Summit at Snoqualmie history

Alpental is built on Denny Mountain, named after the founder of Seattle, and prospector Arthur A. Denny, who made some iron ore mining claims here in 1869.

F.M. Guye prospected across the valley on the peak now named for him around 1882, and later claimed and patented 12 mining claims in the floor of the valley and up the mountain roughly where the trail now is.

Summit East's origin dates back to the late 1930's when it was first operated as the Milwaukee Ski Bowl.

In 1931, the Snoqualmie Pass highway was kept open all winter for the first time, providing greater accessibility for the region's skiers, and the sport grew in popularity.

In January 1932, The Seattle Times said "the whole world seems suddenly to have gone skiing."

Interest in the sport by both jumpers and spectators grew rapidly and in 1933 the Seattle Parks Department applied for a permit from the United States Forest Service to establish a ski hill at Snoqualmie Pass.

Marguerite Strizek (seated), Ski Queen at opening ceremonies for Municipal Ski Park, Snoqualmie Summit, January 21, 1934

Ben Evans, Director of Playfields, Seattle Parks Department, 1935

In July 1936, the Times announced "W.P.A Will Build Jump Project." A 225-foot-capacity jump, designed by Peter Hostmark of the Pacific Northwest Ski Association, would give the West a hill comparable to the magnificent ones in Norway.

The difficulty in getting funds and labor to improve the Municipal Ski Park, and the criticism of the condition of the facilities by the Forest Service in 1937, likely contributed to the decision.

The jump was not built until 1938.

In spring of 1940, the Seattle Parks Department got out of the ski business after Seattle residents concluded that Snoqualmie Pass was too far away for a city park.

Summit Central's beginnings date back to 1948 when Ray Tanner purchased 350 acres of privately owned land east of Snoqualmie Summit and opened a new ski area named Ski Acres.

Thunderbird, Snoqualmie Summit's first chairlift, was installed in 1954.

Bob Mickelson and some friends bought an option to purchase some of the land in the valley floor from the then current owners sometime around 1960, hoping that they could make a ski resort on Denny Mountain and make a community out of the private property and sell it off in lots.

Alpental opened for the 1967-68 season.

Mueller, Ted: Northwest Ski Trails, 1968, Mountaineers Press

Privately operated cross country skiing operations began at Hyak as early as 1974.

Majors, Harry: Exploring Washington, 1975, Rip Van Winkle Publishing Co.

In 1977 Alpental was sold to Westours, a Seattle based Alaska tour operator.

In 1980, Webb Moffett's Ski Lifts, Inc. acquired Summit Central, combining the two largest ski areas on Snoqualmie Pass into a single operation.

In 1982, The Summit Nordic Center was built at the base of the Silver Fir triple-chair and, as it has from the beginning, the Summit Nordic center offers skiers 50 kilometers of machine groomed cross-country trails.

Their plan proved unsuccessful, and Westours sold Alpental to Ski Lifts, Inc. in 1983.

Around 1984 the Moffets (Ski Lifts Inc), who started out owning Snoqualmie Summit, and had already purchased Ski Acres from Ray Tanner, purchased Alpental, and created "The Big Three". Afterwards, they added a bankrupt Hyak to their collection, purchased from Safeco, a Hyak creditor.

In 1988, Summit Central expanded with the construction of the Silver Fir Triple chairlift, east of the existing ski area.

In 1992, Ski Lifts, Inc. purchased the Hyak Ski Area from Pac West.

In 1997, the Moffett's Ski Lifts, Inc. was purchased by Booth Creek Ski Holdings, Inc., the fourth largest ski resort company in the United States.

The name was only changed in 1998 when the double chair was replaced with a high-speed quad-chair.

In January of 2007, CNL Lifestyle Company, LLC, a Florida-based real estate investment trust, purchased and subsequently leased The Summit at Snoqualmie back to Booth Creek Ski Holdings.

2012 marks the 75th Anniversary for Snoqualmie.