Alpine skiing with ocean views? Yes, please.
Mount Washington Alpine Resort is located near Comox, BC, on Vancouver Island. It is the island’s largest ski resort, and despite the region’s mild climate, the mountain is known for receiving copious amounts of snow! Its average annual snowfall is 9 metres.
Mount Washington has small-hill vibes with big-mountain terrain, has lots of beginner-to-intermediate runs, lessons and programs and is excellent for families.
If you’re a skier or snowboarder travelling to Vancouver Island in the winter, a day on the slopes of Mount Washington is a must. This article provides a helpful guide for planning your trip to Mount Washington Alpine Resort. You’ll find information about the mountain, terrain, ski and snowboard lessons, accommodations and dining.
As an avid alpine skier who travels with a child, I’ll also share my review of the hill and tips for parents travelling with young children.
Mount Washington Alpine Resort is located within the unceded territory of the K’omoks First Nation, who are the first and traditional keepers of this land. The mountain ranges here are within the traditional territories of the E’iksan, Sasitla, Pentlatch, and Sahtloot people. We are grateful for the opportunity to explore and experience this land, and we give thanks to the First Peoples of this land for their stewardship, leadership, and contributions in the past, present, and future.
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A guide to a family-friendly trip to Mount Washington Alpine Resort
Getting there
Mount Washington Alpine Resort is a 30-40 minute drive from Courtenay/Comox, BC, on Vancouver Island. From Island Highway 19 North, turn west onto the Strathcona Parkway. Follow the parkway to the parking lot!
By Flight
If you’re flying from a Canadian destination, the closest airport to the resort is the Comox Airport (YQQ). If you’re flying internationally, you can catch a flight to the Victoria International Airport (YYJ) and drive approximately 3.5 hours to the resort. Book your flight.
By Ferry
If you’re coming from the mainland, you can catch a BC Ferry from either Horsehoe Bay or Tsawassen Ferry Terminals in Vancouver. Both travel to Nanaimo, which is about a 1.5-hour drive to the resort. To avoid wait times, making a reservation with BC Ferries is highly recommended.
If you’re coming from Washington State, take the Black Ball Ferry Line from Port Angeles, WA, to Victoria, BC. Make a reservation.
The Mountain
Snow
Mount Washington Alpine Resort is known for its massive snow dumps and gets some of the biggest snowfalls in North America. It has an annual snowfall of 9 metres. That’s almost as deep as a three-story building! By mid-season, you’ll have incredible snowpack and opportunities for fresh powder days. Because of the coastal climate, the snow can get sticky at the start and end of the season.
Annual Average Snowfall: 9 metres
Terrain
Mount Washington offers a good mix of terrain and can accommodate skiers of any level. They have over 1,700 acres of in-bound terrain, 82 alpine runs and 55 kilometres of Nordic trails for cross-country skiers. Of the alpine runs, 14% are green, 35% are blue, 36% are black, and 15% are double black. There is plenty of terrain for every level of skier and snowboarder.
Vertically, Mount Washington is small compared to the big Rocky Mountain Resorts. We liked that because it made laps a little easier for kids. Plus, we were able to try all the runs we wanted without having to travel long distances between lifts and across the mountain. You can essentially pick a chair, experience all it has to offer, and then move on to the next one.
Lift Tickets
Mount Washington’s daily lift ticket price isn’t quite as expensive compared to ski resorts in the BC Interior and the Rocky Mountains in Alberta. Like everything else, they’ve gone up in price over the years.
They use an ‘on demand’ algorithm to determine ticket prices. Here are the average prices for the 2025/2026 season:
- Adult: $149
- Youth (13-18): $119
- Child (7-12): $79
- Senior (65-74): $119
- Younger kids and older seniors: FREE!
Read more details about Mount Washington lift tickets.
Ways to save on lift tickets at Mount Washington Alpine Resort
Afternoon Tickets: Opt for a half-day of skiing from 12:30-3:30 and save! Adult, senior and youth lift tickets average about $99, and child tickets $54.
Night Skiing: Mount Washington is one of the few resorts in Canada to offer night skiing. Night skiing is available from 3:30 – 9:00 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and on special holidays like the Christmas break. They have the Whiskey Jack lift and the Night Skiing Carpet lift open during those times.
Family Friday Nights: To make things even more affordable for families, they have Family Friday Nights. Every Friday starting on December 19, 2025, families can enjoy a discounted evening with packages that include lift tickets, rentals and a 2-hour private lesson for an additional cost. Packages start from $15 for a child, $30 for a youth and $40 for an adult.
Buy tickets online: Save $20 on lift tickets when you purchase in advance online. Then you can skip the ticket window and head straight for the lift!
Ski mid-week: Monday to Thursday lift tickets are discounted similarly to half-day tickets. Adult lift tickets average about $99; seniors and youth tickets are $89; and child tickets $64.
Early-Bird 6IXPAK: Purchase a 6-pack of lift tickets and save. The early bird sale runs from October 1 to December 1, but you can still save if you purchase them after that. Without early-bird pricing, adult lift tickets work out to about $105 each. Learn more about 6IXPAKs.
Ski and Snowboarding Lessons at Mount Washington
Investing in snowboarding and ski lessons will help people of all abilities and ages improve their skills and enhance their experience on the mountain. Mount Washington Alpine Resort offers a range of ski and snowboard lessons led by trained and certified instructors.
Discover Skiing & Snowboarding (All Ages)
For those who have never been on the hill, the Discover Skiing and Snowboarding program is a beginner’s group lesson package that comes with an Easy Acres lift ticket, equipment and helmet rentals. Participants of this program can do the “Return Trip” program, which offers a discounted rate on a lesson, rentals and an all-mountain lift pass.
Learn to Turn (All Ages)
If you’re looking for a more robust beginner’s program, Learn to Turn is for you. It combines the Discover Skiing/Snowboarding package with two additional group lessons and two all-mountain lift passes. Equipment rentals are included. You can only use this package once on your first time, but it will save you up to 50% on your ski day!
Rookie Year Program (Kids and Tots – All Season)
If you live in the area and want to get your kids on the hill, the Rookie Year program is for first-time riders and skiers. It includes seasonal rentals, a season’s pass and five afternoon half-day group lessons with a snack included.
Group Lessons (All Ages)
Small-group lessons let you pair up with others at your skill level to improve your skills. Lessons are available for two hours, a half-day, or a full day. Tot lessons are for kids 4-6, child lessons for kids 7-12, youth lessons for teens 13-18 and adult lessons are for those 19+.
Private Lessons (All Ages)
Private ski and snowboard lessons are expensive, but a good investment if you want one-on-one guidance from an experienced instructor who can focus on your weaknesses and strengths. It’s a great option if you want to fine-tune your turns and take your skiing or riding to the next level.
Private lessons are available for 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, or the whole day. Tot lessons are for kids 4-6, child lessons for kids 7-12, youth lessons for teens 13-18 and adult lessons are for those 19+.
Holiday Camps and Special Programs
Mount Washington offers several multi-day ski and snowboard camps and special programs for kids and adults of all ages. From holiday camps and terrain park camps to multi-day or multi-week adult programs, there is a lot happening on the hill. View holiday camps and special programs.
Instructor Courses
Want to be a ski or snowboard instructor? Do your training at Mount Washington. Their instructor courses provide the essentials needed to effectively teach skiing and snowboarding. Become an instructor.
Nordic Ski Lessons
As one of North America’s top Nordic Centres with over 55 km of machine-groomed classic set cross-country ski trails, Mount Washington is perfectly situated to offer Nordic skiing lessons and programs. Learn more.
Child Care
If you have wee ones on your trip, consider Bears Den Daycare. This certified childcare facility offers supervised, indoor playtime for children aged 18 months to 5 years. A full-day program at the Bears Den includes lunch, beverages, and snacks. If you want to ski half a day with your kiddos and have them watched for the other half, that works too! Visit their website for childcare pricing and more information.
Accommodation
On the mountain
Mount Washington Alpine Resort offers ski-in and ski-out accommodation. Staying on the slopes is a real treat, and their Bear and Deer Lodges offer one-, two- and three-bedroom suites. They also have underground parking, hot tubs and full kitchen options. Check here for ski-and-stay packages.
There are also several private rentals available in the Mount Washington Village. Find a range of apartments and rentals on the hill or a short walk to the lift. Book your Mount Washington accommodation.
Nearby accommodation
There are hotels, motels, B&Bs, vacation rentals, lodges and other types of accommodation available in Courtenay and Comox, just a short drive from the resort. We stayed in a one-bedroom Airbnb on an acreage halfway to the hill. It was affordable, comfortable and perfect for our family.
Find accommodation in Comox and Courtenay.
Food and Drink
For a smaller resort, there are quite a few dining options at Mount Washington.
Eagle View Bistro: Open during the day, this bustling bistro offers fresh, locally roasted coffees, craft beer, and a selection of soups, sandwiches, and daily lunch specials.
Ted’s Bar and Grill: Open ‘til late, Ted’s Bar & Grill offers a pub-style menu packed with local ingredients, including plant-based options. It’s family-friendly until 10 p.m. before transforming into a late night bar scene for 19+. Pop in for a hot lunch, dinner, drinks, après ski, snacks and more!
Alpine Café: If you have kids, this is probably where you’ll want to go for lunch. Open during lift hours, it offers kid favourites like hot dogs, pizza, hamburgers, chicken strips and fries. You’ll also find sandwiches, breakfast wraps, soups, chilli, salads and grab-and-go options.
The Cantina: Feeling like something spicy? The Cantina has an authentic Mexican food menu and is located in the lower level of the Alpine Lodge. It’s only open on weekends, so get your burritos and tacos while you can.
Raven Café: Located in the Raven Lodge Nordic Centre, this cozy café is the perfect stop during your day on the trails. Enjoy fresh coffee, baked goods, soups, sandwiches, salads and more. Raven Lodge is a bit of a hideaway from the hustle and bustle of the resort and sometimes offers live music for your après-ski.
Experience and feedback from a skier and parent
We had a great time at Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Having spent a lot of time on Vancouver Island, I was excited to experience that historically deep coastal alpine snow! The mountain is smaller, but very well organized and a great place to take your family skiing. The mountain was easy to navigate with kids, and we were able to experience most of the terrain my intermediate-ski-level, 8-year-old son wanted to.
What I liked:
Easy-navigate terrain: Mount Washington is well laid out and easy to navigate, especially with kids. You can pick a lift, do all the runs you want from that lift and move onto the next one. Unlike larger mountain resorts, I felt safe having my son do a little more exploring.
Epic scenery: We visited on a sunny afternoon in February. From the top of the lift, we experienced panoramic views of the Coastal Mountain Range and the glistening water of the Strait of Georgia. The scenery took my breath away.
Reasonably-priced lift tickets: I no longer visit ski resorts with $200/day+ adult lift tickets. Mount Washington still hovers around the $100-$150 range, depending on when you go and what packages you purchase.
Community, family-friendly vibes: During our visit, it was evident that most of the skiers were local families who all knew each other and the resort staff. The mountain, programs and lodge all had that little local hill feeling, and it was full of children and families. My son and I both felt welcome.
Things to consider:
While my overall experience at Mount Washington Alpine Resort was incredible, there are some things to consider.
Book accommodation early. We were there over Valentine’s Day, and I couldn’t secure slopeside accommodation. We did stay very close by, but if you want a ski-in and out option, book in advance.
It’s smaller than other alpine resorts. Mount Washington is small, but it still gives you a lot of bang for your buck. If you’re planning a multi-day holiday and want more variety, this is something to consider.
Less advanced terrain. There are a lot of green and blue runs, and what I would consider easier black runs at Mount Washington. There are a few bowls on the backside and several glade runs, but with only 15% advanced terrain, you might get bored if that’s what you’re solely after.
Limited services in the village. While there are a few restaurants on site, there aren’t any stores or services in the Mount Washington Village. If you’re coming up for a few days and staying on the mountain, do a grocery shop and bring everything you’ll need.
