With the arrival of winter, skiers and snowboarders from throughout the region are flocking to Washington’s many ski resorts, including the White Pass Ski Area in East Lewis County.
As of Wednesday, White Pass is open daily with all but one ski lift — the Couloir Express — operating, according to the ski area’s website.
Base area ski lifts open promptly at 8:45 a.m. and run until 4 p.m. In total, the lifts offer access to 1,402 acres of ski and snowboard terrain.
Additionally, the White Pass Nordic Center is also open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. until
Jan. 2, when the center will resume its normal Friday through Monday operation. The Nordic Center offers visitors 26 kilometers of maintained and groomed snow trails for cross-country skiing, skate skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking.
White Pass Ski Area’s tubing hill is also open, with sessions running from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and 2:35 to 4:05 p.m. daily. In 2024, the tubing hill will be open on weekends and holidays through March 24.
Tubes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Use of tubes or sleds from home is prohibited.
Night skiing will also be available on Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve, with lifts running from 2 to 8 p.m. Those interested in New Year's Eve night skiing are asked to purchase tickets ahead of time online at https://estore.skiwhitepass.com/. Ski, snowboard and tube rentals, other lift tickets and Nordic Center trail passes can also be purchased on the site.
According to White Pass Public Relations Director Kathleen Goyette, to purchase tickets online, users must create online accounts first, which she urged people to do ahead of their visit to the mountain to ensure they would have not only lift tickets, but rentals and lessons if needed.
“It’s really important to do that at home in advance … We expect to sell out this weekend,” Goyette said. “Setting up a profile for one person only takes a few minutes, but if you have a family of five, it’s not that fun to stand outside at the lift ticket booth and set up those profiles for five people.”
She also advised those visiting over the upcoming holiday weekend to be patient with ski lift operators and the ski patrol and to get there early for good parking spaces. Goyette said lift ticket sales are limited to ensure they don’t run out of parking spaces for visitors.
To view White Pass Ski Area’s current snow report and weather forecast, visit https://skiwhitepass.com/the-mountain/snow-report. Always remember to ski or snowboard in control and within your own abilities, and read and obey all signs, warnings and hazard markers on the mountain. Keep off of closed trails and areas. For more safety information, visit https://skiwhitepass.com/the-mountain/safety.
White Pass Ski Area is located at 48935 U.S. Highway 12 between Packwood and Rimrock Lake.
