As of late October, the Summit at Snoqualmie hasn't named an opening day. Its hours page, last updated September 27, says the area is closed for shoulder season and that "opening day for the winter season is to be determined." The calendar downtown is already full. The first ski film plays at the North Bend Theatre on November 8, and the last one is booked for December 13.
In recent winters, that downtown calendar has covered a growing stretch of the season.
The Summit's help page says operations typically begin in early December, depending on snowfall, weather, snowmaking and terrain. The last three openings came in a little later each year.
| Season | Opening day | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Dec. 9, 2023, for passholders, with the public the next day | KOMO |
| 2024–25 | Tuesday, Dec. 17, at Summit West | FOX 13 |
| 2025–26 | Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, at Summit West | The Summit |
| 2026–27 | To be determined as of the Sept. 27 update | The Summit |
Last December's announcement opened this way:
"Better late than never, Winter 2025-26 is finally here! Thankfully, last week's rain turned to snow, and this storm cycle has delivered over 22" since Thursday."
That's from the Summit's own opening-day page. Three seasons don't make a forecast, and this winter could open on December 1. Still, from December 9 to December 23, the wait between the start of November and the first chair grew by two weeks over three seasons. In North Bend, that wait has its own schedule.
The North Bend Theatre's fall calendar lines up with ski season as closely as a ticket office can. Here's the run as currently listed, with prices from each event page:
Two November Saturdays belong to the Seattle International Comedy Competition, with rounds at 8 p.m. on November 7 and November 14.
Warren Miller has a track record here. The city's events calendar listed Warren Miller's Daymaker at the theatre on December 11, 2022, and the theatre sold tickets for Warren Miller's 75 on December 15, 2024. In 2024, the Warren Miller screening on December 15 came two days before the Summit opened on December 17. This year's Days Off is booked for December 13, ten days ahead of last season's December 23 opening.
The theatre calls this a live calendar, so check the North Bend Theatre's events page before you plan a Sunday around it.
The 5Point night on November 8 is the only film in the run with a local business listed as host. That business is Pro Ski and Mountain Service at 112 W. 2nd St. in North Bend. The shop names Martin Volken as founder and owner.
Volken's connection to North Bend goes back further than the shop's sign. The Seattle Times reported that in March 1993, Volken, already a ski shop owner, pulled over in North Bend on his way home to Seattle after a day at Snoqualmie Pass. It was a rare cold, sunny day, and snow ran halfway down Mount Si, which usually sits too low to hold it.
Pro Ski lists in-house ski and board tuning and repair, plus touring-specific work: skin service, avalanche beacon updates, crampon sharpening and airbag canister refills. Its posted tune menu:
These come from the shop's live services page and can change, so confirm with the shop before you drop off a quiver. A later opening day also means more time between a tune and the first chair. If you drop skis off around November 8, you'll have them back long before the lifts start, if the past few Decembers are any guide.
The second weekend of November is the busiest stretch of the gap, and most of it happens on downtown sidewalks.
The Holly Days Window Fest runs 2 to 4 p.m. on Friday, November 13, at downtown storefronts. The next day, Saturday, November 14, the Valley-Wide Holiday Open House runs 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at businesses in North Bend, Snoqualmie and Fall City. That evening at 8, the second round of the comedy competition is on at the theatre.
The same weekend is the closest confirmed gear swap. The Newport High School swap in Bellevue opens with early entry from 6 to 7 p.m. on Friday, November 13, at $15 per person or $30 per family. The general sale runs 7 to 10 p.m. that night and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, with free general admission. Consignors receive 75% of their sale price, unsold gear is picked up Sunday, November 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and unclaimed items go to charity. If you want to catch the Window Fest and still make the swap's early entry, you'll be driving west on I-90 right after the storefront event wraps.
Then the holiday calendar takes over. The Holly Days Winter Festival and Tree Lighting is set for 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, at North Bend Way and Main Avenue, with Mayor Miller leading the lighting and s'mores, entertainment and Santa photos on the city's listing. Last season's tree lighting, on December 6, 2025, came seventeen days before the Summit opened.
Some practical details apply no matter when the snow comes. On the Summit's 2026–27 pass page, the default Adult 26–61 Off-Peak pass shows a current price of $479. The page also lists Alpental Plus, Summit Plus and Summit tiers, along with pass perks including four buddy tickets, 15% off retail, free parking and the Summit's snow guarantee. Prices on that page are live, and the terms for each tier are spelled out there.
Closer to home, the City of North Bend's October 17 release lists nightly closures through November 9, from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday nights through Friday mornings. They affect the Snoqualmie Parkway on-ramp to westbound I-90 and the eastbound I-90 off-ramp to westbound SR 18. The work is scheduled to wrap the morning after the 5Point screening, before the Bellevue swap weekend.
The Summit has said it will post updates once snow starts falling. Until it does, the next confirmed ski event in North Bend is 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 8, at the North Bend Theatre.
Mike and Eric at Pavone Kinzler Team follow the Valley calendar the same way you do, from the first ski film to the night the tree goes up on North Bend Way. If you're thinking about what your North Bend home is worth before the snow arrives, ask us for a free home valuation and local market plan, and we'll go over it with you before the lifts start turning.
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3933 Lake Washington Blvd NE, Suite 100 Kirkland WA 98033