This Ski Area Could Become the First To Open in Washington State

Washington’s ski season is slated to start on Thursday, December 4, 2025, when Mission Ridge begins welcoming skiers and snowboarders.

The mountain in eastern Washington plans to host a limited opening with Chair 1, Chair 2, and the Pika Peak Rope Tow, starting at 9 a.m. Terrain will include Sunspot, Tumwater, Mimi, and the Pika Peak learning area.

Mission Ridge credited the planned opening to a sustained stretch of cold temperatures that allowed its snowmakers to make “tremendous progress.” As is standard, Mission Ridge warned potential visitors that early-season conditions exist and some areas will have low snow coverage. 

Early-season day tickets to Mission Ridge cost $85 for adults aged 25 to 69, with cheaper options available to other age groups. 

The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

The opening could make Mission Ridge the first ski resort operating in Washington this season, as the announcement comes after a less-than-snowy November.

Crystal Mountain has yet to confirm an opening date. Neither has Mt. Baker Ski Area nor the Summit at Snoqualmie (last year, Mt. Baker opened on November 21 for the general public, with almost all of its terrain available).

Stevens Pass, which planned to open Friday, December 5, recently confirmed that it won’t open this weekend for a simple reason: “We do not have the snow.”

“There’s a system in the forecast that we’re tracking very carefully,” Stevens Pass added in a social media post. “If it brings what we need, we’ll keep you posted on the possibility of opening early next week.”

Stevens Pass did share, however, that it’s still considering hosting a rope tow event on Saturday, with details to be shared later this week.

Outside of Washington, other Pacific Northwest ski resorts are already open—or getting ready to open—despite the slow ski season start in some places.

Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, has been open since November 21. Sun Valley, Idaho, will open on Wednesday, December 3, after missing its targeted opening date. Schweitzer, another Idaho resort that faced a delay, will join in on the fun the same day.

Related: How Much New Snow Counts As a Powder Day? (Poll)