Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area in Washington & Escape2ski provides info on; vertical drop 2280ft/695m, total trails 89, closest airport 59mi/95km, & more.

Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area is located in the Cascade Mountain Range alongside Interstate 90, on top of Snoqualmie Pass east of Seattle, Washington. Alpental Ski Area is just a short distance from the I-90, on the opposite side of the road.

What we know today as Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area was created by bringing four distinct ski areas into one. The beginning of one of the most popular ski areas in Washington State started way back in 1933 when the city of Seattle opened a Municipal Ski Park on top of the pass known as Summit West.

On January 8, 1938, competition moved on to Snoqualmie Pass as the Milwaukee Railroad opened the Milwaukee Ski Bowl (now Summit East) at their Hyak stop on Mt Hyak. Here they installed the first J-Bar Lift, opened a day lodge, offered night skiing, and provided the countries first ski train. Their success led to the loss of interest in the Municipal Ski Park (Summit West), and unfortunately, due to many circumstances after the 1950 winter season, the ski area closed. It reopened again in 1959 when the Hyak Ski Area was opened on the same location by three businessmen.

It would be another decade before Ray Tanner would add even more competition in the ski industry on Snoqualmie Pass. He purchased 350 acres of land that lies between what is today Summit East and West. In 1948, Ski Acres (now Summit Central) opened to the public with two rope tows. Expansion came quickly as the first chairlift in Washington State was installed for the 1949 winter season.

If three competing ski areas in a small geographic region was not enough, another ski area was about to open as Alpental Ski Area, which was located about 2mi/3km from today’s Summit West. Alpental Ski Area was the vision of Bob Mickelson and Jim Griffin along with many other investors along the way. Alpental was not an easy endeavor with many hurdles to overcome, but on Dec 2, 1967, it opened with three chairlifts and a day lodge.

Each of the four ski areas operated independently for decades, but in 1980, Ski Lifts Inc. and Webb Moffett who already owned Snoqualmie Summit (now Summit West), purchased Ski Acres (now Summit Central) and in 1983, purchased Alpental. Finally, in 1992, the amalgamation would be complete with the purchase of the Hyak Ski Area (now Summit East) and the four areas became known as The Pass.

Three of ski areas are interconnected by upper and lower crossover trails, with Alpental as the standalone due to its location. In 1997, The Pass collection of ski areas was sold to Booth Creek Holdings and renamed Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area, with four distinct areas; Summit West, Summit Central, Summit East, and Alpental.

Boyne Resorts now operates the Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area and is dedicated to preserving the incredible history, and memories of all who have visited. Today the ski area operates on the premise of providing a great place for family and friends to meet and enjoy all that winter has to offer.

On the Slopes

• Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area has four distinct ski zones. Three of ski zones are interconnected, and Alpental with the most rugged terrain and home to the Edelweiss Bowl is a short distance away.
• Summit Central is the most popular zone, Summit West has wide-open trails, great for beginners, and Summit East located on My Hyak has front-side trails, along with back-side trails.
• Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area has night skiing and snowboarding on 541 acres of terrain, six nights per week on three of the mountain areas, Alpental, Summit West, and Central.
• There are two signature terrain parks located at Summit central, Greenhorn Acres has small to medium jumps, along with many jibs. Then there is Central Park with the more advanced features that include medium to large jumps, rails, boxes, balls, and rainbows. Finally, there is up to three seasonal terrain parks located on key locations on the mountain.
• The Summit SnowSports School has a dedicated team of professional instructors who provide lessons and skill enhancement through group and private instruction. There is the Kid Corral Lesson Package, First-Timers, and Multi-Week programs, along with several others.
• Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area has three Summit Retail Shops that carry logo wear, clothing accessories, T-Shirts, hats, mugs, and stickers. Alpental Sports at Alpental Lodge has the latest Alpental logo wear. There is also Gravity Gear at Summit Central, and Slopestyles, which is the largest outlet located at Summit West.
• There is no shortage of food and beverage locations when you need a break. There are over 15 dining choices that include the Silver Fir Café, Stan’s Café, along with adult-only establishments that include, Broken Tip-Bar, Backcountry Bar, and Whiskey Pete’s.

Off the Slopes

• Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area has no mountainside lodging at the base. However, the Summit Inn, which is independent of the ski area, is your best choice if you want to be close to the slopes as it is only a ½ mile or 1km away from the Summit West area.
• The Summit Inn features King and 2 Queen Rooms and has an onsite restaurant, the Summit Pancake House, which is a great place for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and après ski in the lounge. Free parking, pet-friendly, free Wi-Fi, hot tub, and sauna are some of the perks. Visit https://www.summitinnwashington.com/ for more info or call (425) 434-6300.
• Another option for lodging is the city of Cle Elum, which is located 30mi/50km to the east of the ski area, just off Interstate 90 in the Heart of the Cascade Mountains. There are several options including the Best Western Snow Cap Lodge, Stewart Lodge, Econo Lodge, plus several others.
• The city of Cle Elum is a vibrant community with all the amenities you may need, including grocery stores, retail outlets that including sporting, clothing, jewelers, and gift shops. There are dining options ranging from casual to fine dining with lots of cuisine choices, including Mexican and Italian.
• Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area features a 20 Lane Snow Tube Park with lanes that are 500ft/152m long. The tube area has a dedicated surface lift that is covered, and the price of admission includes the tube. Open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays for fun family enjoyment.
• They are other fun activities off the slopes including cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on 23 trails with a distance of over 30mi/50km of groomed trails through the Central Cascade Mountains. The Summit Nordic Center is located at the Summit East area. There are rentals available for both activities. Open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
• Summit at Snoqualmie Ski Area provides FREE shuttle service from Tuesday to Sunday during the winter season. It operates between all the base areas along with the Snow Tubing area. Typically, the shuttle returns to each stop every 20 minutes, weather permitting.