There might be 17 ski areas in Washington, but for most skiers and snowboards in Western Washington there might as well only be six.

The Big Six resorts of the Cascades – Crystal Mountain, Mission Ridge, Mount Baker, Stevens Pass, Summit at Snoqualmie and White Pass – are the state’s biggest and most popular ski areas.

Inside we take a closer look at the Big Six.

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN

Crystal Mountain passes the Summit at Snoqualmie as the state’s biggest ski area this season with the opening of the Northway Lift. Northway gives Crystal 1,000 new acres – roughly the size of Mount Baker – of lift-serviced terrain. That gives the mountain 2,300 acres, more than the Summit’s 1,916 acres. As of Sept. 30, Crystal and the Summit are owned by the same company – Boyne Resorts.

Five THINGS YOU MUST DO

1. Ride the new Northway chairlift.

2. Explore Green Valley.

3. Arrive early to avoid a long, long walk from your car.

4. Test your skills on Silver King’s Pinball Face (or something tamer) in Crystal’s famous backcountry.

5. Party late at the Snorting Elk Cellar.

WHAT’S NEW

The new Northway Lift makes Crystal Mountain the first ski area in the state to add terrain since Stevens Pass added Mill Valley in 1987. The ski school is adding several winter camps, including free ride camps for juniors, women and backcountry lovers.

RESORT STATS

Lift tickets: $58, $53 ages 11-17, $35 ages 70 and older, $28 ages 7-10. Prices include tax.

Season pass: $1,095, $995 ages 11-17, $350 ages 70 and older, $475 ages 7-10. $750 midweek.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Terrain: 2,300 acres serviced by lifts, 1,300 acres of backcountry, 400-foot long halfpipe.

Lifts: 11 lifts (two high-speed six-passenger lifts, two high-speed quads, two triples, four doubles, one children’s surface lift).

Trails: 57 runs (11 percent beginner, 51 percent intermediate, 35 percent advanced).

Summit elevation: 7,012 feet.

Base elevation: 4,400 feet.

Vertical drop: 3,100 feet including backcountry return.

Annual snowfall: 385 inches.

Cross-country: None.

Snow line: 1-888-754-6199.

Information: 360-663-2265; skicrystal.com.

MISSION RIDGE

Those who’ve visited Mission Ridge on a powder day know why the locals claim the mountain has the best snow in the Northwest. While all the other Cascade resorts get more snow, Mission Ridge doesn’t get the heavy snow that falls in the marine air on the western slopes of the Cascades. As the only ski area on the eastern slopes, it tends to get a lighter snow along the lines of what you’ll find in Utah or Colorado.

Five THINGS YOU MUST DO

1. Rub the wing of the B-24 Liberator that crashed here in 1944. Rubbing the wing, mounted at the top of Bomber Bowl, is supposed to ensure a snowy winter.

2. Rip through Bomber Bowl, a 2,200-foot drop that’s one of the state’s best cruiser runs.

3. Hit the hill on a powder day for some of the lightest snow in the Cascades.

4. Try a pizza from the wood-fired grill at McGlinn’s Public House in Wenatchee.

5. Run the six-leg Ridge to River Relay by yourself or with a team. The race starts with nordic and alpine skiing at Mission Ridge and continues with running, biking, paddling and a portage. Go to r2r.org.

What’s new

An $11.5 million upgrade to Mission Ridge Road makes the short drive from Wenatchee to the ski area more enjoyable. The resort also has expanded its parking lot.

RESORT STATS

Lift tickets: $48, $42 ages 13-17, $28 ages 7-12, $30 ages 62-older, $8 ages 6 and younger. Prices include tax.

Season pass: $539, $399 ages 13-17, $249 ages 7-12, $83 ages 6 and younger, $399 ages 62-69, $279 ages 70 and older. Prices include tax.

Night skiing: $13.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays-Mondays.

Terrain: 900 acres, including a 3.5-acre terrain park, the highest in the state at 6,400 feet.

Lifts: Three two-seat lifts and one high-speed quad.

Trails: 36 runs (10 percent beginner, 60 percent intermediate, 30 percent advanced).

Summit elevation: 6,820 feet.

Base elevation: 4,570 feet.

Vertical drop: 2,250 feet.

Annual snowfall: 135 inches.

Cross-country: 10 miles of trails located four miles away at Squilchuck State Park.

Snow line: 1-509-663-3200.

Information: 1-509-663-6543; missionridge.com.

MOUNT BAKER

How big has the Legendary Banked Slalom gotten? Consider that four Olympians traveled to Mount Baker to participate last season. And none of them won. All lost out to local snowboarders. Baker also is famous for its ample snow and enticing backcountry. Baker gets more snow than most ski resorts in the country, 647 inches per winter. The small, passionately “green” resort also has backcountry terrain some consider to be on par with Crystal Mountain.

Five THINGS YOU MUST DO

1. Go on a powder day.

2. Watch – or, better yet, enter – the Legendary Banked Slalom, Feb. 8-10. This 23-year-old event is credited as the genesis of snowboarding’s popularity.

3. Get a deal on a condo near the slopes. Check out mtbaker.us/accommodations.

4. Explore the expansive backcountry beyond Baker’s border.

5. It’s a long drive home, so hit one of the popular aprs spots for dinner. Try Milano’s in Deming for Italian food or Graham’s in Glacier for vaguely fowl sandwiches like the Mother Clucker.

What’s new

The resort has added two 7-foot bronze ravens sculpted by Tony Angel of Seattle. A dedication ceremony will be held opening weekend.

RESORT STATS

Lift tickets: $41.32, $30.65 ages 7-15, $35.75 ages 60-69, $19.05 ages 70 and older, free for ages 6 and younger; fifth-graders can register online to ski free. Prices don’t include sales tax.

Season pass: $607.97, $547.67 full-time college student, $445.63 ages 16-17, $248.83 ages 13-15, $174.61 ages 7-12, $296 ages 60-69, $46.88 ages 70 and older. Prices don’t include tax and are good through Oct. 31.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Terrain: 1,000 acres serviced by lifts, including a halfpipe and a terrain park.

Lifts: Eight (four fixed quad chairs, two doubles, two rope tows).

Trails: 50 runs (24 percent beginner, 45 percent intermediate, 31 percent advanced).

Summit elevation: 5,050 feet.

Base elevation: 4,300 feet main base; 3,590 feet lower base.

Vertical drop: 1,460 feet.

Annual snowfall: 647 inches.

Cross-country: 4 kilometers and backcountry trails.

Snow line: 360-671-0211.

Information: 360-734-6771; mtbaker.us.

STEVENS PASS

Stevens Pass is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Mill Valley by making it better. Shawn Smith, a resort director, says the valley was cleared this summer. The project removes some of the hard ledges, making the advanced terrain friendlier to skiers and riders. “People who liked Mill Valley before will like it even more now,” Smith said.

Five THINGS YOU MUST DO

1. Make your first run of the day in Seventh Heaven before the sweet pitch gets skied off.

2. Ski the “Around the World” loop by making runs off the Skyline Express, Tye Mill, Jupiter, Southern Cross and Double Diamond lifts.

3. Make a fresh line on Andromeda Face.

4. Catch air in the Top Phlight Terrain Park.

5. Stop in Sultan on your way home for a turkey sandwich at The Bakery.

What’s new

The Mill Valley clearing project is the biggest upgrade, but you’ll likely notice more subtle changes at Stevens Pass during its 70th anniversary season. The access chutes to Big Chief bowl are wider. The chairlift terminals got a paint job. The dilapidated parking lot was 75 percent repaved as part of the Department of Transportation’s Highway 2 resurfacing project. And the snowshoe trails at the Nordic Center have been widened.

RESORT STATS

Lift tickets: $49.77, $35 ages 62-69, $32.36 ages 7-12, $9.22 ages 70 and older, $5.53 children. Tax not include tax.

Season pass: $749, $299 college pass

Night skiing: $30.42, $30 ages 62-69, $27.75 ages 7-12, $9.22 ages 70 and older, $5.53 children. Tax not included. Six lifts run at night.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Terrain: 1,125 acres serviced by lifts, including a 25-acre terrain park with a super pipe.

Lifts: 10 (two high-speed quads, one quad, four triples, three doubles).

Trails: 37 (11 percent beginner, 54 percent intermediate, 35 percent advanced).

Summit elevation: 5,845 feet.

Base elevation: 4,061 feet.

Vertical drop: 1,784 feet.

Annual snowfall: 450 inches.

Cross-country: 28 kilometers.

Snow line: 206-634-1645.

Information: 206-812-4510; stevenspass.com.

SUMMIT AT SNOQUALMIE

The Summit continues to be the place to go if you are into snowboarding or night skiing. With four areas on Interstate 90, the resort has the state’s most extensive terrain park and night skiing operation. Toss in Alpental’s killer steeps, and you have the state’s most diverse ski area.

Five THINGS YOU MUST DO

1. Challenge yourself with a run down International at Alpental. Many consider this the state’s hardest inbounds run.

2. Enter or watch the Holy Oly Revival, a rapidly growing snowboard competition.

3. Light up in Washington’s largest night ski area.

4. Spend a Saturday skiing at Summit East, the least-skied of the Summit’s four areas. Summit East is open only weekends.

5. Hit the epic terrain park at Summit Central.

What’s new

The Whiskey Pete’s bar has been expanded, and the men’s room has been remodeled at Summit Central. Ten jibs have been added to the terrain park rotation. The road from Interstate 90 to Alpental has been repaved. There is a new roof over the Summit West lodge. More than 350 pairs of skis have been added to rent.

RESORT STATS

Lift tickets: $48, $32 ages 7-12 and 62-69, $10 ages 6 and younger and 70 and older. Prices don’t include tax.

Season pass: $379, $229 ages 7-12 and 62 and older, $299 ages 13-18 and college students, $69 ages 6 and younger and 70 and older. Prices good through Oct. 31.

Night skiing: $32, $27 ages 7-12 and 62-69, $10 ages 6 and younger and 70 and older; 15 lifts open at night.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Terrain: 1,916 acres serviced by lifts; one superpipe, two terrain and beginner parks.

Lifts: 26 (two high-speed quads, two fixed quads, four triples, 11 doubles, three rope tows, two carpets, two handle tows).

Trails: 65 runs (14 percent beginner, 45 percent intermediate, 41 percent advanced).

Summit elevation: 5,450 feet at Alpental, 3,765 feet at Summit West.

Base elevation: 3,140 feet at Alpental, 3,000 feet at Summit West.

Vertical drop: 2,310 feet at Alpental, 765 feet at Summit West.

Annual snowfall: 444 inches.

Cross-country: 50 kilometers accessed via the Summit East’s Keechelus or the Summit Central’s Silver Fir chair.

Snow line: 206-236-1600.

Information: 425-434-7669; summitatsnoqualmie.com.

WHITE PASS

White Pass and Mount Baker are the best bargains in the Cascades, but White Pass is a much more manageable day trip from the South Sound. The Great White lift hauls skiers up 1,510 feet in about six minutes, making White Pass the place to go if you simply want to stockpile vertical. If you push it, you can ski or ride 60,000 vertical feet before the Great White shuts down at 4 p.m.

Five THINGS YOU MUST DO

1. Enter Hope on the Slopes (March 15-16) and see how many runs you can do in 24 hours while raising money for the American Cancer Society.

2. Visit during the Winter Carnival (March 1-2) when kids will be able to innertube through a giant snow castle.

3. Rip down the locals’ favorite run by linking Mach V with double-diamond Hourglass.

4. Pose for a picture on top of Pigtail Peak with Mount Rainier as your backdrop.

5. Stop in Packwood on the way home for pizza at Cruisers.

What’s new

The mezzanine level bar has been moved from the corner to the middle of the upstairs area. Resort officials hope this will relieve congestion in the lodge. White Pass is scaling back night operations this season.

RESORT STATS

Lift tickets: $45, $28 juniors and seniors; free ages 6 and younger and 73 and older. Midweek: $38, $22 juniors and seniors.

Season pass: $680 adults, $430 juniors and seniors.

Night skiing: $19, 4-9 p.m. Saturdays and holidays.

Hours: 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Terrain: 635 acres serviced by lifts.

Lifts: Six (one high-speed quad, one triple, two doubles, one platter pull, one carpet).

Trails: 32 runs (20 percent beginner, 60 percent intermediate, 20 percent advanced/expert).

Summit elevation: 6,000 feet.

Base elevation: 4,500 feet.

Vertical drop: 1,500 feet.

Annual snowfall: 350 inches.

Cross-country: 18 kilometers of trails.

Snow line: 1-509-672-3100.

Information: 1-509-672-3101. skiwhitepass.com.