The coolest ski area in Washington – Mission Ridge
-Abundant sunshine, dry snow, extreme steeps and good Spring skiing are not things that usually come to mind when thinking about mountain resorts in the State of Washington. However this unassuming ski area in the Eastern Cascades has all of those things plus a whole lot more! Mission Ridge is what we like to call a “hidden gem ski area,” one that has amazing attributes, but manages to fly under the radar and is not very well known throughout the ski travel community.
-Open 7 days per week through March and weekends for as long as they can in April, Mission Ridge is one of the most unique and fun ski areas in the State of Washington, and should be an essential stop on any Pacific Northwest ski road trip. Especially for those who crave good terrain and great vibes! Keep scrolling to find out more. ~Snow Life~
Wenatchee, Washington
Nestled on the fringes of the Eastern half of the mighty Cascade Range, smack dab in the middle of Washington State is the quaint yet modern town of Wenatchee, often referred to as the “Apple Capital of the World.” The town of about 35k people is cut in half by the Columbia river and sprawls for several miles from North to South along it’s shores.
Mission Ridge and Wenatchee lie in the “rain shadow” of the Cascade Range, where Washington’s green and lush forests give way to a much drier and arid expanse. This results in less precipitation than on the slopes of the Western Cascades where most of the State’s ski areas reside, but it also makes the snow quality much lighter, and provides for an almost California-esque 300 days of sunshine per year.
200″
Annual Snowfall
36
Named Runs
2,250′
Vertical Feet
2,000
Skiable Acres
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Hidden gem ski area in Washington
Tickets & pass alliance
While Mission Ridge is more than happy to sell you a ticket on the spot, it’s suggested and encourage to purchase online, and they even offer a pretty deep discount for it. Non-discounted tickets range from $69-$99 depending on age and night skiing only is $49. Mission Ridge is a long standing member of the Powder Alliance which grants member pass holders 3 free days, and they’ve also recently joined the Indy Pass with 2 free days for it’s participants.
Lodging & transportation
Like most Washington ski areas, you can bring your RV if you want slope-side lodging, otherwise your best bet is just down the hill in the nearby town of Wenatchee, which has plentiful hotel, motel and Airbnb options. See deals here. Although a little off the beaten path, Wenatchee has an Amtrak station, commercial airport and is not terribly far from Interstate 90, the town also offers a free shuttle to the ski area with several stops in town. Details here.
Lifts & Infrastructure
Mission Ridge is one of a rare few ski areas in the country to have a Bubble Chair. This high speed quad runs right up the heart of the resort to the summit ridge and shields riders from the peak winds that swoop down into the basin. Aside from the high speed bubble chair, Mission Ridge also has 3 fixed grip double chairs, 2 rope tows and a magic carpet.
Key attributes
Have you ever skied for 12 hours in a day? Well saddle up, because Mission Ridge offers Night skiing and is open from 9am until 9pm on 4 nights of the week during peak season, and on select nights, they even have live comedy at the mountain lodge for those wanting to warm up with some drinks and laughs in between ski runs.
Night Skiing
Through the “Windy Ridge” hiking gate, Mission Ridge has some of the best steeps in the State, with an epic selection of black and double black diamond runs to choose from. The resort as a whole has a very aggressive pitch that provides for some excellent fall line skiing. The overall trail rating breakdown is: 10% Beginner, 60% More Difficult, and 30% Advanced/Expert.
Steep terrain
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Photo gallery
Chain-link Bigfoot
A tribute to a Northwest legend, this massive bigfoot statue made out of chain links stands atop the summit of Mission Ridge next to a communications tower and is quite possibly one of the coolest pieces of art you’ll see at a ski area. Photo by Snow Life LLC
Remnants of WW2
In September of 1944 a U.S. military B-24 Liberator heavy bomber crashed in the Squilchuck Basin, what is now part of Mission Ridge, while on a training mission out of Walla Walla, WA. A placard and this piece of the plane stand as tribute to the lost airmen. Photo by Snow Life LLC
Bubble chair
The amount of bubble chairs in North American, let alone the Pacific Northwest is very small, most ski areas don’t opt for the upgrade, however Mission Ridge did their customers a solid by realizing the need to protect them from the summit cresting winds that cut down through the basin on cold and stormy days. Photo by Snow Life LLC
Taco snow-cat
A snow-cat that serves tacos, is there anything cooler in the World? I think not! This unique “food truck” can usually be seen at the base area of Mission Ridge, but is clearly mobile enough to set up just about anywhere on the mountain. Photo by Snow Life LLC
Lift Ticket OFfice
While many ski areas around the country have been doing away with Lift Ticket windows in favor of online only sales or machines, at Mission Ridge you can still get a ticket from a real person! Although discounts are incentivized for online purchase here. Photo by Snow Life LLC
Full service
The main day lodge for Mission Ridge has hot food and cold drinks upstairs including a sunny patio beer garden, and there is also a full service ski and snowboard rental shop and retail down below. Photo by Snow Life LLC
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Location and hours
The following is the location, operating hours and opening dates for Mission Ridge Ski Area.
7500 Mission Ridge Road, Wenatchee, WA. 98801. U.S.A.
A normal season runs Late November to Mid April
9am – 4pm = 7 days a week, plus 4pm – 9pm Wed – Sat (Peak season)
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