Mt. Baker announces opening date, kicking off Washington ski season

SEATTLE — Skiers and snowboarders, the wait is over. The 2024-25 season got underway Nov. 20 at Mt. Baker Ski Area, with season passholders getting a first crack at the slopes. The Whatcom County ski area opened to the general public the next day, and early season operations will start at the Heather Meadows Base Area. The White Salmon Base Area was to be open Nov. 23.

“All the stars aligned this weekend and thankfully the cold air moved in and the snow level finally stayed below the ski area for long enough to bring us a whopping 3 FEET of snow since Friday,” the ski area’s staff posted Nov. 17, on its website, just three days before the opening.

Lifts will also start spinning for the general public at White Pass Ski Area. The ski area along Highway 12 will be closed for most of Thanksgiving week, then will reopen Nov. 29, depending on conditions.

Elsewhere in Washington, Crystal Mountain Resort and 49º North opened Nov. 22. Crystal’s opening day is for season passholders only, including Ikon Pass holders, and the general public now can buy lift tickets. Weekday operations for Thanksgiving week will depend on snow conditions. Parking reservations for weekends and holidays will not go into effect until Nov. 30.

Stevens Pass is scheduled to open Dec. 6. Mission Ridge and The Summit at Snoqualmie have not yet announced opening dates.

“This weekend’s storm brought us a healthy amount of base-building material and the entire mountain is now blanketed in white from top to bottom,” Summit staff wrote on its website Nov. 18. “While it isn’t enough to announce an opening, it’s a great start. Typically we need at least a couple feet of snow to get Summit West open for the season, and quite a bit more to get Alpental up and running.”

While Washington skiers and riders wax their gear, the season has already begun elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Lookout Pass, Idaho, was first out of the gate on Nov. 8. Mt. Bachelor near Bend, Ore., followed on Nov. 15. Whistler Blackcomb, B.C., is was expected to open Nov. 21, one day earlier than planned.