It’s coming.

You can smell it in the air. You can see it on the mountain peaks. You can feel your skis crying out to you from the garage. The 2003-2004 ski season can’t wait to get started.

Put any memories of last season’s dismal beginning — when Stevens Pass didn’t open until the week before Christmas — behind you. Local ski areas are poring over their long-term forecasts and crossing their fingers and toes in hopes this season will get off to a timely start.

"We’re in for a neutral winter," said Stacy Schuster, marketing director for Crystal Mountain. It should be "neither an El Nino nor a La Nina. If that’s true, we can expect a little bit earlier opening.

"I’ll take anything after last year."

If you can’t wait a few more weeks, Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin and Loveland in Colorado should all be open by the time you read this. Closer to home, you can still plan on waiting at least until Thanksgiving before the ski areas open, although Mount Baker or the Mount Hood ski areas could beat that if the weather cooperates.

So, break out the wax and the iron, track down those glove liners and long johns and start praying for snow.

What follows are capsule descriptions for all of the Washington ski areas, plus Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia and a few others you might be interested in.

Washington

Stevens Pass

On U.S. 2 east of Skykomish

Phone: 206-812-4510

Tickets: $44

Snow report: 425-353-4400

Web site: www.stevenspass.com

What’s new: Friday night jam competitions in the halfpipe — open to everyone and there are prizes.

The Summit at Snoqualmie

On I-90 east of North Bend

Phone: 425-434-7669

Tickets: $42

Snow report: 206-236-1600

Web site: www.summit-at-snoqualmie.com

Crystal Mountain

On Crystal Mountain Boulevard east of Enumclaw

Phone: 360-663-2265

Tickets: $45

Snow report: 888-754-6199

Web site: www.skicrystal.com

What’s new: A new, 800-foot-long by 25-foot-high halfpipe on the lower Quicksilver run, built into the ground so that it should be full-size as soon as there’s snow. Also, a new winch cat for expanded grooming on expert runs.

Mount Baker

On Highway 542 east of Glacier

Phone: 360-734-6771

Tickets: $37

Snow report: 360-671-0211

Web site: www.mtbakerskiarea.com

What’s new: It’s the area’s 50th anniversary, and the 20th anniversary of the annual Banked Slalom.

White Pass

On U.S. 12 southeast of Mount Rainier National Park

Phone: 509-672-3101

Tickets: $37

Snow report: 509-672-3100

Web site: www.skiwhitepass.com

Mission Ridge

Off U.S. 2 near Wenatchee

Phone: 509-663-6543

Tickets: $37

Snow report: 509-663-3200

Web site: www.missionridge.com

What’s new: A 3.5-acre terrain park at the top of Chair 2, with rail slides, jumps and other features.

Bluewood

Off U.S. 12 near Dayton

Phone: 509-382-4725

Tickets: $32

Web site: www.bluewood.com

49 Degrees North

Off U.S. 395 near Chewelah

Phone: 866-376-4949

Tickets: $35

Snow report: 509-880-9208

Web site: www.ski49n.com

Mount Spokane

Off Highway 206 near Mead

Phone: 509-238-2220

Tickets: $33

Snow report: 509-443-1397

Web site: www.mtspokane.com

Loup Loup Ski Bowl

On Highway 20 at Loup Loup Pass

Phone: 509-826-2720

Tickets: $30

Snow report: 509-826-2720 opt. 5

Web site: www.skitheloup.com

What’s new: New inner tubing run.

Hurricane Ridge Ski Area

On Hurricane Ridge Road in Olympic National Park near Port Angeles

Phone: 360-457-4519

Tickets: $20

Snow report: 360-565-3131

Web site: www.hurricaneridge.com

Echo Valley

North of Chelan

Phone: 509-682-4002

Tickets: $18

Web site: www.chelanvalley.com/echo.htm

What’s new: New ticket building and summer grooming on intermediate run.

Sitzmark Ski Area

Near Tonasket

Phone: 509-486-2700

Tickets: $18

Badger Mountain

Near Waterville

Phone: 509-745-8273

Tickets: $6

British Columbia

Whistler/Blackcomb

North of Vancouver, B.C.

Phone: 866-218-9690

Tickets: $68 Canadian

Web site: www.whistlerblackcomb.com

What’s new: WB has a deal that guarantees you’ll get 2,000 vertical feet of skiing between Nov. 26 and Dec. 18 — or your money back. Some conditions, naturally, apply.

Grouse Mountain

Near Vancouver, B.C.

Phone: 604-984-0661

Tickets: $42 Canadian

Snow report: 604-986-6262

Web site: www.grousemountain.com

What’s new: A high-speed quad and expanded night skiing.

Mount Seymour

Near Vancouver, B.C.

Phone: 604-986-2261

Tickets: $34 Canadian

Snow report: 604-718-7771

Cypress Mountain

Near Vancouver, B.C.

Phone: 604-926-5612

Tickets: $42 Canadian

Snow report: 604-419-7669

Web site: www.cypressmountain.com

Big White

Near Kelowna, B.C.

Phone: 800-663-2772

Tickets: $56 Canadian

Web site: www.bigwhite.com

Silver Star

Near Vernon, B.C.

Phone: 800-663-4431

Tickets: $56 Canadian

Web site: www.skisilverstar.com

Sun Peaks

Near Kamloops, B.C.

Phone: 800-807-3257

Tickets: $55 Canadian

Web site: www.sunpeaksresort.com

Apex

Near Penticton, B.C.

Phone: 877-777-2739

Tickets: $48 Canadian

Web site: www.apexresort.com

Red Mountain

Near Rossland, B.C.

Phone: 800-663-0105

Tickets: $48 Canadian

Web site: www.ski-red.com

What’s new: New halfpipes.

Mount Washington

On Vancouver Island near Campbell River

Phone: 250-338-1386

Tickets: $47 Canadian

Snow report: 888-833-1515

Web site: www.mountwashington.ca

Kimberley

Near Kimberley, B.C.

Phone: 250-427-4881

Tickets: $48 Canadian

Snow report: 403-244-6665

Web site: www.skikimberley.com

What’s new: Expanded snowmaking.

Panorama

Near Invermere, B.C.

Phone: 250-342-6941

Tickets: $57 Canadian

Web site: www.skipanorama.com

What’s new: A new high-speed quad and a new fixed quad, plus added snowmaking.

Fernie

Near Fernie, B.C.

Phone: 250-423-4655

Tickets: $58

Snow report: 250-423-3555

Web site: www.skifernie.com

Kicking Horse

Near Golden, B.C.

Phone: 250-439-5400

Tickets: $53

Snow report: 866-754-5425

Web site: www.kickinghorseresort.com

Oregon

Mount Bachelor

South of Bend, Ore.

Phone: 800-829-2442

Tickets: $44

Snow report: 541-382-7888

Web site: www.mtbachelor.com

Mount Hood Meadows

On Highway 35 south of Hood River, Ore.

Phone: 503-337-2222

Tickets: $44

Snow report: 503-227-7669

Web site: www.skihood.com

Timberline

On U.S. 26, 62 miles from Portland, Ore.

Phone: 503-622-7979

Tickets: $39

Snow report: 503-222-2211

Web site: www.timberlinelodge.com

Mount Hood Ski Bowl

On U.S. 26, 52 miles east of Portland, Ore.

Phone: 503-272-3206

Tickets: $32

Snow report: 503-222-2695

Web site: www.skibowl.com

Summit

On U.S. 26, 54 miles east of Portland, Ore.

Phone: 503-272-0256

Tickets: $25

Web site: www.summitskiarea.com

Cooper Spur

South of Hood River off of Highway 35

Phone: 541-352-7803

Tickets: $15

Web site: www.cooperspur.com

Hoodoo

West of Bend, Ore.

Phone: 541-822-3799

Tickets: $35

Snow report: 541-822-3337

Web site: www.hoodoo.com

What’s new: Inner tubing and sledding hills.

Willamette Pass

Between Eugene and Bend, Ore., on Highway 58

Phone: 541-345-7669

Tickets: $35

Web site: www.willamettepass.com

Mount Ashland

Near Ashland , Ore.

Phone: 541-482-2897

Tickets: $34

Snow report: 541-482-2754

Web site: www.mtashland.com

Anthony Lakes

Between La Grande and Baker City, Ore.

Phone: 541-856-3277

Tickets: $28

Web site: www.anthonylakes.com

Warner Canyon

Near Lakeview, Ore.

Phone: 541-947-500

Tickets: $20

Web site: www.lakecountychamber.org/skihill.html

What’s new: New changing room.

Spout Springs

East of Weston, Ore., on Highway 204

Phone: 541-566-0320

Tickets: $27

Web site: www.skispoutsprings.com

Ferguson Ridge

Near Enterprise, Ore.

Phone: 541-426-3493

Tickets: $12

Web site: www.wallowaoutdoors.com/fergi.htm

What’s new: Improved terrain park.

Idaho

Schweitzer

Near Sandpoint, Idaho

Phone: 800-831-8810

Tickets: $44

Snow report: 208-263-9562

Web site: www.schweitzer.com

Silver Mountain

Near Kellogg, Idaho

Phone: 800-204-6428

Tickets: $38

Web site: www.silvermt.com

What’s new: Four new runs, a beginner terrain park and an improved halfpipe.

Sun Valley

Near Ketchum, Idaho

Phone: 800-786-8259

Tickets: $66

Snow report: 800-635-4150

Web site: www.sunvalley.com

What’s new: A new halfpipe on Bald Mountain.

Bogus Basin

Near Boise, Idaho

Phone: 800-367-4397

Tickets: $40

Snow report: 208-342-2100

Web site: www.bogusbasin.com

Brundage

Near McCall, Idaho

Phone: 208-634-7462

Tickets: $34

Snow report: 888-255-7669

Web site: www.brundage.com

Pomerelle

Near Albion, Idaho

Phone: 208-673-5599

Tickets: $25

Web site: www.pomerelle-mtn.com

Lookout Pass

Near Wallace, Idaho

Phone: 208-744-1301

Tickets: $24

Snow report: 208-744-1301 ext. 3

Web site: www.skilookout.com

What’s new: New double chairlift and five new runs.

Pebble Creek

Near Pocatello, Idaho

Phone: 877-524-7669

Tickets: $30

Snow report: 208-775-4451

Web site: www.pebblecreekskiarea.com

Kelly Canyon

Near Idaho Falls, Idaho

Tickets: $25

Phone: 208-538-6251

Web site: www.ida.net/users/pal/kcsp.htm

Other states

Big Mountain

Near Whitefish, Mont.

Phone: 800-858-3930

Tickets: $49

Web site: www.bigmtn.com

Vail

Vail, Colo.

Phone: 888-830-7669

Tickets: $71

Snow report: 970-476-4888

Web site: www.vail.snow.com

Aspen/Snowmass

Aspen, Colo.

Phone: 800-308-6935

Tickets: $68

Web site: www.aspensnowmass.com

Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Phone: 888-333-7766

Tickets: $64

Web site: www.jacksonhole.com

Taos

Taos, N.M.

Phone: 800-347-7414

Tickets: $51

Web site: www.skitaos.org

Heavenly

Near Lake Tahoe, Calif.

Phone: 800-243-2836

Tickets: $59

Snow report: 775-586-7000, press 1

Web site: www.skiheavenly.com

Mammoth

Mammoth, Calif.

Phone: 800-626-6684

Tickets: $62

Web site: www.mammothmountain.com

Alta

Alta, Utah

Phone: 801-359-1078

Tickets: $42

Web site: www.alta.com

Deer Valley

Deer Valley, Utah

Phone: 800-424-3337

Tickets: $69

Web site: www.deervalley.com

Reporter Andrew Wineke:

425-339-3465 or

wineke@heraldnet.com.