Mount Baker Ski Area
Mount Baker ski area has a well-earned reputation for powder and steeps, but its reasonably priced lift tickets also make it one of America’s best values.
The terrain at Mount Baker can only be described as “gnarly.” It is not uncommon to run into a multitude of sizable cliffs on marked expert runs. Due to the huge amounts of moisture-heavy snowfall the resort receives, snow sticks to the steepest of slopes and faces. As a consequence, there are many skiable lines at Mount Baker that would be too steep to hold snow in other parts of the country. Mount Baker almost always has the deepest snowpack in the United States, but it needs it to cover its rocks, trees, and vegetation.
Mount Baker features 8 quad lifts and 2 surface lifts servicing 1,000 acres of terrain. The lift layout can be slightly confusing, so be sure to study the trail map before visiting. Baker is also split into two base areas and it can be easy to get to the end of the day and forget where your gear and vehicle are located.
The slow moving lifts will also offer skiers time to enjoy serene views of nearby Mt. Shuksan or the stratovolcano Mount Baker looming in the distance—if weather allows. If not, enjoy the powder and the tremendous ability of Baker’s local crop of skiers and snowboarders who like to showboat on the steep terrain underneath lifts 1, 5, and 6.
Sticking to its classic, blue-collar nature, a lift ticket at Mount Baker will also not break the bank. A mere $57 for a day pass is a breath of fresh air in a sport where ticket prices can easily break the century mark.