My Ski Adventure Through Washington

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The Summit at Snoqualmie

If Washington skiing had a starter kit, it would be The Summit at Snoqualmie. Just an hour from Seattle, it’s where city folks go to remember that snow is more than just a traffic hazard.

Here, holiday lights twinkle along the lodge, families sip cocoa with whipped-cream mustaches, and beginners like me try to look cool while doing the sideways shuffle of shame down the bunny hill.

Lift Tickets: Around $83 weekdays
Lessons: Private ~ $175/hr
Pro tip: Order the hot chocolate before you fall; it tastes better when you’ve earned it.

By the end of my lesson, I had snowflakes in my hair, numb toes, and the confidence of someone who only fell twelve times instead of fifteen. That counts as progress.

Crystal Mountain Resort

Driving to Crystal Mountain feels like stepping inside a snow globe shaken by Santa himself. You’ll glide up in the gondola, clouds swirling around you, until Mount Rainier bursts into view — all majestic and frosted like the world’s fanciest wedding cake.

Lift Tickets: $149 weekday
Lessons: From $129
Après suggestion: Wine + waffles = the definition of self-care

Crystal is where elegance meets adrenaline. I watched pros carve down black diamonds while I carefully snow-plowed my way through what could only be described as an “off-brand hill.” Still, every time I made it down upright, I could hear faint angelic singing — though that might’ve been my instructor sighing in relief.

Stevens Pass

Stevens Pass is the kind of place that smells like pine trees and fresh-baked cookies — if cookies also screamed downhill at 30 mph.

Lift Tickets: $120 weekday
Lessons: Group or private available

I looked at one slope and thought, “That doesn’t look so bad.” I was wrong. I learned two things that day: 1) gravity is undefeated, and 2) the lodge cocoa is a balm for both the soul and the ego.

Sitting by the fire, boots steaming, marshmallows melting, I realized skiing is 30 percent sport and 70 percent self-pep-talk.

Mt. Baker

If snow could talk, Mt. Baker would be giggling. The powder here is deeper than my holiday shopping regrets, and it falls in fluffy, storybook piles that make every turn feel like flying.

Lift Tickets: $91 weekday
Lessons: Beginner packages available

Baker’s wild, breathtaking, and just remote enough that cell service can’t find you — which is exactly how winter should be. The mountains don’t care if you’re graceful; they just want you to play.

Somewhere between a face-plant and a perfect run, I realized: snow angels don’t judge.

Mt. Spokane

Just outside Spokane, this mountain feels like your hometown Christmas parade — if the parade had better fries.

Lift Tickets: About $70
Lessons: Kids & adult programs

I watched a dad teaching his daughter to ski; she fell, laughed, and shouted, “I did it!” That’s the spirit of Mt. Spokane — progress measured in smiles, not speed.

If you love community, cocoa, and a good view of the city lights below, this is your mountain. Just remember: mittens double as snowball ammo.

49° North

One hour north of Spokane, 49 Degrees North might be Washington’s happiest surprise. It’s big enough to feel adventurous but small enough that the barista remembers your cocoa order.

Lift Tickets: $47–$69
Lessons: Beginner & family packages

Locals swear by their mountain-lodge cinnamon rolls, claiming they’re “better than love.” They’re not wrong — though love doesn’t usually come with icing.

The sun shines longer here, the snow sparkles brighter, and the laughter seems to echo a little louder through the pines.

Mission Ridge

Mission Ridge sits above Wenatchee, soaking in more sunshine than any other resort in the state. The snow here is dry, light, and sparkly enough to make Elsa jealous.

Lift Tickets: $95 weekday
Lessons: Group from $62

I spent most of my runs grinning like a Christmas card — rosy cheeks, wind-tousled hair, and the quiet thrill of a perfect swoosh. Later, I found myself by the fire, sipping cocoa and humming along to “Let It Snow.” I didn’t even mind when it got stuck in my head for three days.

Loup Loup Ski Bowl

In Okanogan County, Loup Loup is the kind of place where strangers wave, snowflakes sparkle like fairy lights, and someone’s probably roasting marshmallows nearby.

Lift Tickets: Around $55
Lessons: Seasonal beginner programs

I met a group of retirees skiing for fun — or as they put it, “training for Santa tryouts.” Between the laughter, the smell of cocoa, and the sound of Christmas music floating from the lodge, I half-expected someone to hand me a candy cane with my lift ticket.

White Pass

Nestled between Yakima and Packwood, White Pass feels like a postcard from the North Pole. The snow crunches underfoot like powdered sugar, and every lift ride feels like drifting through a dream.

Lift Tickets: $85 weekday
Lessons: All ages welcome

At the top, the horizon shimmers — Mt. Rainier in the distance, pine trees glittering below. I took a deep breath of that icy air, felt my eyelashes frost, and thought, “If peace had a temperature, this would be it.”

Badger Mountain – The Little Hill That Could

Last stop: Badger Mountain

* Lift Tickets: $15–$20
* Lessons: Local community programs

It’s small, sweet, and bursting with charm. No fancy gondolas, no attitude — just friendly faces, sledding laughter, and the sound of snow crunching under borrowed boots.

I watched a dad and son racing each other down the hill, both laughing so hard they nearly forgot to stop. And in that moment, I thought: This is Christmas.

Final Thoughts

By the time I finished my snowy road trip, my car was covered in glittering powder, my playlist was 80 percent Christmas music, and my heart was about to burst.

Washington’s ski hills aren’t just for adrenaline junkies — they’re for anyone chasing that childlike joy of catching snowflakes on your tongue. It’s about cocoa-stained smiles, rosy noses, and laughing until your goggles fog.

So grab your mittens, pack your cocoa, and go make some memories in the mountains. Because somewhere between the laughter and the snowflakes — that’s where winter’s magic really lives.

Go Outside and Play USA