Skiing & Snowshoeing Information

Winter is in full swing and the snow pack is deep.  It's time to head out into the crisp cold air and do a little snowshoeing or cross country skiing.

The view of Mount Shuksan from Artist Point in the winter. This photo by Matt Leber won first prize in WTA's 2004 Northwest Exposure Photo Contest.

But where should you go?  How does the Sno-Park permit system work?  Where can you find groomed trails or gear rentals?  Where is the avalanche danger the lowest?

You may already have a guidebook or two.  The Mountaineers Books offers one snowshoe book, Dan Nelson's Snowshoe Routes: Washington, and Tom Kirkendall & Vicky Spring's 100 Best Cross Country Skiing Trails in Washington.  Both are worthwhile to own.  But there are many more winter trails out there to discover.

WTA has pulled together dozens of winter recreation resources by region for you to ponder and plan your next adventure.  The State Park website offers route maps for each of their Sno-Parks - great for using with a topo map.  The Forest Service offers several trail summaries, especially for popular areas.  Most of the downhill ski areas offer some Nordic opportunities and nearly all of them provide rentals of skis and snowshoes.  And don't overlook the region's excellent ski clubs who do great grooming work on a volunteer basis.

We hope that this compendium of online winter recreation resources helps arm you with the information you need to plan a fun and safe winter adventure.

General Information

Always check these websites before heading into the mountains in winter.  At the very least, they can help you choose the most rewarding route.  And with Washington's notoriously unstable snow conditions, they could save your life.

• Northwest Weather & Avalanche Center online
• Avalanche Hotline:  206-526-6677
• State Road conditions
  
• Winter Road Conditions: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, Okanogan-Wentachee, Gifford Pinchot, Mt. Rainier N.P., Olympic N.P.
• Ranger Station Info: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie, Wenatchee-Okanogan, Gifford Pinchot, Colville, Mt. Rainier N.P., Olympic N.P.
• Retail locations for Sno-Park permit
• Also, please see WTA's Winter Safety Tips and lists of resources for Winter Skills Courses in the state.
• Check WTA's Trip Reports - click on Freshest to browse all reports over the last two months, and click on a region below the Freshest reports to limit your search.  Consider writing one (with photos!) upon your return.
  

Mt Baker/Mountain Loop Areas

• Mt. Baker/Methow Non-Motorized Sno-Parks:  Maps, plowing/grooming info, and trail routes
• Mt. Baker Ranger District & North Cascades Winter Recreation Guide:  overview of recreational opportunities in the area
• Whatcom County Parks & Recreation: guided snowshoe trips
• Nooksack Nordic Ski Club: cross country grooming info
• Mt. Baker Ski Area offers snowshoe rentals
• Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest's Winter Recreation page provides links with information on several skiing and snowshoeing routes around the Mountain Loop Highway.
  

Methow Valley/Lake Chelan Area

• Mt. Baker/Methow Non-Motorized Sno-Parks:  Maps, plowing/grooming info, and trail routes
• Methow Valley Sport Trails Association:  The nordic center in the Methow offers nearly 200 kilometers of machine-groomed trails.
• Lake Chelan Nordic Ski Club:  The Echo Ridge Nordic Area has 20 miles of groomed ski trails and is located on the Chelan Ranger District.  Some snowshoeing also available. 
  

Highway 2 Corridor/Lake Wenatchee/Leavenworth

• Lake Wenatchee Area Sno-Parks:  Maps, plowing/grooming info, and trail routes
• Stevens Pass Nordic Center:  Groomed trails, rental gear, lessons, and route maps - for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
• Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest's Winter Recreation page provides links with information on several skiing and snowshoeing routes off of Highway 2.
  
• Leavenworth Area Trail Guide:  Maps and stats for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
• Leavenworth Winter Sports Club:  Groomed cross country skiing and snowshoeing trails near Leavenworth
  

Snoqualmie Pass/I-90 Corridor/Blewitt Pass

• I-90/Blewitt Pass Area Sno-Parks:  Maps, plowing/grooming info, and trail routes
• Snowshoe routes along the I-90 Corridor: Stats and summaries for eight snowshoe and cross country trails.
• The Summit at Snoqualmie:  offers rentals, and 50 km of maintained trails.
• Snowshoe at Mission Ridge:  rentals and guided treks
• Forest Service Ski & Snowshoe Info: Summaries of road and trail routes appropriate for snowshoeing and cross country skiing near Cle Elum, the Teanaways, Blewitt Pass and the I-90 Corridor.
• Blewitt Pass Are Ski Trail Map & Information
  

Mt. Rainier/White Pass/Hwy 410 Areas

• Mt. Rainier National Park:  Park's website includes road and parking info and some general information on winter recreation. Operating hours.
  
• Mt. Rainier Area Sno-Parks:  Maps, plowing/grooming info, and trail routes

• Naches Ranger District & Vicinity Winter Recreation page:  Groomed and non-groomed summaries of trailheads and trails in the White Pass and Hwy 410 areas.
• White Pass Ski Area:  Rentals and groomed cross country ski trails.
• Mount Tahoma Trails Association:  Hut-to-hut trail groomed system with more than 50 miles of trails (20 miles groomed).
  

Mt. Adams/Mt. St. Helen's and South

• South Cascades Sno-Parks:  Maps, plowing/grooming info, and trail routes
• Gifford Pinchot Sno-Park and trail information:  Provides current conditions and trail route info for Packwood, Randle, Mt. Saint Helen's, Mt. Adams and Wind River ranger districts.

Olympics

• There are no Sno-Parks on the Olympic Peninsula
  
• Olympic National Park: Park's website includes road information, guided snowshoe hikes, and a map of routes around Hurricane Ridge.

Inland Northwest/Eastern Washington

• Inland Northwest Sno-Parks:  Maps, plowing/grooming info, and trail routes north of Spokane and in the SE corner of Washington.
• Friends of Mt. Spokane: Snowshoeing information for Mt. Spokane State Park.
• Spokane Nordic Ski Education Foundation:  Groomed cross country ski information for Mt. Spokane State Park.
• 49 Degrees North Nordic Center:  North of Spokane, the ski area features trails, parking and rentals
  
• Colville National Forest recreation page has information on a few ski trails.
• Umatilla National Forest winter recreation page