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Beautifully surrounded by the Pacific Ocean deep in the Vancouver Island Ranges, Mount Washington Alpine Resort is one of 13 major ski resorts in British Columbia, Canada. It has a summit elevation of 1,588 m (5,210 ft), a vertical drop of 505 m (1,657 ft), and 81 trails spread over 1,700 skiable acres. The resort offers considerable terrain for intermediate and advanced skiers, with 50% of the terrain rated advanced to expert. You’ll find nine lifts at this ski resort, the most popular being a chairlift. There are no gondolas here.
Although Mount Washington Alpine Resort is a little off the beaten path internationally, it is famous for its exceptionally high snowfall, often ranking among the deepest in North America. We’re talking as much as 10 m (33 ft) annually. Additionally, the resort’s location on Vancouver Island means it often gets skipped by the masses, equating to more skiing and fewer crowds. Conversely, Mount Washington is heavily influenced by coastal weather patterns and has a relatively low elevation, meaning the resort occasionally sees rain.
Prices here are in Canadian dollars; Mount Washington is not expensive relative to the other high-profile ski resorts in British Columbia. US dollars, euros, pounds, and other Western currencies are subject to a favorable exchange rate (as of March 2025, the exchange rate is 68 US cents per Canadian dollar).
Mount Washington Ski Resort is in the Comox Land District in the central-eastern part of Vancouver Island, Canada. It’s a self-contained ski resort with its own village, shops and accommodations. The closest city, Courtney-Comox, sits 33 km (20 mi) southeast of the ski resort. The largest major city, Victoria (also British Columbia’s capital), is 245 km (152 mi) and about 3.5 hours away by car.
Geographically, the resort lives on Mount Washington on the eastern edge of the Vancouver Island Ranges of British Columbia. The aforementioned range is a sub-range of the rugged Insular Mountains in the larger Pacific Coast Range stretching from Alaska to Northern Mexico.
Mount Washington is also located adjacent to the Strathcona Provincial Park, British Columbia’s oldest provincial park. The 607,404-acre park contains some of the highest summits in the Vancouver Island Ranges. It’s also dotted with alpine lakes, striking glaciers, waterfalls, and limitless hiking opportunities.
There are several ways to get to Mount Washington from international locations, with three airports on Vancouver Island and Vancouver’s YVR on the mainland. Mind you, if you spring for the ferry option, you’ll add considerable time to your travel day.
The nearest airport is the Comox Airport (YQQ) in Comox. You’ll find daily flights from major Canadian cities like Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary. At just 40 km (25 mi) away from the ski resort, this is your fastest option.
Nanaimo Airport (YCD) and Victoria International Airport (YYJ) are 150 km (93 mi) and 262 km (162 mi). These may provide cheaper options. Finally, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) sits 245 km (152 mi) away, with arrivals coming from around the globe. To get to Mount Washington from here, you’ll need to take a drive, a ferry, and then drive some more.
From Comox, the Mount Washington Shuttle operates daily and costs $20 per person one way. If you have a larger group or prefer private transport, opt for Ambassador Shuttle Service.
Car rental options are available at each airport mentioned above. You’ll be looking at about $70 per day for a rental. If you plan on exploring the many unique areas of Vancouver Island in addition to skiing, I’d recommend a car rental, and you need winter tires.
There are several parking options at Mount Washington, and they’re all free and right by the lifts. Nordic, Hawk Express, and Alpine Lodges have access to parking lots, with Sunrise offering free overnight RV and daily parking.
About 2 km down the road, there's additional overflow in the Base Parking Area with a free shuttle to whisk you to and from the mountain.
On most normal days you can easily snag a parking spot. When big dumps are expected, it’s best to take the shuttle from Courtenay-Comox rather than deal with the literal chaos of driving up, not finding parking, and having to come back down. It’s a significant downside of this resort during big powder days. Additionally, the road out of the resort can be shut down due to hazardous conditions, leaving you stuck at the resort until the plows can ensure a safe return.
Getting around the quaint ski village of Mount Washington is very easy due to its smaller size. From end to end, it’s just over 1 km (0.6 mi). There are walking trails that meander through the town, roads that encircle it, and ski trails linking many of the accommodations to the ski slopes for an authentic ski-in-ski-out village.
Walking from Hawk Chair's base to the Sunrise parking lot is the only less exciting part. There are no shuttles, and taxis are rare, so ensure you plan so you don’t get stuck walking to the other end.
The ski season at Mount Washington runs from mid-December to mid-April, weather permitting. Visitors can enjoy about five months of skiing, with each month providing a different ski experience.
Mid-December and the holiday season are extremely close, so this time of the year can have both “early season” conditions and more traffic. Given the resort's terrain is not fully open, it can feel busy during the holiday week. Expect moderate coverage, some unopened areas, and a blip of traffic during the last week of December.
During the Christmas season, the ski resort puts on events and activities both on and off the mountain to keep everyone entertained.
January and February are the core skiing months. The resort’s terrain fully opens with the alpine bowls ready to go. Snow is also plentiful, with January seeing the most snow accumulation. Weekdays turn Mount Washington into a ghost town, so you might just have entire runs to yourself. Mid-to-late January and even rolling into February are the best times to visit Mount Washington. Conditions are favorable, temperatures are crisp yet tolerable, and weekdays are so quiet.
Once March hits, temperatures and snow quality change. Due to the sun exposure, the snow conditions can be very hit or miss at this time of the year. You could have beautiful fluffy powder but also dense snow, rain, and even ice. It’s a mixed bag, so you have to take that into consideration.
Most of the resort is empty by April except for the hardcore skiers and occasional weekend traffic.
When the conditions are right, Mount Washington can get hammered with snow. Due to high elevation and geographic position, a couple of weather systems converge at this location. High winds blast moisture-rich air from the Pacific into the mountains, where it condenses and falls as precipitation. Additionally, when Arctic outflows occur, these bring cold winds, which mix with warmer, moist air from south of the island, pushing even more condensation into the mountains.
The abundant moisture is why glaciers on Vancouver Island reach exceptionally low when considering elevation and latitude. For example, in Strathcona Provincial Park, southwest of Mount Washington, glacier ice reaches as low as 1,200 meters (3,900 ft).
Although the ski resort sees upwards of 10 m annually, the snow can sometimes be very inconsistent. You could have morning powder turn to slush by the afternoon. You can also have rain at any time in the season. Due to abundant precipitation, the base is thick, so groomed runs are in good condition most of the time. Spring skiing conditions can occur at the base quite early, and icy conditions can arise if it rains and freezes. It’s a mixed bag, but the alpine fills in beautifully when the snow comes.
Temperatures at Mount Washington are pleasant. Say goodbye to super cold days and hello to more agreeable conditions. During the winter, the base hovers around 0 to -5℃ and -5 to -10℃ at the peak with windchill. Occasional cold snaps drive the peak temperatures below -15℃, but those are rare.
The ski area at Mount Washington consists of three peaks spread over 1,700 acres of skiable terrain. There’s also a smaller backside zone known as The Outback, which opened in 2018. Skiers can access the entire ski area at the base by taking one of four chairs. For simplicity, we’ll break the ski area up by each peak and talk about how to efficiently move around this medium-sized ski resort. You can find the official Mount Washington Alpine Resort maps here.
Mount Washington’s main ski base consists of two chairlifts, the Eagle and Whiskey Jack, three parking lots, a couple of accommodations, and the Alpine Lodge. The Alpine Lodge is the community hub where you’ll find public facilities, food, drink, retail, guest services, lift tickets, and more. Behind the lodge, you’ll find walkways connecting additional private accommodation to the village.
To the left of the base, you’ll find the learning zone, terrain park, and tube park. This is where you access magic carpets, lessons, and progress your skills. The Big Easy trail connects skiers from the main village to the Hawk Express Chair. Additional parking can be found here, and further left, you’ll find Ravens Lodge and the Nordic Centre.
On the upper ends of the base, all the way to the right, you’ll find Sunrise Chair and some more parking. Time your day well if you park here so you don’t have to walk from the Hawk Chair.
The Eagle Express is the ski resort's main chairlift, taking you from the base to the peak (1,588 m / 5209 ft) in one shot. Supported by the Whiskey Jack Chair, this zone holds some of the best variety of terrain on the map. Also, from the peak, you can access anywhere on the resort.
The peak zone introduces skiers to some open alpine terrain, gladed runs, and both intermediate and advanced groomed runs. If you’re an advanced skier, this is where you’ll want to hang out. The terrain starts out steep at the peak and gets more mellow as you ski towards the bottom. Warm up on mellower chutes at Top of the World and West Basin before trekking to The Outback, or take a relaxing run down Linton’s Loop, one of the best groomers on the mountain.
Mount Washington's main terrain park is also housed here, home to jumps, jibs, and an array of rails and boxes. The Whiskey Jack Chair is the dedicated chair to access this side of the resort. However, it’s a slow fixed grip, so depending on the lines, it’s a better experience to take Eagle up instead.
To get to the ski resort’s most exciting adventure terrain, you can take either Eagle Express or Hawk Express 6 pack from the base. From here, make your way over to Boomerang Chair and ride that to the ridgeline. Boomerang Chair is accessible from both Gold Rush and The Outback.
Gold Rush Glades offers some of the best open glades I’ve seen. The tree spacing is confidence-boosting, with some areas like Midas and Bonanza feeling like narrow ski runs. Be mindful of the cliff bands running across the entrance, but don’t worry, they’re manageable. The only downside of Gold Rush Glades is how short they are. Sure, the Boomerang Chair allows laps in fast succession, but it always makes you yearn for more.
The Outback, opened in 2018, added 400 acres of backcountry-style terrain on Mount Washington’s north-facing slope. A lack of direct sunlight and constant winds can load this area with pockets of powdery goodness. It’s true big mountain skiing and is rated expert only. You will encounter cliffs, trees, exposed rocks, and chutes, testing your abilities on the way down.
You can also access the unofficial North Bowl if you have backcountry gear and training. This zone boasts exposed big mountain skiing. Forewarned, this area is outside the official ski resort boundary, so you should always be prepared for self-rescue.
Over on the far right of the ski map, the Sunrise Chair whisks skiers up to the ski resort's final peak (1,475 m / 4,839 ft). This area is smaller than the main peak; however, it’s larger than Golden Glades and The Outback and usually has shorter lift lines.
Here, you’ll find primarily groomed on-piste runs of intermediate and advanced difficulty. If you’re a solid intermediate skier, these longer groomed runs dotted with pockets of gladed skiing are an excellent spot to practice your carves and tree skiing in a quieter area.
Mount Washington offers guests night skiing from 3:30 - 9:00 pm on weekends and daily during the holiday season. The Whiskey Jack Chair is the only chair open during this time. Coaster and the Terrain Park are the only official runs offered. The entire Discovery Learning Zone is open; you can book lessons as late as 5 pm!
Mount Washington offers an exceptional variety of terrain over 81 named runs and a maximum vertical drop of 505 m (1,657 ft). Within the bounds of the ski resort, guests can explore groomed runs of all difficulties, gladed tree skiing of varying denseness, off-piste basins, chutes, cliffs, pillows, and other big mountain terrain.
Mount Washington is shaped like a Hershey’s Kiss. Most runs at the summit start steep and eventually become more gentle as one moves down the mountain. There is no easy way to run from the peak, the only downfall for beginners who want to catch the views.
As at other resorts in North America, slopes are broken into four categories: beginner — green circles, intermediate — blue squares, and advanced / expert — black / double-black diamonds.
Nine lifts—five chairlifts and four surface lifts—make up the lift system at Mount Washington, all of which are well-positioned to allow for easy movement around the resort.
Mount Washington Alpine Resort’s Nordic Centre is considered a top Nordic skiing destination in North America. It boasts 55 km (34 mi) of groomed and classic set trails, along with snowshoeing and fat-biking opportunities.
Right at Mount Washington's peak, those with the training and gear can venture off into North Bowl via the ridge on King George, but this option is full of cliffs and hazards. It’s best to have a local guide with you for this one. Check out Island Alpine Guides for their backcountry offerings.
The safer route is hiking up the ridge from Thunderdome to access the North Bowl from two distinct spots. Both paths allow you to ride into North Bowl and eventually return to the Boomerang Chair by traversing across the shore of McKay Lake.
Other than that, there aren’t many well-known options for ski touring within an hour’s drive of the resort. Vancouver Island has backcountry gems like King’s Peak in Strathcona, Mt. Brooks, Mt. Albert Edward, and Mt. Jutland. Forbidden Plateau, an old ski area, can be decent if there’s enough snow and the road is plowed.
Another issue with ski touring on Vancouver Island is the visibility; it’s almost always cloudy or stormy, which is suitable for powder but not for safe backcountry travel, especially above treeline. If you’re dead set on ski touring, pass on the island and head for the mainland of British Columbia instead.
You can access multiple pass options and deals throughout the season, so a last-minute trip to Mount Washington won’t break the bank. Purchasing your tickets before arrival will save $10+ per ticket.
If you plan on skiing multiple days, the 6IXPAX option will save you up to 25% off single lift ticket purchases. This option costs $600, and any unused tickets expire at the end of the season.
Midweek tickets are your best option at $104 per day. Military and student discounts will save you $10. Weekend ticket prices ramp up to $120. Unfortunately, Mount Washington further increases the prices during the holidays to $130 per day.
Mount Washington has a small village and base area compared to large ski resorts. However, you will still find most of the services expected at a ski resort.
Mount Washington Snow School is the resort’s only dedicated snow school and guiding experience. Need to hone your skills or want a guide to take you to the best terrain? These guys have you covered. Private, group, senior, teen, and kids lessons are all available here with maximum flexibility.
Mount Washington Snow Hosts offer guests free tours of the ski resort. Sign up at the Guest Services desk located in Le Grand Manitou. Tours are available every day at 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Ski and Snowboard Rentals are available right at the ski resort. Although they have all sorts of basic and high-performance demos, selection is tight during weekends and holidays, so booking in advance is advisable.
Before or after skiing, visit the resort’s official guest services offices.
Mount Washington Alpine Resort
1 Strathcona Pkwy, Comox-Strathcona C, British Columbia (BC), Canada, V9J 1C7
Guest Services: +1 888.231.1499
Local Number: +1 250.338.1386
General Inquiries: info@mountwashington.ca or ski@mountwashington.ca
Website: http://mountwashington.ca
There are only a few venues for food and drink at Mount Washington, but many more options in the nearby town of Courtenay-Comox. There is also no grocery store at the ski resort. The best option is to hit up one of the many grocery stores in the nearby town. There’s also a Walmart.
All eateries and bars are located along the base of the ski resort. Unfortunately, no on-mountain dining options leave those looking for great alpine views and great food out in the cold. You have a mixture of ski lodge cafeteria-style food and a couple of sit-down dining options.
The Alpine Cafeteria is the quick spot for calorie-dense grub like pizza, burgers, chili, and grab-and-go options. The Cantina is a Mexican-styled kitchen that makes epic burritos. Ted’s Bar and Grill offers beers on tap, casual pub fare, and locally inspired entrees. Ted’s also turns into the resort's only bar after 10 pm.
Eagle View Bistro is the après spot at the ski resort, especially in the springtime when the temperatures warm up and the patio gets bumping.
The resort's most beautiful restaurant view is the Raven Lodge. This cafe is situated by the Nordic trails and offers fresh organic coffee, baked goods, and daily healthy lunch offerings. Occasionally, the lodge welcomes guests for an upscale Fireside Dining experience during the holidays.
If you venture into the nearest town, about half an hour away, there are more choices for both restaurants and bars. As this is an island, anything seafood is recommended. Fresh local seafood is caught and stocked every single day. As a result, Vancouver Island (as well as Vancouver City and the south coast of B.C.) is home to some of the best quality sushi you’ll ever find outside Japan.
Additionally, oysters are a specialty on Vancouver Island. It’s one of the best spots in the world to obtain such morsels. Gigi’s Oysters is a must-stop spot for fresh oysters, with a full wine list and an entertaining vibe. Locals Restaurant at the Old House is one of the top fine dining spots on the entire island. Nestled right along the Puntledge River, this intimate atmosphere offers locally sourced European-inspired cuisine.
Finding accommodation for your ski holiday at Mount Washington Alpine Resort can be split into two categories. You can stay at the resort for a ski-in-ski-out experience or in the nearby town of Courtenay-Comox, which will have a little more going on and be more affordable.
The Deer and Bear Lodges are the larger accommodations located right at the ski resort's base. A prime location, ski-in-ski-out, hot tubs, and full kitchens provide the perfect basecamp to stay at the resort.
Additional chalets, suites, condos and private accommodations can be found dotted around the village. Check out the entire offering of Mount Washington private accommodations here.
More affordable accommodation options open up a half-hour drive down the road in Courtenay-Comox. You’ll find typical hotel chains like Best Western and Holiday Inn, as well as local offerings like bed & breakfasts, motels, and upscale boutique oceanside resorts.
Old House Hotel and Oceanside Kingfisher Pacific Resort and Spa are two spectacular locations, fit with spas, upscale dining, and four-star amenities.
More budget-friendly options include Ocean Resort, Comox Valley Inn & Suites, and the Anchor Inn. AirBnb is also available as a more cost-effective option for you and your group of ski buddies.
Mount Washington is far from the busy and party-inspired theme of other major British Columbia ski resorts. Outside of skiing, there isn’t much that happens here once the sun sets.
The Après scene here is pretty small. Ted’s, Eagle Bistro, and Raven’s Lodge host guests for live music, drink specials, and patio hangouts during the spring. Night skiing and tubing are some more family-friendly activities.
Otherwise, a Nordic Skiing Festival in March brings cross-country skiing enthusiasts from all over British Columbia to enjoy the world-class trail network.
Mount Washington is fairly central on Vancouver Island, one of Canada’s most beautiful pieces of land. With that comes an opportunity to explore the region in addition to having a ski holiday. Towns like Tofino and Ucluelet are Canadian oceanside gems full of miles and miles of sandy beaches, surfing, and some of the best sunsets in the country.
Courtenay-Comox and Campbell River offer visitors charming seaside experiences like whale watching, fishing, and even scuba diving. Cumberland and additional tiny villages introduce visitors to patches of untouched Coastal Temperate Rainforest.
There’s truly something magical about Vancouver Island as it combines ocean activities, mountain excursions, backpacking, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and more. For an island around the same size as Belgium, it packs an impressive punch and is worth an extended visit.
