Just an hour north of Spokane and 3,900 feet above it sits Washington's second-largest mountain resort: 49 Degrees North. With an average snowfall of 300 inches and almost 90 different trails to explore, snow-goers of any level can find the perfect spot to shred some fresh powder, dodge and weave through the trees, or just relax in the wintry haven.
But that's not all. The resort's commitment to sustainability aims to ensure that each aspect that folks enjoy on the mountain can continue regardless of unpredictable winter weather.
Between a new set of snowmaking guns in the arsenal and scrupulous summer slope maintenance, Rick Brown, the mountain's director of skier and rider services, says this winter season will be the best possible.
The resort crew has already started packing powder onto the mountain. Brown says folks can start skiing on nearly any run with as little as 2 feet of snow on the slopes at 49 Degrees North, when many other resorts struggle to open their doors without another foot or two in their snow base.
Early openings and extended seasons created by significant investments in snowmaking, lift upgrades and consistent high-quality grooming are drawing attention from not only locals but within the skiing community across the country. Skiers and riders who value a killer day with great snow and awesome terrain over fancy resort villages are traveling to 49 Degrees North, Brown says.
"In the time that they lose traveling, they gain back so much more time actually on the slopes," he says. "More snow, no crowds, no lines, more skiing and riding and a lot of terrain makes this a popular place for everyone."
These efforts to create a magical experience for resort guests expand past the winter. Brown says that while timber thinning projects make for a better tree skiing experience, they also protect the mountain during the summer's heightened wildfire season. It's the same thing with the snowmaking machines as well. If a fire happened to meander its way onto the mountain, these machines can douse the flames.
GOT SPRUNG?
Even the resort's newest structure, a 7,000-square-foot tent-like, tension fabric Sprung structure, is a testament to its sustainability efforts. Instead of building an entirely new building next to the Calispel Creek Lodge, Brown says the resort sent its own crew to another ski area hundreds of miles away to dismantle and move the structure that was going to be torn down. Of course, resort staff gave the structure their own custom touches when it was erected at 49 Degrees North.
The building will be ready to host skiers and riders this season with a warm, bright, open space and lots of seating. After this winter, it will become headquarters of the resort's skier and rider services, which includes snowsports school, rental and repair shops, guest services, and day care, freeing up a ton of additional space for guests in the Calispel Creek Lodge.
On top of Brown's major efforts to improve the resort's offerings, some more minor changes have taken place to better the entire experience. With another addition to the slope grooming fleet — a new PistenBully 400 snowcat — the resort aims to ensure each run will be full of buttery smooth surfaces perfect for serendipitous shredding.
Brown also says visitors can expect to find some of the coolest apparel, accessories and equipment anywhere at the Alpine Shop at 49 Degrees North, and new rental and high-performance demo equipment in the rental shop.
Season passes are available for purchase until Nov. 15, which means folks have less than a week left to buy one. Prices range from $25 to $819 depending on age and type of pass, but for an adult between the ages of 24 and 61, a general season pass will cost $659.
This year, people don't have to make a hard choice between their favorite mountain resorts. A 2023-24 combo pass is available for 49 Degrees North and Silver Mountain. ♦
Q&A WITH DAVE DEVEAU
What do you love about 49 Degrees North?
I love tree skiing, and it's going to be better than ever this year with all the timber thinning that we've done this summer. With all of the summer slope maintenance crews have been doing the last couple of years, we can access our favorite trails even earlier and with less snow.
Do you have any safety tips for riders this year?
The biggest thing that people can do is ski with others, be aware of where they are, and know the risks based on the conditions, weather, etc. We work really hard on educating the public about the risks and changes in conditions. Participants play the greatest role in managing risk, ultimately the sport is only as safe as the choices one makes.
Do you have a favorite spot on the mountain that you're willing to share with readers?
I don't know that I have a favorite spot — every trail has something different that riders of any level can enjoy. The tree skiing around the entire resort is fantastic. Some of my favorite spaces are in the West Basin like Cy's Glades or between the runs off of Silver Ridge around Peacemaker and Hole-in-the-Wall in the Central Basin.
What can you find at 49 Degrees North that you may not get anywhere else?
The mountain is big enough that once you get people up on the slopes you can easily find places to yourself because the mountain has so much terrain. The atmosphere is just crazy good too. The people who come here and are employed here are all so friendly, and that brings morale up. This is a place that people truly want to be.
Dave DeVeau is the patrol director at 49 Degrees North. The native Texan has worked at the Chewelah resort for the past 13 years.
