Stevens Pass Modifies Parking Policy For Next Season

Apr 12

Stevens Pass, located in Washington, has been facing overcrowding issues in recent years due to the increasing popularity of the Epic Pass. As it's the nearest option for pass holders who reside in Seattle, the ski area's 2,800 parking spaces are consistently overwhelmed on weekends and holidays. To tackle this problem, Stevens Pass is promoting carpooling by allocating preferred parking to vehicles carrying four or more people. Lots A and G, which are close to the base area and desirable for those seeking to avoid a long walk from their vehicle, will be reserved for cars with four or more passengers. This offer appears to be a decent incentive to encourage some individuals to carpool on the weekend. Kudos to Vail Resorts for promoting carpooling in this way instead of charging for it, especially considering the negative feedback they received for their actions in Stowe, VT. Let's hope that more skiers and riders embrace carpooling, as it is not only better for the environment, but also beneficial for the ski area. Plus, who wouldn't enjoy traveling to the ski resort with a group of friends? It's the perfect way to get excited for a day on the mountain.

Stevens Pass Parking Map — Stevens Pass parking map outlining the new lots for visitors who car-pool. Credit: Stevens Pass Resort

Here is the full update from Ellen Galbraith, Stevens Pass General Manager

We still have a lot to look forward to as we celebrate and wrap up our 85th season at Stevens Pass. We're also looking ahead and want to share some information about some changes to our parking plan that will be implemented next season. As you know, our lots fill up quickly on weekends, holidays, and powder days. There's a good chance you saw me this season standing at the entrance to one of our lots with a notebook, marking down how many people were in each vehicle as cars arrived. At these peak times, we've noticed a lot of cars arriving with only a single occupant. While we saw many of our guests carpooling this season, we want to further encourage it on our busiest days. With that in mind, we will return to a model of preferred parking by reserving Lots A and G for vehicles with four or more occupants next season. These lots have been carpool-only in years past, and we feel reinstating this approach will make a tangible difference. Carpool lots have worked well for Stevens Pass in the past, and we'll also continue providing a drop-off area for guests in Lot A (and Lot C, if needed). While carpool lots won't alleviate all challenges related to parking, it's a clear step we can take to improve the parking experience at the start of the season. We are not implementing a fee or reservation system next season, but we will continue to evaluate and analyze our parking strategy and will make changes as needed. There are some solutions that will take a bit longer to roll out, but we'll continue to make and communicate immediate improvements when possible.We have some fun events planned to finish out the year, so be sure to check the events page on our website for the most up-to-date details. We'll also have more to share soon about our summer operations (Bike Park!) and what to expect with the Kehr's Chair upgrade.

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