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New Parking Fees on Snoqualmie Pass could Stymie Backcountry Skiers

By

Jason Albert

Snoqualmie Pass sits roughly in the center of this onX Backcountry screengrab.

Snoqualmie Pass sits roughly in the center of this onX Backcountry screengrab.

Crowding in the backcountry is a thing. More users. More access to route information. More people seeking a little peace and quiet and, if they are lucky, some fine turns. Unless you can walk/skin out the door, we primarily access backcountry trailheads and entry points by car. All those cars need to be parked somewhere. …

Responses

  1. Alex Hatcher

    Well said. Another challenging element of the access in the Snoqualmie Backcountry is the inconsistent parking enforcement from the WSDOT. Some of the most popular zones in the Pass historically have seen users park alongside State Route 906. This past winter, the WSDOT has begun issuing parking tickets to skiers/hikers who have parked along 906 next to the Kendall/PCT/Commonwealth trailhead, further pushing backcountry users to utilize resort parking lots. The result is a volume and crowding issue created by mismanagement between the ski resort, the USFS, and the DOT.

  2. Will Tabor

    Tess’ comments are spot on. Every time I travel to ski, I am shocked at how many winter use parking lots are available in basically every state but Washington. I can’t help but imagine a world where you can access somewhere in the pass without having to use a ski area parking lot…

    1. leonardthedog

      I moved from WA to OR about a year ago and it’s wild how much better the access is here, even though snopark passes are a fraction of the cost. Obviously places still get crowded, but not to the same degree.

      Unfortunately, the skiing around here is not as fun as in WA 🙂

      1. Jason Albert

        This is the question I am now trying to answer——why is there a lack of parking available for backcountry users in/around Snoqualmie (or Washington, more generally)? Sure I’m certain, like elsewhere, the USFS acts in good faith, but operates at glacial speeds. I’m hoping to learn more.

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