Winter Weekends

TomCat Schedule  |  SNO-PARK PERMIT  |  Directions

 We offer whatever snow sport warms the cockles of your heart,  including skiing (downhill, cross country, backcountry), snowboarding, snowshoeing, sledding, building snow forts, and making snowmen.

“On a powder day, you can get fresh tracks all day long!!”

Please bring skis and outdoor exploration gear.  We have sleds and snow shoes available to borrow.

If you would like to sled, please bring helmets for all sledders (all ages must have helmets), and plan to have an adult at the top and bottom of the sled hill to ensure safety.

Please minimize  the amount of gear you bring.    Packing for Winter Weekends at Meany provides more information on what to bring and how to pack.

COvid Mitigation Plans

This information is current as of 1/10/2024:

• For the Winter 2024 season we are requiring all visitors to Meany to show proof of a negative COVID19 home test conducted within 24 hours of arriving at Meany.  A cell phone photograph of the test is easiest.   Test results will be checked in the parking lot before heading up to the Lodge. (Having this policy in place from Dec 27 to Jan 9 detected two active cases of COVID before they came to Meany and exposed others, and we refunded their fee for the weekend).

• If you feel sick at all (cough, sneezing) please stay home --- we'll refund your Lodge Stay fees and see you once you're feeling better!

• The Lodge is open for overnight stays and operating at normal capacity. 
• We have resumed using our bunk rooms as a Men's Dorm, a Women's Dorm, and a co-ed Family Dorm. 
• We will be serving meals inside the Lodge.  Participants can eat in our dining room or outside on the porch with an infrared patio heater.
• Some participants may wear masks and others might not.  We ask all participants to respect each others' choices. 
• Tent camping is available on campus for all.  We have lots of nice tent locations!  Please bring your own tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, head lamps, and sundries.
• Car/RV camping space is available in the Crystal Spring SnoPark for day guests at the Lodge.

DAY USE: DECEMBER – MARCH

To visit Meany for a day, please register for a corresponding activity on our calendar - the cooks appreciate knowing how much food to buy!

We have resumed allowing drop-ins.   If you haven't preregistered and paid, please see the Lodge Host when you arrive to pay the day-use fee.

GETTING TO MEANY - Safely

First time visitors- this page could save your life, or at least, your weekend. Please keep in mind the following:

1. You will lose cell coverage when you leave I90.
2. Mountain passes are dangerous. Travel with emergency supplies (blankets, food, etc) in your car in case you get stuck.  Current pass conditions can be found on the WSDoT Snoqualmie Pass page.
3. Bring tire chains (practice putting them on in your garage, it’s hard to do this for the first time in the cold).
4. Purchase a sno-park permit and time your arrival to TomCat, our very own snow transport.
5. Google Maps will get you to the Crystal Springs SnoPark, but see #’s 1, 2, 3 & 4 above.  Written directions are also available. 

SNO-PARK PERMITS (AKA YOUR PARKING PASS)

During winter months, the State closes the forest service road to Meany Lodge.  Parking is at the Crystal Springs sno-park and requires a state-issued sno-park permit, which should be purchased BEFORE you arrive.  It's possible to purchase them using your smartphone from the parking lot, but you'll have a better experience from home.

We recommend you purchase permits online or from a vendor such as REI.  Ask for the "Seasonal Non Motorized Permit/Special Groomed Sticker Combo" for which the price should be $120-$125.   Please consider carpooling.

Which permit you should purchase depends on your expected usage, with many finding the annual pass most economical:

• 3 nights (4 days) or more, purchase both:
  • $50 – Seasonal Non Motorized Permit
  • $70 – Special Groomed Sticker
  • Annual permit is license plate specific
• Single day:
  • $25 Day Use Sno-Park Pass
  • A day pass covers from midnight to midnight, so if you are staying overnight you will need to buy two passes.  One for your day of arrival and one for your day of departure.

Yes, this is confusing.  Please take out your frustrations by writing letters to the state administrators who made it this complicated and not the poor TomCat driver who is trying to explain it.

TOMCAT SCHEDULE

When snow is present, the 3 miles of road to Meany are closed by the state and the only approach is on foot or via  transportation on Meany's TomCat or snowmobiles.

Please arrive at the SnoPark 20 minutes before the departure time listed below, so you have time to move your gear from your car onto the TomCat.

The trip in to Meany and the trip out will take 30 - 60 minutes depending on conditions, but most people report it's a great deal of fun!

When packing your gear, assume you’re packing for a 3 mile hike with the possibility of getting a ride.  See our beginners guide for packing for Meany, and remember to pack your stuff in a backpack or duffle bag – loose gear, paper / plastic bags, suitcases, crates  or  boxes are a recipe for disappointment and frustration.

Transportation Schedule (Departure Times January 5-March 18)

Driving DIRECTIONS

Winter and Spring driving directions (mid-November till May)

Summer and Fall driving directions (May till mid-November)