Stevens Pass Ski Resort Celebrates "Opening Day 2.0" After Crucial Road Access Restored

After a bumpy start, the ski season seems to be back on track.

West side access to Stevens Pass, a mountain popular among Seattle, Washington, skiers, has been restored only weeks after Highway 2 was damaged and closed during a period of torrential rain.

The opening came sooner than expected. When Highway 2 first shuttered in early December, Governor Bob Ferguson said the closure between Skykomish and Leavenworth would last for months.

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“We’re going to do everything we possibly can to repair it as quickly as possible, but it is literally underwater in stages,” Ferguson said, according to KOMO News. “There are major, major issues on that roadway.”

He did note, however, it was “premature to guess exactly how to estimate exactly how long that will be.”

Doubt about Stevens Pass’ ski season swirled. Highway 2 is the only way to reach the mountain. 

Yet, the resort miraculously opened on December 29 with access from the east side after road workers partially opened Highway 2. Skiers travelling from Seattle faced a much longer drive than usual, with the west side of the road closed, though. Some, on social media, said they hoped to have their season passes deferred until next winter.

But on Thursday, January 1, west side access was restored. In celebration, Stevens Pass hosted what it called “Opening Day 2.0” on the first day of the New Year. 

Governor Ferguson, in a post on X, wrote, “Amazing work from our crews to finish clearing debris and making repairs.”

Stevens Pass is now open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The ski resort reminded visitors that on Saturday, January 3, parking reservations for Lots G, A, B, and E will resume. The parking reservation system remains unchanged from last winter.

To reach the resort from the east side, visitors will still need to wait for a pilot car running between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Highway 2. Those coming from the east should “expect delays, and allow extra travel time,” according to Stevens Pass.

Stevens Pass wasn’t the only ski resort in Washington impacted by the torrential rain that arrived in December. Crystal Mountain and Mt. Baker Ski Area saw access road closures, too, but have since returned to business as usual.