About Snow Sports in WashingtonIn winter, many hikers and backpackers become snowshoers and cross-country skiers. Snow closes once-crowded roads and turns them into wonderful ski trails, with solitude and beauty within just a brief jaunt from the car. Whether you're out for a snow picnic with the kids, or headed into the backcountry for a few nights, there are a few things you should know.
Photo: Leslie mimicks the cover of a popular guide book. Dirtyface Peak and Lake Wenatchee in background. (DuBois photo.)
Groomed or Backcountry?
If you're looking for groomed ski tracks, you can choose from a considerable number of groomed ski trail areas all around the state. Most of the commercial ski areas, most notably Snoqualmie Pass's Ski Acres Cross-Country Center, and Stevens Pass's Nordic Center, combine the convenience of a ski area with groomed tracks, but without the high-speed crowds of alpine skiers. The daily pass fees are generally less than $10, and ski rentals are usually available. Expect lots of people, but it's easy-access skiing.
Backcountry skiers, telemark skiers, and snowshoers will find a wide variety of experiences available to them. Hundreds of trailheads are easily reachable and parkable, thanks to the statewide system of SnoParks (permit required; see below).
Begin by reading about the areas you want to visit, then pick up a Green Trails map of the area. GT maps show cross-country ski routes, as well as trails, and parking areas are marked. Check with the local land manager (e.g., Forest Service) for road closures, and call the avalanche hotline for conditions. Make sure you're not planning to use a trail that is open to snowmobiles, because they will spoil your fun. Then get up early, because the popular SnoParks fill up fast. Beyond the trailhead, there's no reason you shouldn't find the solitude you seek.
Sno-Park Permits
If you're headed for the backcountry, you need to know about Sno-Parks. The Washington Department of Transportation maintains dozens of road-end trailheads by plowing out parking areas for skiers. For this service, users pay an annual fee for a permit, around $25. WSDOT, REI, and other outdoor-type places sell permits and hand out maps of the system. The permit is good all year, at any Sno-Park, for one vehicle (although you can move it from one car to another). The fine for not having a permit makes it worth getting one before you go. Some Sno-Parks are small, and even the big ones fill up early in the morning.
Winter Travel
Before you skip this paragraph, consider that each year, Snoqualmie Pass closes due to avalanche hazard, and several dozen visitors get to spend the night in the lodge, on the floor, with nothing to eat, and just their wet clothes to sleep in. In the backcountry, most victims don't get caught in avalanches. They get stranded because their car won't start, or they get stuck waiting for hours while a snowslide is cleared from the road.
Don't be a victim. Be prepared to help yourself and others. Make sure your trunk has chains, shovel, sand, sleeping bags, food and water.
Wet roads are the norm on a nice winter day in Washington. After sundown (around 4 PM) the roads turn to ice, but it still looks like water. Many highway fatalities can be blamed on this "black ice." (Don't you wish four-wheel drive did as much for your traction as it does for your ego?) Please leave plenty of time to get to and from your trailhead, and drive carefully. Winter isn't the time to drive aggressively.
Skiing Destinations
If you're out for a weekend or more of cross-country skiing, consider some of the most popular cross-country ski destinations in Washington:
"Amenities" means restaurants and lodging.
When skiing with beginners, one of our favorite day ski spots is Gold Creek on Snoqualmie Pass. It's easy to reach, the trail is gentle, and there's enough open country there to get away from the crowds if you want to. Those who need skis can rent them across the road at Ski Acres X-C Center. The lodges, and the Family Pancake House at the summit, serve dinner.
Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. Any trail can become very dangerous in winter conditions. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions. Please read Terms of Use.