The Stevens Pass Ski Resort in Washington State is split into two mountains – Steven Pass mountain (front side) and Mill Valley Mountain (back side).
There seems to be a good variety of terrain for riders of all levels and styles so there’s a bit of something for everyone here.
| Stevens Pass Mountain Stats |
| Resort Elevation: 1,782m (5,845ft) |
| Vertical Drop: 550m (1,800ft) |
| Ride-able area: 1,125 acres |
| No. of Lifts: 10 chairlifts |
| No. of trails: 38 |
| Trail proportions: |
| 4 (11%) Beginner (Green) |
| 21 (54%) Intermediate (Blue) |
| 13 (35%) Advanced (Black Diamond)/Expert (Dbl Black Diamond) |
| Backcountry: Decent – both lift accessible and hiking |
| No. of parks: 3 + pipe |
| Night Riding: Yes |
Freeriding and Trails
Most of the beginner and intermediate terrain is on Stevens Pass mountain whilst Mill Valley Mountain contains contains more of the black diamond and double black diamond runs.
There are plenty of opportunities for exploring the backcountry (off piste) and sidecountry (backcountry accessible by lifts) too.
You can check out the two trail maps at the link below – the 1st page has Stevens Pass mountain and Mill Valley is on the 2nd page.
Stevens Pass & Mill Valley Trail Maps
Terrain Parks
Stevens has 3 parks and a pipe. Two of the parks are quite small but the main park is huge and in its current set up (at time of writing) contains 29 features.
The smaller Double Daisy park currently contains 6 features and is designed for the beginning park rider.
At time of writing the Tye Creek Park and the Half Pipe were closed.
Night Riding
Stevens has night riding! Night riding is in operation 5 nights a week Wednesday to Sunday, weather permitted of course, through the peak of the season.
6 lifts operate during the night and run until 10pm when in operation.
Where to stay
Check out the link to find places to stay near Stevens Pass
How to Get There
Flying:
If you are flying in from outside of the region it is probably best to fly in to Seattle as the flights will be cheaper. You can fly into Wenatchee but will be more pricey.
Driving:
Seattle: 1hr 45mins without traffic but allow 2 to 2 and a half hours for traffic and winter conditions
Everett: 1hr 15mins without traffic but allow up to 1 hour 45mins for traffic and winter conditions
Wenatchee: 1 hr 10mins without traffic
Leavenworth: 40mins without traffic
Physical address is 93001 NE Stevens Pass Hwy, US 2, Skykomish, WA 98288 if you are using your GPS.
Other Transportation Options:
The Steven Pass Shuttle provides a great service going daily from Seattle and Leavenworth. You can get a shuttle + lift ticket package and this will save you money and since you get the pass on the bus it will save you from lining up in the ticket cue when you arrive.
A reasonably long day trip from Seattle but doable. The one that departs from Peshastin (near Leavenworth) is not too far from Stevens Pass and a great option if your accommodation is around there.
There is also the Stevens Pass Snowbus which is a weekend only alternative from the Seattle area. They also offer bus + lift pass packages which look a bit cheaper than the Stevens Pass Shuttle (but this only goes on weekends). Check out the details and schedule at the link below.
Carpooling:
There are also some great share-a-ride options at some of the following websites if you’re looking for a cheap way to get there and you can meet some fellow shredders at the same time.
http://www.meetup.com/SkiSeattle
http://www.rideshareonline.com
For even more transportation options check this page out
Usual opening date
With no snowmaking facilities the opening date can vary depending on the mood of mother nature. Over the last 5 years it’s been anywhere from mid November to mid December.
Past 5 years opening dates:
2010/2011 Season: December 1, 2010
2011/2012 Season: November 19, 2011
2012/2013 Season: November 20, 2012
2013/2014 Season: November 22, 2013
2014/2015 Season: December 20, 2014
Usual closing date
Again mother nature (+ economic viability) plays a part in the closing date and will vary a bit.
Past 5 years closing dates:
2010/2011 Season: April 17, 2011
2011/2012 Season: May 6, 2012
2012/2013 Season: April 21, 2013
2013/2014 Season: April 30th, 2014
2014/2015 Season: Yet to close at time of writing
Opening Hours
In peak season times Wednesday to Sunday opening hours are from 9am to 10pm weather dependent. You can check out Steven Pass’s full schedule plan here.
Are you a Stevens Pass Aficionado?
If you’ve ever been to Stevens Pass it would be awesome to hear what you thought of it. Just leave a comment below. Of course, any other questions, comments or suggestions for anything else you’d like to see on this page, also very welcome.
Photo credits from top:
Photo by Jeff Wilcox [CC BY 2.0], via Flikr
Photo by Andrew Siguenza [CC BY 2.0], via Flikr
Hey Nate, great post once again. I really like how you lay down all the information about these ski resorts. Really useful for people living closer to Washington state. Thumbs up for the little stats window! If only someone would do this about resorts close by me (Finland) – would really make choosing one easier.
-JP
Hey JP – thanks for the feedback! Appreciate it. I will be moving onto Europe soon but probably not for a couple of months. But check back in in a couple of months and there might be some Finnish ski resorts on the list.
Haven’t been to Steven’s Pass yet, but hope to soon. The nighttime photo is very appealing and would love to go with my family. Being able to check out the backcountry is my family’s kind of thing, and of course the night riding. 🙂 We recently had friends move close to this area, so I see it as a big possibility for next year. Thanks for the great information Nate!
Hey Michelle – glad to be of help. Great that you know someone close to the resort – always makes it that much easier. If backcountry and nightriding is your thing then Stevens Pass is a great option – just not both at the same time because I don’t think they light up the backcountry!