STEVENS PASS, Wash. — The Stevens Pass Ski Resort is finally opening for the season today, December 29, as the road to get there partially reopens following historic flooding in early December.
The flooding caused severe damage along State Route 2 near Leavenworth, leaving the highway partially washed out and forcing an extended closure as crews work through winter conditions.
At a press conference on Friday, Gov. Bob Ferguson announced that SR-2 will partially reopen starting Monday using a pilot-car system and a detour.
The limited reopening will apply to the stretch between Leavenworth and Stevens Pass on the east side, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), providing limited access to the Stevens Pass Ski Area.
In a statement posted on Sunday, the resort said, in part:
“We are deeply grateful to our staff, community, and local partners for their support and we look forward to welcoming skiers and riders back to Stevens Pass this week. While access remains limited from the East side to start, this is the first step on our path to returning to full operations for our community and our employees.”
Here’s what the logistics will look like, according to the resort and WSDOT:
Getting There
- Starting Monday, east side access via SR-2 will be partially restored via pilot car operations between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. for access to Stevens Pass.
- West side access remains closed to the public at this time.
- Plan ahead and expect delays.
How Does the Pilot Car Operation Work
- Starting at 6 a.m. Monday, drivers will get on the Chumstick Highway in Leavenworth, drive up to SR-2, go for about 10 miles, then meet a “pilot-car”.
- Officials say the last 8 miles of SR-2 to the Summit are down to one lane, and an escort is required for safety reasons. This means the car will take a group slowly up to the resort, then bring a group back down, alternating one direction at a time.
- People should expect delays of up to 60 minutes, potentially longer depending on weather and road conditions.
- Pilot car operations will run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily as conditions allow.
- This is expected to be a slow exchange, but WSDOT officials and Governor Ferguson said Friday, “limited access is better than no access.”
Opening Day - Terrain and Operations
- All frontside lifts and terrain are planned to be open starting at 9 a.m. Monday, including terrain available for all ability levels. Teams anticipate further expanding terrain throughout the day.
- Starting Monday, the resort plans to operate daily for skiing and riding with lifts open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- As of right now, the resort will not be able to operate for night skiing, but they hope to bring night operations online soon.
Parking
- When guests arrive at Stevens Pass, parking will be available on a first-come, first-served basis in Summit Lots A, C, D, E & G.
- For now, the Nordic Center and Yodelin parking areas remain closed.
- Please follow on-site signage and staff direction for skier parking.
- At this time, Parking Reservations are not required to park at the resort. Please stay tuned for more information about when parking reservations will go back into effect for peak days. For now, existing parking reservations will continue to be automatically canceled and refunded.
- The resort strongly encourages skiers and riders to carpool to the resort whenever possible for shorter travel and wait times.
- Queuing to depart the resort will take place in Lots B and D. The process will be similar to queuing for WA State Ferry lines. Please be patient with parking attendants and construction workers as we all learn this new process over the coming days.
Lift Tickets, Rentals, and Ski School
- Lift tickets, equipment rentals, and lessons with Ski & Ride School will be available for skiers and riders starting Monday, Dec. 29, and are currently available to book online at www.StevensPass.com.
Food and Beverage
- Available throughout the base area starting on Monday, including the T-Bar, Bull’s Tooth, Cascadian Kitchen, and Outer Limits.
Pass Holders
The resort website states, “While we look forward to welcoming folks back to the Pass, we understand many skiers and riders face travel challenges. As we’ve previously shared, impacted Pass Holders should stay tuned for updates this week on our plans to address the impact to your season.”
More Information
- Download the My Epic App for access to mobile passes, lift tickets, interactive trail maps, real-time lift line status, and more.
- Visit @StevensPass on Instagram for the latest resort news and information.
- Visit www.StevensPass.com for further information.
- Visit the Washington State Department of Transportation website for more details on road conditions and planned re-openings.
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