Hyak

   Ski - Snowboard Adventure                                  Serving the internet community since 1997
 
 
Home

Mountain Info.
History
Notebook
Conditions
Photo's
Live Cams
Weekly Photo

Links


Timeline of Snoqualmie Pass area events in history


1865The first wagon train consisting  of 6 wagons made it over the pass traveling east to west. 

1905First motorized traffic across Snoqualmie Pass. 

1909The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway opened over Snoqualmie Pass.

1912Regular ferry service was established making the water route across Keechelus Lake part of the trip. 

1915The Snoqualmie Tunnel opened from Rockdale to Hyak 

1928The Seattle Ski Club, whose members were all first-generation Norwegians, was organized. 

1929The SSC's first ski-jumping tournament was held at Beaver Lake hill at Snoqualmie Pass. 

1933Seattle Parks Department, under the direction of Ben Evans, had a small patch of trees cleared at 
Snoqualmie Pass, known as Municipal Hill.  First public ski area on Snoqualmie Pass was dedicated by Gov Ros.

1934Sahalie Ski Club was formed (located near Alpental) 

1934Washington State Highway Department completed paving and highway 10 was dedicated.  Originally opened as part of State Road-2 ("The Sunset Highway"), it was  renamed US-10 during the 1930s as US and State highways were going through renumbering.

1936The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway begins clearing area at Hyak Wa. for a new ski area at 
the eastern portal of the Snoqualmie Tunnel. 

1937The Seattle Times and The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway opened the "Snoqualmie Ski Bowl" 
at  Hyak on Snoqualmie Pass. The railroad cashed in on the region's budding interest in outdoor sports, and the 
initial lack of adequate highways, to support winter day trips to the Cascades. Its catch phrase, "Let the Engineer 
do the Driving," highlighted the package's ease and convenience. 

1937  Jim Parker and Chauncey Griggs formed Ski Lifts, Inc. and Webb Moffett became their first employee. 
The Seattle Parks Department allowed a concessionaire (Ski Lifts, Inc.) to build a small rope tow at Municipal Hill.

1938 Lights installed at the Snoqualmie Ski Bowl (Hyak)  for night skiing. A ski train left Seattle at 5:45pm to arrive at 7:45pm. It left the bowl at 10pm and would arrive home at midnight. On January 14 it was said to be the first midnight train ever operated. 

1940Seattle citizens complained about the parks department trying to support a park so far away (Municipal Hill) 
so the Parks Dept. transferred ownership of Municipal Hill to Ski Lifts, Inc.  With the ownership change, the name 
was changed from Municipal Hill to Snoqualmie Summit Ski Area.

1941First ski jump competetions held at the Snoqualmie Ski Bowl. (Hyak)

1942Torger Tokle set a new ski-jump record at the Snoqualmie Ski Bowl National Championships. 

1942After WWII began the Milwaukee Road shut down the ski area to put all attention on the war effort. 

1942Griggs and Parker sold Ski Lifts, Inc. to Rance Morris and Webb Moffett for $3,500. 

1943April 16th, the Sahalie Ski Club lodge burned to the ground. 

1944 Mountaineers lodge on west side of Snoqulamie Pass burns to the ground.

1945 Lights for night skiing were installed at The Snoqualmie Summit ski area.

1946The war ends and the Milwaukee Road Railroad resume operations of the ski area with many changes. First, 
they rename the Snoqualmie Ski Bowl to The Milwaukee Ski Bowl so the area will not be confused with the Snoqualmie 
Summit ski area. 

1946The Milwaukee Ski bowl installed the first high-capacity ski lift on Snoqualmie Pass named the Talley-Ho 
SkiBoggan. This was a surface lift that would carry 1440 skiers per hour designed by Keith Talley of Seattle. 

1947Milwaukee Ski Bowl hosted the Olympic Ski Jump Trials for the upcoming 1948 Olympics and it brought people from all around the world. (During those trials there was a new long jump record set) 

1948Ray Tanner installs the first chairlift on Snoqualmie Pass at a new ski area called Ski Acres, 1 mile east of 
Snoqualmie Summit. 

1948 Mountaineers build lodge on land between Ski Acres and Summit of Snoqualmie ski areas. The lodge replaces the one lost by fire 4 years prior. 160 voulenteers help construct. 

1949Tragedy strikes during the 49/50 season as the Milwaukee Ski Bowl Lodge catches fire on December 2, 1949 
and burns to the ground. The railroad continue to run the resort out of train cars through 1950. 

1950The Milwaukee Ski Bowl is closed. The railroad decides not to rebuild the lodge and gets out of the ski resort 
business. 

1953First POMA lift installed in the USA at Snoqualmie Summit ski area. (surface lift) 

1955The Summit at Snoqualmie installs the first double chairlift, Thunderbird at Snoqualmie Pass and also builds a 
mountain top lodge known as the Thunderbird Lodge. 

1959The Hyak Ski Corporation purchases land north of where the Milwaukee Ski Bowl operated and began operation. 

1960—  The Conifer Basketball Camp created by Chuck Randall, Earlie McKie and Ray Thacker. The basketball
camp had 450 participants their first year and ran for 14 seasons. (one of the first basketball camps in the USA)

1967—  A new ski resort "Alpental" opens at snoqualmie pass. Warren Miller produces a film of the same name about 
the resort. 

1971A double chair lift at Hyak went out-of-control in reverse injuring 7 persons, one serious. (article)

1974The Conifer Lodge burns to the ground.  The Conifer Basketball Camp came to an end.

1980Ski Lifts, Inc. purchased Ski Acres from Ray Tanner. 

1983Alpental was sold to Ski Lifts, Inc. from Westours, Inc. to give Ski Lifts, Inc. 3 of the 4 Snoqualmie ski areas. 

1988Ski Acres opens new terrain with the addition of the Silver Fir triple chairlift. 

1992Hyak ski resort sold out of bankruptcy court to Ski Lifts, Inc. so SLI now owned all 4 ski areas. 

1997Ski Lifts, Inc. sold to Booth Creek Holdings. All 4 areas were renamed "The Summit at Snoqualmie" with each 
area given a new or altered name. Summit West, Summit Central, Summit East and Alpental at the Summit.. 

2002 Mountaineers shut down rope tows at lodge facility (rumor is due to insurance issues). 

2003 After severe rains, a 40' section of the Alpental access bridge collapsed cutting off direct access from Lot 1 as 
well as communications lines and sewer. Alpental still opened on time with alternate access route from parking lot. 
The bridge was rebuilt in 2005.

2006 The Snoqualmie Pass Mountaineers lodge burns to the ground. 

2006 Booth Creek sells the Snoqualmie Pass ski areas to CNL investment group. Booth signs a long term 
agreement to continue to run manage the ski area. A couple months later Booth Creek sells management of the
ski area to Boyne USA.

2008 The Silver Fir triple chair is removed and replaced with a new high-speed quad. The new lift is called The Silver Fir Express.  Land on the north side of the lift called Silver Fir Properties is developed, roads added with utilities for vacation homes (aprox. 70 lots). 

2009 After massive amounts of rain a landslide rumbles down the face of the Hyak ski area taking with it one tower
from the Keechelus lift as well as damaging multiple homes including pushing Norm Cravens house off its foundation.
The Keechelus lift is broken beyond repair and the ski area shuts down for the season for downhill access.  Nordic Center
re-opens the following weekend.

 (last updated 11/26/12)


 

 

Snoqualmie Pass  Merchandise
T-Shirts, Postcards, Stickers 
and more!