the modest ski area has just one high-speed lift, which features Washington’s only bubble chair. Mission Ridge also boasts the second-longest vertical for night skiing in the U.S., while its decade-old expansion plan grinds through bureaucracy. Wish the ski hill luck by rubbing the B-24 bomber wing — a relic from a World War II training accident — perched atop the resort.
- Distance from Seattle: 161 miles (approximately 3 hours)
- Lift tickets: $79-$139 for adults; $49-$109 for ages 8-12; $59-$119 for ages 13-17; $69-$129 for ages 18-24; $15-$69 for ages 70-plus
- Vertical rise: 2,250 feet
- Skiable area: 2,000 acres
- Night skiing: Dec. 20-21, Dec. 26-Jan. 4, and Wednesday through Saturday from Jan. 8 to Mar. 1
Getting there: From Seattle, travelers must cross at least one mountain pass, via Interstate 90 or Highway 2. Check the Washington State Department of Transportation website ( wsdot.com ) before you go for chain requirements and traction tire advisories. Free SkiLink bus service from downtown Wenatchee to the resort on weekends and holidays through end of April except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, plus Friday afternoons and nights in January and February.
Deals/special pricing: None currently.
Challenge level: Limited beginner terrain, the resort is great for intermediate skiers to push themselves, with abundant off-piste terrain.
Adaptive program: No
For Ikon Pass volcano laps: Mt. Bachelor
13000 S.W. Century Drive, Bend, Ore.; 541-382-1709; mtbachelor.com
Washington may have the Cascades’ biggest volcanoes, but Oregon has a lot more of them. Shield volcano Mount Bachelor, 20 miles west of Bend, is the only one completely wrapped in ski infrastructure — so bring your Ikon Pass. Much to cartographers’ consternation, you can ski and ride 360 degrees on this aesthetic snowy cone. Volcano skiing isn’t the steepest, but it’s reliably good: 450-plus inches of average annual snowfall on the dry and fluffy side of the Cascades, though volcanic storm exposure means storm days are exceptionally windy. While there is no slopeside lodging, overnight stays abound in Bend, the high desert outdoorsy boomtown with a famed Ale Trail.
- Distance from Seattle: 350 miles (approximately 6 hours)
- Lift tickets: $99-$224 for adults; $69-$137 for ages 6-12 and 70-plus; $79-$174 for ages 13-18 and 65-69
- Vertical rise: 3,365 feet
- Skiable area: 4,323 acres
- Night skiing: No
Getting there: The quickest route from Seattle crosses the Cascades near Mount Hood on Oregon Highway 26. Consult the Oregon Department of Transportation’s TripCheck website ( tripcheck.com ) before you go for chain requirements and traction tire advisories. The ski area is 40 miles from Redmond Municipal Airport, with daily service from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Deals/special pricing: Ikon passholders get five days (base pass) or seven days (full pass). Lift tickets are $99 on Thursdays from January through March. Kids 12 and under ski free with purchase of 3-day adult lift ticket (must book at least one week in advance). Ski or Board in 4 program offers four days of lessons and rentals for $499-$549.
Challenge level: Mellow beginner and intermediate runs, expert terrain at mid-mountain and above, and Woodward Mountain Parks for all skill levels.
Adaptive program: Yes, through Oregon Adaptive Sports
For all thrills no frills: Mt. Baker Ski Area
End of Mt. Baker Highway, Deming, Whatcom County; 360-734-6771; mtbaker.us
It snows here. A lot. Mt. Baker Ski Area still hangs its hat on the world-record-breaking 1998-1999 season, when it snowed 1,140 inches. Modest elevation can affect snow levels, so watch the weather closely before making this long day trip from Seattle. Stay overnight in nearby Glacier for a weekend getaway. If you nail the forecast, bring a powder board or your fattest skis and your brightest goggles — sunny days are a rarity here in the North Cascades, but when they do come, glorious Mount Shuksan looms overhead. Infamous for its ski-at-your-own-risk “extreme danger” zones and a natural half-pipe that hosts the annual Legendary Banked Slalom (Feb. 7-9, 2025) that has cemented the mountain’s reputation in the snowboarding world, no-frills Mount Baker still feels like a local secret in an era of ski-industry consolidation.
- Distance from Seattle: 133 miles (approximately 2 hours 45 minutes)
- Lift tickets: $94.27 for adults ages 16-59; free for ages 6 and under; $40.20 for ages 7-10; $58.23 for ages 11-15; $79.48 for ages 60-69; $55.45 for ages 70-plus
- Vertical rise: 1,500 feet
- Skiable area: 1,000 acres
- Night skiing: No
Getting there: Highway 542 (Mt. Baker Highway) is a narrow, winding, two-lane road with exposed sections; it dead-ends at the ski area. Baker Bus runs one round-trip per day from Bellingham via Glacier (from Kendall on weekdays); reserve online at bakerbus.net.
Deals/special pricing: $57.30 for beginner chair only. Discounted tickets available after 12:30 p.m. ($81.33 for adults). Fifth graders ride free with proof of school enrollment. Two adults eligible for half-price lift tickets after 10 a.m. if children ages 4-6 are enrolled in Powder Pups program.
Challenge level: Affordable learning area for beginners, not many groomed intermediate runs, lots of ungroomed expert and extreme terrain.
Adaptive program: Yes, through Move United
For family-friendly Indy Pass vibes: Mt. Hood Meadows
14040 Oregon Highway 35, Mount Hood, Ore.; 503-337-2222; skihood.com
The largest and most sprawling resort on the flanks of Mount Hood, Indy Pass affiliate Meadows may offer the most family-friendly amenities — like day care for children as young as 6 weeks old. A kindred spirit to Mt. Baker, with which it operates reciprocal season pass privileges, Mt. Hood Meadows is a funkier cousin to historical Timberline up the road. With a bit more skiable acres than Mission Ridge, there is room to roam. The new six-seater chairlift has also greatly improved lift lines out of the base area. Families with cross-country skiers in the crew will also appreciate the 15 kilometers of trails at the Meadows Nordic Center, plus easy access to an additional 24 kilometers of trails at Teacup Lake Sno-Park (separate trail pass).
- Distance from Seattle: 232 miles (approximately 4 hours)
- Lift tickets: $59-$164 for ages 25-64; $15 for ages 6 and under; $29-$89 for ages 7-14; $59-$154 for ages 15-24; $49-$119 for ages 65-74; free for ages 75-plus
- Vertical rise: 2,777 feet
- Skiable area: 2,150 acres
- Night skiing: Wednesday-Sunday from Dec. 19-Mar. 2, plus Dec. 30-31, Jan. 20, Feb. 17, and Mar. 7-9
Getting there: Highway 26 is a multilane state highway over a mountain pass susceptible to winter weather. Consult the Oregon Department of Transportation’s TripCheck website ( tripcheck.com ) before you go for chain requirements and traction tire advisories. Oregon Sno-Park permit required ($4 daily, $9 for three consecutive days).
Deals/special pricing: Lift tickets sold with variable start times (9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m.) — start later and save. Beginner tickets with limited lift access ($49-$109 for adults). $99 peak and $49 non-peak all-day lift tickets for certified ski and snowboard instructors, ski patrollers, and military.
Challenge level: A little bit of everything, with 10% beginner, 55% intermediate, 15% advanced and 20% expert.
Adaptive program: Yes, contact AdaptiveLessons@skihood.com
For Epic Pass powderhounds: Stevens Pass
Summit Stevens Pass, 93001 Highway 2, Skykomish; 206-812-4510; stevenspass.com
After encountering a few moguls since Vail Resorts acquired the lovably scruffy ski area in 2018, Stevens Pass has righted the ship. Seattle-area Epic passholders are now benefiting from multiple years of investment in upgraded chairlifts, which have eased notorious front-side lift lines, though the back side can clog up at the bottom of Jupiter Express and Southern Cross. A starting elevation of 4,000 feet combined with its mountain pass geography means snow stacks up big time. With limited parking available, plan to leave home early, especially on weekends and powder days, as lots often reach capacity. Cross-country skiers also love the Nordic Center. Stay in Leavenworth for a proper getaway. As the locals say: SPKA. Look it up.
- Distance from Seattle: 82 miles (approximately 1 hour 30 minutes)
- Lift tickets: $137-$187 for adults; $96-$131 for ages 7 to 12; $44 for ages 70-plus
- Vertical rise: 1,784 feet
- Skiable area: 1,125 acres
- Night skiing: Wednesday through Sunday, Dec. 18-Mar. 16
Getting there: Highway 2 is a sometimes multilane, sometimes two-lane state highway over a mountain pass that is susceptible to winter closures for avalanche control and spinouts. Carry chains — they can be required under penalty of fine. Check the Washington State Department of Transportation website ( wsdot.com ) before you go for chain requirements and traction tire advisories. Lots A, B, E and G require a reservation for parking before 10 a.m. on peak days (weekends plus Dec. 26-27, Jan. 1-3, Jan. 20 and Feb. 17). Parking in these lots is free for vehicles with four or more passengers, as well as one adult with two children; $20 for all other vehicles. Remaining lots are free and first-come, first-served. Resort runs free shuttle buses from satellite parking and Nordic Center to main base area.
Deals/special pricing: Kids 6 and under ski free. 50% off night skiing for college students with valid school ID on Thursdays from Jan. 19-Mar. 13. $103 for adults and $72 for ages 7 to 12 for military service members with current ID. Save up to 65% on lift tickets with Epic Day Pass (must have purchased by Dec. 2).
Challenge level: Over half of runs are intermediate. Limited beginner skiing on front side. About one-third advanced runs.
Adaptive program: Yes, through Outdoors for All Foundation
For Seattle’s backyard ski hill: The Summit at Snoqualmie / Alpental
1001 Highway 906, Snoqualmie Pass; 425-434-7669; summitatsnoqualmie.com
“Where Seattle learns to ski and snowboard” couldn’t be truer. An hour from the city with easy interstate access and abundant parking, The Summit at Snoqualmie began as a project of the Seattle municipal park board in 1934. More than eight decades later, Seattle skiers still carve their first turns along the gentle slopes at Summit West and graduate to the steep cliff runs that mark Alpental’s soon-to-be-upgraded Edelweiss (Chair 2). On busy days, lap the Silver Fir high-speed quad at Summit Central. In addition to a comprehensive ski school, The Summit earns its family-friendly chops with an extensive snow tubing center. The Nordic Center’s near 70 kilometers of trails are a hidden gem, while the country’s largest night skiing operation entices for post-work and school shred sessions. Just pack the Gore-Tex — at 3,000 feet, Snoqualmie is the lowest-elevation mountain pass in the Washington Cascades, which can mean rain here when there’s snow elsewhere.
- Distance from Seattle: 54 miles (approximately 1 hour)
- Lift tickets: $68-$135 for ages 13-61; $21-$25 for ages 6 and under; $53-$91 for ages 7 to 12; $58-$99 for ages 62-69; $28-$33 for ages 70-79
- Vertical rise: 2,280 feet
- Skiable area: 1,994 acres
- Night skiing: Monday through Saturday at Summit Central, Wednesday through Saturday at Summit West, and Thursday through Saturday at Alpental from Dec. 27-Mar. 1
Getting there: Interstate 90 is a multilane interstate highway over a mountain pass susceptible to winter closures for avalanche control and spinouts. Carry chains — they can be required under penalty of fine. Check the Washington State Department of Transportation website ( wsdot.com ) before you go for chain requirements and traction tire advisories. Resort runs free shuttle buses between base areas. Parking permits in effect through winter season. Daily permits are free for Summit season passholders, Flex Ticket Pack holders and tubing park ticket buyers; $5 for Ikon Pass and daily lift ticket buyers, $55 for all other visitors.
Deals/special pricing: “Worry-Free Winter Assurance” discounts the price of following season’s pass if resort opens less than 100 days this season. Flex Ticket Packs for 2, 3 or 4 days with holiday and weekend blackouts for $140-$309 depending on blackout dates and Alpental access. $30 night skiing on select Thursdays and $40 night skiing Presidents Day week. People 80 and older ski free.
Challenge level: Extensive beginner terrain at Summit West, good intermediate options at Summit Central and East, rowdy expert terrain at Alpental.
Adaptive program: Yes, through Outdoors for All Foundation
For the movie buff and summer ski obsessive: Timberline
27500 E. Timberline Road, Timberline Lodge, Ore.; 503-272-3311; timberlinelodge.com
Imposing Timberline Lodge is a Northwest architectural icon dating to the 1930s, instantly recognizable to anyone who has seen “The Shining.” Soak in that Hollywood history in the renovated pool and hot tub, reopened this season. The historical resort has other claims to fame, like the Palmer lift that stretches to 8,500 feet on Mount Hood, allowing for summer skiing on the Palmer Glacier. Come winter, the lift stays shuttered and access is by snowcat only. Overall the terrain is mellower than neighbors like Skibowl and Mount Hood Meadows. An easy day trip from Portland, but if you are looking for a snowy weekend getaway, there are lodging options in nearby Government Camp, the lodge itself and the coveted high-mountain rustic chic Silcox Hut.
- Distance from Seattle: 227 miles (approximately 4 hours)
- Lift tickets: $149 peak and $117 weekday for adults; free for ages 6 and under; $79 peak and $77 midweek for ages 7 to 14 and 65-plus; $123 peak and $104 midweek for ages 15 to 17
- Vertical rise: 4,540 feet
- Skiable area: 1,685 acres
- Night skiing: Dec. 20-Jan. 4 (excluding Dec. 24), plus Fridays and Saturdays through March 1
Getting there: Oregon Highway 26 is a multilane state highway over a mountain pass susceptible to winter weather. Consult the Oregon Department of Transportation’s TripCheck website ( tripcheck.com ) before you go for chain requirements and traction tire advisories. Oregon Sno-Park permit required ($4 daily, $9 for three consecutive days).
Deals/special pricing: Three days of lift tickets on Sundays through Fridays, not including holidays, for White Pass and Mission Ridge season pass holders through Powder Alliance program. Discounted afternoon tickets starting at 11:30 a.m.
Challenge level: Intermediate with more reliable options for powder skiers.
Adaptive program: No
For the ultimate winter vacationer: Whistler Blackcomb
4545 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, B.C.; 604-967-8950; whistlerblackcomb.com
Host of the 2010 Olympic alpine and nordic events, Whistler Blackcomb is the big kahuna of Pacific Northwest skiing, a true international destination resort. And if you’re a Stevens regular with an Epic Pass, you can ski there all you want. You’ll need the time — with a vertical mile from top to bottom, 200-plus trails and more skiable acres than all of the Washington Cascades ski areas combined, you can spend a week here and barely scratch the surface. That’s before you venture out for Olympic-class cross-country skiing or embark on a thrilling bobsled run. This season, you can also cheer on injured military athletes from around the world at the Invictus Games (Feb. 8-16, 2025).
The Resort Municipality of Whistler is no mere ski town; the entire place is laid out to encourage walking (or a short bus ride) from lodging to lift, a stroll through a wonderland village that people even come to with no intention of skiing — content to visit boutique shops, fine-dining restaurants, five-star hotels, cozy bars, bumping nightclubs, a movie theater or the outdoor ice rink. The outdoor Scandinavian day spa is also divine. Whistler has the crowds and costs to match these amenities, but everyone — from the nonskier to the wannabe extra in a Warren Miller movie — returns home happy. Pro tip: Don’t get discouraged by rain in the village. Stay dry in the gondola and know that means it’s snowing up high.
- Distance from Seattle: 218 miles (approximately 4 hours, border crossing can vary)
- Lift tickets: CA$241-$329 for adults; CA$120-$164 for ages 7 to 12; CA$233-$280 for ages 13 to 18; CA$217-$296 for ages 65-plus
- Vertical rise: 5,283 feet
- Skiable area: 8,171 acres
- Night skiing: No
Getting there: Must have proper ID to cross the U.S.-Canada border (passport, green card, NEXUS card, Washington Enhanced Driver’s License). M+S or winter tires required on Sea to Sky Highway under penalty of fine. Check DriveBC.ca before you go. Regular bus service to and from Vancouver International Airport and downtown, plus reliable free and paid local bus service throughout Whistler.
Deals/special pricing: Washington residents eligible for Edge Card offering discounted two-, five- and 10-day options. Save up to 65% on lift tickets with Epic Day Pass (must have purchased by Dec. 2).
Challenge level: Something for everyone — enormous learning area, endless groomed runs, huge terrain parks, ample glades, extreme alpine runs.
Adaptive program: Yes, through Whistler Adaptive Sports Program
Indy Pass action on the Cascade crest: White Pass Ski Area
48935 Highway 12, Naches, Yakima County; 509-672-3101; skiwhitepass.com
A sleeper ski area most popular with South Sound residents, White Pass nevertheless starts at 4,500 feet, higher even than Stevens Pass. Like Crystal, the resort boasts stunning panoramic views of Mount Rainier — in this case, of the mountain’s south side. A 2011 expansion (some 30 years in the making) has largely eliminated clogged lift lines, and an on-mountain yurt makes for a cozy midday cocoa or beer break. With a charming inn, tubing center, and a growing nordic center, White Pass is an overlooked overnight destination. Don’t miss the massive snow castle at the annual winter carnival (March 1-2, 2025).
- Distance from Seattle: 146 miles (approximately 3 hours)
- Lift tickets: $85-$95 for adults; free for ages 8 and under and ages 73-plus, plus $25 one-time season pass processing fee; $58-$66 for ages 9-16
- Vertical rise: 2,050 feet
- Skiable area: 1,400 acres
- Night skiing: Dec. 31, Jan. 25, Feb. 8 and Mar. 1
Getting there: Highway 12 is a multilane state highway over a mountain pass. Carry chains — they can be required under penalty of fine. Check the Washington State Department of Transportation website ( wsdot.com ) before you go for chain requirements and traction tire advisories.
Deals/special pricing: $40-$45 for beginner areas only, $30 for night skiing only. Discounts for active duty military.
Challenge level: A cruiser’s paradise with lots of intermediate runs, including mellow bowl skiing.
Adaptive program: No
