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Best Snow, Ski, and Snowboard Places in the North Bend Area
We compiled a list our favorite snow activities in the North Bend – Snoqualmie Pass area. Click on an items you are interested in to get more information. You can ski downhill or cross country, snowboard, go snow tubing or snowshoeing, or sledding. Bring your own stuff or rent it when you arrive. The locations without a link have not yet been added to our website.
- Alpental (Exit 52 EB, 53WB) ski
- Summit West ski (Exit 52WB, Exit 53EB)
- Ski Summit Central (Exit 53 all)
- Summit Snow Tubing Park (Exit 53 all)
- Summit East and Nordic Center (Exit 54 all)
- Hyak Sno-Park and Palouse to Cascades Trail access to Keechelus Lake (Exit 54)
- Gold Creek Pond Trail (Exit 54)
- Crystal Mountain Ski Resort (Exit 25 Highway 18 South to Enumclaw and Mt Rainier)
- Stevens Pass Ski Resort (Take Hwys 202-203 to Monroe then Highway 2 East)
- Gold Creek Sno Park (Exit 54)
- Nordic Pass Trail Snowshoe (Exit 54)
- Granite Lakes Snowshoeing (Exit 34)
- Gold Creek Sno-Park Groomed Snowmobile trail system
Snow, Ski, and Snowboard Location Summaries
If there is a green clickable button below the image, click on it to go to a page with added detail information. If the button is yellow and not clickable, the necessary information is all here.
Alpental Ski Area - Summit At Snoqualmie
Access: I-90 Eastbound Exit 52, Westbound Exit 53
Alpental Ski Area: 4 chairs, 1 surface lift, mostly moderate to expert terrain. Upper mountain all expert. Steepest and largest drop of all Snoqalmie Summit Areas. Lots of chutes and trees. Night skiing available.
Dining: Tiroler Stube, Backcountry Bar, Powder House
Shopping: Alpental Sports
1.5 miles from I-90 up to Alpental Ski Area parking lot. Parking is free. Lot 3 is for overnight parking only. Summit Shuttle runs T-Su between the different base areas
Summit West Ski Area - Summit At Snoqualmie
Access: I-90 Eastbound Exit 52, Westbound Exit 53
Summit West Ski Area: 6 chairs, 3 surface lifts, Best Place to Learn to Ski. dedicated first timer program, almost all beginner and intermediate terrain. Summit Inn nearby. Night skiing available.
Dining: Timberwolf Bar and Grill, Stan’s Cafe, Webbs International Market, Webb’s Mountain Grill
Shopping: Slopestyles
Parking Lot is next to the main lodges on the west side of Highway 906. It’s just off I-90 Exit 52 and about 1/2 mile north of Exit 53. Parking is free.
Ski Summit Central - Summit At Snoqualmie
Parking lot is across Route 906 from the Summit Central Main Building and next to the tubing center. Parking is free.
Tubing Park - Summit At Snoqualmie
Located across the street from Summit Central. Option to access from the entrance across the street from Silver Fir. Parking is free. Only Fri evening thru Sunday plus holidays. Usually mid Dec thru April.
Snoqualmie Nordic Center - Summit East - Summit At Snoqualmie
Summit East Alpine: 3 chair lifts, mix of intermediate and advanced, glade skiing
Summit Nordic Center: 50 km groomed and tracked trail. Private lessons, beginner package, junior
Summit East Snowshoeing: On the nordic trails or use special snowshoeing trails.
Dining: Milwaukee Lodge Cafe, Broken Tip Bar
At Exit 54, head to the west on Hyak Dr E. Continue straight into the parking lots. Parking is free.
Palouse to Cascades State Park (formerly Iron Horse) - Hyak Trailhead and Hyak Sno-Park
Elevation 2560 feet, 150 parking spaces
Sno-Park: heated restrooms, tubing hill, designated snow play area. Palouse to Cascades Trail East of Hyak is shared use (snowmobile, x-country ski, snowshoe, and dog sled)
Non-winter access to Palouse to Cascades Trail: Snoqualmie Tunnel is closed Nov 1 to May 1st.
At Exit 54, head to the west on Hyak Dr E. Turn left onto Highway 906 and continue until you see the Iron Horse (Palouse to Cascades) State Park Hyak Trailhead and Hyak Sno-Park on the right hand side. Parking requires a Discover Pass.
Gold Creek Pond Trail
At Exit 54, turn North. Take FR 4832 parallel to freeway for 1 mile then left on Gold Creek Rd. Parking Lot on left in 0.3 mile. Winter requires a Sno-Parks permit.
Crystal Mountain Resort
Base Elevation: 4440 feet. summit 6856 ft (2400 ft vertical)
Crystal Mountain is a great option for snow, ski, and snowboarding activities, especially if it’s warm as the elevation is the highest of all the ski resorts in Washington State. Ride the Gondola for a great view of Mt Rainier.
At Exit 25, turn south on Highway 18. Follow 18 to 169 to highway 410.
Stevens Pass Mountain Resort
Base Elevation: 4061 feet. summit 5845 ft (1800 ft vertical). Mill Valley base elevation 3821 feet.
Stevens has a relatively high base although the vertical drop is not as much as Alpental or Crystal Mountain. 11% of its trails are beginner, 54% intermediate, and 35% expert. Snow is relatively dry due to cool air from the east.
Take Hwys 202W-203N from North Bend to Monroe. Then Highway 2 East to Stevens Pass. Traffic and parking are issues on weekends and holidays.
Gold Creek Sno Park
Access: I-90 Exit 54. Snow season generally December through March.
Ungroomed sno-park with 3 sections. Park on the north side of the road.
First section by I-90 interchange for snowshoe/ski up the Kendall Peak Lakes Road or play in the snow.
Second section one mile east for access to Gold Creek Pond snowshoe and ski.
Third section is the end of the road. Access to Mt Margaret area snowshoe, ski, and snowmobile.
Take Exit 54 off I-90 and turn north (opposite side of the road from Hyak). Turn right (east) on a narrow paved road paralelling the highway. Seasonal or one-day Sno-Park permit required for parking on the north side of the road. The forest road up to Gold Creek Pond is not plowed in the winter.
Nordic Pass Trail
Access: I-90 Exit 54. Snow season generally December through March. Backcountry nordic ski and snowshoeing trail.
To Hyak Lake. 3 miles roundtrip, 660 ft elevation gain. Follow the blue diamonds about 10 feet up on trees to Hyak Lake. Do not follow trails with yellow badges which are maintained by the Snoqualmie Nordic Center.
To Windy Pass. Cross Hyak Lake and turn left (west) to refind blue diamonds. You will want a phone GPS app (and a battery pack as the app really uses phone battery) to stay on the nordic trail after Hyak Lake as the blue diamonds are much less frequent and harder to find and there are ski trails looping everywhere. 8 miles roundtrip and 1580 ft elevation gain.
Take Exit 54 off I-90 and turn south (into Hyak). Continue to intersection with SE Snoqualmie Parkway and park at the overflow parking lot of the Hyak Ski Resort.
Walk up Snoqualmie Parkway which turns into Snoqualmie Drive. The unmarked trailhead is at the first hairpin curve.
Granite Lakes Snowshoe
Access: I-90 Exit 34. Great avalanche free hike/snowshoe when Snoqualmie Pass is a mess.
2300 ft elevation gain to Upper Granite Lake but you can go less distance if desired. Great views in winter when the leaves are gone from the trees. At the lakes, see Mailbox Peak, Webb Mountain, Mt Defiance.
You may not need your snowshoes until part way up the trail. The trail follows an old logging road.
Take Exit 34 off I-90 and turn north. Continue past truck stops 0.4 miles and turn right on to Middle Fork Rd. Proceed 2.5 miles to the Mailbox Peak trailhead and park there or at the smaller Granite Lakes Trailhead just up the road. Discover Pass Required
Gold Creek Sno-Park Groomed Snowmobile Trail System
Access: I-90 Exit 54. 23 miles of groomed snowmobile trails. You need to rent and bring your own snowmobiles. Check potential avalanche danger before leaving home.
You can make a loop over Keechelus Ridge, down along Kachess Lake, along the plowed Kachess Lake Road, and returning above Keechelus Lake.
Snowmobile rentals are available at Motor Toys (509-674-6807) in Cle Elum, and Cascade Playtime Rentals in Ronald (just west of Cle Elum).
Take Exit 54 off I-90 and turn north (opposite side of the road from Hyak). Turn right (east) on a narrow paved road paralleling the highway. Continue for 1 mile or so up the road to the end of the plowed section. This is the start of the groomed snowmobile trail system. Seasonal or one-day Sno-Park permit required for parking on the north side of the road.