Skiing

There are the occasional downsides to life on Bainbridge, and one of those is access to the slopes, at least compared to our friends on the East side of the Sound.  For many new islanders, skiing can be inconvenient and a long day trip.  Not to say that the dedicated don’t do it - but it’s a frequent complaint. You will find families making bigger efforts to do a full-out vacation such as Whistler during one of the winter breaks. However, if you are interested in doing a day trip, here are some options.

Crystal

Crystal Mountain in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest provides 2,600 gorgeous skiable acres to shred and 11 chairlifts. Crystal Mountain neighbors the beautiful Mount Rainier National Park making for some scenic skiing.  The mountain offers a plethora of amenities including hotels, luxury buses, stunning gondola rides to the top, and mountain dining. Crystal also has other mountain services like demo equipment and ski rentals. The mountain has plenty of entertaining events every week including festivals, competitions, and races. The prices vary for age but they top out at $99 for an adult ticket.

Snoqualmie

The Summit at Snoqualmie on 1001 WA-906, Snoqualmie Pass is just 2 hours away from Bainbridge making it a great option for short weekend ski trips. The beautiful mountains and valleys surrounding the mountain are truly incredible. The mountain is easy to access being right off highway I90. The resort has shuttle services as well as daily ski and snowboard rentals if needed. This ski resort is open from mid-November and closes on May 4th. The summit also offers snowshoeing, inner tubing, and Nordic skiing which makes it an enjoyable place to go even if you’re not a big skier. They offer daily lessons and other lesson programs like ski school. At the resort, there are amenities like dining, shopping, and lodging. Half-day ticket prices are $29 and full-day tickets are $37. There are also other lift passes available which vary from weekly to season passes.

Stevens

Stevens Pass at US-2, Skykomish, WA 98288 is a typical skier preference because of the easy access through the Bainbridge Parks District Youth Ski Bus. This ski resort is open December through mid-April (weather permitting) with an average of 460” of annual snowfall occurs covering 1,125 acres of skiable terrain. This mountain is made up of a total of 52 major runs with 54% intermediate runs, 35% advanced runs and 11% beginner runs, making this mountain very versatile. Stevens Pass ski mountain also offers lessons for both skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels and ages. Lift tickets usually cost around $99 for an adult weekend day trip.