At Stevens Pass 20.2% of winter days see 6 inches or more of snow, 36% of winter months see 90 inches or more, and only 7% of months see less than 30 inches. This is elite, blue-chip style snow frequency, rivaled only by a handful of areas in North America. The key risk to snow conditions is not drought but rain. This is a minor issue for the locals, who can sit out the wet weather and wait to ski the next week’s dump. It does, however, make planning a big trip involving air travel here more of a gamble. In terms of quality, storms at Stevens Pass can bring the cold stuff that makes for beautiful turns, or just as often, they can douse you with warmer snow that you weigh by the pound instead of measuring by the inch. Be prepared with the fattest, most rockered skis you can get for the latter conditions.

Accumulation and Preservation

With its huge snowfalls, Stevens Pass is often well covered by mid-December and is less than half open by Christmas in only 10-15% of seasons. While Stevens Pass is about half north exposed, its altitude is a modest 4,100-5,800 feet. Thus overall snow preservation is mediocre. Stevens Pass is best skied midwinter or after its frequent big dumps.