
Stevens Pass
1,125 acres, 53 runs two hours from Seattle. Epic Pass access, substantial Cascade snowfall.
Stevens Pass's summit reaches 5,843 feet, dropping 1,781 vertical feet to a base at 4,062 feet across 53 runs spread over 1,125 acres in the central Washington Cascades. Terrain splits 45 per cent intermediate, 28 per cent advanced, 19 per cent expert and 8 per cent beginner, with average annual snowfall of roughly 601 inches. The resort carries Epic Pass access. Twelve lifts, including five quad chairs, three triple chairs and two double chairs, serve the mountain alongside two surface lifts.
Stevens Pass sits directly on Highway 2, one of the more accessible major Cascade passes, putting it within roughly two hours of Seattle and making it one of the closer Epic Pass destinations to a major West Coast city. Its substantial snowfall total supports extensive backcountry access alongside its lift-served terrain, and night skiing extends the ski day for the resort's large day-trip visitor base. The mountain's terrain parks and steep upper-mountain zones have built a strong following among younger Seattle-area skiers.
The ski area opened in 1937, with its original lodge built that year, destroyed by fire in 1939 and rebuilt the following year by the Civilian Conservation Corps. By 1963, the resort had expanded to three chairlifts and twelve rope tows. After 35 years of ownership, Harbor Resorts sold Stevens Pass to CNL Lifestyle in 2011, with operations handed to the operator of Mountain High in California, before CNL sold the resort on to Och-Ziff Capital Management in 2016.
Vail Resorts completed its acquisition of Stevens Pass on 15 August 2018 for a final purchase price of 64 million US dollars, subsequently investing in upgrades to the Daisy and Brooks chairs among other infrastructure. The transition to Vail ownership has not been without friction: staffing shortages and avalanche risk have at times limited operations to a fraction of the resort's lifts and terrain, prompting a widely signed online petition and complaints to the Washington Attorney General's office from frustrated pass holders. Adult daily tickets run from 120 to 159 US dollars, with the Epic Local Pass from 746 dollars.
Stevens Pass covers 1,125 acres (455 hectares) on US Highway 2 in the central Washington Cascades, with 53 runs from a 4,060 ft (1,238 m) base to 5,840 ft (1,781 m) at the summit, a vertical of 1,780 ft (543 m). The terrain splits 8% beginner, 45% intermediate, 28% advanced and 19% expert, and about 601 inches of snow falls in a typical winter. Twelve lifts, five of them quads, spread skiers over two main mountains, so the area feels bigger than its acreage suggests on a busy weekend.
Skiing is split between Cowboy Mountain, topping out at 5,845 ft, and Big Chief Mountain at 5,600 ft. The Mill Valley area is full of tree runs, reached from the Jupiter Express and Southern Cross chairs. Terrain parks include Top Phlight, Tye Creek, Rail Garden and Daisy, and night skiing runs several evenings a week on lit lifts. It suits intermediates who like variety, park riders and Seattle day-trippers wanting a big-mountain feel without a long drive, with enough advanced and expert pitches to keep stronger skiers interested.
The 2025-26 season at Stevens Pass ran from 13 December 2025 to 13 April 2026, a roughly seventeen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 601 inches, among the highest totals of any resort covered here. This substantial snowfall supports extensive terrain access, though avalanche risk associated with such heavy snow loading has at times contributed to operational limitations in recent seasons.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to the resort's varied terrain. As an Epic Pass destination within roughly two hours of Seattle, Stevens Pass draws substantial weekend and holiday traffic from the Puget Sound region, with crowding and lift-line length depending significantly on how many lifts are operating on a given day. Night skiing extends the useful ski day for day-trip visitors.
Given the documented staffing and operational challenges under Vail Resorts ownership since 2018, visitors have reported variable experiences depending on the season and specific conditions, with some periods seeing reduced terrain and lift availability. School holiday periods and weekends typically bring the heaviest demand regardless of operational capacity on any given day.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. The resort's substantial snowfall and steep upper-mountain terrain remain significant draws despite the operational concerns raised by some pass holders in recent years. Stevens Pass's proximity to Seattle continues to make it one of the more heavily used Cascade resorts on the Epic Pass network.
Stevens Pass sits directly on US Highway 2 in the central Washington Cascades, with a base elevation of 4,062 feet and a summit at 5,843 feet across a 1,781-foot vertical drop over 1,125 acres. This puts the resort roughly two hours from Seattle, making it one of the more accessible major Cascade ski areas from the Puget Sound region.
The towns of Leavenworth and Skykomish sit on either side of the pass, offering lodging and dining options for visitors travelling from either direction. Seattle, Washington's largest city, supplies the majority of the resort's day-trip and weekend visitor base given the relatively direct highway access. The broader Cascade Range surrounding the pass offers extensive backcountry recreation beyond the resort's lift-served terrain.
US Highway 2 provides direct access to Stevens Pass from both Seattle to the west and Leavenworth to the east. Winter driving conditions on this route can include heavy snow and occasional closures during storms, given the substantial snowfall the pass receives. There is no direct public transport service to the resort, though its highway location makes it a straightforward drive for day-trip visitors.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the nearest airport with extensive commercial service, roughly two hours from the resort under normal driving conditions. This convenient distance from a major international airport supports Stevens Pass's role as one of the more accessible Epic Pass destinations on the West Coast.
Hotels and lodges near Stevens Pass, powered by Stay22.

Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.

Winter was meant to be winding down in Chile. Then Valle Nevado took 108 cm in 48 hours in early October, and the resort has pushed its closing date out to November 8 - its latest in 38 years of operation. That makes 143 days of skiing since opening day on June 19, with 690 cm banked for the season. Only part of the mountain is running while the storm settles, so check the mountain report before you plan a trip.

The Alps look a lot more like winter today, for a day or so. A cold front is moving west to east, dropping up to 35 cm on high glaciers and peaks, with snow levels falling to around 1,500-1,800 m at times. Don’t plan a trip around it: mid-elevation snow will be thin and wet, every area is closed bar a limited Sölden glacier opening tomorrow, and warmer weather returns by Monday.

Mammoth Mountain is first up in California, targeting Friday 13 November after a dusting of September snow. Heavenly and Northstar follow on 20 November, Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday 25 November and Sugar Bowl on 27 November, with Kirkwood on 4 December and June Mountain on 19 December. Plenty of smaller areas have no date yet. A super El Niño favours the Sierra, but a warmer storm track is the catch.

Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Winter Park are all chasing an October start, though none has a firm date yet. The first dated openers are Breckenridge and Copper on Friday 6 November, then Vail on 13 November, with most of the rest bunched around US Thanksgiving. Hesperus did not open at all last season. A super El Niño offers hope but no guarantee, and forecasters say the southern mountains have the better odds.

Dolomiti Superski is spending around €100 million across its 12 areas before winter. Kronplatz gets a new 10-passenger gondola with a middle station, 3 Zinnen gets Helmissimo, and Val di Fassa swaps a chairlift for a gondola above Col Valvacin. New water-storage basins and upgraded snowmaking follow, and construction has started on the San Martino to Passo Rolle link. A peak adult day pass is €89.

Brian Head is targeting 6 November, though last year it aimed for 7 November and did not open until the 25th. Park City, Alta and Solitude are pencilled in for 20 November, Snowbird and Snowbasin for 27 November, and Deer Valley for 5 December. Eagle Point will stay closed after the Cottonwood Fire. A super El Niño is forecast, but the big snow is not expected until January.

Hintertux became Austria's second glacier to open for 2026-27 on Friday 2 October, after the Pitztal Glacier. Twelve kilometres of piste are running around the Olperer and Gefrorene Wand, served by one gondola and two drag lifts, with the Betterpark also open. Lifts officially run 8:15 am to 4:30 pm, but skiing stops at 2 pm for now.
Live open status isn’t available right now.
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
Days 1–7
1.2"
Days 8–14
0.0"
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Our snow reports measure snowfall in centimeters over multiple time windows — last 24 hours, last 7 days, and the season total. Base depth reflects accumulation at the 1238m base area, while summit depth captures conditions 543m higher at 1781m, where snow typically stays colder and lingers longer. Imperial conversions are shown alongside for convenience.
Snow quality tracks closely with temperature and wind. We surface both alongside the snowfall data so you can judge whether conditions at Stevens Pass are holding up or starting to soften.
Stevens Pass snow data is collected through a combination of on-mountain reports and weather forecasting services, giving you both official resort updates and independent forecast data in one place. The mountain is served by 12 lifts, including 5 quad chairlifts.
The biggest swings usually happen right after a storm. Check Stevens Pass's report in the morning for the freshest numbers, and again in the afternoon as conditions evolve.