Washington’s Big 6 expecting better ski season in 2015-16

When hitting the slopes in Washington, it’s easy to find a little bit of whatever it is you like.

There are tiny mom-and-pop hills serviced by rope tows and hand-me-down chairlifts. There’s backcountry accessed by helicopters and Snowcats. There’s midsize community hills and a large ski resort with overnight accommodations.

The heart of the state’s ski industry is the Cascades, however, where the state’s six most visited areas give skiers and snowboarders just about everything they desire.

Find heaps of steeps and a comfy gondola at Crystal Mountain. The state’s largest learning center is at the Summit at Snoqualmie. White Pass brims with intermediate terrain. Stevens Pass boasts an enormous terrain park. Mount Baker gets the most snow and Mission Ridge seems to hoard the bluebird days.

With the lifts already running, all are expecting conditions considerably better than last season’s warm winter.

Here’s a closer look at the Big 6:

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN

You don’t even have to ski to find plenty to do at Crystal Mountain.

Washington’s largest and traditionally third-most visited ski area offers gondola rides to the top of Green Valley, where visitors can take in an in-your-face view of Mount Rainier or high-altitude dining at the Summit House.

From there, you can rip down the valley, head over to the expert slopes serviced by the Northway Lift or ride the gondola back to the base area.

Intermediate trails make up 54 percent of the designated runs, while beginning runs account for 11 percent, but Crystal is also well known for its backcountry skiing. Backcountry safety classes are offered at the resort.

With more snow expected this season, visitors should have considerably more time to play on the two lifts the resort installed before last season. Chair 6 services expert terrain like Campbell Basin and the Silver King (a backcountry rite of passage for skilled skiers). The Quicksilver lift should mean shorter lift rides and more runs for those learning the sport on the lower mountain.

Crystal Mountain offers late spring and early summer skiing when conditions permit. It has offered skiing as late as July 16.

SAVE THE DATE: April 9. “Skin to win” is the tagline Crystal uses for its annual Bikini and Board Shorts Downhill. This is a race where the winner in each category scores a season pass for next season. However, all participants must wear a swimsuit and inseams can’t exceed 4 inches.

QUICK BITES: The Snorting Elk Cellar is a popular place to celebrate after a day on the slopes. Menu items include pizza, deli sandwiches, schnitzel and goulash. Top it off with cookies or, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, the Snorting Elk is also known for its shot skis.

LIFT TICKETS: $72, $48 youth (11-15). $48 seniors (70 and older), juniors 10 and younger are free. Prices include tax.

SEASON PASS: $1,200 ages 16-69, $800 ages 11-15 and seniors (70 and older), $50 children (0-10).

HOURS: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

TERRAIN: 2,300 acres serviced by lifts, 1,300 acres of backcountry, 400-foot long half pipe.

LIFTS: 12 lifts (one gondola, two high-speed, six-passenger lifts, two high-speed quads, two triples, four doubles, and one children’s surface lift).

TRAILS: 57 runs (11 percent beginner, 54 percent intermediate, 35 percent advanced).

SUMMIT ELEVATION: 7,012 feet.

BASE ELEVATION: 4,400 feet.

VERTICAL DROP: 3,100 feet including backcountry return.

ANNUAL SNOWFALL: 385 inches.

CROSS-COUNTRY: None.

SNOW LINE: 888-754-6199.

MORE INFORMATION: 360-663-2265; crystalmountainresort.com

SUMMIT AT SNOQUALMIE

No ski area in the Cascades suffered more than the Summit last season. With the lowest base elevation, the ski area was only open 40 days.

A huge blow to skiers and snowboarders considering the Summit is traditionally the most-visited of the state’s ski areas.

The Summit is eager to get back on track this season. The resort’s four ski areas draw different crowds. Summit West and Summit Central are home to the state’s largest learning center, with more than 500 instructors.

Central also houses the palatial Central Park terrain park. Summit East is only open on weekends and offers a collection of intermediate and more difficult runs, including the ski area’s longest cruisers.

It is home to the Rampart lift, which was due to open last season but was never used because of the snow shortage.

The resort’s most famous terrain sits on the north side of Interstate 90 at Alpental. Filled with mostly diamond and double-diamond runs, Alpental has gates to popular backcountry terrain.

The Summit also has extensive night skiing. It added additional lighting at Alpental in 2014.

SAVE THE DATE: March 18. The Spring Splash at Summit West is the place to be for one of skiing’s most entertaining traditions, pond skimming. Zip down the mountain as your alpine run turns to water skiing. Or just join the spectators and root for the skiers.

QUICK BITE: Scott’s Dairy Freeze is a North Bend icon. So much so, you’re likely to see mayor Ken Hearing if you swing by for a bacon cheeseburger and shake. Hearing owns the 64-year-old restaurant and regularly works in the kitchen.

LIFT TICKETS: $66, $45 youth (7-12) and seniors (62-69), $12 children (6 and younger) and seniors (70 and older). Prices include tax.

SEASON PASS: $499, $299 youth (7-12) and seniors (62-69), $89 children (6 and older) and seniors (70 and older), $399 teens (13-18). Prices do not include tax.

NIGHT SKIING: $42, $38 youth (7-12) and seniors (62-69), $12 children (6 and younger) and seniors (70 and older). 15 lifts open at night.

HOURS: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

TERRAIN: 1,981 acres serviced by lifts. One superpipe, two terrain parks and two beginner parks. 523 acres of backcountry terrain.

LIFTS: 24 (three high-speed quads, two fixed quads, three triples, 10 doubles, six surface lifts).

TRAILS: 65 runs (14 percent beginner, 45 percent intermediate, 41 percent advanced).

SUMMIT ELEVATION: 5,450 feet at Alpental, 3,765 feet at Summit West.

BASE ELEVATION: 3,140 feet at Alpental, 3,000 feet at Summit West.

VERTICAL DROP: 2,310 feet at Alpental, 765 feet at Summit West.

ANNUAL SNOWFALL: 444 inches.

CROSS-COUNTRY: 50 kilometers accessed via the Summit East’s Keechelus or the Summit Central’s Silver Fir chair.

SNOW LINE: 206-236-1600.

MORE INFORMATION: 425-434-7669; summitatsnoqualmie.com.

WHITE PASS

White Pass launched an aggressive “Learn to Ski” campaign last season and, as a result, saw a lot of new faces on the slope.

One of the nice side benefits of having so many rookies on the hill is that they didn’t know any better when it came to the subpar conditions, said resort spokeswoman Kathleen Goyette.

“They’ll be really impressed this year,” she said.

While conditions weren’t very good, White Pass’ higher elevation Paradise Basin yielded 110 days of skiing.

White Pass has a reputation for a friendly atmosphere and an abundance of intermediate runs. The terrain might be mostly mild, but there are some steep pitches and tree skiing to entertain the experts.

White Pass is the birthplace of Hope on the Slopes, a 24-hour ski and snowboard event that raises money for the American Cancer Society. The event turns 13 this season.

The Nordic Center is well known in cross-country circles but, Goyette said, it was open “less than five days” last season because of the lack of snow. Otherwise, she said, “Traffic has been growing each year.”

Regardless of conditions, White Pass will unveil a new event on Dec. 5. Brew, Brats and Boards will raise money for the volunteer ski patrol.

SAVE THE DATE: March 5-6. The White Pass Winter Carnival turns 30 this year. The family-oriented party include fireworks, snow games, races and a huge snow castle. This year’s event includes a reunion of 1980s snowboarders.

QUICK BITE: Stop by The Mountain Goat in Packwood for breakfast on your way to the hill. Coffee is roasted on site, and the scones and muffins have become popular among skiers in recent years. The café, open 7 a.m.-5 p.m., recently changed its name from the Butter Butte Coffee Co.

LIFT TICKETS: $63 for first ticket of season/$58 for additional tickets, $43/$38 juniors (7-15); $5/free children (6 and younger) and super seniors (73 and older).

SEASON PASS: $799 ages 16-72, $499 ages 7-15. Prices do not include tax.

NIGHT SKIING: $28, 4-9 p.m., during holidays and on Saturdays through March 5.

HOURS: 8:45 a.m.-4 p.m.

TERRAIN: 1,402 acres serviced by lifts.

LIFTS: 8 (Three high-speed quad, one triple, two doubles, one platter pull, one carpet).

TRAILS: 45 runs (30 percent beginner, 50 percent intermediate, 20 percent advanced/expert).

SUMMIT ELEVATION: 6,500 feet.

BASE ELEVATION: 4,500 feet.

VERTICAL DROP: 2,000.

ANNUAL SNOWFALL: 350 inches.

CROSS-COUNTRY: 18 kilometers of trails.

SNOW LINE: 509-672-3100.

MORE INFORMATION: 509-672-3101; skiwhitepass.com.

STEVENS PASS

Wild Katz. 7th Heaven. Andromeda Face. The Top Phlight Terrain Park.

There are plenty of things worthy of a spot on your Stevens Pass to-do list. Additionally, the resort is a starting point for some of the Cascades’ most popular backcountry skiing.

Skiers and snowboarders might be itching to get back into this terrain after a poor 2014-15 season, but Chris Danforth says they’re probably going to like a new feature. Danforth, the resort’s vice president of sales of marketing, says summer work in 2014 will make for more and better tree ski opportunities.

Stevens Pass’ terrain park is one of the largest in the Northwest, and is situated in such a manner that it can cap a long run off of the upper mountain.

While there is an abundance of expert terrain, there is also plenty of intermediate and beginner opportunities.

Stevens Pass cranks up as many as six lifts Wednesdays-Sundays for night skiing.

The Foggy Goggle serves sandwiches and other food and is the venue for the Saturday night concert series.

SAVE THE DATE: Feb. 27-28. Hope on the Slopes is a 24-hour skiing event founded by Tacoma’s David Ludwig to raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society. Participants can choose to ski as little or as much as they like, but have the opportunity to ski during hours when the resort is otherwise closed.

QUICK BITE: The Sultan Bakery is legendary among skiers, snowboarders and lovers of carbohydrates. Stop for breakfast on the way to the hill and grab a sandwich on fresh bread to save for lunch.

LIFT TICKETS: $69, $49 youth (7-15), $15 seniors (70 and older), free for children (6 and younger). Prices include tax and are reduced on non-Holiday weekdays and non-peak weekends.

SEASON PASS: $799 ages 16-69, $579 ages 7-15, $99 ages 70 and older and free for children 6 and younger. Prices do not include tax.

NIGHT SKIING: $40, $35 youth (7-12), $15 seniors (70 and older), free for children (6 and younger). Prices include tax. Six lifts run at night.

HOURS: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

TERRAIN: 1,125 acres serviced by lifts including a 25-acre terrain park with a super pipe.

LIFTS: 10 (two high-speed quads, one quad, four triples, three doubles).

TRAILS: 37 (11 percent beginner, 54 percent intermediate, 35 percent advanced).

SUMMIT ELEVATION: 5,845 feet.

BASE ELEVATION: 4,061 feet.

VERTICAL DROP: 1,784 feet.

ANNUAL SNOWFALL: 450 inches.

CROSS-COUNTRY: 28 kilometers.

SNOW LINE: 206-634-1645.

MORE INFORMATION: 206-812-4510; stevenspass.com.

MOUNT BAKER

No ski area in the Northwest gets more snow than Mount Baker, thanks to its location.

Moisture-packed warm fronts funneling through the Strait of Juan de Fuca are on a course toward the resort. As they are forced upward by Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan, the fronts dump snow on the ski area.

That means an average of 175 inches of snow on the ground by April 1, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center. But on that date last season, Baker had a depth of 17 inches.

Forecasters expect a much better season this winter, even if it still brings less snow than average.

The return of snow means opportunities this season to get reacquainted with classic runs like the expert terrain under lift C-6.

And for those with backcountry training, Baker is well known for the off-piste terrain accessed from the top of the Hemispheres Chair. More backcountry terrain sits on the other side of the resort.

SAVE THE DATE: Feb. 18-21. The Legendary Banked Slalom celebrates its 30th anniversary. The snowboard race lives up to its name and attracts some of the best snowboarders in the world. Maelle Ricker, an Olympic gold medalist for Canada in 2010, won the women’s LBS 2007-2013. Last season’s race was canceled due to a lack of snow.

QUICK BITE: Milano’s in Deming has been popular among skiers and snowboarders since it open 25 years ago. Order classic Italian foods. Owner Sam Hassan says seafood dishes tend to be popular. Hassan says the restaurant has added pizza delivery, a bar and a café.

LIFT TICKETS: $58, $40 youth (11-15), $30 child (7-10), $50 seniors (60-69), $37 super seniors (70 and older), children 6 and younger are free. Fifth-graders can also register online to ski free. Prices include sales tax. Prices are reduced on weekdays.

SEASON PASS: $790, $690 full-time college student, $535 ages 16-17, $325 ages 13-15, $230 ages 7-12; $470 ages 60-69, $160 ages 70 and older. Prices include tax.

HOURS: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

TERRAIN: 1,000 acres serviced by lifts including a half pipe and a terrain park.

LIFTS: 8 (four fixed quad chairs, two doubles, two rope tows).

TRAILS: 50 runs (24 percent beginner, 45 percent intermediate, 31 percent advanced).

SUMMIT ELEVATION: 5,050 feet.

BASE ELEVATION: 4,300 feet main base; 3,590 feet lower base.

VERTICAL DROP: 1,460 feet.

ANNUAL SNOWFALL: 647 inches.

CROSS-COUNTRY: 4 kilometers and backcountry trails

SNOW LINE: 360-671-0211.

MORE INFORMATION: 360-734-6771; mtbaker.us.

MISSION RIDGE

Clearly not enough people rubbed the bomber wing last season.

A wing from a B-24 bomber that crashed in the area in 1944 is displayed above Bomber Bowl at Mission Ridge. Local lore states that rubbing the wing will ensure a good snow year.

It’s probably worth visiting this season. Just in case.

Mission Ridge doesn’t get as much snow as other Cascade ski areas, but what it does get is usually light and fluffy. Mission also claims to have more sunny days than the other resorts.

Mission Ridge is 12 miles from Wenatchee, but seems to draw more and more visitors from Western Washington each winter. Resort officials estimate 40 percent of its 100,000 visits are from the west side. The area has become a summer mountain biking destination for west side residents, too.

The Western Washington influence is obvious. The “Public Market” sign at Wenatchee’s Pybus Market bares an uncanny resemblance to the sign at Seattle’s Pike Place Market.

A Mission Ridge season pass comes loaded with perks, including unlimited free weekday skiing at the Summit at Snoqualmie, five free days at White Pass, a growler from a local brewery and 20 percent off skydiving.

SAVE THE DATE: March 19. The Dummy Downhill is Mission Ridge’s best known event. Participants design a dummy (non-human only), place them on skis or a snowboard and then launch them downhill toward a jump. Most crash spectacularly. The longest jump scores a season pass for next season (for the human, not the dummy).

QUICK BITES: Pizza at McGlinn’s Public House has long been an après-ski tradition in Wenatchee. But if you have a craving for a burger that weighs roughly as much as your ski boots, you might attempt to finish an Animal Burger at EZ’s Burger Deluxe.

LIFT TICKETS: $55, $45 young adult (7-24) and seniors (62-69), $15 super senior (70 and older) and children (6 and younger).

SEASON PASS: $475. $375 youth and young adult (10-24), $105 children (9 and younger) and masters (70 and older).

HOURS: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursdays-Mondays.

TERRAIN: 900 acres including a 3.5-acre terrain park, the highest in the state at 6,400 feet.

LIFTS: Three two-seat lifts and one high-speed quad.

TRAILS: 36 runs (10 percent beginner, 60 percent intermediate, 30 percent advanced).

SUMMIT ELEVATION: 6,820.

BASE ELEVATION: 4,570.

VERTICAL DROP: 2,250.

ANNUAL SNOWFALL: 135 inches.

CROSS-COUNTRY: 10 miles of trails located 4 miles away at Squilchuck State Park.

SNOW LINE: 509-663-3200.

MORE INFORMATION: 509-663-6543; missionridge.com.

This story was originally published November 27, 2015 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Washington’s Big 6 expecting better ski season in 2015-16."