Skiers, snowboarders seek refuge from pandemic on closing day at Summit at Snoqualmie

SNOQUALMIE SUMMIT, Wash. — It’s a father daughter ritual Dave Levine has always cherished, but this season during a pandemic has given the dad from Seattle an even greater appreciation for the Summit at Snoqualmie.

“It’s been kind of a lifesaver for me because summer was okay because we could be outside but then once the winter hit, there’s nothing you can do inside,” Levine explained.

So in December when the resort opened, he and droves of other skiers and snowboarders couldn’t wait to take advantage of the fresh powder in the great outdoors.

Because we are still in a pandemic, there were some unique changes - people had to mask up, reservations were required for non-passholders and you couldn’t ride the lift with someone who wasn’t in your group.

There were some hiccups initially but, by January, the resort said everyone had it down.

“Despite reducing the number of people we had on our peak days, a lot of skiers and snowboarders came up on the weekdays and weeknights so we had a really good season as far as overall visitation,” Karter Riach from the Summit at Snoqualmie explained.

Mother Nature even gifted the resort with the most snowfall in February in 20 years. The season was also 20 days longer than average, with closing day at Alpental this first weekend of May.

“Overall, I think we had a great season. Definitely exceeded expectations. The big key is we had an uninterrupted season. And it was long, healthy and safe,” Riach added.

It’s a family tradition Levine is grateful he didn’t have to miss out on this year.

“I think they’ve done an amazing job, of being able to open up and staying open and be able to keep everybody safe,” Levine said.

This summer, the Summit at Snoqualmie also plans to offer scenic lift rides at Summit West.

Cox Media Group