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
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