How to hack Seattle-area traffic to the slopes
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A girl flies down one of the tracks for inner tubes at Snoqualmie Pass. Photo: Peter Haley/Tacoma News Tribune via Getty Images
Timing is everything when looking to hit the slopes in the Seattle area if you want to spend more time carving turns than being stuck in traffic.
Why it matters: Knowing when to go can make all the difference between a perfect ski day and a frustrating slog.
State of play: January and February are the busiest months for travel to five Western Washington resorts, according to an analysis for Axios Seattle by Kirkland-based traffic data company INRIX.
- The busiest days of the week are Saturday and Sunday, and the days with the least amount of traffic are Tuesday and Thursday.
- The bulk of the traffic generally takes place between 9am and 5pm, with the worst times between 11am and 4pm.
What they're saying: Traffic is heaviest in January, especially around holidays, and in February near Presidents Day, INRIX analyst Bob Pishue tells Axios.
- "And remember, these are not just skiers — it's employees, freight trucks, day-trippers and people just driving through," he says.
- "This tells me I need to take a floating holiday and go on a Tuesday."
Zoom in: Crystal Mountain, Mount Baker, Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass and White Pass see between 31% to 47% less traffic on Tuesdays and Thursdays compared to weekends, Pishue says.
- The busiest stretch for Crystal, Mount Baker and Snoqualmie is from Jan. 14-21; at Stevens, it's the week after Christmas; White Pass' busiest week is Feb. 12-18.
The least busy week for all is the last week of March, per the INRIX data.
Yes, but: The lightest days are at the tail end of winter when snow coverage dwindles, says former ski bum turned INRIX spokesperson Mark Burfeind, but that won't stop diehards from stretching out the season.
What to expect: Get there at 8am or earlier, Burfeind advises. "Within 15 minutes — by the time I've parked, geared up, and grabbed a snack — the lot is full."
- The Summit at Snoqualmie recently enacted a $55 a day parking fee for most without all-season passes or multiday ticket packages.
- Expect gridlock during Presidents Day weekend and most Saturdays in January, as fresh snow and the holiday crowd converge.
- Conversely, Christmas Day and Super Bowl Sunday are surprisingly great days to ski, said Burfeind.
The bottom line: Take a day off midweek, carpool and arrive before 8am to make the most of the day.