Here is a list of great places to hit the slopes this winter, compiled by JACK’s Lauren Rice:
Whistler, BC
Many people know Whistler from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. The resort is constantly ranked one of the top ski resorts which is no surprise with the amount of terrain, the quality of the snow and the convenience, Whistler Blackcomb truly takes the number one spot. With not one but two mountains, Whistler is the largest ski area in North America, totaling in at over 8,000 skiable acres and over 5,000 vertical feet, your skis or board will be very happy. You never have to ski the same run twice in one day and with the addition of the peak-to-peak gondola, you can even ski two mountains in one day. Whistler village lies at the base of both mountains, which means the gondolas are only a couple minutes from where ever you stay. The village also has a very active nightlife and apres ski scene, check out the coldest ice bar in the world for a fun time with friends. And with only a 4 hour drive, Whistler is not that far away from Seattle. Plus the drive up the Sea-to-Sky Highway is gorgeous. It is no surprise that Whistler has become quite a popular place for many residents. Some of the worlds best skiing in the world is right in our backyard. Also another perk we get to enjoy along with residents of British Columbia, the edge card, which lets you pre-load the days you want to ski and gives you discounted tickets through out the season.
Sun Valley, ID
Sun Valley is bit further than Whistler, more than double the drive time at a 10 hour drive, or you can always find flights through Alaska Air. Sun Valley is located in Blaine County right next to Ketchum, ID. Although it is a bit of a drive, it is still popular with the Seattlellites, we even have a lodge named after us. Located in a far more desert like climate, the resort is known for its sunny days and that dry sugar snow. Sun Valley is truly a world class resort, all the lodges are luxurious, even the one on the bunny hill. Enjoy the amazing views and delicious food at Seattle Ridge Lodge. The resort oozes history, it has attracted the Hollywood elite over the years and Warren Miller started filming his movies their in 1946. Don’t be surprised if you see the Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, skiing down Bald Mountain. Sun Valley even stars in its own movie, “It Happened in Sun Valley.” The resort is a bit more spread out than Whistler, if you are in the village the mountains are free bus ride away. If you prefer to be near the action, stay in downtown Ketchum located right at the base of Bald Mountain. The Sun Valley Resort also has two mountains, Dollar Mountain which is geared towards beginners and the main mountain, Bald Mountain. Parents can leave their kids in the hands of world class instructors at the Sun Valley Ski School on Dollar for the day, while they are free to ski Bald Mountain, making it a perfect family destination. In my opinion this resort is especially worth a trip during the Holiday season.
Crystal Mountain
Enumclaw, WA
Crystal Mountain is the largest ski resort in Washington with 2,600 acres and just over 50 named runs. The Resort is located in Mount-baker Snoqualmie National Forest, making it super accessible for Seattlites at just under a 2 hour drive. The recent addition of the Mount Rainier Gondola takes you straight to the the base area to the summit. The resort has some world class lodges, like The Summit house on top that serves up some delicious northwest cuisine, along with excellent views. There is also a wide variety of runs for beginners and experts alike, although the mountain has no terrain park but you can always head for the natural hits. Of course you can expect your typical Pacific Northwest weather, but on a nice day you get a great view of Mount Rainier. With how close it is to Seattle it is very to easy to plan a weekend trip with many lodging options nearby.
Mt. Bachelor
Bend, Or
How Pacific Northwest can you get than by skiing a volcano? Mt. Bachelor is located in Central Oregon, just west of Bend. Mt. Bachelor is the largest ski area in Oregon and the 2nd largest single mountain resort in the US with 3,683 skiable acres, right behind Vail, CO. The mountain also offers one of the nation’s longest ski seasons, from mid-November through end of May. Of course with the resort being built on top of a Volcano you an expect some steep terrain and Mt. Bachelor has a 3,365′ vertical drop. The resort is also right next to Bend, which happens to boast a large amount of craft breweries. Hit up Deschutes after a day of skiing for an elk burger and one of their seasonal beers.
Alpental Summit
Snoqualmie, WA
If there is one thing I have heard about Alpental, is that the first rule of Alpental is that you don’t talk about Alpental. The area is truly our little secret here in the Pacific Northwest. Alpental is one of the 4 ski areas at Summit Central and is known for being one of the more challenging ski areas, with a 2,280′ vertical drop compared to the 765′ at Summit West . If you are beginner stick to Summit West or Central. Alpental also lies at a higher elevation than the rest of the areas at Summit Central and is known for having some of the best powder days with 400ins average year, this place is a back country skier’s paradise. The expert run, International, is well-known among skiers of the Pacific Northwest and has even been nicknamed, Nash. If you do plan on skiing Alpental, make sure to take some backcounty courses first and ski with your buddies, Alpental is prone to the occasional avalanche.
Unfortunately being at a low elevation Alpental has seen a slow start these past two winters. It has yet to open up for the season, which is just a waste of space if you ask me. Hopefully if we all do snow dances maybe we’ll see it open up in 2015.
Mt. Hood
Hood, OR
If there is any mountain that our neighbors to the south in Portland frequent it is, Mt. Hood. About a 2 hour drive from Portland, Mt. Hood is home to two ski areas, Timberline on the Southside and Mt. Hood Meadows on the East Side.
Timberline is a bit smaller with 1,430 acres of skiable terrain. It is one of the only ski areas where most of the skiable terrain is below the lodge and the only area in North America to offer year round skiing. The Palmer lift, which is only open for summer skiing due to conditions during the winter, takes riders up to 8,500 feet to ski the Palmer glacier. Ski hours during the summer are from 7am-1:30pm, you can ski during the morning then by the afternoon be enjoy the hot tub and some beers.
Much like Alpental, Portlanders love to keep Mt. Hood Meadows to themselves. Which is no surprise when the place gets pounded by 400ins of snow average each year and features many high speed cruisers, perfect for the intermediate to beginner skiers. If you like the back country, then venture on over to Heather Canyon which is for experts only.
Mission Ridge
Wenatchee, WA
Being about a 3 hour drive from Seattle, Mission Ridge lies on the dryer, storm-protected side of the Cascades. This could only means one thing, many sunny days. The area also gets that lighter, fluffier, dryer snow much like Sun Valley, ID. If don’t like that wet, Pacific Northwest snow we tend to get then a trip to Mission Ridge is a great alternative. The area is bit to far for a day trip, but the city of Wenatchee is a 30 minute drive away and and has many lodging options. The area as over 2,000 acres of skiable terrain, some amazing views of the Wenatchee Valley and has a nice vertical drop. The place is great for all levels, but especially intermediate level with a large amount of blue runs, it is very easy for anyone to ski down from the top and see those gorgeous views.
Steven’s Pass
Skykomish, WA
Steven’s Pass is probably the most popular day trip destination for those in the Seattle area. Steven’s Pass sits at bit of a higher elevation than Snoqualmie and sits on a crest in the Cascade range, where they receive much more snowfall and less rain. With the cool air that drifts in from the eastern slope, the snow stays relatively dry. Although it is quite small compared to some ski areas on this list, at 1, 125 skiable acres, it still has 37 major runs along with numerous bowls, glades and faces to explore. You can take the Tye Mill chair to go explore the backside of Steven’s. If you brave enough take the 7th Heaven chair up to the peak, where the first turn off of the lift is just a bit heart stopping. Parking can be a mess up at Steven’s, so plan on getting there early. Try taking the Steven’s Pass Shuttle up to the area, which has multiple pick up locations around Seattle and runs daily. The shuttles are great, you get to sit and enjoy the nice drive. It also gets you to the area super early so you can enjoy getting the first turns in on those freshies!
Mt. Baker
Bellingham, WA
No you don’t actually ski Mt. Baker, but you do get some terrific views of its peak. Mt. Baker ski area is known for getting the most snow fall out all the Washington State ski areas, the average snow fall is around 701 inches. Although these past two season’s have been off to a slow start, Mt. baker still has been getting the most snow out of all the Washington ski areas/ With 1,000 skiable acres it is a small ski area, but the ticket prices are great and the lines are non-existent. There is still a lot to explore, Mt. Baker has some excellent backckountry skiing (that is if you are backcountry savvy) and epic powder days. Although with how small it is and how close it is to Canada, my mom recommends you might as well just drive up to Whistler if you are already that far. If you want to head on up to Mt. Baker you can always rent cabins in Glacier for the nights or stay in Nearby Bellingham.
Big White
Kelowana, BC
It is a bit more than a 6 hour drive to Big White or just a 1 hour plane ride away from Seattle. The resort is located in the interior of British Columbia in Kelowana and is definitely worth the trip up especially for the family. As they say at Big White, “It’s the Snow.” They get 300 inches of the dry, fluffy powder annually and are famous for the “snow ghosts,” the snow caked trees on the mountain. Big White is also Canada’s largest ski-in ski-out resort village, no matter what your budget is you can find a place. There are always fun family activities happening everyday in the village, making it a great place to bring the kiddos. With a great mix of beginner through expert runs from the top all the way to the base, there are 118 runs and 5 bowls so you will be sure to find your way down the mountain. The base of the mountain is at 4, 948 feet so you can expect so great views and snow days. Fair warning though, especially if you plan on going up for your first time, if there is one thing Big White is known for more than its snow, its the fog. It even takes its name from its famous foggy days. Always ski with a buddy, especially if you are unfamiliar with the area in case the famous fog rolls in.