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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Schweitzer Resort ready to open Sky House summit lodge

Visitors to Schweitzer Mountain Resort soon can sit on top of the world with a warm drink in their hands.

The ski resort near Sandpoint is about to open Sky House, a year-round lodge at the peak of Schweitzer Mountain. The two-story lodge with a restaurant, bar and café offers panoramic views of the Selkirk Mountains, Lake Pend Oreille and the entire resort.

“It’s pretty amazing – as you come up the Great Escape lift for the first time, you see the building immediately. It’s just fantastic,” said Dig Chrismer, marketing manager for the resort, which is owned by a privately held family trust.

As accustomed as she is to the view of Lake Pend Oreille from the summit, Chrismer said the addition of the lodge “has changed that gorgeous view in a way that makes it even more attractive and amazing.”

Sky House, perched at an elevation of 6,375 feet, is scheduled to open early next week and will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We know the lodge will become a destination attraction during the summer and winter seasons, providing another reason for outdoor enthusiasts to add Schweitzer to their ‘must visit’ lists,” Tom Chasse, president and CEO of Schweitzer Mountain Resort, said in a statement.

The $3.8 million, 9,000-square-foot summit lodge is the first major project since the White Pine Lodge was built in 2008. Sky House was designed by Sandpoint architect Tim Boden and engineered by Dave Thompson. Idagon Homes, a Sandpoint-based construction company, managed the project since breaking ground in July 2015.

Construction atop the mountain was a challenge, Chrismer said.

“We were definitely seasonally locked in,” she said. “I give a huge kudos and a lot of credit to Idagon and the crews that have been working with them to manage this project so well.”

Workers reached the site via a service road to the top of the mountain. “When we first brought in the concrete trucks last July, that was incredible to watch,” Chrismer said.

Work came to a halt through last winter, and to finish detail work in recent weeks, crews rode the chairlift up to the lodge.

“They accepted those challenges, they worked within the confines of nature and weather,” Chrismer said.

The lodge sits on a saddle between the Great Escape lift from mountain’s front side and the Snow Ghost chair on the back side.

The main floor features The Nest restaurant and a full-service bar along with the Red Hawk café. There is indoor and outdoor seating for up to 180 people.

The mountain-top services will relieve pressure on other resort restaurants.

“Anybody who has been up here on a busy day at Schweitzer knows the day lodge is just crammed full of people,” Chrismer said. “So having the Sky House will give us that added space on the mountain, which is fantastic.”

The new restaurant and café also will offer menu items that differ from what’s served in the village, she said.

Under head chef Peter Tobin, The Nest will serve fare from Sandpoint-based purveyors, including coffee from Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters, wine from Pend d’Oreille Winery and beer from MickDuff’s Brewing Company. The menu is comprised of small-plate options like sausage sliders, roasted curried cauliflower, raclette potatoes, New England clam chowder and roasted chicken wings.

Tobin has worked with the Seattle Seahawks and as an educator at the Inland Northwest Culinary Academy.

The ground floor of the building is the new home for ski patrol dispatch, and also provides much-needed restrooms on the summit.

People can ride the lift up and visit the lodge even if they are not a skier or snowboarder. A single-ride lift ticket costs $20.

The lodge also will cater to private events, meetings, retreats, summer festivals and an enhanced venue for mountaintop weddings. Call (208) 263-9555 ext. 2820 or email groups@schweitzer.com.