Washington, Usa · Epic
Stevens Pass
1,125 acres, 53 runs two hours from Seattle. Epic Pass access, substantial Cascade snowfall.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
13 Dec 2025
Closes
13 Apr 2026
Days open
121
Annual snow
50ft
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
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.
1,781ft
Vertical
53
Runs
1,125 acres
Skiable
50ft
Annual snow
Epic
Pass
The Terrain
53 runs across 1,125 acres skiable
Stevens Pass spreads 53 runs across 1,125 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 45%, with 4 beginner runs to find your feet and 25 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
53
runs
53 runs across 4 grades
Beginner4 runs · 8%
Intermediate24 runs · 45%
Advanced15 runs · 28%
Expert10 runs · 19%
Time it right
When to visit Stevens Pass
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.
Season 2025 - 2026
13 Dec 2025
Opens
13 Apr 2026
Closes
121
Days open
50 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Stevens Pass, and where to stay
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.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Stevens Pass, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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22 Aug 2026
Stevens Pass Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 30 Aug 2026
5,843ft
summit
+0in
new snow · last 24 hours
Partly Cloudy42°F / 58°F · W 9mph
Snowfall
24 hours
0in
48 hours
0in
7 days
0in
Base depth
0in
Season total
0in
Total lifts12
Live open status isn’t available right now.
13 Dec 2025 - 13 Apr 2026
Hour by Hour
Next 43 hours· Updated Aug 30, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
5,843 ftUpdated Aug 30, 2026 at 6:02 AMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0"
Days 8–14
0.0"
Sun, Aug 30
Foggy
Temp58° / 42°°F
Snow0.0"(6%)
Wind9 mph W
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Stevens Pass snow report
Track current conditions at Stevens Pass in Washington. This report covers snowfall totals, base and summit depth, and the forecast across 53 runs.
Snow measurements
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.
Weather conditions
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.
Data sources
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.
When to check
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.