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    British Columbia, Canada

    Mount Washington

    648 hectares, 82 runs near Courtenay. Vancouver Island's largest ski resort, ocean views, substantial snowfall.

    Season 2025 - 2026
    Opens
    12 Dec 2025
    Closes
    5 Apr 2026
    Days open
    114
    Annual snow
    10m
    The Overview
    MF
    Michael Fulton
    Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.

    Mount Washington's summit reaches 1,558 metres, dropping 453 vertical metres to a base at 1,105 metres across 82 runs spread over roughly 648 hectares near Courtenay, British Columbia. Terrain splits 43 per cent intermediate, 22 per cent each for advanced and expert, and 13 per cent beginner, with average annual snowfall of roughly 10.0 metres. Ten lifts, including three quad chairs and one six-person chair, serve the mountain alongside one triple chair and five surface lifts.

    Mount Washington holds the distinction of being Vancouver Island's largest ski resort, one of the first master-planned mountain resorts developed in British Columbia. Its considerable snowfall for a comparatively low-elevation coastal mountain, combined with genuine ocean views from the upper slopes, has built the resort's reputation as Vancouver Island's primary winter destination.

    Campbell River businessman Alex Linton, an avid skier, was struck by Mount Washington's height and snowpack in 1975, and together with fellow businessman Henry Norie began developing the idea into a resort. Construction commenced in 1977, and Mount Washington Alpine Resort opened in 1979 as one of British Columbia's first purpose-planned mountain resort developments.

    The resort moved into its current ownership generation with Pacific Group Resorts in 2015. Mount Washington's exact current pass affiliation is not confirmed in available resort information. Adult daily tickets run from 89 to 105 Canadian dollars, with a separate Family Friday Night ticket available at 25 Canadian dollars.

    453m
    Vertical
    82
    Runs
    1,601 acres
    Skiable
    10m
    Annual snow
    The Terrain

    82 runs across 1,601 acres skiable

    Mount Washington spreads 82 runs across 1,601 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 43%, with 11 beginner runs to find your feet and 36 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.

    Terrain split
    82
    runs
    82 runs across 4 grades
    Beginner11 runs · 13%
    Intermediate35 runs · 43%
    Advanced18 runs · 22%
    Expert18 runs · 22%
    Time it right

    When to visit Mount Washington

    The 2025-26 season at Mount Washington ran from 12 December 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly sixteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 10.0 metres. This considerable snowfall for a coastal, comparatively low-elevation mountain reflects Vancouver Island's exposure to Pacific storm systems.

    Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent, substantial snowfall to Mount Washington's varied terrain. As Vancouver Island's largest ski resort, Mount Washington draws considerable visitation from across the island, including Victoria and Nanaimo, alongside destination travellers.

    Mount Washington's Family Friday Night ticket programme continues to draw strong evening visitation from local Comox Valley families throughout the season. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given the resort's approachable terrain mix and considerable scale.

    Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Pacific Group Resorts' 2015 acquisition, Mount Washington has continued building on more than four decades of history since its 1979 founding by Henry Norie and Alex Linton. The resort's status as Vancouver Island's largest ski area remains central to its enduring popularity.

    Season 2025 - 2026
    12 Dec 2025
    Opens
    5 Apr 2026
    Closes
    114
    Days open
    10 m
    Annual snow
    Getting there

    Getting to Mount Washington, and where to stay

    Mount Washington sits near Courtenay, British Columbia, in the Comox Valley area of Vancouver Island, with a base elevation of 1,105 metres and a summit at 1,558 metres across a 453-metre vertical drop over roughly 648 hectares. This setting places the resort mid-island, with genuine ocean views from the upper slopes.

    Courtenay and the broader Comox Valley offer extensive lodging, dining and services within a manageable drive of the resort, providing Mount Washington's primary local visitor base.

    Strathcona Parkway provides direct access to the resort from Courtenay. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice at higher elevations, though the well-travelled road is regularly maintained given the resort's status as Vancouver Island's largest ski area.

    Comox Valley Airport, roughly a 30-minute drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying directly to the region, with Mount Washington's considerable island-wide draw supporting visitation from Victoria, Nanaimo and communities across Vancouver Island.

    Where to stay

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    Hotels and lodges near Mount Washington, powered by Stay22.

    Latest News

    From the SnowStash desk

    View all news →
    Arosa to Replace 40-Year-Old Hörnli Lifts With New Gondola and Chair

    Arosa to Replace 40-Year-Old Hörnli Lifts With New Gondola and Chair

    Arosa's Hörnli sector is getting its biggest overhaul in decades. The 1986 gondola and 1994 chairlift linking toward Lenzerheide are both being replaced, with capacity up, tower count down and a new base station lower on the hill. At roughly CHF 67 million, it is the largest single investment Arosa Bergbahnen has ever made - and the target opening has already slipped a year, to December 2028. Here is what is changing, and why the timeline moved.

    20 Aug 2026
    Sundance Mountain Resort Is Getting a New High-Speed Quad and More Back Mountain Terrain This Winter

    Sundance Mountain Resort Is Getting a New High-Speed Quad and More Back Mountain Terrain This Winter

    Sundance Mountain Resort's back mountain is finally getting a proper lift. The Electric Horseman Express opens for 2026-27, unlocking a new bowl next to Bishop's Bowl and three expert gladed chutes across roughly 105 fresh acres - on top of the Storyteller ridge run that debuted in preview form last season. It's Sundance's biggest expansion since 1985, and it turns a three-lift slog into a single six-minute ride to Bearclaw Summit.

    19 Aug 2026
    Levi and Ruka Confirm October 2 Opening on Farmed Summer Snow

    Levi and Ruka Confirm October 2 Opening on Farmed Summer Snow

    Finland's Levi and Ruka open for the 2026-27 season on October 2, more than seven weeks before most of Europe sees a lift turn. Neither resort is waiting on autumn snowfall - both are skiing on snow buried since last spring, insulated through the Finnish summer and dug back out for opening day. It is not a shortcut. It is a decades-old system now spreading from the Arctic Circle to Idaho, Utah, Vermont and Colorado. Here is how snow farming actually works, and why it is catching on.

    19 Aug 2026
    Nassfeld Invests €13 Million in New 6-Seater Chairlift for 2026/27 Season

    Nassfeld Invests €13 Million in New 6-Seater Chairlift for 2026/27 Season

    Nassfeld is putting €13 million into a new 6-seater chairlift, the Tressdorfer Almbahn, connecting Sonnleitn with the Tressdorfer Alm from December 2026. It replaces three ageing drag lifts and will run through summer too, from June 2027, moving up to 2,500 people an hour on the roughly three-minute ride. It's the latest step in Carinthia's largest ski resort building out a genuine year-round offering, following last year's Gartnerkofelbahn gondola.

    17 Aug 2026
    Stelvio Glacier Suspends Summer Skiing, Leaving Continental Europe Without a Lift-Served Slope

    Stelvio Glacier Suspends Summer Skiing, Leaving Continental Europe Without a Lift-Served Slope

    Italy's Stelvio Glacier has pulled the plug on summer skiing from August 15. It was the last lift-served ski option left standing in continental Europe, and now there's none. Operator SIFAS pointed to persistent heat, storms, and a snowpack that simply wasn't refreezing overnight anymore. The cable car keeps running. Whether skiing comes back later this summer depends on the weather turning - and right now, nobody's promising anything.

    15 Aug 2026
    Maverick Mountain's Only Chairlift Destroyed as Sand Creek Fire Tears Through Montana Ski Area

    Maverick Mountain's Only Chairlift Destroyed as Sand Creek Fire Tears Through Montana Ski Area

    Firefighters saved every base building at Maverick Mountain, Montana, but the resort's sole chairlift didn't survive the Sand Creek Fire. Owners Erik and Kristi Borge say the lift is "most likely" out for the 2026/27 season after flames tore through the mountain on August 8. The wildfire has since grown past 27,700 acres with zero percent containment. It's a gutting result for the tiny, one-lift operation near Dillon - though the lodge, groomers and equipment all made it through untouched.

    15 Aug 2026
    Fairmont Niseko: New Luxury Resort Revives Stalled La Plume Site for Early 2028 Opening

    Fairmont Niseko: New Luxury Resort Revives Stalled La Plume Site for Early 2028 Opening

    Fairmont is bringing its second Japanese property to Niseko, and this one's got history. The 165-room resort will rise on the site of the stalled La Plume project, which collapsed into bankruptcy in 2025 before J-Will Partners bought the site for redevelopment. Set between Mount Yotei and Mount Annupuri, it's slated for an early 2028 opening - putting it in play for the 2027/28 season. Expect two restaurants, a spa, onsen bathing, and a kids' club, a short drive from Niseko Village and Hirafu.

    12 Aug 2026
    Saas-Fee Closes Its Glacier to Summer Skiing as Heat Wave Drags On

    Saas-Fee Closes Its Glacier to Summer Skiing as Heat Wave Drags On

    Saas-Fee is closing its glacier to summer skiing from Monday, August 10 - the second major Swiss resort to shut in under two weeks after Zermatt suspended operations on August 1. Persistent heat and warm nights that won't let the glacier refreeze are behind the call, per Saastal Bergbahnen. That leaves Italy's Stelvio as the only glacier ski area open in the Alps. Reopening could come as early as August 17, though nothing's confirmed - and racing teams are already looking south instead.

    8 Aug 2026

    Lift tickets

    6 pass options
    Buy passes ↗

    Single-day passes

    Adult 19–64

    Adult Full Day Lift Ticket

    CA$89up to CA$105 peak

    Full day skiing at Mount Washington Alpine Resort, Vancouver Island's largest ski resort with 82 trails and 10 lifts. Save $5 by purchasing in advance online. Experience over 11 meters of annual snowfall across 1,601 acres of varied alpine terrain.

    Buy pass
    Senior 65–99

    Senior Full Day Lift Ticket

    CA$75up to CA$89 peak

    Discounted full day skiing for seniors 65+ at Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Enjoy spectacular ocean and mountain views from Vancouver Island's premier resort. Mount Washington receives some of the biggest snowfalls in North America.

    Buy pass
    Youth 13–18

    Youth Full Day Lift Ticket

    CA$75up to CA$89 peak

    Youth lift tickets for ages 13-18 at Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Perfect for teenage skiers exploring diverse terrain from gentle cruisers to challenging expert runs. Great terrain parks and 505 meters of vertical drop.

    Buy pass
    Child 6–12

    Child Full Day Lift Ticket

    CA$59up to CA$75 peak

    Children's skiing at Mount Washington Alpine Resort for ages 6-12. Kids enjoy excellent beginner terrain and comprehensive ski school programs. Vancouver Island's premier family-friendly mountain experience with Bears Den Daycare available.

    Buy pass

    Half-day passes

    Adult 19–64

    Family Friday Night Ticket

    CA$25

    Special Family Friday night skiing at Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Child lift tickets just $5, youth $15, adult $25. Every Friday night from December 20th. Includes family-oriented events and dinner specials at Ted's restaurant.

    Buy pass

    Multi-day passes

    Adult 19–64

    6IXPAK Tickets

    CA$539

    Pack of 6 deeply discounted lift tickets plus 1 FREE bonus April ticket at Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Save 25% compared to single-day rates. Use any day throughout the season with no blackout dates. Perfect for sharing with friends and family.

    Buy pass

    Mount Washington lift tickets & passes

    The 2025 - 2026 season at Mount Washington closed on Apr 5, 2026. Check back for next season's opening date and ticket pricing.

    Day passes start from CA$25, with peak rates up to CA$105.

    Lift tickets FAQ

    How much does a Mount Washington day pass cost?+
    Mount Washington day passes range from CA$25 to CA$105 depending on the date and advance booking.
    Can I buy Mount Washington lift tickets online?+
    Yes, you can purchase tickets directly from the resort website or at the resort ticket office.
    Are there discounts for multi-day passes?+
    Yes, multi-day packages typically offer significant savings compared to individual day passes. The per-day cost decreases with longer stays.
    What is included with a Mount Washington lift ticket?+
    Full access to all lifts and trails at Mount Washington, including mountain safety and patrol services.
    What is the difference between Mount Washington lift tickets and ski passes?+
    "Lift tickets" and "ski passes" refer to the same thing at Mount Washington - your access to the mountain's lifts and trails for your chosen duration.
    When should I buy Mount Washington lift tickets for the best price?+
    Purchase tickets at least 7 days in advance for the best rates, and consider weekday visits for further savings over weekend rates.
    Does Mount Washington offer group discounts on lift tickets?+
    Group discounts are typically available for parties of 10 or more. Contact Mount Washington directly for group booking information and rates.
    How can I check current conditions before buying tickets?+
    Before purchasing, check the live snow report and mountain webcams to see current weather, snow conditions, and lift operations at Mount Washington.

    More Mount Washington intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.