Planning Your Visit
Getting Here
There are many ways to reach Mount Washington, whether you’re a local or coming from off Vancouver Island. Below you’ll find directions, ferry routes, shuttle-bus service and live road conditions to plan your trip up the mountain.
By Road
Where We Are
Mt. Washington Alpine Resort is located 30 minutes north of the Comox Valley, and about 1.5 hours from Nanaimo — where the Departure Bay ferry from Horseshoe Bay arrives — on beautiful Vancouver Island. We’re easily accessible via Highway 1 and through the Comox International Airport. The Strathcona Parkway is maintained by Mainroad North Island.
All vehicles and drivers must be prepared for variable winter road conditions while travelling to and from Mount Washington. Carpooling is encouraged.
Travelling by Car
Good Winter Tires Required
Let the North Wind be your guide! If that fails, switch on the GPS and punch in our physical address: #1 Strathcona Parkway, Mt. Washington, BC.
Be advised: the BC Ministry of Transportation — not to mention everyone else sharing the road with you — requires all vehicles on the Strathcona Parkway to be equipped with good winter tires and to carry chains, ready to use when the chain-up light is on. The parkway is a public roadway maintained by Mainroad.
Before You Drive
Road Conditions & Information
Mainroad 24hr Hotline: 1-877-215-7122
Justin Burgers, Operations Manager at Mainroad North Island Contracting, walks through the road conditions you may encounter on the Strathcona Parkway.
Travelling by Ferry
Mainland to Island Crossings
Catch a ferry if you’re travelling from the mainland to Vancouver Island and not flying. The West Vancouver to Nanaimo route (Horseshoe Bay–Departure Bay) takes about 1 hour 40 minutes with roughly 11 sailings a day — ideal if you’re coming from north of Vancouver.
Another main route is the Vancouver to Nanaimo ferry (Tsawwassen–Duke Point), which takes about 2 hours with around 8 sailings a day. Hullo also runs a fast foot-passenger service between downtown Vancouver and Nanaimo.
Travelling by Bus
Shuttle & Ski Bus Services
Mount Washington has a Ski & Ride Shuttle Bus available December through April for everyone travelling to and from the Comox Valley on a daily basis during the winter season. Pick-up and drop-off locations are throughout the Comox Valley and no advance reservations are required. Some mountain partners also offer service from Victoria and the south island.
Comox Valley Winter Shuttle
Daily service between the Comox Valley and Mount Washington, operated by our third-party provider, the Wilson’s Group. Pick up or drop off at any Comox Valley location — no reservations required.
Mount Washington Ski Bus
Serving Victoria and the south island, the Mount Washington Ski Bus can pick you up or drop you off at any of 12 locations on southern Vancouver Island. Great for large groups or anyone who’d rather skip the drive.
Buying Tickets
Round-trip bus tickets can only be purchased at our Guest Services desk in the main Alpine Lodge or at Raven Lodge Guest Services. Drivers do not sell tickets — please ride up and purchase the fare for your return trip. Fare to and from the Comox Valley is $20 round trip.
Daily Schedules
Schedules are updated daily based on current conditions, so please check back often for the most up-to-date information. Thank you — the Mount Washington Transport Team.
Vancouver Island Ski Bus
The Vancouver Island Ski Bus offers a supervised youth option that gets kids from South Island pick-up points to Mount Washington and back, with WEA staff supervising the journey. On arrival they hand off to Snow School for the Freeride program (10:00 AM – 3:30 PM) and reunite riders afterwards for the return trip. General bus service is also available for adults and independent teens 13+.
Winter Season
Bus Pick-up & Drop-off Locations
Stops are located throughout the Comox Valley. Tap any map to open directions in Google Maps.
Real-time Location Updates
Live Bus Tracker
Our Shuttle Bus tracking service shows the last known location of the bus during the winter season. It runs as a trial service — due to connectivity and data-transmission delays, bus locations may not always be current or accurate.