Milwaukee Ski Bowl
A railway-run ski area at Hyak on Snoqualmie Pass, served by Milwaukee Road ski trains from Seattle until the late 1940s.
- Region
- Washington
- Country
- USA
- Status
- closed
- Year opened
- 1937
- Reason for closure
- The Milwaukee Road chose not to rebuild after a December 1949 lodge fire, citing the rising cost of running the trains and growing competition from runs along the new Highway 10.
History
The Milwaukee Road railroad built the ski bowl at Hyak, between the east entrance of the Snoqualmie Tunnel and the village, and it opened in the winter of 1937-38 as the Snoqualmie Ski Bowl. The programme was discontinued during the Second World War and reinstated in the winter of 1946-47 under the name Milwaukee Ski Bowl. Its five runs were named after the railroad's best-known trains: Hiawatha, Chippewa, Arrow, Pioneer and Olympian. A fire destroyed the lodge in December 1949, after which the railroad decided not to rebuild because of the rising cost of running the trains and the growing number of competing runs along the newly completed Highway 10 through the pass. Sources differ slightly on the exact final season, so no closing year is given here.
Lifts
| Name | Type | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable surface lift | Surface lift | Original lift near the east portal of the Snoqualmie Tunnel, climbing about 300 feet |
Runs
- Hiawatha
- Chippewa
- Arrow
- Pioneer
- Olympian
Sources and further reading
More in USA
Location
47.3900, -121.3970