Uphill Travel
Considering touring or hiking at the ski area? Before making plans, read on to learn more about our Uphill Travel Pass, as well as resort specific rules and restrictions for uphill travel to help keep uphill and downhill travelers safe. This policy was developed in partnership with the United States Forest Service.
New For 2021-22 Season
Our uphill travel rules and guidelines have changed. Starting Nov. 19, 2021, an uphill travel pass is required to access ski area terrain. If you already have a regular season pass, you still need an Uphill Travel Pass specific for this activity. Read on to review current policies and pass information prior to making plans to tour or hike.
Uphill Travel Policy Overview
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Uphill Travel Pass RequiredA Summit Uphill Travel Pass is now required for anyone traveling uphill within ski area boundaries, at all times. More information below.
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Designated Uphill Travel RoutesWhenever lifts at Summit East, Summit Central, or Summit West are open, uphill travelers must use designated uphill travel routes. This is for the safety of both uphill and downhill travelers. Scroll down to learn more.
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Open Travel When Select Areas Are ClosedWhen lifts are NOT running (area is not open) at Summit East, Summit Central, or Summit West, designated uphill travel routes are recommended, but not required. Never duck ropes or travel in closed terrain.
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Summit East Closed Fri-Sat NightsThe entire Summit East area is closed 7pm-12am, Friday & Saturday nights. This closure is to protect your safety while winch grooming is in progress. Traveling in closed areas may result in loss of access and lift privileges.
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Uphill Travel Not Permitted at AlpentalDuring the operating season uphill travel is not permitted within the Alpental ski area boundary. Scroll down to learn more about the boundary and our operating season.
Safety, Courtesy, & Respect
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AVOID ALL MACHINERY & EQUIPMENTMaintain at least 200ft of separation between yourself and groomers, never travel toward a groomer or follow a groomer. Do not attempt to climb lift towers or get on lifts.
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BE AWARE & RESPECTFULIt's important to stay aware of your surroundings and be respectful of resort staff and property. Avoid the assuming mindset of "It's okay for me", be a positive member of the uphill and backcountry community.
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YOU MAY BE HELD LIABLEIf an uphill traveler is a contributory cause to a collision or incident, they may be held liable.
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BE COURTEOUSPlease be friendly to other skiers, snowboarders, and our staff. Our job is to help keep everyone safe, including you. Thanks for being part of our mountain community! We're all here to enjoy the mountains just like you.
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Avalanche Control at AlpentalAVALANCHE CONTROL WORK MAY BE CONDUCTED AT ANYTIME WITHIN THE ALPENTAL PERMIT BOUNDARY. ASCENDING WITHIN THE BOUNDARY CAN POSE EXTREME DANGER. -
Winching In ProgressEXTREMELY DANGEROUS! WINCH CABLES CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. WATCH FOR FLASHING LIGHTS ON SIGNS OR ON THE TOP OF GROOMING MACHINES. WHEN WINCHING IS IN PROGRESS, FIND A DIFFERENT PLACE TO HIKE OR TOUR.
Designated Parking & Restrictions
On peak days, uphill travelers accessing ski area terrain via the designated routes can only park in lot W3 (West) or lot E2 (East). Backcountry travelers accessing the Alpental Valley (uphill travel within ski area not permitted) on a peak day can only park in lot A7. These parking lots will fill up on peak days, so be prepared to have alternate plans for recreating at an entirely different location off Snoqualmie Pass. If our parking lots are full, it is highly likely all other recreation parking lots around Snoqualmie Pass are full as well.
Have respect, be a responsible backcountry traveler, do not park in areas that are not designated for parking.
Parking lots at the ski area are either leased or privately owned for use by guests of The Summit & Alpental. Consider carpooling whenever possible and be sensitive and respectful to ski area guests, the ski area and their parking policies & signs.
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Peak weekend days include weekends from January 1 through March 6, 2022.
Peak Holiday periods including:
- December Holidays - December 18, 2021 - January 2, 2022
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day - January 17, 2022
- Presidents Day - February 21, 2022
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Uphill Travel Pass
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Free + $5 Processing Fee -
Required For Uphill Travel (at all times) -
Valid For The 2021-22 Season -
Required starting 11/19/2021
Ready to climb? To get access for the entire season, register for an Uphill Travel Pass and sign the associated waiver in our online store. You must have your uphill travel pass with you anytime you travel uphill within the ski area boundary.
- If you already have a regular Summit season pass, you still need an Uphill Travel Pass.
- Passes are non-transferable and are season specific
- Daily access passes are not available
- $5 processing fee
- Mailed via USPS. If you have not received your pass yet, showing confirmation on your phone is acceptable temporary verification.
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Anyone found travelling uphill without an uphill pass or in areas where uphill traffic is prohibited, may lose access privileges. The Summit reserves the right to file trespassing charges when necessary.
Uphill Travel In The Alpental Valley
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Yes. However, keep in mind that the operating season begins well before we open the ski area and ends well after we close the ski area.
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To help protect the safety of downhill skiers and snowboarders, uphill travelers, and our staff. With nearly all of the area within the special use permit boundary (shown in the map below) being subject to avalanche hazard and the avalanche mitigation activities required to operate the resort, uphill travel poses a significant risk. Users looking to recreate on Forest Service lands are welcome to travel in the areas outside of the special use permit. These restriction will not apply outside the operating season when resort operations are not underway (ok to hike then).
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The operating season starts when there is sufficient snow cover for workers to begin winter activities, it is always prior to opening day. This is communicated via the posting of signs in base facilities, notification on social media, and noted below in the "Alpental Operating Status". The end of the season is communicated through the same means and is typically a week or more after closing day. The operating season in this case is the period in which our crews are active on the mountain, and not the period in which we are open for skiing/riding.
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Backcountry travel is allowed anywhere outside the resort ski area permit boundary. The permit area includes the Back Bowls return trail and all terrain on the South side of the South Fork Snoqualmie River (south side of the valley) until Source Lake. Travel up the south side of the valley is permitted only once beyond Source Lake.
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Backcountry travelers may use the groomed section of the return trail, but must travel single file and stay to the right. At the end of the groomed section, backcountry travelers must turn right to continue up valley. Veering left and continuing to travel up valley via the return trail or on any slopes to the left is prohibitted. It's extremely important to stay off ski area terrain as it is prone to avalanches and we may be conducting control work at any time.
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Yes. However, traveling left (as you ascend) over Draft Dodger Ridge and into the permit area of the ski area is not allowed. As a rule of thumb, traveling out of the Great Scott drainage to the East puts you back into ski area terrain.
Current Alpental Status
Our operations teams have completed much of our end-of-season tear-down work and are ready to lift uphill travel restrictions within the ski area permit boundary for the remainder of the spring. Alpental will reopen to uphill travel starting May 5, 2022.
Treat all of the Alpental ski area as uncontrolled avalanche prone terrain, just as you would backcountry terrain. We do not plan to perform anymore avalanche control and many areas at Alpental will still be prone to avalanches through the spring season. We recommend avoiding all terrain along the Cascade Traverse (Shot Six, Meister, Dom, etc), terrain below the cliffs along the high traverse out Nash Gate, Rox Off, Rock Face, and of course Shot 8. These areas are especially prone to wet slides and several are prone to large glide avalanches that often release in the spring freeze/thaw cycles.
Please pack out all your trash and recycling, do not dispose of items at the mountain as our staff is off for the season. Have a pet? Be a responsible pet owner and clean up after your pet no matter if your on snow or in the parking lot.
Thanks for your cooperation!
Snoqualmie Mountain Control Warning
The southwest slopes of Snoqualmie Mountain (including The Phantom) can occasionally pose an avalanche threat to the road and parking areas during times of significant weather and snow pack events. Please be aware that those slopes are target zones for avalanche explosives delivered via artillery or helicopter. Avalanche control activities and the closure of those slopes are always communicated in advance. A map and sign in the main Alpental parking lot contains additional information.