Mount Washington Alpine Resort

First visit to Mount Washington with my four-year-old son, and it was an absolute blast. From the lodge to the runs to the tube park, everything just worked. Busy, but well organized. Lots of energy, lots of families, and a really fun atmosphere without feeling chaotic. The tube park alone was worth the trip for us, and watching it through a kid’s eyes made it even better. We had a bit of clear winter weather and I brought the drone along to grab a few aerial photos of the mountain, the lodge, and the surrounding terrain. Seeing Mount Washington from above really drives home how special this place is on Vancouver Island. Snow-covered trees, wide open runs, and that classic alpine feel you don’t always expect this far west. Great day out, great memories made. We’ll absolutely be back.

Great place to have winter fun with family! I came to this place ten years ago when all the snow tickets were plastic card. This time, we brought our kid for the first time to try skiing. We did the night ski and a day ski the second day. Both days had the best weather we could have, light sun, low wind, no rain, no snow, not crowded. We registered the snow school for my wife and my child. Both of them had some good and fun time, and they learned basic movement. They both agreed to go next time, good for me! 😂 I can’t wait to bring them all to the Eagle Express to have a look at the fantastic view over other mountains! Price wise, if you get six packs, or special days like Friday family nights, it’s very affordable. Kids 6-12 can register the ski Canada council for the discounted tickets. Make sure you register earlier and “redeem” for your planned dates. We planned to take the Snow bus which is $20 return trip per person. Our rear drive sedan was able to make it up hill due to the nicest weather and staff plowing the parking lot, although I prepared snow chain. I skied during windy snowy and rainy days, and I hated it when pants were wet and face were dried. This time, we were so blessed to have such nice days and great experiences for the first time. It’s a great start for our family winter sports!

Worked with a client for their wedding doing makeup, hair and photography at their Ravens Lodge venue space. The weather for this June wedding was questionable and the team there promptly pivoted last minute to move the ceremony into the lodge even though it was all set up for the reception. Seamless coordination making the space work for PNW unpredictable weather changes. The venue was a gorgeous mix of lodge vibes and stunning views. Many might pause thinking it would feel like a ski lodge, but it felt like a wedding venue. Food was delicious and bartenders were prompt keeping the drink line moving and the festivities flowing. Highly recommend!

I visited Mount Washington Alpine Resort on Christmas for skiing, and it was a truly wonderful experience. It was my first time skiing, so we booked a beginner lesson, and it was absolutely worth it. Our instructor was excellent and explained the basics very clearly how to ski forward, how to control speed, and how to stop safely. They even taught us the “pizza” technique (making a pizza shape with the skis) to stop when going fast, which was very helpful and easy to understand. Learning to ski for the first time in such a beautiful and well-managed resort made the experience even more special and memorable. Thanks to the lesson, I now feel confident enough to take a Level 2 session next time. I fell many times during the session, but honestly, that was part of the fun. I laughed, got back up, tried again and again, and really enjoyed the whole experience. Learning to ski for the first time in such a beautiful resort made it even more memorable. I highly recommend Mount Washington Alpine Resort if you want to try skiing or snowboarding for the first time. They offer both options and have good instructor.

Beautiful mountain, but can't make a grill cheese. $10 for two slices of white bread, some butter and a craft single... And it was luke warm at best. Should of got the pizza.

What a gem on Vancouver Island, just about an hour and a half drive from Nanaimo, and you’re right there. It’s a winter wonderland with so much to do. If someone wants to see a lot of snow and never seen it, you will love it. Great holiday atmosphere, and all the fun winter activities. Great restaurants, cozy places to stay, and endless outdoor fun. A true white heaven for winter adventures.

Love skiing here. There are lots of different runs of varying difficulty, great views, fun glades, and it’s not busy at all. I went on a Sunday and Monday in early March, and was pleasantly surprised that I practically never had to wait in line at all. The few times I did, the line up consisted of about a dozen people. Staff were all super kind too. I just wish it was more affordable, I’d love to go more often.

We took some ski lessons as a family, and it was an amazing experience! Our instructor, Katie, was absolutely fantastic. Even with the low snow this year, we still had a blast. The staff were friendly, the organization was smooth, and the food and service in the restaurant were excellent. We’re already excited about coming back next year. The only thing that could be improved is the parking lot, which could use a bit more maintenance.

Awesome, low key place to ski or board. Gets pretty good snow. People don't really track out the powder in the trees very quickly (maybe because it's a family resort vibe) - so that's always fun. I took a few ski lessons here (as an experienced snowboarder) - they were helpful. Problem is they only carry men's ski boots - is that a joke? Trying to get the right size and fit was annoying - and honestly, it's 2023 - can you not ignore half the population? Otherwise - great mountain.

Beautiful and majestic!!!!! I still can't believe I got to stay there. In your view out the back of the houses is a gorgeous thick forest I just starred at and got engulfed with all the lush and vibrant greens, Browns, and fresh rainy smells.

Love snowshoeing here in the winter. You can park at Raven lodge then follow the trails to a trail that goes up to battleship lake. A beautiful trail and the lake is a great place to stop for a snack. You can keep going around or across the lake if it is dozen enough before heading back down.

Had a great holiday there. The hill is fun and a lot of area to explore. The kids loved the snowboard school and the Discovery plan was very affordable. Bear Lodge was nice. I had some trouble with missing luggage and the accommodations manager bent over backwards to help us out. All the other staff were great too. Way above average. The only trouble I had was the computer program they were using really slowed things down at the ski school in the morning. The first day took over an hour. Got a little easier after that. But it is something that I'm sure they will have it figured out soon. Even with that problem, it was still a great experience over-all. Great customer service.

This mountain is very easy for the beginners. Lots of 'green' runs and the mountain is very nicely marked. The day I went, sometime in December, was very very cold and windy. Started to snow and was getting quite dark very fast. Everybody there was nice and we even got a ride down the mountain to make it easier for the person giving us a ride there and back!

Small place. Nice view on a clear day. Slow chairs. Moderate price. Since it's the only game in town there could be lines on a holiday.

Do not give this resort your money. I worked here for 2 years and gave them 150% effort for minimum wage and i was treated very unfairly and not respected the way i deserve. The management gives the bike park trail crew barely enough budget to keep the trails from falling apart let alone build enough actually good new trails. They do not care about the bike park very much and they certainly only care about making money off of rich tourist families. I used to love this resort but in the last few years my experiences have cause me to extremely dislike it. It is unfourtunate that this is the main alpine resort on the Island because they do not deserve your money. Try to spend your money somewhere else becasuse you will be wasteing it here.

I've been a member since I was two made lots of new friends. Great mountain great everything but the only thing better would be and skating rink. Plus full time beaver tails for gold pass holders. All the staff is nice and they always are willing to answer any questions you have. Ok one more thing a ski cross course that's all I have but everything else is great.

The grandkids had a great time tubing, the staff was great. My only peeve was the three guys who move a disabled parking sign so they and their wives could park closer to the entrance for an hour while removing their ski gear on Saturday Feb 10, 2018 around 3:30 pm. Shame on you!

At $94 a day lift pass, you'll have to do better than this. SLOW chairs, overpriced soggy food at both restaurants, small ski hill. Are you people crazy? The fondue at the raven lodge was a serious health risk. Raw meat tossed with raw vegetables? Uncleaned shrimp? And then you serve the chicken pre cooked?!? No one at our table was interested in your so called "mt. Washington style fondue ". It's a health risk. For the same amount of time driving I would go to whistler before mt. Washington. Any day.

Ok so tv doesnt work every channel is "available soon". Netflix no go. Gas fireplace not operating. Frontdesk was supposed to tell us about a shuttle to the wedding but nope. They STOLE CHEESE. We were looking forward to some drunk cheese sammys but they straight stole from us. Ugh. Not worth the $$$. They stole cheese. Stealing is wrong even if itsjust cheese. I was looking forward to that.

Take the blue chair to the very top of Mount Washington, and you won't regret it. This mountain probably has some of the best ski resort views in the world. On one side, you can see the Salish Sea, and on the other, pristine snow-capped mountains. Absolutely stunning. The mountain itself provides great runs for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. I hover in the intermediate level of experience, and I have never been bored. My spouse is an expert snowboarder and loves the Outback side of the mountain when it's open. The Outback is often closed due to weather conditions or avalanche risk, but apparently worth the wait. I received a 2 hour private ski lesson as a Christmas gift, and it was well worth the price. Priority in the lift line alone is almost worth it. My instructor was very friendly, didn't push me beyond what I was capable of doing, but gave me some excellent pointers. I will take another lesson in the future, but will probably get a group lesson, as they are significantly cheaper. The only downside to Mount Washington is the facilities. When the mountain is at capacity, there isn't enough room for people in the lodge, and the restaurant and cafe can't seem to cope with that volume. The options available are also fairly slim pickings. You can sit in the bar and order lunch, sit in the cafe and order lunch, or sit in the cafeteria-style lounge and get fast food. I guess I have been spoiled by the chalet tradition of Quebec ski hills, where there are nice places to sit for free, often by a fire, where you can just catch your breath without feeling obligated to purchase food. Unlike some other resorts, there aren't other secondary public lodges located on other parts of the mountain, at the top for instance. It would be nice not to have to return to the main lodge to purchase a snack or rest for a bit. One note: Do not drive up this mountain unless you have good winter tires and a pair of chains. The weather conditions up there can change on a heartbeat, and from past experience, you may very well get stuck halfway up if you don't have proper equipment. Some days you are required to put chains on your tires to make it up the mountain, and there are often RCMP officers there to force you to do so, or turn around. If you don't have a mountain-worthy vehicle, there are shuttle buses available leaving from Courtenay, Victoria and Nanaimo.

Just wow! First time up with the family and it was a lovely visit. It's charming. My wife and daughter needed equipment and the staff were so friendly and helpful. They shared their advice for first runs and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My daughters friend had some binding issues with her own skis, we popped into the rental area and one of the staff reset the bindings and even waxed and polished her skis! Wow , terrific service and super friendly. The snow and views this Christmas Eve were perfect! We'll be back :)

Just got back from a weekend at the Island mountain. Having been to larger mountains like Whistler and Vail, I think I grew accustomed to being able to sample a large variety of terrain as well as pick from the sheer volume of runs. In other words, I've been snow-spoiled. However, there is something to be said about the down-home feel of smaller mountains, less amenities, and less crowds. The mountain staff were super chill and saw you enough times to form a brief relationship with you as you go up and down their chair. They are also a great resource to find out which runs have the best snow btw. Other things I like about this mountain: - Easy traversing from end to end - Optional back side exploration (Cypress doesn't even have this) - Short lines! BUT, being a smaller mountain is a double-edged sword. Things that kinda irked me about my experience at Washington: - SLOW chairs (one of which didnt have a footrest. For boarders, get ready for your leg to fall asleep just in time for you to ride off the chair) - Lift ticket scanning EVERY TIME you enter a chair lift line (!??!!) - Lack of clear signage in some areas One thing I REALLY hope isn't a regular occurrence is one of the days it was snowing and I was on the Whiskey Jack quad going up for one of the first runs of the day. Every time the chair passed one of the poles on the way to the top, literally brown liquid (likely rust + snow/water) splattered all over me. It was worse on some poles than others as you would be able to see the splatter on the snow immediately below, but if you were sitting in the middle of the chair, you were getting a nice brown shower. Lord help you if you're wearing anything other than black. Seeing as how that was my official introduction to the mountain (the first chair going up for my first run), I wondered how safe the chair even was. I sincerely hope for future visitors that this is corrected.

My friend owns a condo up there and had friends from different cities join to show off this beautiful spot. Unfortunately our experience at the beer/food patio was terrible. The very unpleasant employee working the counter had no awareness of manners or customer service. All of us work within the industry and are thoroughly disappointed in the work ethic this establishment holds. However, management could not be more unprofessional in handling customer service issues. We will not be back and we advise management take training themselves before dealing with customers and employees. Such a shame that a beautiful spot like this is SO poorly run.

Esther in the registration and rentals was the sweetest and most helpful lady we encountered. We would like to thank her for assisting us and giving us a great first Mount Washington experience. Family day weekend was not too busy and prefect. Especially beginner hills!

In the summer come here to find the place called Paradise Meadows. Even better, come here in the fall.

Mt. Washington's custom support is fantastic. Came up for 3 days of skiing, and ended up coming down with a bad fever on the 2nd day. Assumed it would be no refund on the lift passes and rentals, but thought I would try anyway. After a little wait (busy start of the day) talked to a supervisor who was really kind. Checked the passes hadn't been used, and then gave a full refund for both the lift tickets and rentals. Quite impressed.

I own a condo at mnt Washington and brought over a few girlfriends from different places so I was super excited to show them my happy place. We spent all day hiking and enjoying the beautiful scenery and thought we would grab a quick beer before heading back to the condo. I was shocked at how the server behind the counter was treating customers. He seemed annoyed to be there, I don't understand how his method would attract customers; in fact it did the opposite for us. There was tables of 6+ which does not follow COVID rules and as someone who has industry management experience, I am not only disgusted by how this man was treating us but also felt very disrespected by managements follow up. It took them two weeks to follow up and provided a very sarcastic 'sorry' which continued with such poor people skills that we will not be returning. We suggest anyone who goes up to stop at the liquor store and pick up their own beverages to ensure standard service. Improve yourselves.

Mount Washington is such a beautiful and inspiring place. Especially in the summer the hikes with the one in a lifetime smell of mountain freshness. And also for all our ski friends. You can't get it any better. Only 45 min. from Grey Wolf Expeditions in Black Creek up the Mountain. Parking lots available. Great summer hikes. Overnight camping possible. Great crew, great mountain, awesome nature well taken care off.

Great for family fun and also those who like expert terrain. Rode the Boomerang chair most of my time there last season, which was steep and soft. Even the 100m slide I had at the top of Billabong was a good experience. Definitely coming back when the lifts start spinning this year!

Great cross country skiing, trails well groomed and marked. Raven lodge food was great,....parking staff polite and efficient, a great day.

Thanks Mt Wash for the best grooming this past Saturday that I have seen since being a regular for years.