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Cover photo courtesy of Mt. Spokane
The countdown to ski season is on, and Inland Northwest resorts are rolling out fresh deals, events and upgrades to get stoke levels rising. From new lift projects and lodge makeovers to discounted passes and expanded lesson programs, there’s plenty happening before the first flakes fly. Here’s what’s new at these Ski the Northwest Rockies Association resorts.
Chewelah, Wash.
Season Pass Sales
49 Degrees North’s Fall Season Pass Sale runs from Sept. 16 through Nov. 15, giving skiers and riders their last chance to lock in lower pricing before winter. Passes are $669 for adults, $449 for youth ages 7-17, $549 for seniors (62-69), $399 for super seniors (70-79), and $479 for young adults (18-23) and college students.
Preseason Events
- Pass pickup events will be held throughout Spokane and Chewelah this fall.
- The biggest preseason celebration, Rocktoberfest, returns with a Saturday Oct. 4, brew fest, Oktoberfest-themed menu, live music and family activities. On Sunday, Oct. 5, runners can hit the trails before enjoying an autumn-harvest brunch with more live music.
Learn to Ski Programs and Clinics
- Big savings are available through Oct. 1 for the resort’s FAST and Freeriders competition programs, which focus on racing and freeskiing while building friendships, responsibility and a lifelong love of skiing.
- Registration for the Adventurers multi-week youth lessons opens Oct. 1, with four-week sessions for ages 5-13 that typically sell out quickly.
- For older kids, the Junior Instructor Program (ages 12-15) offers training, mentorship and behind-the-scenes experience.
- 49 also partners with schools to make the mountain accessible through affordable group programs.
Mountain Updates
- Resort improvements continue across the mountain, including the big news that the Payday Lift will be replaced by a new fixed-grip quad from Doppelmayr, scheduled to open for the 2026-27 season.
- The lodge’s lower level has been remodeled to provide more guest seating and new family restrooms.
- On the slopes, a Prinoth Leitwolf groomer joins the fleet, bringing 530 horsepower and the ability to lay down 22-foot-wide corduroy in a single pass.
Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area
Mullan, Idaho
Season Pass Sales
Lookout Pass is still keeping skiing affordable with its season pass sale, but prices jump after Nov. 22. Deals until then start at $159 for full-time college students, $399 for youth ages 7-17 and $549 for adults.
Why Choose Lookout Pass
With an average of 450 inches of snowfall each winter and no need for snowmaking, Lookout Pass delivers more powder days and a vibe that’s hard to beat. The mountain offers 1,023 acres of terrain, 52 trails, plus eight glades and a vertical drop of 1,650 feet. Five lifts, including two quads, move skiers and riders around the mountain with ease, and Lookout offers affordable lift tickets, unique events and a family-friendly atmosphere just 200 yards off the I-90 freeway.
Ticket Deals
From discounted 3-pack tickets to appreciation days for teachers, first responders, and health care workers, Lookout stacks up plenty of ways to save. Highlights include a free lift ticket on your birthday, half-price tickets midweek with another mountain’s season pass, Bring a Friend Thursdays with two tickets for $75, gift card bonuses tacked onto a card purchase and other fun perks, like $20 tickets for anyone who dresses like Santa on Dec. 23.
Ski School Programs
Lookout’s Free Ski School, running since 1942, remains the oldest and longest-running free ski program in the nation, offering a limited number of free ski and snowboard lessons for kids. Additional offerings include a $199 Learn to Ski or Ride package, senior workshops with early-morning first tracks, women’s clinics and kids’ programs like Mini Moose (ages 4-6). Season-long rentals are also available.
Mountain Updates
Guests this year will notice new Forest Service bathrooms near Chair 5, two added Prinoth groomers and a fresh “Welcome to Lookout Pass” entrance sign.
Preseason Events
Lookout staff will be at regional ski swaps, colleges and community events in Spokane and North Idaho this fall to help skiers conveniently pick up passes and ticket packs.
Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park
Spokane, Wash.
Season Pass Sales
Mt. Spokane’s Summer Pass Sale runs through Sept. 10, with prices increasing after that. The Last Chance Fall Pass Sale follows and ends Nov. 10. Buying early offers the best savings and the most flexibility, with season pass benefits including night skiing and free or discount skiing at partner mountains.
Lift Ticket Deals
For those who aren’t ready to commit to a full season pass, 5-pack lift ticket bundles go on sale at the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap and continue through November. Quantities are limited, so picking them up early is the best bet.
Preseason Events
- The winter buzz kicks off with the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap at the Spokane Fairgrounds Oct. 25–26.
- On Nov. 9, the Winter PreFunk Party returns to Lodge 2 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Job seekers can head up to the Seasonal Employee Job Fair on Nov. 1 in Lodge 1, from 8–11 a.m., where the mountain looks to fill nearly 400 seasonal positions ranging from guest services to lift ops and ski school.
Learn to Ski Programs and Clinics
- Registration for Learn-to-Ski Camps and Multiweek Programs opens Sept. 10. As the region’s largest ski school, Mt. Spokane offers programs for kids and adults, with multiweek sessions filling quickly each year.
- This season, the popular Friday Night Club Shred expands to include both little kids (ages 4–8) and big kids (ages 9–13). Running Dec. 26-March 13, the program includes lessons, dinner and activities for $49 a night or $99 for a club entry that includes two adult night skiing tickets, making it a great drop-and-go mountain date. Ladies can rally Friday, Feb. 13, for the mountain’s one-day Galentine’s Day Clinic featuring personalized instruction, meals, après fun and prizes.
Kellogg, Idaho
Season Pass Sales
Silver Mountain’s season pass sale is underway, with prices increasing after Sept. 15. Passes purchased before then lock in the best deal, and payment plans are still available. Do you have Mondays or Fridays off? New this year, Silver is offering Friday-only and Monday-only passes for $215 for adults and $165 for youth (available Sept. 16 through Dec. 20).
Learn to Ski Programs and Clinics
First-timers have two strong options for getting into the sport: the EZ Ski or Ride 1-2-3 package or the Flex 5 Pak. Both include lift tickets, lessons, and rentals, with the main difference being the number of lessons—three or five. The Flex 5 Pak comes with an extra perk: once completed, participants earn a free season pass for the remainder of the season, plus 50 percent off next year’s pass.
Mountain Updates
The tubing hill at Silver Mountain just got better. For the coming winter season, tubing sessions expand to five days a week, Thursday through Monday, including holidays. With four lanes to race down, it’s a fast-paced option for families and groups. Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark has also extended its hours, offering more time to splash, surf, sip and unwind.
Lodging Deals
Through Nov. 23, fall lodging is discounted 15% with code “Fall”. Starting Sept. 15, the popular Save Big package returns, combining a midweek stay, lift tickets and waterpark access. Prices start at $79 per person based on quad occupancy in a family studio.
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