49 Degrees North Ski Area
Encyclopedia
49 Degrees North Mountain Resort is a ski resort
located in Washington, United States
, in the Northwest Rockies. The base elevation is 3923 feet (1,195.7 m) with the peak at 5774 feet (1,759.9 m). The mountain is served by five chairlifts in an area of 2350 acres (9.5 km²).
The Hobbit Handle Tow assists with access to the Bonanza chair at the base area.
After the completion of the two story Chewelah Mountain Lodge in 1950 and installation of a double chairlift in 1951, the area experienced a dramatic increase in the volume of recreational users and tourists. By 1968, however, the area was forced to close due to the obsolescence of the chairlift and a lack of revenue created by the gradual decline of the condition of the facilities.
On May 6, 1970, the Chewelah Basin Ski Corporation was formed and submitted a bid to develop and operate a ski resort in a basin approximately two miles east of the old area. Development commenced in late 1970 and continued during the summers of 1971 and 1972. Construction of three lifts, runs, and a day lodge was completed and the area first opened for public use in late 1972. In 1976, the U.S. Forest Service approved a master plan allowing for continued upgrading and expansion within the existing Special Use Permit. A fourth lift was added in 1980 and new runs to support the lift continued to attract a number of visitors. In June of 1996, the Chewelah Basin Ski Corporation was sold and 100% of the stock was transferred to the Eminger Family.
49° North embarked on its largest expansion in 2006 with the development of the Sunrise Basin area. 500 acres of terrain and 20 new runs were created in the project area, with a quad chairlift added during the summer of 2006. The first concrete footings were poured in early August of that year, and the new chair passed its load test on December 1. The entire operation went online on December 8, 2006.
In July of 2009, 49° North began a major resort improvement project on Angel Peak, located northwest of the summit of Chewelah Mountain. 60 acres of the Angel Peak project area were transformed into seven new, wide-open runs, and 170 acres were selectively thinned to create more of the legendary gladed terrain that the resort is known for. The Angel Peak project was completed in August of 2009.
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
located in Washington, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in the Northwest Rockies. The base elevation is 3923 feet (1,195.7 m) with the peak at 5774 feet (1,759.9 m). The mountain is served by five chairlifts in an area of 2350 acres (9.5 km²).
Alpine Skiing
The Alpine terrain at 49 Degrees North is serviced by five chair lifts and one surface lift:- Bonanza (Chair One) is a "base-to-summit" fixed-grip double chairlift.
- Grubstake (Chair Two) is a fixed-grip double that accesses the terrain park.
- Payday (Chair Three) is a fixed-grip double that serves beginner learning trails.
- West Basin (Chair Four) is a fixed-grip double that serves the West Basin.
- Sunrise Quad (Chair Five) is a fixed-grip quad that services the Sunrise Basin expansion and installed in 2006.
The Hobbit Handle Tow assists with access to the Bonanza chair at the base area.
Cross-Country Skiing
The 49 Degrees North Nordic Center provides access to 25 km of groomed cross-country trails for skiing and snow shoeing.Base Facilities
The Calispell Creek Lodge contains a restaurant, bar, ski shop, rental center, and day care center.History
49° North Mountain Resort has long maintained a place in Northwest skiing lore. The use of Chewelah Peak as a winter playground began in 1935, when the Forest Service issued a permit for the development of a site approximately two miles west of the present site of today's lodge. The completion of Cy's Hut in 1936 and a rope tow in 1939 firmly established winter recreation on Chewelah Peak.After the completion of the two story Chewelah Mountain Lodge in 1950 and installation of a double chairlift in 1951, the area experienced a dramatic increase in the volume of recreational users and tourists. By 1968, however, the area was forced to close due to the obsolescence of the chairlift and a lack of revenue created by the gradual decline of the condition of the facilities.
On May 6, 1970, the Chewelah Basin Ski Corporation was formed and submitted a bid to develop and operate a ski resort in a basin approximately two miles east of the old area. Development commenced in late 1970 and continued during the summers of 1971 and 1972. Construction of three lifts, runs, and a day lodge was completed and the area first opened for public use in late 1972. In 1976, the U.S. Forest Service approved a master plan allowing for continued upgrading and expansion within the existing Special Use Permit. A fourth lift was added in 1980 and new runs to support the lift continued to attract a number of visitors. In June of 1996, the Chewelah Basin Ski Corporation was sold and 100% of the stock was transferred to the Eminger Family.
49° North embarked on its largest expansion in 2006 with the development of the Sunrise Basin area. 500 acres of terrain and 20 new runs were created in the project area, with a quad chairlift added during the summer of 2006. The first concrete footings were poured in early August of that year, and the new chair passed its load test on December 1. The entire operation went online on December 8, 2006.
In July of 2009, 49° North began a major resort improvement project on Angel Peak, located northwest of the summit of Chewelah Mountain. 60 acres of the Angel Peak project area were transformed into seven new, wide-open runs, and 170 acres were selectively thinned to create more of the legendary gladed terrain that the resort is known for. The Angel Peak project was completed in August of 2009.