Much Improved Mount Spokane Has Undergone Several Changes, Beginning With The Road Leading To The Summit

Skiers and snowboarders heading to Mount Spokane this season will notice improvements even before they reach the resort.

The windy road leading to the summit, washed out by a slide last April, has been repaired, and several hairpin turns made wider.

“The timing (of the washout) couldn’t have been better,” says General Manager Kirk Duncan. “If it had washed out sooner, it would have ended our season. Any later, and they might not have been able to get the repair job done.”

Resort crews have been busy, too, although not all the enhancements are obvious. For instance, Chair No. 1’s haul rope - the brawny wire cable that chairs hang from - was replaced. Dating back to 1956, when the chair was installed, “It was the oldest haul rope operating in North America,” says Duncan.

Chairs No. 2 and 3 got new motors, and No. 2 was fitted with a new gear box. “These things cost $100,000,” Duncan notes, “but nobody will ever see them.”

Changes they will notice, though, include the resumption of full services at Lodge No. 1 on weekends.

“Lodge No. 2 can’t handle the business we have right now,” Duncan explains. Lodge No. 1 can accommodate 200 to 300 guests, he says, taking pressure off the bigger No. 2 and slopes leading to it.

Expert skiers will find more tempting terrain at Mount Spokane this season, with the reopening of Lost Woods and Powder Chute - two steep runs closed years ago by the previous management. “We also did some nice glading in the Chair 4 area,” says Duncan.

Since 1997, when the nonprofit group Mount Spokane 2000 took over management of the resort, annual sales have jumped from $900,000 to $2 million.

“Skier visits were up 30 percent last year (to 75,000), and we exceeded our goal of 10,000 students,” reports Duncan.

“Our main concern now is parking,” he says. “Some days we’re maxed out. And we need to expand our uphill capacity for beginners and low intermediates. We need another beginner chair on our teaching hill, and another chair parallel to No. 3.”

Adult day passes on weekends and holidays are up $2 this season, to $29. Night skiing is $15, up from $12.

“My greatest personal frustration,” Duncan says, “is that we are an underfunded ski club, that’s all there is to it. We need to get ourselves on better financial footing.”

Not that Duncan is an apologist.

“Anybody can feel comfortable on this hill,” he says. “A lot of people think we’re just a small little momand-pop operation. But we’ve got state-of-the-art grooming machines, we’ve got excellent rental equipment, and the best night skiing around.

“What Spokane people need to ask themselves is, are you going to drive forever or ski? That pretty much says what we’re all about.”

Location: 45 minutes northeast of Spokane via Highway 206. Tickets: Adults (21-61) weekend/holiday all-day, $29; night only, $15; midweek, $22; young adults (16-20), college students, military, seniors (62-70) weekend/holiday all-day, $26; night only, $15; midweek, $19; youth (7-15) weekend/holiday all-day, $23; night only, $15; midweek, $16; seniors (71 and older), weekend/holiday/night, $10; midweek, $5. Hours: 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday; open daily during holidays. Child care: $5/hour (under 2 years old, $6/hour). Lessons: Walk-in group lessons start at $20 for 90 minutes; assorted day packages start at $39 for lesson, rental and lift ticket. Nordic: Excellent 25K cross-country trail system in nearby Mount Spokane State Park. Sno-Park parking permit ($40) required. Snow phone: (509) 443-1397. General information: (509) 238-2220. E-mail: ski@mtspokane.com. Web site: www.mtspokane.com.