Skiers hoping to burn off Thanksgiving dinner on the slopes will need to make alternative plans this weekend, as Crystal Mountain Resort announced Tuesday it will postpone the mountain’s planned Friday opening due to insufficient snow accumulation, with no new opening date currently established.
Mission Ridge ski area has not officially cancelled its anticipated Friday opening, though spokesperson Tony Hickok characterised the prospect as “very unlikely” and noted the resort is not currently selling lift tickets for the upcoming weekend, a clear signal that operations will not commence as originally scheduled.
Although early season snowfall hit the Cascade mountain range earlier than typical patterns last month, with Snoqualmie Pass recording measurable snowfall on 12 October, November rainfall washed away lower-elevation snowpack whilst unseasonably warm temperatures inhibited artificial snowmaking operations that typically supplement natural snowfall during marginal conditions.
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory forecasting up to 10 inches of snow accumulation in portions of the Washington Cascades through 4 a.m. Wednesday, but those projected totals arrive too late to build sufficient base depths for firing up chairlifts in time for Black Friday skiing, the traditional start of the holiday weekend ski season.
“We would need something that’s not forecast to come together to make Saturday and Sunday a possibility,” Hickok stated. “We’re trending in the right direction, getting snow from heaven and hoses right now, but we need help from things outside of our control,” he added, referring to both natural snowfall and snowmaking operations that require specific temperature and humidity conditions.
The postponements affecting Washington ski areas have similarly impacted other planned early season openings throughout the Pacific Northwest region. In Idaho, Schweitzer Mountain Resort did not achieve its 21 November target opening date and has tentatively rescheduled for 28 November, whilst Sun Valley has postponed its planned Thanksgiving Day opening indefinitely until snow conditions improve.
A Mount Bachelor spokesperson indicated the Central Oregon ski area outside Bend requires a 24-inch base depth to safely open terrain, a threshold that will not be met by the originally planned 28 November start date. Mount Hood Meadows in Oregon likewise confirmed it will not open Friday as previously anticipated.
The absence of substantial early season snowfall may also jeopardise Stevens Pass’ anticipated 5 December opening date, though resort officials are monitoring evolving weather patterns closely.
“It’s still too early to tell, but we’re tracking the weather closely and currently getting hit with a good layer,” Stevens Pass spokesperson Miranda Faulkner wrote via text message. “We really rely on natural snow and we are ready to begin operations as soon as mother nature allows,” she added, emphasising the resort’s dependence on natural snowfall rather than artificial snowmaking to establish adequate base depths.
Mount Baker Ski Area, The Summit at Snoqualmie, and White Pass Ski Area follow policies of not announcing specific opening dates before achieving sufficient natural snowfall accumulation. “Ideally, we shoot for opening the day after Thanksgiving,” White Pass wrote on its website. “Last season, we actually opened the weekend prior. Over the years, White Pass typically opens during the first 10 days of December,” the resort noted, indicating historical patterns that vary significantly based on annual snowfall timing.
Mount Baker’s website reminds prospective skiers that the resort requires 20 to 40 inches of snow accumulation at the Heather Meadows base area before contemplating season commencement, depths that have not yet materialised despite recent storms. A potential cold weather pattern may accelerate winter conditions at The Summit at Snoqualmie, where newly installed snowmaking equipment could enable opening Summit West facilities even without significant natural snowfall if temperatures drop sufficiently.
Skiers desperate to slide on snow this weekend have limited regional options. Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia narrowly achieved its 21 November opening with a single trail operational. On Wednesday, the resort expanded operations to at least a half dozen runs on both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, though skiers must download via gondola rather than skiing to base areas due to inadequate lower-mountain snow coverage.
Snow accumulation closed the road to Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park on Tuesday and shuttered Hurricane Ridge at Olympic National Park at least through 28 November, conditions that suggest promising snowshoeing and backcountry skiing opportunities once weather systems pass and avalanche hazards stabilise. Prospective visitors should check park websites for daily road status updates before attempting visits.
Nordic skiing opportunities remain extremely limited throughout the Northwest region. Whistler Olympic Park in British Columbia offered six bonus days of groomed cross-country skiing before its official season opener, still scheduled for 28 November. Although insufficient snow prevents classic and skate skiing across the Methow Valley in north-central Washington, the dedicated crew at Methow Trails has been grooming a short segment at the Washington Pass Overlook since early November for intrepid skiers. The North Cascades Highway remains open for now, providing access to high-elevation snow whilst skiing remains impossible on the valley floor.
