2026-2027 Season

We have a dedicated staff of experienced safety volunteers on hand throughout the day. An injured or ill child should go to the Chaperone Hut, where safety staff assess the situation. If a child cannot get there, the National Ski Patrol (stationed at The Summit At Snoqualmie) will transport them to the Ski Patrol Infirmary and our safety team is notified. Parents are called to pick up sick or injured students; more serious injuries are transported by ambulance. If road conditions require us to transport your student, you'll be notified to meet the transport team at the Overlake Hospital emergency room lobby in Bellevue, and safety drivers stay with your child until you or an authorized guardian arrives. IMPORTANT: please do not send a sick child to ski school — if your child is sick, keep them home.

Your child needs to let a chaperone know right away. For a forgotten Summit season pass, the Summit will issue a new RFID card superseding the forgotten one; this may cost about $5 and is a one-time-only courtesy, so it's important your child keeps the pass in their ski coat at all times. Students trying to use a forgotten IKON pass will have to wait for their parents to correct the issue.

If conditions warrant an early return or delay coming home, you will receive a call from your student via cell phone or from an automated service letting you know when we expect to leave the ski area and the estimated arrival time at the loading zone.

Information about schedule changes or last-minute cancellations will be posted on our website and Facebook page.

Skis, ski boots and poles (with a strap to keep skis together) or a snowboard and snowboard boots; ski/snowboard bags are OK but stay in the bus cargo hold. Please LABEL all equipment (write on packing tape with a Sharpie). Also bring a sack lunch and a snack and/or non-cash payment (MS and HS only — the Summit does not accept cash), the season pass lift ticket, the Bellevue Ski School Bus ID, and the Bellevue Ski School Safety Tag attached to pants. Small backpacks are OK — NO suitcases or boot bags.

See the Equipment page for a list of recommended gear and sources, including proper snow clothing and ski/snowboard gloves.

Helmets are required for all students enrolled in Bellevue Ski School. For more on the importance of helmets for children in snow sports, visit https://answers.childrenshospital.org/ski-snowboard-helmet-guide/..

An informative site on this topic is maintained by the CDC.

Instruct your child to go to the chaperone hut, located on the top level of the Ski Patrol building between the Central Express and Reggie's Chair ski lifts; the entrance is the tall staircase on the outside of the building, facing Reggie's Chair. Tell your children to come to the hut for any reason — feeling sick, hurt (Ski Patrol will be called), a lost ticket, broken equipment, wet gloves, or a forgotten lunch.

Only if pre-arranged. Before your child boards the bus in the morning you must complete an Early Release Form specifying the person (21 or older) picking up the student; forms are available every Saturday at the loading-area table or on our forms page. Give the form to your child's bus chaperone and follow its instructions on time and meeting place — if you are late or change your mind, the student rides down on the bus with us. The person picking up must show photo ID at the chaperone hut desk and sign before leaving with the child. If a child is not checked out at least 20 minutes before buses depart, they ride the bus home. PLEASE NEVER PICK UP A CHILD WITHOUT CHECKING THEM OUT WITH THE HUT DESK — we will stay on the mountain searching until we locate them or hear from you, delaying all buses for hundreds of families.

Your child MUST ride the bus to the ski area. Our program requires all students to ride the bus in order to participate in classes.

See the Prices page. Tuition you pay Bellevue Ski School is for lessons and transportation ONLY — you must purchase or rent equipment, provide proper snow clothing (especially ski/snowboard gloves), and purchase a Summit Pass season pass (we will provide access to purchase a Summit Pass even if sold out).

Unfortunately, as an all-volunteer non-profit trying to keep prices as low as possible for everyone, we do not have the resources to offer discounts or scholarships.

See the Volunteer page for more information.

Arrive at the bus loading area a minimum of 15 minutes (ideally 15–30 minutes) before the bus is scheduled to leave, and have your child place equipment neatly beside the bus they will ride. Buses will NOT wait for tardy students. IMPORTANT: if your student misses the bus, DO NOT try to follow the buses to the Summit — your student will NOT be admitted to our program that day. Be on time!

Elementary students keep their lunch box and extra clothing in their backpack on the bus and have access to the bus during the lunch hour. Middle and High School students do not have bus access during the day; lunches can be stored in bins on a designated bus (ask chaperones), or they can rent a locker in the lodge to store belongings safely.

Elementary students eat in the bus and have access to it during the lunch hour, leaving their lunch box and bag on the bus while on the slopes. Middle and High Schoolers eat on their own — the Summit has space for packed lunches and a full-service cafeteria; they have no bus access at lunch, but lunches can be stored in bins on a designated bus (ask chaperones), or they can use a rental locker or ski/bag check.

On the first day of class all students are assessed to ensure correct placement. If your child feels they should be in a different class, have them discuss it with their instructor, or come to the chaperone hut to talk with one of the Vice Presidents and have the situation assessed.

Items left on the bus the previous week are available at the loading area during the morning loading time — ask a chaperone or someone working at the sign-in table at the loading zone.

Prorated refunds are issued to students who have withdrawn; suspended students are not eligible for refunds. Parents or adult students may request to withdraw by emailing or providing a written request to their program VP, and approved refunds are prorated by the date the written request is received. Forty-eight hours after initial registration for the current season, all refunds are subject to a $100 service charge. There are no refunds or make-up sessions for missed sessions. If a session is canceled or partially completed, the Council reserves the right to refund, reschedule, or consider the session complete.