Industry News
The 2023/24 season is in full swing with many ski resorts already open across the United States with more resorts not far behind. Christmas is less than two weeks away and it is crunch time for ski resorts trying to open before the busy holiday week. Ski resorts in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Rockies, and Pacific Southwest regions all have ski resorts up and running this season.
The Pacific Northwest region is adding some big Washington ski resorts to the list of open ski areas this week with Stevens Pass, Mt. Baker, and The Summit at Snoqualmie announcing their opening days. Those three mountains are crowd favorites to the locals in Washington and also attract guests from all over the world.
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The Summit at Snoqualmie just received 12 inches of snow this week and Mother Nature is looking to add more snowpack this Saturday with another weather system moving into the area. The Summit at Snoqualmie is opened this Saturday, December 9, with limited operations at Summit West that are reserved for Summit pass holders, Ikon pass holders, and daily lesson guests. On Sunday, the mountain opened to everyone and announced that it is operating under thin coverage in some areas. This means that there is limited operations and terrain on opening weekend. The Summit at Snoqualmie is running Pacific Crest, Little Thunder, Julies, Dodge Ridge, and Upper Magic Carpet with Wildside being decided as the week progresses.
New this season to The Summit at Snoqualmie is the new Sessel triple chairlift which will be extended to allow better access to intermediate terrain and faster access to the new International Chair. Phase one of the International Chair began this past May and is focused on earthwork and tower footings in preparation for the installation of the new lift next summer.
Stevens Pass had to delay its initial opening date due to warm weather and rain and was able to open on Tuesday, December 12. The lifts started spinning at 9 am with the Daisy, Brooks, and Skyline lifts shuttling guests up the mountain for their first runs at Stevens Pass of the season. The ski resort announced on its website that guests should expect early season conditions, to open additional terrain as conditions allow.
“Our team was ready to open on our target date of December 1, but Mother Nature is in charge, and we needed to be patient,” said Ellen Galbraith, VP & GM of Stevens Pass. “Thankfully the wait is over, and it’s time to get outside to ski and ride. I’m incredibly grateful for our team, and we’re all excited to welcome our community back to kick off the season this Tuesday.”
New this season at Stevens Pass is the Kehr’s Chair has been upgraded from a two-person fixed-grip to a four-person lift which will improve out-of-base capacity. New parking programs are also new this season with Lots A and G being reserved for those who carpool with four or more occupants only. It is geared towards mitigating congestion during peak days like weekends, holidays, and powder days. For more details on parking at Steven Pass this season visit the Getting Here & Parking’ page on its website. The My Epic app with Mobile Pass and Mobile Lift Tickets is also now available to download. This allows guests to use their phone as their ticket to the slopes.
Mt. Baker announced it is going to open on Wednesday, December 13, for Mt. Baker season passholders only and is opening to the public on Thursday, December 14. There will be six chairlifts open and the ski resort is reminding guests that it is early season ski conditions and to be prepared for limited terrain. Mt. Baker is known for its legendary snowpack and received 17 inches of snow over the weekend, making the 2023/24 opening day possible. For the latest updates, check Mt. Baker’s snow report.
