The Nordic Center at White Pass Ski Resort, 22 miles west of Packwood, Washington, offers snowshoeing and cross-country skiing for adults and kids of all ages and abilities. With elevations starting at 4,500 feet and over 11 miles of well-groomed trails, the Nordic Center’s snowshoe and cross-country trail system meanders through the rolling, wooded terrain of the Wenatchee and Gifford Pinchot National Forests.
Once you arrive at White Pass, you’ll want to head over to the Nordic Center’s yurt, just above the Nordic Center trailhead. There you can pick up a complimentary map of the snowshoe and cross-country trail system, rent snowshoes, cross-country skis, and book lessons. The Nordic Center yurt is open Thursday through Sunday and holidays from November through April, depending on snow and weather conditions.
When you reach the trailhead you have two wide trails to choose from. This is where the center’s main loop, also known as the Lake Loop, starts and finishes. The trail on your left is more difficult and heads uphill before curving east around the lake. The right trail curves around the lake’s south side and is an easier, flatter trail, which is great for beginning snowshoers and families with young kids. The Lake Loop encircles the frozen Leech Lake and is 2.3 kilometers long or just under 1.5 miles.
You’ll also find a snowshoe-only trail consisting of two loops connected by a long single trail. The first loop follows Leech Lake’s frozen banks, running along the inside of the Nordic Center’s main Lake Loop, while the second loop, called the Falls Loop, lies several miles beyond the lake. The Snowshoe Trail’s route changes seasonally, so be sure to check in first with the friendly folks at the Nordic Center yurt.
After completing our snowy excursion, we dropped off our snowshoes and headed over to White Pass’s dark timber-framed lodge for a hearty lunch at the bustling Day Lodge Café. Open at 7 am daily for breakfast and lunch, the Café offers both buffet-style and cook-to-order fare. With our trays piled high with juicy hamburgers, crisp French fries, fresh salad, and gooey pizza, we claimed a table and dug in.
– Carrie Uffindell, Visit Rainier Writer
For other snowshoeing routes around Mt. Rainier, click here. For more information on visiting Mt. Rainier, go to visitrainier.com.
Visit Rainier is a not-for-profit, non-membership destination marketing organization that promotes tourism in the gateway communities around Mt. Rainier.