Three Saturdays. One Golden Season.

Fall might just be the most underrated season at Mission Ridge. As cooler days settle into the Cascades and winter starts feeling a little closer, the mountain trades summer green for brilliant shades of gold.

This October, join us for three Saturdays celebrating this special season of transition. Tamarack Festival brings the community together for guided hikes, live music, family activities, food and drinks at Chair 5 Pub, an up-close look at snowcats and snowmaking equipment, and a changing lineup of special activities each week.

Join us October 3, October 10, and October 17 and make a day or three of exploring Mission Ridge in the fall.

Event Schedule

Day 1: Saturday, October 3

Kick off Tamarack Festival with a full afternoon of fall fun. Head out on a guided hike, gather the family for a photo session on the mountain, learn a little more about the tamaracks around us, and settle in for live music as the afternoon rolls into evening.

11:00 AM: Chair 5 Pub opens
2:00 PM: Guided Hike to Lake Clara departs; meet under the Hampton Lodge deck
2:00 PM: Family Photography Session; meet under the Hampton Lodge deck
3:00 PM: Guided Hike to Midway departs; meet under the Hampton Lodge deck
3:00 PM–6:00 PM: Kids Activities at the KaWham Cafe inside the Hampton Lodge, including wilderness crowns, friendship bracelets, and a coloring contest
3:00 PM–6:00 PM: Snowcat & Snowgun Exhibit in the Base Area
3:00 PM–4:00 PM: Larch Talk at KaWham Cafe
3:30 PM–5:30 PM: Live music at the Chair 5 Pub with Spare Rib
6:00 PM–8:00 PM: Live music at the Chair 5 Pub with Casey Freedom

Day 2: Saturday, October 10

Come back for another Saturday on the mountain, with guided hikes, family photos, kids activities, live music, and a few new ways to get into the fall spirit.

11:00 AM: Chair 5 Pub opens
2:00 PM: Guided Hike to Lake Clara departs; meet under the Hampton Lodge deck
2:00 PM: Family Photography Session; meet under the Hampton Lodge deck
3:00 PM: Guided Hike to Midway departs; meet under the Hampton Lodge deck
3:00 PM–6:00 PM: Kids Activities at the KaWham Cafe and on the deck, including apple bobbing, potato sack races, wilderness crowns, friendship bracelets, and a coloring contest
3:00 PM–6:00 PM: Snowcat & Snowgun Exhibit in the Base Area
4:00 PM–6:00 PM: Pumpkin Painting at KaWham Cafe
3:30 PM–5:30 PM: Live music at the Chair 5 Pub with Micah J
6:00 PM–8:00 PM: Live music at the Chair 5 Pub with Wandering Soul

Day 3: Saturday, October 17

We’ll wrap up Tamarack Festival with one more golden Saturday on the mountain, including guided hikes, family photos, live music, kids activities, face painting, and a gear swap in the Base Area.

11:00 AM: Chair 5 Pub opens
2:00 PM: Guided Hike to Lake Clara departs; meet under the Hampton Lodge deck
2:00 PM: Family Photography Session; meet under the Hampton Lodge deck
2:00 PM–6:00 PM: Gear Swap in the Base Area
3:00 PM: Guided Hike to Midway departs; meet under the Hampton Lodge deck
3:00 PM–6:00 PM: Kids Activities at the KaWham Cafe inside the Hampton Lodge, including wilderness crowns, friendship bracelets, and a coloring contest
3:00 PM–6:00 PM: Snowcat & Snowgun Exhibit in the Base Area
3:00 PM–5:00 PM: Face Painting in the Base Area
3:30 PM–5:30 PM: Live music at the Chair 5 Pub with Seth Garrido
6:00 PM–8:00 PM: Live music at the Chair 5 Pub with Seth Garrido, Spare Rib, & Trevor

Guided Hikes

There’s no better way to take in fall at Mission Ridge than getting out on the mountain.

Guided hikes to Lake Clara and Midway will be offered during Tamarack Festival, giving you a chance to stretch your legs, enjoy the fall colors, and explore the mountain with the community. 

The Lake Clara hike departs at 2:00 PM, followed by the Midway hike at 3:00 PM. Both hikes meet under the Hampton Lodge deck.

About the Lake Clara route: This 3-mile roundtrip hike climbs steeply up 1000 vertical feet on single-track trail through primarily forested terrain before topping out at Lake Clara, a beautiful lake nestled into a basin beneath Mission Peak and ringed with western larches. This guided trip will take around 2 hours. 

About the Midway route: This 1-mile roundtrip hike ascends 500 vertical feet on the Summer Road, a graded gravel access road, to our mountain’s Midway. You’ll be rewarded en route and at the endpoint with big views up into our Upper Basin, a vast bowl home to most of our ski runs and filled with golden western larches. This guided trip will take around an hour. 

Family Photography Sessions

The gold-and-green palette of Tamarack Festival is the perfect opportunity to get your family together on the mountain and capture the moment.

A small group of families will head out together on a group hike with a professional photographer, with opportunities along the way for each family to have photos taken surrounded by Mission Ridge’s fall scenery.

Kids can also take on the Mission Ridge Explorer Passport during the outing, with nature-focused challenges that encourage them to notice the trees, wildlife, sounds, and other details around them while they explore.

Registration for the photography sessions is now open. Each session includes 10 professionally edited, high-resolution photos. Perfect for Christmas cards, holiday gifts, family albums, or simply capturing this season of life.

Book a Tamarack Festival Mini Photo Session

Kids Activities

There will be plenty for younger explorers to do throughout Tamarack Festival. Activities change a little each Saturday and include fall crafts, wilderness crowns, friendship bracelets, coloring, games, and other hands-on fun.

Look for additional special activities including apple bobbing, potato sack races, and pumpkin painting on October 10 and face painting on October 17.

On especially nice fall days, some activities may move outside into the Base Area.

Snowcats & Snowmaking

Winter is never too far from our minds at Mission Ridge. Stop by the Base Area during Tamarack Festival for an up-close look at some of the equipment that helps make winter happen, including a snowcat and snowgun.

Kids can even climb into the snowcat for a photo while Mission Ridge team members are on hand to answer questions about the equipment and how it helps us get ready for winter.

Gear Swap: October 17

Give some ski and snowboard gear a new home, or find something new-to-you for the winter ahead, during the Tamarack Festival Gear Swap in the Base Area from 2:00 PM–6:00 PM on October 17.

Interested in selling gear? Gear Swap sign-up is now open.

Sign Up for the Tamarack Festival Gear Swap

All gear is sold as-is. The event organizer makes no guarantees regarding the condition, safety, or performance of any item. Buyers assume all responsibility for inspecting equipment prior to purchase.

Get Ready for Winter

Tamarack Festival might be a celebration of fall, but winter is right around the corner.

The Mission Ridge Retail Shop will be open each day of the festival, giving you a chance to stop in while you’re on the mountain to grab your favorite fall merch or the ski and snowboard gear you need to stay warm this winter! 

On October 17, the Rental Shop will also be open with limited services available during the final day of Tamarack Festival and the Gear Swap.

Camping

Want to make a weekend of it? Camping will be available Friday and Saturday nights during Tamarack Festival, giving you the chance to spend the night on the mountain and wake up to a crisp fall morning at Mission Ridge.

Dining

The Chair 5 Pub will be open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout October. It’s hard to go wrong with classic comfort food, Chef Rey’s specials, and plenty of drinks, especially when the views outside are alight with the glory of the season. Warm up by the fireplace inside, or enjoy the fresh mountain air on the Hampton Lodge deck. To view the menu, click here. 

Come Celebrate Fall at Mission Ridge

The golden season doesn’t last forever. Grab the family, meet up with friends, take a walk through the tamaracks, enjoy some music, and spend a bit of your fall here on the mountain. We’ll see you up here!