Skiing Pilgramage

If you want nice commute times and wanna be in the pnw, Vancouver ain’t to bad cause you got grouse and tons of other places pretty close

Snowqualmie is the closest, but I didn't really like the skiing there. Very short runs. Didn't happen to me, but I hear it rains there a lot. Crystal and Stevens Pass are a couple hours, depending on where ya live. Both fun areas. Mt Baker was my favorite, but closer to three hours away.

I did a season in Whistler Blackcomb - one of my top five favorite resorts ever. I spent one winter there. Only a couple hours from Vancouver, which is an absolutely gorgeous and diverse city.

The PNW is a gorgeous area, however I couldn't live there again. I've been based in Colorado, and blessed with sunshine most days it isn't snowing or monsoon season. I had no clue the PNW overcast weather would get to me, but it certainly did. I wouldn't say I got depressed, but damn it was hard for me to really stay motivated. The weather for sure affected my mood, in a bad way...

Call me spoiled, but I also prefer champagne pow over that heavy heavy

midwestcoastSnowqualmie is the closest, but I didn't really like the skiing there. Very short runs. Didn't happen to me, but I hear it rains there a lot. Crystal and Stevens Pass are a couple hours, depending on where ya live. Both fun areas. Mt Baker was my favorite, but closer to three hours away.

I did a season in Whistler Blackcomb - one of my top five favorite resorts ever. I spent one winter there. Only a couple hours from Vancouver, which is an absolutely gorgeous and diverse city.

The PNW is a gorgeous area, however I couldn't live there again. I've been based in Colorado, and blessed with sunshine most days it isn't snowing or monsoon season. I had no clue the PNW overcast weather would get to me, but it certainly did. I wouldn't say I got depressed, but damn it was hard for me to really stay motivated. The weather for sure affected my mood, in a bad way...

Call me spoiled, but I also prefer champagne pow over that heavy heavy

Yeah I mostly just wanna try it out for a year and see if I fw it. Hoping that living in dry and hot ass Utah will make me want the rain for at least a year but it’s definitely a worry of mine.

Snoqualmie pass has two ski areas, Summit is pretty tame outside of the parks, but the parks are pretty tight. On the other side of the highway is Alpental, I haven't skied there a bunch but it's got some cool ass terrain.

I live in the Seattle metro. I'm about an hour from Snoqualmie and 2 hours from Baker.

On weeknights after work I'll go to Snoqualmie and ride park and then on weekends make the trip up to Baker.

I get the best of both worlds, a sick park and great all mountain terrain.

It does rain but I'm from the Midwest so nothing not I'm not used to. And 3L goretex keeps ya dry.

Michigan_SucksI live in the Seattle metro. I'm about an hour from Snoqualmie and 2 hours from Baker.

On weeknights after work I'll go to Snoqualmie and ride park and then on weekends make the trip up to Baker.

I get the best of both worlds, a sick park and great all mountain terrain.

It does rain but I'm from the Midwest so nothing not I'm not used to. And 3L goretex keeps ya dry.

Any specific spot in the metro area? I was looking at Everett for a second but I don’t know the area all too well

evil.skierAny specific spot in the metro area? I was looking at Everett for a second but I don’t know the area all too well

Yeah I'm north of Seattle in the Everett area, there are some "bad" spots but you get that with literally every major US city.

evil.skierI've been blessed to have lived so close to the mountains growing up in Utah, but in a couple years I know I'll want a change of scenery and I really want to check out Seattle. I know I'll have to give up an unbeatable 30-45 minute commute to the mountain but I'm hoping some of y'all got recommendations of places to check out that are a good compromise between access to seattle and access to fun skiing. A sick terrain park would be nice.

Everett is a good compromise. If you're able to work remote, I would look at monroe. Stevens pass is where I spend most of my time and it's great. Lot of good terrain with fantastic night skiing. It's not worth going to ok weekend mornings though. I would ski about 4 days a week at my hieght. I would go up after work and then ski until close. On the weekends I leave my house around 11 am, get to stevens around 1230 when everyone was at lunch or getting ready to leave and have the whole place to myself. If you have any questions or want to ride together, feel free to DM me. I don't get ad many days as I used to when I was single, but I still go like 30ish times a season. Western Washington is awesome, but the draw backs are wet snow and lack of infrastructure at the resorts. I'm always down to ski with new people though

midwestcoastSnowqualmie is the closest, but I didn't really like the skiing there. Very short runs. Didn't happen to me, but I hear it rains there a lot. Crystal and Stevens Pass are a couple hours, depending on where ya live. Both fun areas. Mt Baker was my favorite, but closer to three hours away.

I did a season in Whistler Blackcomb - one of my top five favorite resorts ever. I spent one winter there. Only a couple hours from Vancouver, which is an absolutely gorgeous and diverse city.

The PNW is a gorgeous area, however I couldn't live there again. I've been based in Colorado, and blessed with sunshine most days it isn't snowing or monsoon season. I had no clue the PNW overcast weather would get to me, but it certainly did. I wouldn't say I got depressed, but damn it was hard for me to really stay motivated. The weather for sure affected my mood, in a bad way...

Call me spoiled, but I also prefer champagne pow over that heavy heavy

Crystal was a good time. I haven’t been since they started updating the place. Supposed to be nicer now.

Good for you wanting to explore new places! Seattle is awesome I think you’ll love it there. Best of luck when that time comes

PartyBullshiitCrystal was a good time. I haven’t been since they started updating the place. Supposed to be nicer now.

Season passes are fucked.

Deff will want to get some 3L goretex or some other super waterproof stuff. Chances are your Utah kit isn't going to cut it. I ski stevens pass, I'm not driving from Seattle so it's 15 - 30 min but I think it's like an hour. Good big mountian terrain and one of my fave places to ski other than bachelor. Park is mid but I'm not a park rat. (getting more into it though.)

evil.skierI've been blessed to have lived so close to the mountains growing up in Utah, but in a couple years I know I'll want a change of scenery and I really want to check out Seattle. I know I'll have to give up an unbeatable 30-45 minute commute to the mountain but I'm hoping some of y'all got recommendations of places to check out that are a good compromise between access to seattle and access to fun skiing. A sick terrain park would be nice.

midwestcoastThe PNW is a gorgeous area, however I couldn't live there again. I've been based in Colorado, and blessed with sunshine most days it isn't snowing or monsoon season. I had no clue the PNW overcast weather would get to me, but it certainly did. I wouldn't say I got depressed, but damn it was hard for me to really stay motivated. The weather for sure affected my mood, in a bad way...

Call me spoiled, but I also prefer champagne pow over that heavy heavy

Moving from Utah to any other ski destination is going to be a bit disappointing snow wise, especially after the last couple of seasons.

PWN is pretty dope, summers are amazing, its not the *best* place to ski, but there is plenty of amazing skiing. Wet snow = sticks to very steep slopes.

snoqualmie has the best night skiing in PNW however lift lines at qualmie get worse every year if you're skiing on the weekend.
The park has tons of features.

BallClapperSeason passes are fucked.

Ya I don’t have ikon so I ain’t paying for their renovations.

Life is pretty good here (Vancouver area).

BallClapperSeason passes are fucked.

who knows what its going to be like this year...

if you're not wanting to live in seattle proper you're kind of picking between the north and south mountains just because having to cross through city limits after a ski day will give you road rage.

everett, monroe, even shoreline will be an easier drive to the N side resorts like whis, the vancouver mtns, baker, and stevens. if you end up in renton, fed way, tacoma etc. you'll likely end up skiing crystal, white pass, maybe a cheeky trip to hood or 2. snoqualmie is easy to access no matter where you live but like others have said it's the lowest elevation and smallest of the WA resorts. great park though and alpental has sleeper backcountry when there aren't 10 million people in line.

compared to utah mountains i'd say crystal skis a bit like snowbird, snoqualmie = brighton, stevens = solitude with a park. @brownetown can check my work, he's spent more time in both states. baker is kind of an oddball, it's slackcountry stacked on top of an 80s ski area, limited park but very cool vibe. and yeah i'm a glazer but whistler has no parallel, world class everything but definitely $$$ and can get crowded.

either way i'd very strongly recommend living somewhere near a light rail stop so you can still get the actual seattle experience when you want a night out. the 1 line just made it to lynnwood up north, and the federal way station down south is opening soonish. i have friends that moved to issaquah and other places not on public transit and it might as well be a different planet if you're trying to meet up at a bar/club or sports game or concert. don't do it unless you have a wife and kids or you're like straightedge or something.

the winter weather will test you, buy vitamin D and a nice rain jacket. do not buy an umbrella it's embarrassing and people will ask if you're californian. make sure you're on good terms with a deity that can ensure it's snowing on hill when it's pissing rain in the city. the end

cyphersif you're not wanting to live in seattle proper you're kind of picking between the north and south mountains just because having to cross through city limits after a ski day will give you road rage.

everett, monroe, even shoreline will be an easier drive to the N side resorts like whis, the vancouver mtns, baker, and stevens. if you end up in renton, fed way, tacoma etc. you'll likely end up skiing crystal, white pass, maybe a cheeky trip to hood or 2. snoqualmie is easy to access no matter where you live but like others have said it's the lowest elevation and smallest of the WA resorts. great park though and alpental has sleeper backcountry when there aren't 10 million people in line.

compared to utah mountains i'd say crystal skis a bit like snowbird, snoqualmie = brighton, stevens = solitude with a park. @brownetown can check my work, he's spent more time in both states. baker is kind of an oddball, it's slackcountry stacked on top of an 80s ski area, limited park but very cool vibe. and yeah i'm a glazer but whistler has no parallel, world class everything but definitely $$$ and can get crowded.

either way i'd very strongly recommend living somewhere near a light rail stop so you can still get the actual seattle experience when you want a night out. the 1 line just made it to lynnwood up north, and the federal way station down south is opening soonish. i have friends that moved to issaquah and other places not on public transit and it might as well be a different planet if you're trying to meet up at a bar/club or sports game or concert. don't do it unless you have a wife and kids or you're like straightedge or something.

the winter weather will test you, buy vitamin D and a nice rain jacket. do not buy an umbrella it's embarrassing and people will ask if you're californian. make sure you're on good terms with a deity that can ensure it's snowing on hill when it's pissing rain in the city. the end

You should write a travel guide

evil.skierYou should write a travel guide

i'll leave that to the bay area vloggers

Rock_InhabitantIf you want nice commute times and wanna be in the pnw, Vancouver ain’t to bad cause you got grouse and tons of other places pretty close

Whistler 👅

I've grown up in WA and have been skiing here for my entire life. The snow here definitely isn't as great as it is down in Utah but we do get some pretty great pow days when things work out.

Snoqualmie is definitely the most accessible resort (~1hr from Seattle proper). It's split up into 4 different areas: Summit West, Summit East, Summit Central, and Alpental. You can pretty much ignore West as thats where most beginners will be. East is a hidden gem but is only open on weekends, it's usually pretty quite. The terrain is pretty tame but theres a lot of fun stuff to be found. Central is where you would go if you're into park. In my opinion it's the best park in the state. The park crew up there cares a lot and are all great people. Central does get incredibly busy on weekends and some nights though which is something to consider. Alpental is the last area at Snoqualmie and is my favorite. It has a pretty cool local vibe to it and is mostly filled with really good skiers and snowboarders. If you're into freeride this is the place to be. It's a small mountain but the terrain is amazing if you know where to go, especially if you're exploring the side country. The snow is definitely hit or miss but if you put in your time, you will be rewarded. Unfortunately the lines have been getting worse and worse throughout the years but they're adding a new lift this summer which should help disperse the crowds a bit. Ultimately, some of my best days ever have been at Alpental and a lot of people don't give it the credit it deserves.

Crystal is also an amazing place to ski (~2hr from Seattle proper). I usually ski Alpental/Central (central if I want to ski park) mid-week and then Crystal on the weekends as its a lot bigger which helps keep the lines relatively short. It has the biggest and most open terrain which makes for some pretty great freeride skiing. The snow is also a bit more consistent here because its at higher elevation but it definitely has its bad days. The side country is also really great here, if you're not skiing it you're missing out. The park sucks but thats not why people come to Crystal. It's also an unlimited Ikon resort which is a plus.

Baker is a ton of fun but I don't get out there as much as I'd like to because of how far away it is from Seattle. It's known for its pow and rightfully so, it can get deep. If you want to ski Baker regularly, I'd recommend looking into living in Bellingham. It's the closest city to Baker and is just south of the Canada border which makes trips to whis hella easy.

The other WA resort thats close to Seattle is Steven's Pass. I very rarely go to Steven's, just haven't had a ton of fun there in the past. Vail bought them a few years back and kind of screwed everything up (I've heard things have been getting better but I still don't think its worth the mess). With that said though I know a lot of people that love Stevens, it's just not my preference.

Overall, I think that WA can be a great place to live if you're a skier. It has pretty great accessible Skiing and is close enough to Whis if you want to make an impromptu trip. Hope things work out and you can make it up here!

East side of oregon[not bend more east than that) has dry snow

eheathMoving from Utah to any other ski destination is going to be a bit disappointing snow wise, especially after the last couple of seasons.

PWN is pretty dope, summers are amazing, its not the *best* place to ski, but there is plenty of amazing skiing. Wet snow = sticks to very steep slopes.

hoodratz47East side of oregon[not bend more east than that) has dry snow

Ya cause its not in the PNW lol thats borderline The Rockies there.

alexhallsdadThe other WA resort thats close to Seattle is Steven's Pass. I very rarely go to Steven's, just haven't had a ton of fun there in the past. Vail bought them a few years back and kind of screwed everything up (I've heard things have been getting better but I still don't think its worth the mess). With that said though I know a lot of people that love Stevens, it's just not my preference.

yeah I feel the same way. spent a whole season there, maybe it's just cause I was following the wrong people around but it was kind of mid. the vail takeover was a fucking disaster to the point they had to fly in a new ops lead and 6(?) years later they still can't make it a whole season without lifts going down. don't really feel the need to go back unless there's an event or something

In general I agree with most of what @cyphers said, and even though he's a whistler / coors banquet dickrider I'll vouch for it.

cyphersif you're not wanting to live in seattle proper you're kind of picking between the north and south mountains just because having to cross through city limits after a ski day will give you road rage.



everett, monroe, even shoreline will be an easier drive to the N side resorts like whis, the vancouver mtns, baker, and stevens. if you end up in renton, fed way, tacoma etc. you'll likely end up skiing crystal, white pass, maybe a cheeky trip to hood or 2. snoqualmie is easy to access no matter where you live but like others have said it's the lowest elevation and smallest of the WA resorts. great park though and alpental has sleeper backcountry when there aren't 10 million people in line.

This part I agree with, though I don't think it's as black-and-white as being forced to go to stevens from shoreline or to crystal from kent, etc.. it's probably just 20 more mins driving from the other end of the city. You have good options everywhere but please don't live in tacoma or everett, they just suck. not worth the cost savings.

cypherscompared to utah mountains i'd say crystal skis a bit like snowbird, snoqualmie = brighton, stevens = solitude with a park. baker is kind of an oddball, it's slackcountry stacked on top of an 80s ski area, limited park but very cool vibe. and yeah i'm a glazer but whistler has no parallel, world class everything but definitely $$$ and can get crowded.

Crystal is my home hill so I'm def glazing here but I feel it has super comparable terrain to alta and bird, really hard to get as consistent of terrain as crystal. It's also nice that the cascade concrete sticks to steep chutes so stuff over 35deg is actually skiable without destroying a pair of skis in each chute you gun through. Mission ridge needs a shoutout cause they have a sick tow rope park and blue-collar vibe that's hard to beat, though it is a trek inland. Baker... damn where to begin.

Though I've yet to ski either of these areas, I'd imagine it stacks up to Kicking Horse and Bridger in terms of vibe and terrain. I'm frequently getting dragged around by Bham buddies or friends who like to show me the endless amounts of hyper technical, no-fall-zone skiing baker has to offer. There will sorta just be a 'cliff ahead' sign and then some of the most consequential terrain I've seen that you can easily die on if you aren't careful. My hands are sweating just writing this. Lots of parking lot bbqs, beat 4runners, and snowboarders who look like sasquatches but who rip way harder than you. If I move back to washington I will be skiing baker no matter what and it's certainly worth the $90 day pass if it dumps over 20", which it does frequently. Sets snowfall records for a reason.

Bellingham is a cool town but doesn't have the benefit of the Olympics serving as Seattle's raincatcher so it gets atmospheric rivers quite frequently. Great for skiing, mtb (world famous), and access to canada, and you can get to vancouver and seattle for sports / nights out easily. If you want a hip, west-coast city that isn't blown I'd say stop by. Good beer and rent that isn't out the gate yet. Underrated access to grouse, seymour and cypress if you want night park laps.

cypherseither way i'd very strongly recommend living somewhere near a light rail stop so you can still get the actual seattle experience when you want a night out. the 1 line just made it to lynnwood up north, and the federal way station down south is opening soonish. i have friends that moved to issaquah and other places not on public transit and it might as well be a different planet if you're trying to meet up at a bar/club or sports game or concert. don't do it unless you have a wife and kids or you're like straightedge or something.

the winter weather will test you, buy vitamin D and a nice rain jacket. do not buy an umbrella it's embarrassing and people will ask if you're californian. make sure you're on good terms with a deity that can ensure it's snowing on hill when it's pissing rain in the city. the end

Definitely agree with this. seattle public transit is pretty mid so it's a massive inconvenience to live anywhere not on the 1 line. I've heard it's the most expensive city to travel to which holds up.. ubers are pretty insane and drinks at the wrong bar can cost an arm and a leg. Don't be afraid to go to gay bars as a straight dude, drinks are generally cheaper and people have more energy, something frequently lacking in seattle due the ol freeze. Sports scene is great, Mariners tix are always cheap cause they suck and minor league hockey (everett silvertips, seattle thunderbirds) can be super fun for a night out.

Some good/ fun seattle neighborhoods to look into: fremont, central district, green lake, queen anne, cap hill, northgate, maple leaf, roosevelt, beacon hill.

On a final note, the snow is worth the rain. dunno how people live in western WA without a snowsport hobby cause it sure is a long, dark winter but the skiing is great. long season (year-round if you're willing to hike for suncup sessions) and great terrain and plenty of outdoor access and city stuff to keep you occupied in the off-season.

Good luck with your pilgrimage, you're choosing a great place to move to! Always happy to provide any other recs if you're curious.

I did this in April. It was a work trip and I snuck a day in at Baker and Crystal.

Both of those places are way longer than you think to get to. Worth it sure but I ended up being OK with 1 day at each. There is absolutely zero around them and at the base as well. And you go 30 mins down the road to where their locals live and its like 1 pizza place, trailer park, and a post office.

Great hills. Baker I would have needed a slack uphill set up for additional days. So bring one if you got it. Crystal a mini Squaw pretty nice layout just got mushy. Not much lodging 1/2 way to each either.

+1 on being close to the light rail. Makes it so easy to get into the city. Never have to drive to a show or baseball games. Mariners are pissing everyone off right now but going the games are still a good time.

30-40 minute commute???

dawg move to the Midwest, it’s an unbeatable 5 minutes to the hill

Sorry, OP, but it seems like the only option is to move eastward.

It's still in oregon and not part of the rockies. The blues is what they are

eheathYa cause its not in the PNW lol thats borderline The Rockies there.

hoodratz47It's still in oregon and not part of the rockies. The blues is what they are

thats why i said borderline lol

oregon might have the most diverse climate/topo of any state. You cant compare how it snows at hood to how it snows in the blue mountains and thats all were talking about here.

Dammit you got me there.

eheaththats why i said borderline lol

oregon might have the most diverse climate/topo of any state. You cant compare how it snows at hood to how it snows in the blue mountains and thats all were talking about here.

hoodratz47Dammit you got me there.

The blue mountains look dope AF though, its a bummer there arent more resorts in that area, or maybe not a bummer because we dont need ski resorts everywhere.

Still surprised no one said anything about the sled access up here yet.

so many sno parks and fsrs to choose from, most being closer to the cities than the ski hills.

Up in Canada you can hit powder mountain snowmobile club by whis, black tusk in Squamish, or Coquihalla. basically Any Forrest service road is fair game if you have a truck that can reach snow.

down in Washington you got the sno parks. Canyon creek, glacier creek, baker nra, finney creek, segelsen creek, fish lake, gold creek. The list goes on and on…

as a beginner sledder myself, I can say the slightly firmer snow has made it pretty easy to learn



also if you do plan on coming up here, make sure you keep saying "Baker sucks, it rains all the time, dont go there"

**This post was edited on Aug 19th 2024 at 3:31:26pm

eheathThe blue mountains look dope AF though, its a bummer there arent more resorts in that area, or maybe not a bummer because we dont need ski resorts everywhere.

The Elkhorns/Wallowas are incredible. Some of the driest snow I've skied, and some true big mountain lines up there.

Anthony Lakes is the best single-lift hill in the world