Stevens Pass Ski Area
The Stevens Pass Ski Area is a ski area in the northwest United States, located at the crest of Stevens Pass in the Cascade Range of Washington. The base elevation is at above sea level with the peak at . The Mill Valley "backside" of the resort drops to a minimum elevation of . Total skiable terrain includes 37 major runs covering . Alpine skiing. Stevens Pass offers a variety of alpine ski runs ranging from beginner to advanced. Without lodging at its base, Stevens is a day resort, drawing heavily from the Seattle-Everett metropolitan area, via U.S.  Route 2. Night skiing is offered until 10 pm most days (except Mondays and Tuesdays) during mid-season. The area is divided into front (north and east facing) and back (south facing) sides. Front side. From the base area, there is direct access to the chairlifts Daisy, Hogsback, Brooks, Skyline, and Kehr's: There are also 3 higher chairlifts on the front side: Back side. The backside (named Mill Valley) provides a more natural environment with many sparsely treed runs. The backside features two lifts loading from the same immediate area: Cross-country skiing. The Stevens Pass Nordic Center provides  access to 28 km of groomed cross-country ski trails of varying difficulty. Management. Jan 2022-Current - Tom Fortune Sept 2018-Jan 2022 - Tom Pettigrew Epic Pass FailGate. Employees and season pass holders have blamed Stevens Pass management and parent company Vail for “dysfunctional” conditions at the ski area since it opened for the winter season on Dec. 15 2021. Frustrated customers have filed complaints with the Washington Attorney General’s Office and have accused Vail Resorts of violating consumer protection laws by overselling season passes while failing to keep lifts running at Stevens Pass and some of its other  ski areas. An Change.Org online petition called "Hold Vail Resorts Accountable", which garnered nearly 40,000 signatures in two weeks, called on Vail Resorts to address the problems at Stevens Pass by Jan. 15 or commit to a 60% refund to season pass holders. History. The ski resort was started in the winter of 1937–38 by Don Adams and Bruce Kehr, both passionate skiers. The original lodge was constructed in 1937, burned down in 1939, and was rebuilt the next year by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a government-funded work force. In 2011, Harbor Resorts after 35 years of  ownership sold Stevens Pass to CNL Lifestyle; operations were turned over to the operator of Mountain High in California. In 2016, CNL sold Stevens Pass to Och-Ziff Capital Management. On August 15, 2018, Vail Resorts completed its acquisition of Stevens Pass. Avalanches. The area around Stevens Pass is known to be avalanche prone, having experienced the most deadly avalanche in U.S. history in 1910, when two trains, stationary due to heavy snowfall, were swept off the tracks and buried, killing 96 people. More than a century later in 2012, another notable avalanche occurred. Out of a group of 16  experienced skiers, three men, Chris Rudolph, age 30; Johnny Brenan, 41, and Jim Jack, age 46; were killed in an avalanche at Stevens Pass on February 19. The avalanche occurred in an unmaintained back-country area known as Tunnel Creek, which was described as "ski at your own risk," after of fresh snowfall. Future development plans. The growth of population in the Seattle area has led to increased use at all the Cascades ski areas in Washington, and Stevens pass frequently reaches capacity on weekends during January and February. In June 2007, a Master Plan was submitted to the Forest  Service describing proposed future expansions and upgrades over the next ten years. Front side. A northern exposure area is planned to the left (east) of the current Big Chief lift, with a Northern Exposure detachable quad providing access to runs and glade skiing. This expansion would add of total terrain. Brooks has been upgraded from a double to a high speed quad, opening fall of 2019. Daisy has been upgraded from a triple to a fixed grip quad, also opening fall of 2019. A Grace Lakes area is planned to the right of the top of Brooks, heading off downhill  to the right (north), consisting of groomed cruisers and gladed runs. The area would be served by a fixed quad lift, and add of total terrain. Additionally, there would be new adventure runs from the top of skyline down into the Grace Lakes area. Big Chief would be upgraded to a fixed quad, and the loading area would be moved slightly down the mountain to improve access. A new fixed quad "The Katz" would be added to the right of Big Chief, extending up and to the right. Back Side. Backside improvements happen at the right (east) side. To the  immediate right of Southern Cross, new trails and glades provide expanded area, and a proposed permit expansion into Highlands Bowl to the right of that would provide a backcountry experience for those willing to do some hiking. A catch trail at the bottom would return to Southern Cross. This expansion would add of terrain. There are no lift changes planned on the backside, other than the installation of the Jupiter Express which was carried out in 2013. Base area and facilities. Solitude lodge would be constructed near the top end of Skyline. Smaller yurts would be constructed at the top  of Tye mill, at the top of the terrain park, and at the base of the lifts in the back. The base lodges would be expanded and reconfigured. A new mini-lodge and ticket area would be constructed at the base of the Northern exposure lift. 470 new parking places would be added.