Downhill Ski, Snowboard, & Tubing

Up-to-date information about weather and avalanche risk is available from Northwest Avalanche Center or by calling 206.526.6677. Anyone planning to venture beyond the maintained downhill ski area or the immediate Hurricane Ridge area should always check with the Northwest Avalanche Center or a ranger for current conditions. 

Hurricane Ridge webcams are available on the NPS website. The webcam image is updated every 15 minutes, although severe weather can cause webcam outages. 

Sol Duc Road, Deer Park Road, Obstruction Point Road, and Hurricane Hill Road are all closed to vehicles for the winter season. 

The Olympic Hot Springs Road is closed to vehicle access beyond the Madison Falls parking area at the park boundary due to a major road washout. There is limited parking turnaround space. The remainder of the Olympic Hot Springs Road and access to Whiskey Bend Road is open to pedestrians and bicycles via a temporary bypass trail. Bicyclists should walk their bike on the bypass trail and all users should be prepared to share the trail. Dogs on leash are allowed on the roads and the bypass trail, but not on any other trails beyond the gate. 

Overnight wilderness camping is permitted in the Hurricane Ridge area with advance registration. Winter camps must be at least one-half mile from the Hurricane Ridge parking area. Overnight parking is not permitted at Hurricane Ridge; parking and shuttle options are explained at the time of registration. More information is available by calling Olympic National Park Visitor Center & Wilderness Information Center at 360.565.3100 or 360.565.3130.

Location

Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area is located in the Olympic National Park, 17 miles south of Port Angeles, Washington, one of only three remaining lift operations in the National Parks. Rising a mile high, Hurricane Ridge offers winter recreation and activities and features winter vistas unmatched anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. It is a small, family oriented ski area, offering to residents and visitors alike a quality winter sports experience, without the high cost or congestion of most ski areas. The Ridge boasts some groomed areas, but for the accomplished skier or snowboarder the steeps, bowls and glades are well worth the effort it takes to get there. With a summit elevation of 5,240 feet, the average annual snowfall is 400-plus inches. 

Directions

Olympic National Park is west of the Seattle area on the Olympic Peninsula. All park destinations can be reached by U.S. Highway 101, which circumnavigates the Olympic Peninsula. From Seattle, Highway 104 and the Hood Canal Bridge connect you to the Olympic Peninsula and Highway 101 into Port Angeles. Turning south onto Race Street, watch for the sign, and make a slight right onto the Hurricane Ridge Parkway. The National Park charges an entrance fee, $15 per car, or you can purchase a yearly pass for $30. Weather dependent, the road generally opens to uphill traffic at 9:00 am and closes to uphill traffic at 4:00 pm. 

NOTE: Be sure to check the road status before coming by calling 360.565.3131. Please note that during the winter months, all vehicles must carry tire chains

Winter Season Facts

Amenities

Downhill, cross-country, and snowshoe rentals, as well as food and beverages and restrooms are available at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. There are no overnight accommodations at Hurricane Ridge. For specific information on tubing or snowshoeing at the Ridge, visit the National Park Service website.

Interesting Facts

Hurricane Ridge is the furthest west ski area in the contiguous United States and one of only three remaining ski areas in the U.S. located in a National Park. The other National Park ski areas are Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area at Yosemite National Park, and Boston Mills/Brandywine at Cuyahoga Valley, OH.

The Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club (HRWSC) was formed as a non-profit corporation in October of 1986 for the purpose of promoting and providing organized leadership for winter sports activities at Hurricane Ridge. The HRWSC operates the ski lifts under permit with Olympic National Park, and strives to be a good steward of the environment while promoting healthy outdoor activities for the youth, community and visitors of the Olympic Peninsula.

Everyone who buys a Season Pass is a member of the Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club. You can also purchase a Social Club membership for $50, which helps to support the continued operation of the lifts, and you will receive a Poma ticket to use or to give as a gift. Club members are community- and youth-oriented winter sports enthusiasts. While not all club members ski or snowboard, they all have the same goal and commitment to preserving skiing and snowboarding in the Olympics for the youth and for the community!

The club has monthly public meetings, and members are encouraged to attend and help guide the board in their mission. The HRWSC has adopted a set of bylaws to operate under.