49 Degrees North Ski Area
| 49 Degrees North Ski Area | |
|---|---|
  49 Degrees North Ski Area Location in the United States | |
| Location |
Colville National Forest Stevens County, Washington |
| Nearest city |
Chewelah: 10 mi (16 km) Spokane: 52 mi (84 km) |
| Coordinates | 48°18′04″N 117°33′47″W / 48.301°N 117.563°WCoordinates: 48°18′04″N 117°33′47″W / 48.301°N 117.563°W |
| Vertical | 1,851 ft (564 m) |
| Top elevation | 5,774 ft (1,760 m) |
| Base elevation | 3,923 ft (1,196 m) |
| Skiable area | 2,325 acres (9.4 km2) |
| Runs |
82 – 30% easiest – 40% more difficult – 25% most difficult – 5% experts only |
| Longest run | 2.75 miles (4.4 km) |
| Lift system | 6 chairs: 1 quad, 5 double |
| Lift capacity | 6,600 per hr |
| Terrain parks | 2 |
| Snowfall | 301 inches (760 cm) |
| Snowmaking | yes |
| Night skiing | limited |
| Website | ski49n.com |
49 Degrees North Ski Area is a ski resort in the western United States, located inside Colville National Forest in Stevens County, Washington, 10 miles (16 km) east of Chewelah, which is 42 miles (68 km) north of Spokane.
The base is at an elevation of 3,923 feet (1,196 m) above sea level with the summit at 5,774 feet (1,760 m) on Chewelah Mountain, yielding a vertical drop of 1,851 feet (564 m). Its slopes are primarily north-facing and are served by six chairlifts, one quad and five doubles.
The ski area first opened 44 years ago in late 1972[1][2] with three chairlifts. It is actually at 48.3° North, about 50 miles (80 km) south of the 49th parallel, the international border with Canada. Following two consecutive winters of poor weather, the ski area filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 1990.[3]In the interim a local man purchased the ski area & is continuing to turn it into a larger & better resort. 49 Degrees North is building condominiums in summer 2016 with ski in/out access. In the 1990's the trees were thinned over most of the 2,300 acres, providing some of the greatest variation & magnitude of tree skiing found @ a single resort in the NW United States.[4][5]The resort will soon be implementing mountain biking.
A predecessor ski area named "Chewelah Peak" was about two miles (3 km) west (48°18′07″N 117°36′43″W / 48.302°N 117.612°W), towards Chewelah.[6] It was served by a double chair[7] that vertically climbed 1,450 feet (440 m).[8] It began operation with a rope tow in 1936; the double chairlift was added in 1950[9] and a lodge in 1952.[10]
References
- ↑ Roskelley, Fenton (August 8, 1972). "Chewelah site readied". Spokane Daily Chronicle. p. 19.
- ↑ "New ski area is opening". Ellensburg Daily Record. January 9, 1973.
- ↑ Jamieson, Sean (August 24, 1991). "Ski hill ready to reorganize". Spokesman-Review. p. B6.
- ↑ http://www.ski49n.com/content.php?id=22
- ↑ http://www.ski49n.com/content.php?id=3
- ↑ Williams, Dick (December 5, 1956). "Chewelah area refurbished". Spokesman-Review. p. 21.
- ↑ "Chewelah Peak fast becoming one of area's favorite ski centers". Spokesman-Review. February 25, 1952. p. 12.
- ↑ "Face-lifting planned at Chewelah ski lift". Spokane Daily Chronicle. November 25, 1965. p. 17.
- ↑ Williams, Dick (December 20, 1960). "Lift speeded, slope improved at Chewelah". Spokesman-Review. p. 11.
- ↑ Williams, Dick (November 21, 1952). "Chewelah ski area bustling with work as season nears". Spokesman-Review. p. 14.