Who’s ready for Opening Day? We see those hands. Who isn’t ready for the first powder day? After all, there’s nothing like the lift to the top of a mountain for the first time each season to make you feel like a kid again.
Soon, it’ll be opening day at ski areas around the Northwest, where you’ll discover diverse runs for skiers and snowboarders of every skill level.
Opening Day in Whistler Blackcomb
Opening Day is set Nov. 28 at Whistler Blackcomb, with its massive backcountry access, more than a dozen high-alpine bowls and six terrain parks. You’ll find plenty of powder during peak season, from December through March. These mountains boast some of the best winter sports conditions in the world.
Mt. Hood’s Opening Day
One of the most popular ski resorts in the U.S. is Mt. Hood. Stay in Moosewood Cabin, which has three bedrooms and is near Mt. Hood Skibowl. Skibowl has its (hopeful) opening day set for Dec. 1.
A Season Kick-Off Party is set Dec. 7 at Mt. Hood Meadows, one of the largest ski areas in Oregon. It’s a great spot for beginners with lots of trails and the Children’s Learning Center.
Summit Ski Area opens when there’s enough snow, so they encourage you to pray for it. Summit is also great for beginners with its small size and affordable lift tickets that start at $23 for junior afternoon passes.
Grand Targhee, Wyoming
The lifts at Grand Targhee, WY will start spinning at 9 a.m. on Nov. 22, conditions permitting.
Grand Targhee offers amazing skiing with wide-open bowls, a lot of snow (fingers crossed) and lots of family-friendly activities like a tubing park, snowmobile backcountry tours and more. There’s usually a lot of snow – and not a lot of people – making it a perfect spot for a ski or snowboard getaway.
Sit back in the hot tub and enjoy the view with a stay at our Spring Creek Magic rental, which accommodates up to 14 guests. Teton Harmony is a mountain home that’s a 30-second walk to the Grand Targhee shuttle.
Mt. Baker, Wash.
Opening day falls between Nov. 1 and Dec. 12 (the latest date on recent record) at Mt. Baker near Bellingham, WA. Mt. Baker has fast runs, breath-taking views and world-record snowfall. Its steep terrain is perfect for shredding.
A stay in Sunriver, OR puts you close to the Hoodoo Ski Area and Mt. Bachelor, as well.
Hoodoo Ski Area, which sits at the top of Santiam Pass in the Cascade Mountains, offers more than 800 acres of terrain, 34 runs, five lifts and one of the largest tubing parks in the West. It’s great for beginning and intermediate skiers and snowboarders.
Mt. Bachelor enjoys a ton of bluebird powder days. Its variety of trails make for some fun runs, including great tree skiing.
Ready for a great deal for the slopes? Well the ski/lift pass landscape has changed dramatically in the past few years. But for most people, that means we now have access to tons of great resorts at various locations…..and with some savings! These new multi-resort passes can be a bit confusing, so we’ve got all the details right here!
The Epic Pass:
Launched in 2008 this pass grants skiers and riders access to ALL of Vail Resorts’ properties, including Vail, Keystone, Breckenridge and more. Over 20 Vail-owned resorts and 17 more mountains are included in this fantastic pass.
The pass costs $719 and can be used in places close to our properties in Whistler Blackcomb and Park City, UT. There also is a brand-new Epic Day Pass that gets you 1-7 days of skiing starting at $109, with discounts included (such as 50% off lift ticket prices.) The pass deadline is early in the season, so if you’ve missed your chance this year be sure to plan ahead for 2020!
The Ikon Pass
A headline-making newcomer, this pass allows access to 14 ski resort owned by Altera including Jackson Hole, Crystal Mountain, Snoqualmie, and some incredible other standout destination. You’ll also love some of the discounts and benefit the pass gives, like friends-and-family tickets.
The pass is currently on sale for $1,049, but there is a base pass with blackout dates for $749. The pass deadline is early in December, so plan ahead for 2020 if you’ve missed it this year!
The Indy Pass
Just launched this year, this pass is a great alternative. As an entry-level pass, it only costs $219. For that price, you get two days at 34 different resorts around the country for up to 72 days of uncrowded, low-key skiing and riding. These include some smaller hills at some smaller resorts but is well worth it. You can ski with this pass at properties near Hurricane Ridge and Hoodoo (OR).
One thing to know with this pass – it’s an old-school one. There’s no RFIDs for scanning – you’ll need to present your ID and get a day ticket at the window. Some blackouts apply for this pass as well, but when there are blackouts, there are many places that offer discounts at the same time as those blackouts for passholders.
The Powder Alliance
While there’s no actual pass for this one, it’s a great benefit for a LOT of great ski hills. If you buy a regular season-pass to one of the 19 participating Powder Alliance resorts, you get three days of lift tickets at the over 18 additional spots. There are some fantastic ones on this, such as Mt. Hood and Timberline – even ones outside of the US!
This one DOES have some major fine print, so be sure to check restrictions and blackout dates at the various resorts before booking.
Do we have you ready to get your ski on? Get ready for an awesome winter in the Northwest with one of these passes! And you can check out tons of great vacation rentals near the best ski resorts in the Northwest by visiting our website!