Hiker Headlines: Hiker Rally Day; ski area openings, state park closures
Happy winter solstice! Some exciting 2025 hiker events have been announced, including Hiker Rally Day on March 18. Several state parks are closed until further notice due to storm damage, but — good news — all of the ski resorts along the Washington Cascade crest have opened for the winter.
It’s Dec. 19. Happy winter solstice! Some exciting 2025 hiker events have been announced, including Hiker Rally Day on March 18. Several state parks are closed until further notice due to storm damage, but — good news — all of the ski resorts along the Washington Cascade crest have opened for the winter. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.
Saturday, Dec. 21, is the winter solstice! Photo by Tiffany Chou.
Happy winter solstice! This Saturday, Dec. 21, is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. From then on, the days will only get longer, so you can start planning your longer day hikes soon!
Join WTA for Hiker Rally Day: Hiker Rally Day only comes around every 2 years, and this will be the first one in person since 2019. It’s a chance to make a tangible difference by telling your state representatives why access to the outdoors is important to you and your community. With a projected $14 billion shortfall in our state’s budget, access to the outdoors could be on the chopping block. On March 18, WTA invites you to show up for the trails that sustain us.
Hiker events upcoming: Here are some fun hiker events to look forward to in the new year!
- Join REI, WTA, King County Explorer Search and Rescue, Northwest Avalanche Center and Kula Cloth at the flagship REI store in Seattle at a free How Not to Die - Backcountry Mistakes and How to Avoid Them event on Jan. 11 at 1 - 5 p.m. During the event, experts will go over backcountry survival, share true misadventure stories, give winter safety tips, advise on what to do if something goes wrong and more.
- Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is hosting donation-based ranger-led snowshoe trips at Snoqualmie Pass on weekends in the new year. They are currently taking reservations for January and releasing remaining reservations through the rest of winter on Thursdays a month in advance. The last day of snowshoeing will be Sunday, March 23.
- Join WTA’s Outdoor Leadership Training for a snowshoe workshop on Feb. 22 to expand your knowledge and skills in leading and planning group snowshoe programs for youth. This entry-level course is at Gold Creek Pond from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. This workshop is designed for educators and youth program facilitators, so please share with the youth group facilitator in your life!
Time to ski! With the opening of The Summit at Snoqualmie this week, all of Washington’s Cascade ski areas are open (a reminder that visitors without ski tickets or passes will need to pay $55 per vehicle per day to park at the Summit or Alpental parking lots). If you’re itching to get out in the snow but you’re not a skier or snowboarder, check out some of the cross-country ski systems and snowshoe trails in Washington!
State park closures: Twanoh State Park, Schafer State Park and Lake Sylvia State Park are closed due to storm damage. Additionally, Wallace Falls State Park and Squak Mountain State Park remain closed due to damage from the bomb cyclone.
BE IN THE KNOW
- Keep up to date with Trail News, our monthly email newsletter.
- Search our Hiking Guide to find your next adventure.
- Check trip reports for latest conditions on trails. And if you go for a hike, file your own trip report.
- Sign up for Families Go Hiking, our email newsletter for families with plenty of tips on keeping kids busy.
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