Uphill Travel Guide
Considering a Tour or Hike?
Before making plans, get an Uphill Travel Pass and read our resort-specific rules and restrictions for uphill travel to help keep all resort users safe. An Uphill Travel Pass is required (even for regular passholders) to access any ski area terrain.
Our policy was developed in partnership with the United States Forest Service.
Upcoming Changes
Be sure to familiarize yourself with upcoming changes to the Uphill Travel Pass coming Winter 2025-26.
Uphill travel is not permitted within the ski area boundary during the following blackout dates:
Uphill Travel Blackout Periods:
- Dec. 26, 2025 – Jan. 2, 2026
- Saturdays & Sundays from Jan. 3 through Mar. 1, 2026
- Jan. 19, 2026
- Feb. 16, 2026
Parking for Winter 2025-26 is no longer included in the price of an Uphill Travel Pass. However, paid parking dates will be reduced substantially next season - uphill travelers will be able to park for free midweek (non-holidays).
Paid parking will be in place on weekends and holidays, with fees of $15 at Summit areas and $25 at Alpental. A carpooling discount for those with 3+ in a vehicle will also be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Uphill Travel Passes are now available at a reduced price of $40! Plus, $5 from each pass sold will be donated to a chosen non-profit.
Uphill Travel Rules
Uphill Travel Routes
Uphill Travelers must always use these designated routes.
Safety, Courtesy, & Respect
Avalanche Control
Avalanche control work may be conducted at any time with the Alpental permit boundary. Ascending within the boundary can pose extreme danger. Stay out!
Winching in Progress
Winch cables are extremely dangerous and can cause serious injury or death. Watch for flashing lights on signs at the bottom, or on the top of grooming machines. When winching is in progress, find a different place to hike or tour.
Frequently Asked Questions
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).
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.
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.
Backcountry travelers may use the groomed section of the return trail, but must travel single file and stay to the right. At first major intersection (the bottom of Trash Can), backcountry travelers must turn right, crossing the bridge and continuing up valley. Continuing to travel up valley via the return trail or on any slopes to the left is prohibited. It's extremely important to stay off ski area terrain as it is prone to avalanches and avalanche mitigation activities may be occurring at any time.
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.