Sometimes, the squeaky wheel really does get the grease.
When a ski area East of Seattle announced the introduction of parking reservations for the 2025-2026 season, people were not stoked.
The new plan required snowboarders and skiers to reserve parking in advance for $20 on all weekends and peak periods. That plan is no longer.
“We’ve decided to maintain the 2024-2025 parking model for the 2025-2026 winter season,” Stevens Pass said on Instagram. “This means we’ll continue offering a mix of free and paid parking on weekends and during peak periods, with a focus on reservations and carpooling incentives. We will continue to reinvest all paid parking revenue into the parking and arrival experience.”
This is a big change from the plan announced in the beginning of March, which would keep parking free on weekdays not considered peak season, but require reservations for all alpine lots on weekends and peak periods until 10 a.m.
Riders who chose not to carpool to the mountain that day would have been required to pay a parking reservation fee of $20. It was a system that had the locals up in arms, particularly because it gave the impression that those who slept in and arrived at the mountain later in the day were given favorable treatment over those looking to get first chair.
The reversal of the controversial parking policy was applauded on social media.
“Thank you for listening!” Britt Bonar commented. “Having a mix of free and paid is a happy medium for everyone.”
The current Stevens Pass parking plan involves a combination of free and paid parking options, with incentives given to those who carpool. Free parking is open on a first-come, first-served basis in Lots C, D, 1, 2, 3, 4, Yodelin, and the Nordic Center as needed on weekends, peak periods, and every day of the week.
Reserved parking is available in 33% of total resort parking on weekends and peak periods in Lots G, A, B, and E.
Stevens Pass will wrap up its 2024-2025 season with a community fair on April 12, 2025 and Springfest with a pond skim on April 13, 2025. The ski area celebrated its annual Pride Day on April 6, 2025, and hosted an avalanche dog demonstration the day before that.