The remote Olympic Peninsula, separated from the rest of Washington by Puget Sound, is a swath of forest and coast protected in part by Olympic National Park. Within the park, the Olympic Mountains are so impenetrable, the park service couldn't build any roads through the center. There is, however, vehicle access to the only ski area in the mountains: Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snow Area has three surface lifts and 10 snowboard runs that cover glads, bowls and a few steep pitches.
The stunning North Cascades have earned the nickname the American Alps. These pointy crags include several ski areas, including the volcano Mount Baker. Baker holds the world record for annual snowfall at 95 feet, making this an excellent place for powder. The Mount Baker Ski Area, an hour and a half from Bellingham, features eight lifts, 38 runs and one terrain park. Farther south, Stevens Pass, known for its fluffy powder, offers 37 runs covering over 1,125 skiable acres and several high-speed quads.
The Southern Cascades contain some of the most popular areas to ski and snowboard, mostly because of their close proximity to the Seattle area. At Snoqualmie Pass, which is located 52 miles from Seattle on Interstate 90, snowboarders can ride four hills and two terrain parks accessible on 25 lifts. Snoqualmie Pass also opens for night runs on certain days. In Mount Rainier National Park, boarders can hit the powder at Crystal Mountain Resort, in view of the 14,000-foot volcano. At Crystal, the runs cover 2,600 acres. To Mount Rainier's east is the White Pass Ski Area, which has 45 trails and 1,400 skiable acres.
Eastern Washington, though flatter and drier, features a collection of quality snowboarding areas. The Mount Spokane ski area sits about 45 minutes from the city of Spokane and consists of 1,425 skiable acres; the resort is sometimes open for night skiing, too. Families love snowboarding at 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort, about 90 minutes from Spokane in a wildlife refuge. Here, over 2,300 acres allow skiers and snowboarders plenty of room to spread out.
