Mt Spokane
1,704 acres, 55 runs inside Mount Spokane State Park. Home of the world's first double chairlift.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
6 Dec 2025
Closes
5 Apr 2026
Days open
120
Annual snow
19ft
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Mt Spokane's summit reaches 5,889 feet, dropping 1,690 vertical feet to a base at 4,199 feet across 55 runs spread over 1,704 acres within Mount Spokane State Park, Washington. Terrain splits 42 per cent advanced, 33 per cent intermediate, 22 per cent beginner and 3 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 230 inches. The resort operates independently without major multi-resort pass affiliation. Seven lifts, including five double chairs and one quad chair, serve the mountain alongside one surface lift.
Mt Spokane sits within Washington's largest state park, a distinction that shapes both its operations and its identity as Spokane's hometown mountain. The ski area carries a genuine claim to lift history: a Riblet Tramway Company installation using a converted mining ore tramway in 1946 is cited as the birthplace of the world's first double chairlift. Extensive night skiing across the mountain's five distinct terrain areas remains central to its appeal for the nearby Spokane population.
The mountain, previously known as Mount Baldy and Mount Carlton, took its current name in 1912 after businessman Francis H. Cook purchased the summit in 1909 and began building a road to the top. Mount Spokane State Park was officially dedicated in 1927 with 1,500 acres, becoming the first state park established east of the Cascades. The Spokane Ski Club formed in December 1931 under the leadership of Cheney Cowles, building a log clubhouse and installing rope tows, jump hills and night-skiing lights.
Through the 1930s, the Spokane Ski Club, the Selkirk Ski Club and the Spokane Mountaineers together purchased more than 500 acres for lodges, tows and jump hills, while a Civilian Conservation Corps camp established in 1934 built trails, shelters and roads. The historic Vista House, built from native granite as an emergency relief project in 1933, still stands at the summit today. Adult daily tickets run from 55 to 75 US dollars, with a season pass at 479 dollars.
1,690ft
Vertical
55
Runs
1,704 acres
Skiable
19ft
Annual snow
The Terrain
55 runs across 1,704 acres skiable
Mt Spokane spreads 55 runs across 1,704 acres skiable of terrain. It leans advanced at 42%, with 12 beginner runs to find your feet and 25 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
55
runs
55 runs across 4 grades
Beginner12 runs · 22%
Intermediate18 runs · 33%
Advanced23 runs · 42%
Expert2 runs · 3%
Time it right
When to visit Mt Spokane
The 2025-26 season at Mt Spokane ran from 6 December 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly seventeen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 230 inches. This snowfall total supports reliable conditions across the mountain's five distinct terrain areas throughout the season. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to the mountain's advanced-weighted terrain. Night skiing is a defining seasonal feature, extending the useful ski day for Spokane-area residents well beyond daylight hours, consistent with the mountain's identity as the city's hometown ski area. Weekday evenings see strong local demand alongside typical weekend patterns.
As an independently operated resort without major pass affiliation, Mt Spokane draws primarily from the Spokane metropolitan area and the broader Inland Northwest rather than national destination traffic. School holiday periods bring increased family visitation given the resort's substantial beginner and intermediate terrain. The mountain's setting within Washington's largest state park adds a distinct four-season recreational dimension beyond winter skiing alone.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations and night skiing is not confirmed in available resort information. The historic Vista House, built in 1933, remains a fixture at the summit throughout the season, connecting today's skiers to the mountain's Depression-era development. Mt Spokane's century-long history as a community-built ski area continues to shape its accessible, locally focused character each winter.
Season 2025 - 2026
6 Dec 2025
Opens
5 Apr 2026
Closes
120
Days open
19 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Mt Spokane, and where to stay
Mt Spokane sits within Mount Spokane State Park in eastern Washington, with a base elevation of 4,199 feet and a summit at 5,889 feet across a 1,690-foot vertical drop over 1,704 acres of skiable terrain within the park's much larger overall footprint. This makes the resort one of relatively few US ski areas operating inside a state park rather than on Forest Service or private land.
Spokane, Washington's second-largest city, lies a short drive from the mountain and provides the resort's primary lodging, dining and visitor base, with the ski area functioning as the city's genuine local mountain. The broader Selkirk Mountains region offers additional recreation within the state park beyond winter sports, including extensive summer hiking and mountain biking.
Local roads connect Spokane directly to Mount Spokane State Park, with the drive typically taking under an hour depending on the starting point within the metropolitan area. Winter driving conditions on the approach can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled route reflects the mountain's role as Spokane's primary local ski destination. There is no direct public transport service to the resort.
Spokane International Airport is the nearest airport with substantial commercial service, making Mt Spokane one of the more accessible ski areas covered here for fly-in visitors. Most visitors, however, are Spokane-area locals driving up for day trips or evening night-skiing sessions rather than fly-in destination travellers.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Mt Spokane, powered by Stay22.
Good to know
Frequently asked
When is Mt Spokane's ski season?
Mt Spokane's 2025 - 2026 season typically runs from December 6 through April 5. That window is roughly 120 calendar days, though daily operations depend on snow cover, weather, and lift maintenance.
Resorts in Washington, Usa often announce firm dates closer to winter; check the live snow report before you travel if you are planning around opening weekend or spring closure.
How much skiable terrain does Mt Spokane have?
Mt Spokane lists about 1,704 acres skiable of marked terrain spread across 55 named runs (690 hectares alongside 1,704 acres skiable). That footprint is what most riders experience on a lift-served day. Side-country or hike-to terrain may sit outside these published numbers.
Use the trail map to see how the mountain is laid out and where the longest fall-line runs connect back to base.
What is the terrain like at Mt Spokane?
Trail grading at Mt Spokane breaks down roughly as 22% beginner, 33% intermediate, 42% advanced, 3% expert. The advanced and expert share is substantial, so confident skiers and riders will find plenty of steeper fall-line options once they leave the nursery slopes.
Percentages describe the resort's published piste mix, not vertical feet. A mountain with modest "expert" stats can still feel demanding if the steep terrain is long or exposed. Read the trail map alongside these numbers when planning your route.
How many lifts does Mt Spokane have?
Mt Spokane operates 7 lifts across 3 lift types. The fleet includes 5 double chairs, 1 quad chair, and 1 surface lift.
Lift mix affects how quickly you can lap your favourite zones. Gondolas and trams move big crowds to mid-mountain, while shorter chairs and surface lifts often serve learning areas or local pods. Check the live snow report on ski days for real-time open/closed status.
What is the elevation and vertical drop at Mt Spokane?
Base elevation at Mt Spokane is about 4,199 ft (1,280 m), with the summit around 5,889 ft (1,795 m), giving roughly 1,690 ft (515 m) of vertical from base to top.
Higher start heights usually mean colder, drier snow holding longer into spring, but also thinner air and faster weather changes. Pack layers if you are riding from village level to summit lifts in one day.
How much snow does Mt Spokane get each season?
Mt Spokane averages about 230 inches (584 cm) of natural snowfall per season. That is a long-term climate figure. Any single winter can run well above or below it depending on storm track and temperature.
For trip planning, pair this baseline with the live snow report and webcams: fresh cycles show up in overnight totals and summit cameras long before season averages tell you much about today's surface.
Where can I buy Mt Spokane lift tickets and how much do they cost?
Published single-day adult pricing on SnowStash currently spans US$35 to US$75, depending on date band and whether you are buying peak or regular windows. Multi-day products (multi-day passes, season passes) usually lower the per-day cost if you are staying several days. Tickets can be bought online through the resort's official checkout (linked from our lift tickets page) or at on-mountain ticket windows, subject to availability.
Buying ahead of peak holidays and weekends generally saves money and guarantees access on sold-out days. Before you commit, scan the snow report and webcams so you are paying for conditions that match your expectations.
How can I check snow and mountain conditions at Mt Spokane before I go?
SnowStash pulls together 6 live mountain webcams, a downloadable piste map, and the daily snow report for Mt Spokane so you can plan from home. Webcams refresh on a short interval and are the fastest way to judge visibility, wind exposure, and whether storm snow is still falling.
The snow report adds structured totals, base depth where available, and lift/trail status when the resort publishes it. Use both together: cameras show what it looks like right now, and the report summarises numbers your group can compare day to day.
Does Mt Spokane have a trail map?
Yes. The downloadable PDF/image map is better for offline planning, marking meeting points, and understanding the full mountain layout at a glance.
Both versions are on the trail map page for Mt Spokane. If you are navigating with kids or meeting friends across separate lifts, screenshot or print the static map and keep the live map open on your phone for operational updates.
Where is Mt Spokane located?
Mt Spokane sits in Washington, Usa. That regional context matters for travel planning: airport transfers, snow tyres, and typical storm patterns all follow geography as much as resort marketing.
Browse nearby accommodation from the resort page if you are comparing village-base vs valley-base stays; where you sleep changes your first lift of the day more than most trail stats do.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured
An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.
28 Aug 2026
Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do
A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.
27 Aug 2026
Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
26 Aug 2026