Northwest winters have much more to offer than skiing and snowboarding and almost all of those other options are cheaper than buying a lift ticket. Here are 15 options for enjoying the snow this winter that will cost you $25 or less per person.
1. TRY CURLING. Before J.K. Rowling invented Quidditch, curling was the most extreme sport involving brooms. Seattle is home to the West Coast’s most accomplished curling clubs. The Granite Curling Club, which has produced several national champions and 2010 Olympian Nicole Joraanstad, will hold three open houses this winter to introduce the game to newbies. The open houses cost $15 per person or $40 for a family and are scheduled for Dec. 10, Jan. 14 and Feb. 11. curlingseattle.org
2. GO TUBING. Just because you can’t ski doesn’t mean you can’t zip down a snowy slope. Just grab an inner tube from your local tire store – or a soft sled from a sporting good store – and head to Hyak Sno-Park on Snoqualmie Pass or Paradise on the south side of Mount Rainier. It’s $20 per vehicle at Hyak or $15 per vehicle at Paradise. parks.wa.gov/winter or nps.gov/mora
3. TAKE A FREE SNOWSHOE TOUR. Each winter, park rangers at Paradise and Hurricane Ridge offer free snowshoe tours that include snowshoe rentals. The tours are mellow and don’t cover a lot of ground, but they are perfect for getting kids a taste of the sport. Check the national park websites for schedules. It costs $15 per vehicle to enter either park. nps.gov/mora or nps.gov/olym
4. VISIT THE MTTA. The Mount Tahoma Trails Association has long been one of the best deals in the South Sound. The trails are free to use as long as you have a Sno-Park pass ($20), but the real bargain is in the lodging. Stay overnight on the trail in one of the MTTA cabins for $15 per person. The MTTA does request adding a donation to your fee. The cabins and trails are maintained by volunteers. The volunteers hope to finish rebuilding Snow Bowl hut in 2012. skimtta.org
5. EXPLORE HURRICANE RIDGE. From snowshoeing to cross-country skiing, Hurricane Ridge is a scenic playground in the winter. It’s also an inexpensive place to learn alpine skiing. Access to the beginner and intermediate rope tows is $22. hurricaneridge.net
6. VISIT LEAVENWORTH. The Play All Day pass at the Leavenworth Winter Sports Club costs $22 and gives you access to activities ranging from Nordic skiing at three location, to the rope tows for alpine skiing, snowboarding and tubing at the Leavenworth Ski Hill and, if you like, the opportunity to try the state’s only ski jump. skileavenworth.com
7. SLED AT BAKER. Sledding isn’t allowed inside Mount Baker Ski Area. But, unofficially, groups of tubers and sledders often slide the slopes outside the ski area’s boundaries near Highwood Lake and Picture Lake. The area around Bagley Lake is popular, too. The sledding sites are located just before Heather Meadows Lodge off the Mount Baker Highway. There’s free parking at the lodge. fs.fed.us/r6/mbs.
8. GO TO A CARNIVAL. Giant ice sculptures, snow castles, food and music are just some of the attractions you’ll find at the winter carnivals around Washington. One of the best is White Pass’ Winter Carnival (March 3-4). The carnival is free to attend if you aren’t skiing. skiwhitepass.com
9. VISIT SUN MOUNTAIN LODGE. Tucked away in the Methow Valley, Sun Mountain Lodge is what many people consider the ultimate cross-country skiing destination. You can stay at the lodge or you can stay at other hotels in the area and just drop in to use the more than 200 kilometers of groomed ski and snowshoe trails. It’s $20 per person. sunmountainlodge.com
10. GO NORDIC. One of the great things about cross-country skiing is you don’t need a lift. Nordic trail passes are considerably more affordable than lift tickets. White Pass is $14, Stevens Pass is $19 and the Summit at Snoqualmie is $18. If that savings doesn’t make you feel good enough, consider the fact you are burning way more calories than alpine skiers. skiwhitepass.com, stevenspass.com or summitatsnoqualmie.com
11. SKI NOOKSACK VALLEY. With 15 miles of trails just off Mount Baker Highway, Salmon Ridge is a haven for cross-country skiers. The area is maintained by the Nooksack Nordic Ski Club and offers groomed and tracked trails, suitable for those who also want to skate ski, and plenty of untracked landscape. The terrain at Salmon Ridge is relatively flat and ideal for beginners. The trails offer views of the Nooksack River, Mount Sefrit and Mount Shuksan. It costs $20 per vehicle for a one-day Sno-Park pass or $40 for a season pass. nooksacknordicskiclub.org
12. SNOWMOBILE NEAR BAKER. Snow hounds have 168 miles of trails to explore inside Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Snowmobiling isn’t allowed in wilderness areas, so check maps before heading out. The cost is $5 per vehicle. fs.fed.us/r6/mbs
13. VISIT RAINIER. Not all of Mount Rainier National Park’s roads shut down when the snow starts falling. The road from the Nisqually entrance to Paradise is open all year, giving visitors access to numerous recreation possibilities for an entry fee of $15 per vehicle. Drive all the way to Paradise to play in the snow or stop at West Side Road to ski, snowshoe or fling snowballs. Sledding is only permitted in the designated area at Paradise. nps.gov/mora
Craig Hill: 253-597-8497
Craig.hill@thenewstribune.com
Blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure
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