Mt Spokane
1,704 acres, 55 runs inside Mount Spokane State Park. Home of the world's first double chairlift.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
26 Dec 2026
Closes
14 Mar 2027
Days open
78
Annual snow
230in
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
230in
Annual snow
The Terrain
55 runs across 1,704 acres skiable
Mt Spokane is Spokane's local mountain inside Mount Spokane State Park, and it covers 1,704 acres (690 hectares) across five terrain areas. With 55 runs, it climbs from 4,200 ft (1,280 m) at the base to 5,890 ft (1,795 m) at the summit, a vertical of 1,690 ft (515 m). The terrain skews advanced, with 42% advanced, 33% intermediate, 22% beginner and 3% expert. Five double chairs, a quad and a surface lift serve the area, and annual snowfall averages around 230 inches, enough to build a solid base for the season.
Night skiing is a big part of the appeal, with 16 lit runs on Wednesday to Saturday evenings, so Spokane skiers can fit laps in after work. Two Face is known for steep moguls, and Foggy Bottoms is another named run worth a look. The advanced skew means there is plenty of black diamond terrain without much true expert pitch, and the five distinct areas keep things varied across a long day. It suits Inland Northwest locals, families and intermediates stepping up to harder runs.
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 2026 - 2027
26 Dec 2026
Opens
14 Mar 2027
Closes
78
Days open
230 in
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Mt Spokane
Daily snow reports at Mt Spokane go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
15 in
Snowiest day
7 Jan 2026
0 in
This winter · 2026-27
so far
26 in
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
in
Past wintersThis winter
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.
Latest News
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Mt Spokane Lift System
Mt Spokane runs seven lifts: five double chairs and one quad chair, serving 55 runs across 1,704 acres, alongside one surface lift. This lift network carries genuine historical weight: a 1946 installation by the Riblet Tramway Company, using a converted mining ore tramway, is cited as the world's first double chairlift.
The lift network has grown substantially since the Spokane Ski Club's original rope tows installed in the early 1930s, through the Civilian Conservation Corps-era infrastructure built in the mid-1930s, and into the current mix of five double chairs and a quad chair operating today. This nearly century-long development reflects continuous community investment in the mountain since its earliest organised skiing.
The five double chairs and single quad chair distribute skiers across the mountain's five distinct terrain areas, while the surface lift supports beginner and learning zones near the base. Extensive lighting across much of this network supports the resort's substantial night-skiing operation, a defining feature for Spokane-area visitors.
Specific recent lift replacement or expansion projects beyond the current seven-lift network are not confirmed in available resort information. As a ski area operating within Washington's largest state park, lift investment decisions occur within the framework of state park management alongside standard ski area operations. The mountain's status as home to a world-first double chairlift installation remains a notable point of pride in its lift history.
7lifts across 3 types
1
Quad Chair
5
Double Chairs
1
Surface Lift
Mt Spokane lift system
Mt Spokane is served by 7 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Mt Spokane intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.