Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area |
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Location | Olympic National Park, Washington, U.S. |
Nearest city | Port Angeles: 17 mi (27 km) |
Coordinates | 47°58′16″N 123°29′35″W / 47.971°N 123.493°W |
Vertical | 700 feet (213 m) |
Top elevation | 5,500 feet (1,676 m) |
Base elevation | 4,800 feet (1,463 m) |
Runs | 10 |
Lift system | 3 surface lifts |
Terrain parks | 1 |
Snowfall | 400 inches (33.3 ft; 10.2 m) |
Snowmaking | none |
Night skiing | none |
Website | hurricaneridge.net |
The Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area is a small place where you can ski and snowboard. It's located in the Pacific Northwest part of the United States. You'll find it on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. This special ski area is inside Olympic National Park, about 17 miles south of Port Angeles.
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Explore Hurricane Ridge Ski Area
A Unique Winter Playground
Hurricane Ridge is very special because it's one of only three ski areas in the whole United States that operates inside a National Park. The other two are Badger Pass Ski Area in Yosemite National Park and Boston Mills/Brandywine Ski Resort in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This makes Hurricane Ridge a truly unique spot for winter fun! It's also the westernmost ski area in the continental U.S.
Skiing and Snowboarding Fun
This ski area might be small, but it offers a lot of fun. It has 10 different trails for skiing and snowboarding. There's also a terrain park where you can practice tricks. To get up the slopes, Hurricane Ridge uses three "surface lifts." These lifts pull you up the hill while your skis or snowboard stay on the ground.
The area gets a lot of snow, about 400 inches (which is about 33 feet!) each year. This means there's usually plenty of fresh powder for winter sports.
Getting There Safely
The road leading to Hurricane Ridge is about 17 miles long. During snowy months, this road can sometimes be tricky. Strong winds can cause snow to slide down the mountainside, which are called avalanches. Because of this, park rangers might close the road for a whole day to keep everyone safe. It's always a good idea to check if the road is open before you plan your trip.