The Stevens Pass Ski Area is a renowned ski destination nestled in the Cascade Range of Washington, United States. Situated at the crest of Stevens Pass, the area offers a diverse range of alpine ski runs suitable for skiers of all levels, from beginners to advanced enthusiasts.
Location and Terrain
The ski area boasts a base elevation of 4,061 feet (1,238 m) above sea level and a peak elevation of 5,845 feet (1,782 m). The Mill Valley "backside" of the resort descends to a minimum elevation of 3,821 feet (1,165 m). With 37 major runs, the total skiable terrain spans 1,125 acres (4.55 km2), providing ample space for exploration and adventure.
Lift and Run Highlights
Stevens Pass offers a variety of lifts providing access to different types of terrain:
- Daisy: A beginner's quad lift providing access to beginner terrain directly in the middle of the ski area.
- Skyline: A high-speed quad that offers the longest intermediate and advanced runs on the front side of the mountain.
- Seventh Heaven: A fixed double experts-only lift that accesses double-black diamond runs and backcountry access near the top of Cowboy Mountain.
- Double Diamond: A fixed triple that provides access to the backside and also to Double Diamond, Big Chief Bowl, and Wild Katz, all experts-only extra-steep ungroomed runs.
- Jupiter Express: A high-speed quad that unloads next to the top of Tye Mill. This lift accesses the most intermediate terrain on the backside, as well as black and double black diamond terrain and tree skiing.
- Southern Cross: A fixed triple that is the same physical lift as Double Diamond on the frontside. This lift accesses much more steep and advanced terrain and unloads at the top of Double Diamond chair. Southern Cross features the longest vertical drop of Stevens Pass, over 1850 ft.
The Mill Valley backside provides a more natural environment with many sparsely treed runs. Kehr's (formerly Big Chief) was upgraded in summer 2023 from a fixed double to a fixed quad, sitting below Big Chief Mountain, providing access to a very consistent cruiser with small bumps on the left side and an ungroomed steep bump slope leading to a valley on the right side.
Nordic Center
The Stevens Pass Nordic Center, located 5 miles east of the pass, offers access to 28 km of groomed cross-country ski trails of varying difficulty.
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Historical Overview
In 2011, after 35 years of ownership, Harbor Resorts sold Stevens Pass to CNL Lifestyle; operations were turned over to the operator of Mountain High in California. Vail Resorts closed its acquisition of Stevens Pass Resort in Washington in August 2018.
Recent Developments
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Vail Resorts implemented a pre-reservation requirement to control crowds at Stevens Pass and mandated the use of face coverings and social distancing for the 2020-21 season. The ski area's employee accommodations were also reduced in half to a capacity of 65 people.
For Winter 2024/25, Stevens Pass is introducing a combination of free and paid parking options on weekends and peak periods, with a focus on reservations and carpooling incentives. Reservations are now live to book!
Snow Conditions
The snow report describes the piste and off-piste ski conditions at Stevens Pass. Piste and off-piste are often different so we ask snow reporters to describe Stevens Pass piste and off-piste conditions separately. If these details are missing from the Stevens Pass snow report, you can predict off-piste conditions using the snow depth, the date of the most recent snowfall at Stevens Pass, the Stevens Pass weather report and the forecast.
Members can check the hindcast for a timeline of Stevens Pass weather conditions. This detailed weather log makes it easy to predict snow conditions at Stevens Pass, even when the snow report is too old to be useful. The hindcast shows when our weather model last predicted snowfall at Stevens Pass. It shows how much snow we think fell then, and the way freezing level, wind and weather have varied through time.
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Whenever weather conditions change, Stevens Pass snow conditions will change too, so it is important to check the time and date of the Stevens Pass snow report and to guess what effect the weather will have had on snow quality between then and now. We advise that you check the Stevens Pass snow forecast to see if conditions are likely to change before your visit.
High altitude slopes that are shaded from the sun and sheltered from the wind preserve powder stashes longer after fresh snowfall. If the snow report mentions pockets of powder at Stevens Pass, study the Stevens Pass piste map in relation to the wind direction to determine the most likely locations. We stress the importance of checking the date on the Stevens Pass snow report particularly around weekends.
Of course, this doesn’t always happen quickly after fresh snowfall particularly at quiet North facing resorts at high altitude where genuine powder stashes may be found days or even weeks later. It is worth checking the piste map for Stevens Pass (found in menu above) for the location of favourable slopes that may be described in the "Stevens Pass Snow Conditions" part of the snow report.
The most cherished days on the mountain in Stevens Pass are Bluebird Powder days when it is mostly sunny with light winds following very recent snowfall. Poorer weather conditions may prevail on Powder days when the visibility can be limited but the snow is significantly deep and fresh for keen powder-hounds. Bluebird days can suit many skiers that aren’t necessarily hunting powder but want to enjoy the snowy mountains in sunnier conditions and light winds.
Stevens Pass at night is an experience like no other and a great time to enjoy expansive slopes and runs for all ability levels.
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Live Snow: The latest snowfall data from weather stations, usually updated hourly.
Season Snowfall: 125" From Oct 1 2025 to Dec 28 2025
Season Snowpack Trend: Depth of snow compared to the average, highest, and lowest in recorded history (usually 20-40 years).
Base Depth vs Average: Depth of snow compared to the average snow depth for that day.
Base Depth Monthly Change: Depth of snow by month. Positive indicates above-average snowfall.
Taking Notes, Skiing at Stevens Pass, 1-11-2025
Calculated from 4 SNOTEL sites within 16 miles of Stevens Pass at an average elevation of 3,758 ft (not from official resort measurements). We use weather stations because they update automatically and provide consistent measurements over many decades.
Average Snow Conditions in Stevens Pass (2007-2024)
Best ski days per week in Stevens Pass and (2007 - 2024)
| Day Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Bluebird Powder Day | Fresh snow, mostly sunny, light wind |
| Powder Day | Fresh snow, limited sun, any wind |
| Bluebird Day | Average snow, mostly sunny, light wind |
Average Snowfall in Stevens Pass (2007-2024)
- Snowfall amount(bar chart)
- Days with significant snowfall.(>5cm)
- Days with significant rainfall.(>5mm)
The snowiest weeks of the year in Stevens Pass are shown but also bear in mind the number of days that it typically snows each week if you want regular fresh tracks. The risk of a rainy day is shown but be sure to switch between elevations to see if lower lifts are rain affected or higher lifts remain snowy despite any rain further down the mountain.
Average Temperature in Stevens Pass (2007-2024)
- Average temperature
- Maximum
- Minimum
- Temperatures Above freezing
- Temperatures Below freezing
The highest and lowest temperatures averaged for each week of the year in Stevens Pass are shown. Check out the risk of freze-thaw conditions prevailing at different elevations for any given week. We also show the extremes of temperature (blue/red dots) that reveal the chance of unusually warm or cold conditions.