Leavenworth Real Estate

Lake Wenatchee Sno Park Q+A

Lake Wenatchee State Park / Sno-park Q & A

Winter 2009-2010

(via Rick Halstead, Lake Wenatchee State Park Manager)

Aren’t my tax dollars going towards this program?

Winter Recreation at Lake Wenatchee State Park and other non-motorized public and privately-managed Sno-parks are funded solely by Sno-park permit fees. Permit fees pay for snow removal, trail and sled hill grooming, sanitation facilities, mapping, trail signs, safety education, enforcement and program administration. Statewide, the program also depends on thousands of volunteer hours.

Funds from permit sales also pay for maintenance and replacement of snowcat groomers and maintenance of snow removal equipment (plow trucks and snowblowers) owned by Washington State Parks. The Sno-park system pays the wages of park staff for hours spent supporting the program.

Proceeds from permit sales are used exclusively to maintain and improve non-motorized Sno-Park facilities.

Who manages the Sno-park program?

A panel of citizen volunteers (Winter Recreation Advisory Committee) from each geographical zone in Washington State provides oversight of the program and advises State Parks in all significant decisions regarding the program management.

Why the fee increase?

The Winter Recreation Advisory Committee approved this fee increase (the second fee increase in 16 years) to maintain the historic level of service despite significant increases in costs of operation and to allow for higher levels of service in some areas based on user demand.* Also, and most importantly, the goal is to create a reserve fund. Poor conditions for winter recreation one season results in greatly reduced revenue. Two consecutive years could bankrupt the program. Abnormally high snowfall results in unbudgeted snow removal cost overruns. A blown engine on a snowcat can cost $20,000. A reserve fund will help maintain the program during periods of reduced permit sales and unanticipated expenses.

Keep in mind that fees for the services we provide remain very competitive. Other privately operated ski areas offering comparable services charge from $12-$20/day per person (adult); season passes range from $125-$275/person. Compare with Snopark fees: $20/day per carload and $80 for a season pass which is valid for an entire family.

*At Lake Wenatchee in the past few years, we have increased both the frequency of grooming and the total trail miles. As compared with a few years back, we now groom the North, South, and Chiwawa trails one additional day per week and we are grooming an additional 9.5k on top of Nason Ridge twice weekly. We have dramatically improved the quality and consistency of grooming by retaining our older snowcat (rather than trading in for a price break upon purchase of the new machine) and hiring one additional part-time operator. With two snowcats, an equipment breakdown no longer results in ungroomed trails for the duration of repairs.

What is the penalty for not having a sno park permit?

Rangers patrol the Sno-parks to assure compliance. Failure to display a valid permit may result in a $87 citation, though an option to purchase a season pass is usually offered in lieu of citation.

Where else can I go sledding?

Leavenworth Winter Sports Club offers sledding at the Leavenworth Ski Hill – $10-12/person for 1.5 hours. It is difficult to find non-designated, free and safe sledding opportunities in the area due primarily to difficulty of access during the snow season. Snow removal is very expensive, so only the travel portions of roadways are cleared – there is no room for shoulder or off-road parking.

Is there anywhere I can go without a permit to ski or snowshoe?

USFS lands offer some opportunities, beginning where plowing ends. White and Little Wenatchee River roads are good options, but be aware that there is very limited parking – the wide areas cleared at the end of the roads are there to allow plow trucks room to turn around.