As the cold months of the year begin to arrive, it can only mean one thing: ski season is on the way. For many people all around North America, the coldest time of the year is also the best, opening up all kinds of exciting opportunities for skiing, snowboarding, sledding, snow tubing, and dozens more winter activities.
1. Stevens Pass Mountain Resort
The city of Seattle is well-placed for skiing enthusiasts, with multiple world class ski resorts and areas within two or three hours of the city limits. Whether you prefer to do your skiing on the east or west side of the Cascade mountains, you’ll find plenty of super skiing opportunities near Seattle. Let’s take a closer look at some addresses, contact details, and brief summaries of the top skiing spots within relatively short distances of the Emerald City.
Over 1,000 acres of skiable ground are waiting to greet you at Stevens Pass, which is one of the most popular and fully-featured ski resorts in the Seattle area. With over three dozen different runs and a large terrain park for free-form skiing and snowboarding, there's a lot to love at Stevens Pass. Night skiing is also available at this location, and it's just a two-hour drive outside of downtown Seattle. The local village of Leavenworth provides a warm Bavarian-style welcome to all visitors, with plenty of good quality bars and eateries, as well as accommodation to be found around the pass.
US-2, Skykomish, WA 98288, Phone: 206-812-4510
2. The Summit at Snoqualmie
If convenience is what you want, Snoqualmie Pass is the right option for you. This is the closest ski resort to the city of Seattle, being barely half an hour outside of the city. With almost 2,000 skiable acres on the resort, spread out across four different mountain areas and featuring 26 lifts, there's a lot of action to enjoy at Snoqualmie Pass. The surrounding views are simply magnificent at this location and skiers can enjoy over 60 runs, with more than 40% of them being classified in the black or advanced category.
1001 WA-906, Snoqualmie, WA 98068, Phone: 425-434-7669
3. 49 Degrees North Ski Area
It's quite a drive outside of Seattle, but it's more than worth it if you want to test your skills against some of the trickiest runs in the state. 49 Degrees North offers more than 2,300 acres of skiable land and over 80 runs, with a lot of rough terrain and tricky courses to overcome. This location is about a four to five hour drive outside of Seattle and is strongly recommended to advanced skiers in search of black diamond runs.More ideas: Weekend Getaways from Seattle
3311 Flowery Trail Rd, Chewelah, WA 99109, Phone: 509-935-6649
4. Crystal Mountain
Located among the Cascade Range of Washington State, about a two-hour drive out of Seattle, Crystal Mountain is another of the area's top skiing destinations. It's the biggest ski resort in all of Washington and very easy to access from Seattle. This ski resort features over 2,000 acres of skiable land with a sizeable terrain park and 57 individual runs. A few runs are classed in the 'easy' range, but most of them are intermediate and advanced, best-suited for skiers with some experience behind them. Many Seattle residents flock to Crystal Mountain each year and it's definitely one of the best-rated locations in the area.
33914 Crystal Mountain Blvd. Enumclaw, WA 98022, Phone: 360-663-3050
5. Mt Baker Ski Area
One of the most famous mountains in the state, Mt Baker is situated just a short drive away from the Canadian border and is well-known for being the spot with some of the highest snowfall on the entire planet. Annual snowboarding and skiing events are held at Mt Baker each year and it's just a two and a half hour drive out of Seattle. The ski area has 1,000 acres of skiable land and 31 runs, with a nice mixture of easy, intermediate, and advanced options to suit visitors of all ability levels. More ideas: Day Trips from Seattle
Mt Baker Hwy, Deming, WA 98244, Phone: 360-734-6771
6. Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park
It's a long drive from Seattle, but Mt Spokane is a super spot for a long weekend of skiing and snowboarding. This resort has over 1,400 acres of skiable ground and 45 runs in total, with a diverse array of greens, blues, and blacks. Five ski lifts are in operation and there's a vertical drop of over 2,000 feet at this resort, with some really fun and thrilling ski runs to try out. More romantic getaways from Seattle.
29500 N Mt Spokane Park Dr, Mead, WA 99021, Phone: 509-238-2200
7. Hurricane Ridge Ski Area
In the Olympic National Park lies the Hurricane Ridge Ski Area, an incredible outdoor adventure area that is conveniently located an easy drive south of Port Angeles. Though relatively smaller compared to other skiing and snowboarding areas, the Hurricane Ridge Ski Area is a family-oriented establishment that has an elevation of 5,240 feet as well as an annual snowfall of over 400 inches. Skiing and snowboarding here is a ton of fun and also offers lovely views of the Pacific Northwest’s mountains and nature. Other activities and attractions to enjoy at Hurricane Ridge Ski Area include Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, and sledding. Hurricane Ridge also has a winter sports school that is great for beginners.
424 E 1st Street #3049, Port Angeles, Washington 98362, Phone: 848-667-7669
The 7 Best Ski Resorts Near Seattle near me today according to local experts are:
- 1. Stevens Pass Mountain Resort
- 2. The Summit at Snoqualmie
- 3. 49 Degrees North Ski Area
- 4. Crystal Mountain
- 5. Mt Baker Ski Area
- 6. Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park
- 7. Hurricane Ridge Ski Area
