Timberline Lodge history

First guests arrived for an overnight stay on February 4, 1938.

The Magic Mile chairlift was the longest chairlift in the world, and the second chairlift, of those built to be a chairlift when it opened in 1939.

In the 1950's, there was a sky riding bus that served as a tram from Government Camp to the Timberline Lodge.

Carrying skiers and visitors between Government Camp and the resort, the Skiway Aerial Tram operated until 1953 when technical complications forced it to shut down.

Despite being an unlikely candidate, with no background in the hospitality industry, Kohnstamm became the new operator for the lodge and ski area on May 28, 1955.

Summer skiing and summer race camps began at Timberline in 1956.

In 1975 the Friends of Timberline formed with a mission to restore Timberline Lodge to its original splendor.

Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977, Timberline Lodge is one of Oregon’s most popular tourist attractions, drawing nearly two million visitors every year.

The original Palmer chairlift opened for 1978 summer ski season on May 8th.

The exterior of the Timberline Lodge was used as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror film, The Shining.

Before the Palmer chairlift was constructed in 1983 (which provides access above the 7,000-foot (2,100 m) level), the conditions at Timberline allowed skiing from the Mile November through July or August.

Historic Hotels of America was founded in 1989 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation with 32 charter members.

The current Palmer chairlift was completed in 1996, and is built to withstand wind gusts of over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) and 200 inches (510 cm) of snow.

Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2017, Timberline Lodge is a symbol of historic preservation, genuine hospitality, and recreation.