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Ski49n
February 19, 2012
New this Year: Angel Peak Chair Lift
49° North Mountain Resort is getting ready for another major resort expansion. A new multi-million dollar banking relationship has been secured with Sterling Savings Bank providing financing for the ski area's expansion over the next several years. It’s only been 5 years since the completion of the massive Sunrise Basin project that included 19 new trails and a quad chairlift. It’s been 2 years since 7 trails and nearly 200 acres of glade terrain were added on Angel Peak. The ski area has purchased a double chairlift for Angel Peak. Steel fabrication started this February and the placement of towers over snow will start the day after ski area closes for the season. The placement of concrete in July, motor room in August the rope and chairs in early September, and the final load test in late September of 2012 will complete construction. The new Angel Peak chairlift will be ready for operation at the start of the 2012-2013 winter season. The Angel Peak chairlift will serve 1,144 vertical feet and be 4,336 long and it will move 1,100 people per hour to Washington's newest chairlift served summit, Angel Peak. Construction of the Mid-Mountain Lodge is set for the summer 2013. The new 4,800 square foot Mid-Mountain Lodge will be located at the top of the Blastface and Silver Ridge trail junction, overlooking the Pend Oreille Valley and the Sunrise Basin Quad chairlift. The facility will be three stories and includes easy access from Silver Ridge, a heated deck, a meeting area in the day-light basement, restrooms, a dining area with in-floor heating, and a first aid room. The lodge will also feature a full menu that will include beer and wine. The new lodge will provide stunning views east to Sunrise Basin and the surrounding Selkirk and Cabinet mountains of Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
Winter on Chewelah Peak
It’s been another wonderful La Nina winter on Chewelah Peak and in the mountains throughout the Inland Northwest. We opened the ski area one week before Thanksgiving for the 3rd straight year with some of the best opening day conditions we have seen in the resort’s long history. Six feet of snow accumulated in one week and the ‘ear to ear’ grins on our guest’s faces were priceless. We were able to enjoy the many sunny December days on a perfect base. January’s arrival blessed us with heavy storm systems and a re-emergence of the La Nina storm pattern. The entire Pacific Northwest enjoyed some of the best skiing and riding in the entire country. Our unique location in the northwest Rockies places us in a region that often gets hammered by legendary light and deep snowfalls each winter. This region is known to many locals as the ‘Powder Triangle’ for its ability to attract storms from both maritime and continental systems. Spring traditionally offers up some of the best skiing and riding of the entire year at 49° North Mountain Resort.
Grooming and Terrain Park
Our expert grooming team continues to create an exceptional skiing and riding surface on your favorite trails. The modern grooming fleet we employ provides families with excellent conditions that are predictable and enjoyable. This is a tradition you can expect to continue in our nightly quest to produce the best snow surface possible. Our park crew designs, builds, and grooms an outstanding park year after year. The freestyle terrain starts at the top of the Grubstake chairlift, continues to Claim Jumper and runs for ¾ mile to the Calispell Creek Lodge. The experienced park crew maintains the rails, boxes, and terrain features in one of the finest freestyle parks in the northwest Rockies. Visit our website to see more about the Smart Style program; go to The Mountain then Terrain Park or Safety for more information.
Travel: Roads & Shuttle
If you live in Spokane or Coeur d’Alene, getting to 49° North Mountain Resort has never been easier. Washington's newest alpine highway, the recently constructed Flowery Trail Road, is a wide modern highway leading to the ski area’s front door through Newport to Usk or from Chewelah. Spokane’s new 395 Highway North/South corridor's most northern end will be completed this summer providing a relaxing and much more convenient family drive in winter or summer. In order to provide the best mountain resort experience, 49° North continues the shuttle service on busy days to take you from the outer lots to the Calispell Creek Lodge. The shuttle grows in popularity do to the accommodating service provided by our knowledgeable staff and friendly drivers.
Winter Sports Foundation/ School & Youth Programs/Ski School
The 49° North Winter Sports Foundation’s Alpine Ski Team (FAST) is about more than just winning races. Our coaches are dedicated to developing skier team work, versatility, and all-around athleticism, both on and off of the racecourse. 49° North Mountain Resort’s School & Youth Programs teach students a life timesport in multi-week sessions customized for your school or group. Our programs are available to all area schools, youth groups and home school families. Theseprograms promote self-esteem, self reliance, and a healthy lifestyle ina supervised mountain environment. Our Ski and Snowboard School Instructors also cater to new, young and experienced skiers and snowboarders, helping them hone their skills on a variety of terrain, from learning the basics, to ripping out turns on groomed trails as well as in the powder!
Family and Friends are Most Important
Time spent in the mountains with family and friends provides memories for a life time. It is always great to hear mountain folk try to describe their winter alpine adventures to the flat lander. Mountain folk seem bigger, bolder, more self reliant, and adventuresome to all those around them. 49° North Mountain Resort is trying very hard to keep up with you and your family in your adventures. Next year's new chairlift to Angel Peak followed by a new lodge and other improvements over the ensuing years makes this Spring Season Pass sale a great bargain for individuals and families.
Dollar per acre, the Spring Season Pass at 49° North Mountain Resort is the best skiing and riding value in the Pacific Northwest. When you look around at the improvements to your favorite mountain resort, it is hard to see why 49° North has remained the northwest's best kept winter secret. We have big plans for your mountain and a clear vision to guide us together into the future. You and your family are the most important part of that future. We are committed to staying a family friendly winter resort with a community feel. We hope you noticed the efforts we took to accommodate all our visitors this past season, and that you plan to come back for another winter in the mountains next year. The season isn’t over yet, so purchase your 2012-2013 Season Pass and ski the rest of this season free!
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January 29, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: A striking pattern has emerged this winter season. Northwest ski resorts are enjoying some of the best conditions in the entire country right now. Almost all of the deepest snowpacks are in the Pacific Northwest and lower British Columbia. It appears as though the jet stream has stayed in the Pacific Northwest nearly the entire season.
For current statistics, please see the link below. http://unofficialnetworks.com/20-deepest-ski-resort-snowpacks-north-america-ii-71028/ “49° North is currently ranked #12 in the country for snowpack- and it looks like we’re going to be blessed with even more snow all throughout the week. La Nina has re-emerged as we have been enjoying some of the best conditions of the season so far” says Brad Naccarato, Marketing Director at 49° North. Here is a Facebook link to some video shot earlier this week. It showcases all the great powder we’ve been enjoying in the glades.
http://www.facebook.com/ski49n?ref=tn_tnmn#!/photo.php?v=301643926550758&set=vb.169455726407774&type=2&theater
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December 31, 2011
Announcing our first ever "Video of the Month" competition at 49 Degrees North. This is your opportunity to show us exactly what you've got! Each month we will be featuring a video shot here on the mountain. We will select the video with the best overall footage and production qualities and display it on our home page for the world to see. At the end of the season we'll take a look at each monthly winner and choose an overall winner. The overall winner shall recieve a free season pass for the 2012/13 season. Burn your edited video to a dvd and drop it off at the marketing office during operation hours. Submit as many as you would like. If you have any questions, send them to: marketing@ski49n.com
Now get out there and start shooting!**
**By submitting a video in this contest, all entrants grant to 49 Degrees North an exclusive, perpetual, unlimited, irrevocable, royalty-free right and license to use, edit, adapt, modify, reproduce, publicly display, publish, make derivative works from, or otherwise make any use of their video in any media and content whether now existing or later invented without any restrictions, right of approval or advance notification to the entrants of any kind, for commercial or non-commercial purposes, including without limitation, in future trade, publicity and/or advertising for 49 Degrees North products and/or services, unless prohibited by law.
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An Opening to Remember 11/11 View Details
November 26, 2011
What an exciting, whirlwind week it’s been up here at the mountain. It has now been officially 7 days since we announced our season opening (can you believe it)- and in that time frame, Mother Nature managed to pile up 6 feet of snow on our summit!! The opening weekend was one to be remembered with thigh deep powder, face shots, and hoots and hollers coming from all over the hill. I got very acquainted with the local media as the hill and our region went from fall to deep winter in about 2 seconds. Many skiers and riders commented that in all their years coming to 49 Degrees North, they’d never seen an opener quite like this. The best part is, it’s only November, and La Nina seems to have already taken hold of our season! We currently have close to 90% of the mountain open, and with a few approaching storms and the hard work of our grooming team, we are looking to have more open by the end of the week. As December approaches, a couple of events to keep in mind: Demo Day: December 18th
Come out and test all the latest and greatest skis and snowboards from our local shops. Free to the public (debit/credit card and valid ID required) One run per demo.
We have 2 demo dates this season: December 18th and January 14th Freeride Holiday Camp: December 26-28th
$149 – Instruction $189 - with Rental $229 - with Lift & Rental
This camp kicks off our season. It’s a fun camp for our riders and it focuses on skills and park etiquette. It’s a great opportunity for new riders to try their hand at hits and rails.
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New Developments at 49° 11/11 View Details
November 07, 2011
You might not be able to see them yet, but there are several new developments at 49 Degrees North Mountain Resort. This past summer, the resort announced the construction of a new mid-mountain lodge at the intersection of Blastface and Silver Ridge ski runs. This new lodge will feature majestic views of the Sunrise Basin, and the Pend Oreille river valley all the way to the Cabinet Mountains. In addition a new chairlift to access Angel Peak will be built. According to Marketing Director Brad Naccarato: “The popularity of the resort and snow sports in general means that it can be challenging for large groups or families to find room to spread out in the main lodge on a Saturday at noon.” Naccarato says that the mid-mountain lodge will help to remove some lunch-time foot traffic in the main lodge as well as provide people the chance to get right back on their skis, instead of having to take a lift ride after eating. It will also provide a European feel, where people can sit on the deck and watch others ski past. The resort broke ground over the summer for the lodge and put utilities in place. Construction is tentatively set for 2012/13. The facility will be two stories and will include easy access from Silver Ridge, a heated deck, a meeting area in the daylight basement, indoor restrooms with handicap access, a dining area with in-floor heating, a first-aid room, a great menu and stunning views of the Sunrise Basin and the surrounding mountains. The resort also bought a new chairlift a year ago. “This summer, we did all of the legwork in terms of getting the ground broke and rearranging some of the runs over on Angel Peak, because the chair is ultimately going to access the Angel Peak, ” Naccarato says. The new chairlift will encourage more people to experience the newly expanded glade terrain, which was previously accessible only by a 10-minute boot hike. “You’ll have a lot more options for tree skiing now,” Naccarato says. Making the Most of It If you’re not familiar with the mountain, get acquainted with one of the mountain hosts, a group of volunteers who provide tips and tours to help visitors get acquainted with the mountain. “The first thing you need to do when you have a limited time is to formulate a plan,” says mountain host director Gary Deaver. Before coming to the mountain, decide what kind of skiing and what level you want to do. Once you do that, mountain hosts can tailor a one-hour tour to the kind of experience you want. Deaver, who is also the mountain’s patrol director, meets with hosts, patrollers, lift operators and groomers every morning to discuss the mountain’s conditions. Even if you are an advanced skier who knows the mountain well, the hosts or patrollers will know which runs have been groomed and how much. If you’d rather explore on your own, Deaver suggests knowing weather patterns from the night before. For example, winds from one direction means the powder will be softer on the opposite side of the mountain. Or after a warmer day that melts some snow, runs will freeze overnight and be much slicker the next morning, but the east face will softer because of the sun. Special Deals The resort has scheduled four night-skiing sessions to benefit the Chewelah Food Bank. On Jan. 7, 14, 21 or 28, bring $4 and two cans of food and enjoy live music and the illuminated mountain after dark. Yoke’s Foods and Qdoba Mexican Grill are offering vouchers that allow two people to ski for the price of one on Tuesdays. Toyota Ski Free Day is on Feb. 24, and Toyota Ski Free Week is the resort’s last week of operation, April 2-8. The resort is completely open to the public on these days. Did You Know? Although it’s called 49 Degrees North — a reference to its latitude — the resort is actually located much closer to
the 48th parallel.
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Major Expansion Project Announced View Details
June 14, 2011
June 14, 2011 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
49° North Announces Major Expansion Project
It has only been 5 short years since the completion of the massive Sunrise Basin project that included 19 new runs and a quad chairlift, and 2 years since new terrain was added on Angel Peak, but 49° North Mountain Resort is getting ready for yet another major resort expansion. The ski area announced today that they have acquired a new double chair for Angel Peak. Building the new Angel Peak lift is slated to begin next year, as is the construction of the Mid-Mountain Lodge and adding the finishing touches on the new North parking area. Work on the expansion is scheduled to begin during the summer of 2012 and should be completed prior to the start of the 2012-13 ski & snowboard season.
“We are extremely pleased to be able to get this project going with private funding, and to partner with the United States Department of Agriculture,” said John Eminger, President & CEO of 49° North.
The initial construction phase of the project will employ approximately 12 people, and the resort expects to add an additional 6-8 employees to work as lift operators on the Angel Peak chair and food and beverage handlers at the mid mountain lodge. Adding the new chair lift and lodge will also serve to increase annual skier visits to the resort, which will result in additional tax revenue for the state and county. Additionally, local businesses in Stevens and Pend Oreille counties should see more visitor traffic in their establishments as the number of snow sports enthusiasts travelling to the resort increases.
The Angel Peak chairlift is a fixed grip double chair and was purchased from Copper Mountain Resort, CO this spring, and is approximately 1,150 vertical feet with about 4,400 feet of slope length. A 200 horsepower drive station will be placed on the summit of Angel Peak, and the tensioning of the lift will be at the return terminal which will be located about 150 feet to the east of the bottom of Chair #4. In addition to the drive and return terminals, the new chairlift will have approximately 14 towers and will be the 4th longest of the 7 lifts owned and operated by 49° North. Once completed, the Angel Peak chairlift will be able to transport about 1,100 people per hour to the summit, with a ride time of just under 10 minutes. Installation of the Angel Peak chair lift will begin during the summer of 2012. Trail construction on Angel Peak was started in August of 2009, and included the addition of 7 runs and nearly 200 acres of glade terrain. For the last 2 years, access to the upper reaches of Angel Peak has only been possible by those willing to make a 10-15 minute hike from the intersection of Lost Dutchman and the 4800’ Road. With the new chair in place, skiers and riders will have nearly unlimited access to some of the finest terrain 49° North has to offer.
“The upper half of Angel Peak has, for the most part, seen very little traffic over the last 2 seasons,” said Brad Northrup, Director of Sales and Marketing. “Obviously, adding a chairlift to the summit of Angel Peak will change that dynamic entirely. The new chairlift will give skiers and riders a great opportunity become familiar with the new terrain, but it will also spread folk out a bit more across the entire mountain,“ said Northrup.
The Angel Peak project area sits adjacent to the proposed Quartzite Wilderness Area, the southern-most unlogged drainage in the Colville National Forest. Gazing into this rugged area, one can see massive stands of old-growth Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, western hemlock, and western cedar. Needless to say, the sight is breath-taking.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have a proposed wilderness area right next to the resort, “said Eminger. “From the top of Angel Peak, our guests will have the opportunity to view one of the most pristine ecosystems in the Colville National Forest, and hopefully folks will take interest in this amazing resource. We could not be more supportive in the effort to have this space designated as wilderness,” said Eminger.
The new Mid-Mountain Lodge will be located at the top of the Blastface and Silver Ridge trail junction, overlooking the Pend Oreille valley and the East Basin. The facility will be two stories, and includes easy access from Silver Ridge, a heated deck, a meeting area in the day-light basement, indoor restrooms with handicap access, a dining area with in-floor heating, a first aid room, a great menu that will include beer and wine, and stunning views of the Sunrise Basin and the surrounding mountains of Northeast Washington. After reviewing several architectural designs, 49° North’s management team has selected a design that is both efficient and aesthetically pleasing to guests (see sketch below).
“Having a satellite lodge in place up on the mountain will not only provide our guests with convenient food and beverage service in a beautiful setting, but should also take pressure off of the base area lodge during busy weekends and holidays,” said Eric Bakken, 49° North’s Mountain Manager.
The new North parking lot was cleared as part of the 2009 Angel Peak terrain expansion project, and is located just west of the ski area entrance road across from the Nordic Center. The summer of 2012 will witness the final construction phase of the lot. Once finished, the new 5 acre North parking lot will be capped with crushed rock and will accommodate an additional 640 cars. For the 2012-13 ski and snowboard season, guests parking in the North lot will be shuttled to the Calispel Creek lodge via the existing ski area shuttle service. Due to the resort’s popularity, a small portion of the new North lot was used to handle a massive volume of vehicles during the 2010-11 season.
Celebrating 75 years of skiing tradition this next season, 49° North Mountain Resort is Washington State’s 2nd largest ski & snowboard resort, and is located 10 miles east of the town of Chewelah in the Colville National Forest. President Teddy Roosevelt created the Colville Forest Reserve on March 1, 1907, midway through his second term in office. Presently, the Colville National Forest has 1.1 million acres in north eastern Washington and includes the Kettle River, Selkirk mountain ranges, and the upper reaches of the Columbia River. Residents and visitors enjoy the Colville National Forest's wild huckleberries, camping, hiking trails (486 miles), OHV trails, mountain biking, horse trails, lakes, rivers, and streams. The forest also boasts exciting wildlife such as the grizzly and black bears, cougars, bald eagles and the last remaining herd of mountain caribou in the U.S.
“We are very fortunate to be able to operate a business in such a beautiful setting, and we are optimistic that the expansion project will not only bring additional dollars to our local economy, but a sense of appreciation for our outdoor resources as well,” said Eminger. “Conducting business with this type of philosophy is what has made us successful in the past, and should prove to be successful in the future as we move forward with additional expansion projects.”
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April 14, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 14, 2011 Record Season for 49° North
49° North Mountain Resort, Washington State’s 2nd largest ski resort, announced today that the 2010-2011 ski and snowboard season was a record year. The resort witnessed the most skier visits on record for normal operations, and received the most total snowfall in at least the last decade. “Other than the year when we operated 7 days a week, this was the most skier visits we have ever seen,” said Brad Northrup, Director of Sales & Marketing. “I am not at liberty to disclose the actual numbers, but they were definitely impressive,” said Northrup.
At the end of the season, 49° North reported a summit snow depth of 212”, and a total snowfall amount of 373”. Monthly snowfall numbers were well above normal throughout the season, with December, February, and March being the largest. “Receiving the amount of snowfall that we did made for some incredible conditions all season long,” said Northrup. “The icing on the cake was the quality of snow we received in the last month of operation. People kept commenting on how they could not believe it was March or April. You just have to love what a La Nina weather pattern can do, ” said Northrup.
According to resort management, the season’s success was attributed to static pricing, new terrain, demand, and overall snow conditions. “I think many people in the region were ready to get out and recreate in the mountains this past winter, and we able to provide that kind of opportunity at a a very affordable price,” said Northrup. “What was great to see was the excitement level of our guests. It was impossible to miss the grins on everyone’s faces, and that is why we are in this business,” said Northrup.
2011-2012 season passes are currently on sale, with no change to pricing from last year. Adults can purchase a 2011-12 season pass for only $249, while Youth passes are just $169. The resort also offers discounted passes for Military service members, College Students, and Primetimers, to name a few. Additionally, season pass buyers can pay half of next year’s season pass now, and the second half by June 1, 2011. The Spring Season Pass Sale ends May 5, 2011.
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November 22, 2010
49° North Opens Before Thanksgiving for 2nd Straight Year For local skiers and riders, Saturday, November 20th was a case of déjà vu. 49° North Mountain Resort opened its doors to the public on the exact same day as it did last year, marking the second time in the last two years that the largest resort in Eastern Washington has opened before the Thanksgiving Holiday.
“With a strong La Nina weather pattern this year, I am not surprised that we were able to open before Thanksgiving,” said Brad Northrup, the resort’s Director of Marketing. “It is always great if we can give skiers and riders the opportunity to get on snow early. It definitely makes for a longer season, and I think people appreciate it if we can get things going as early as possible,” said Northrup.
During the weekend of November 20-21, 49° North ran two of its three summit chairlifts, as well as its beginner chair on the lower mountain. Skier and rider turnout was average, with over half of the main parking lot full on both days. Conditions on the upper mountain were deemed “really good” by several skiers and riders who travelled to the mountain to get in a day on the slopes. Click here to see the TV coverage. 49° North will resume operations on Thursday, November 25th (Thanksgiving Day) through Sunday, November 28th. During this period, the resort will be running all chairs with holiday pricing in effect. On Thanksgiving Day, chairs will be operating from 9:00am to 3:00pm. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, chairs will run from 9:00am to 3:30pm. 
photos: Brad Northrup 
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2010 Opening Day Announcement View Details
November 19, 2010
November 19, 2010. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 49° North Announces Opening Date
49° North Mountain Resort announced today that it will be open on Saturday, November 20th, and Sunday, November 21st, 2010. Chairs 1 & 3 will be running from 9:00am to 3:30pm. Silver Ridge, King and Queen will be accessible on Chair 1, and Treasure Hill will be open on Chair 3. Ticket prices will be $30 for adults, and $20 for youth. After the week-end, the resort will resume operations on Thursday, November 25th thru Sunday, November 28th. According to Brad Northrup, the resort’s Director of Sales & Marketing, conditions are near-perfect for an early opening. “We have received nearly 4 feet of snow on the upper mountain in the last three weeks. More importantly, the snow that has fallen has had a good amount of moisture in it, which is ideal for creating a solid base. We are definitely off to a great start.” said Northrup. This early opening will mark the second year in a row that the resort has opened before the Thanksgiving holiday.
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October Storm Unloads on 49° North View Details
October 26, 2010
49° North Mountain Resort announced today that the recent storm system which hit the mountains of Northeast Washington dropped 16” of new snow on the resort. According to Brad Northrup, Director of Sales & Marketing, nearly a foot of new snow came down between noon on Monday and Tuesday morning.
“I knew from looking at the weather forecast that we were going to get a good shot of snow late Monday and early Tuesday, but to receive this much was a real surprise.” said Northrup. “When Mother Nature does this, all you can do is smile.” As of Tuesday afternoon, 49° North was reporting a snow depth of 16” on the summit and 5” at the base area. More snow is in the forecast for the remainder of the week for the mountains of Northeast Washington. 49° North traditionally opens around Thanksgiving, but the resort can open earlier, snowpack permitting. 
Photos by Eric Bakken
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Latest Aerial Photos Released View Details
March 01, 2010
On a crystal clear day in late February, 49° North Marketing Director Brad Northrup met up with local pilot Greg Coleman at the Chewelah Airport. The two loaded into Coleman’s plane and quickly flew towards Chewelah Peak. When they reached the mountain, the view that greeted the two was simply stunning.
“ I thought the view was great when I did a flyover this past summer, but seeing the mountain in its entirety during the winter is absolutely breathtaking,” said Northrup. “ It really gives you an idea as to the massiveness of the resort and just how picturesque the area is.”
The Mountain
Summit of Chewelah Peak
Angel Peak
Central Basin
East Basin
All Photos by Brad Northrup Pilot: Greg Coleman
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The Christening of Angel Peak View Details
November 24, 2009
After receiving heavy snowfall for nearly two weeks, it was only a matter of time until first tracks were put down on Angel Peak. On Tuesday morning, November 24th, 49° North Mountain Resort Owner and President John Eminger and his Sr. Staff loaded two snow cats and made their way to the summit of Angel Peak to christen the largest resort expansion project in Washington State this year.
The group made their way down the run Angel Heart, which cuts straight down the middle of Angel Peak proper, crossed lost Dutchman, and exited at the bottom of the West Basin. With 6-10 inches of fresh powder on top of a good base layer, the whooping and laughing that echoed through the trees said it all.
“This is where all of the hard work finally pays off,” said Eminger after making fresh tracks down the first half of the run. “It is one thing to see the runs from the air or from the road, but when you can actually get on it and experience the slope itself, that’s when you know you did it right.”
Getting Geared Up On Angel Peak Summit Photo: Curt Bishop
Picking the Line Photo: Curt Bishop
Skier: John Eminger Photo: Curt Bishop
Skier: Brad Northrup Photo: Curt Bishop
Skier: Rick Brown Photo: Curt Bishop
Skier: Terry Richmond Photo: Curt Bishop
Skier: Eric Bakken Photo: Curt Bishop
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November 23, 2009
The smiles said it all. After receiving over two feet of new snow in a two week period, 49° North had what many customers called the best early season opening in recent memory. On Saturday, November 21st, with temperatures in the upper 20’s and plenty of fresh snow on the edges of the groomed runs, few could believe it was only late November.
“In the 9 years that I have worked here, I have never seen the mountain in this good of shape so early.” said Brad Northrup, the resort’s Marketing Director. “The heavy snowfall we received in the weeks leading up to our opening day had a good amount of moisture in it that provided us with near perfect base building conditions, and the new snowfall we picked up Saturday night and throughout the day on Sunday only made things better. You really have to give the credit to Mother Nature and our grooming crew.” See the Opening Day TV coverage here.
Turnout for both Saturday and Sunday was about average, with about ¾ of the parking lot full on both days. The resort had groomed 32 of the 34 open runs, and lift lines were non-existent. Coverage on the main groomed runs, such as Silver Ridge, Huckleberry Ridge, Bugaboo, and Big Bear was more like that of late December or early January. Combined with the fresh powder just off the beaten path, few had trouble finding that perfect run on their first day of the 2009-2010 Season at 49° North.
49° North will be open Tuesday, November 24th with Chairs 1,3, and 5 operating from 9:00am to 3:30pm. The resort will be closed Wednesday, November 25th, but will open again on Thursday (Thanksgiving), November 26th and will remain open through Monday, November 30th. From Thanksgiving Day through Sunday, November 29th, 49° North will be operating all chairs with Holiday pricing in effect.
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Anonymous Happy Skiers at Chair 1 base Photo:Brad Northrup 11/21/09
Base area on Saturday Photo: Brad Northrup 11/21/09
Skiers and Riders on Silver Ridge Photo:Brad Northrup 11/21/09
Skier:Christian Harris Run:Silver Jack Photo:Brad Northrup 11/22/09
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Angel Peak Project Completed View Details
October 01, 2009
49° North Mountain Resort is excited to announce that the development of Angel Peak has been completed! Angel Peak is a 5295’ sub peak of the Chewelah Mountain crest and is located northwest of the summit of Chewelah Mountain. The project began in July of 2009 and was a collaboration between 49° North and the United States Forest Service. During the hot days of summer, local logging, forestry, and heavy construction contractors transformed Angel Peak into seven new runs and thinned approximately 170 acres to create more of the legendary glades that 49° North is known for. The upper half of Angel Peak will be hike-to terrain, while the lower section will be accessible via Chair #4 and the existing run “Lost Dutchman” that traverses across the middle of Angel Peak. Brad Northrup, Director of Sales & Marketing at 49° North, recently flew over the Angel Peak project area in a small bush plane and took some amazing photos that clearly show the new runs, as well as the new glades. “This project turned out better than we expected,” said Northrup. “The new groomed runs have some really unique characteristics that people will enjoy, and the new glades below the summit pyramid and Lost Dutchman are about as perfect as you can get.” A majority of the new terrain on Angel Peak will be open during the 2009/2010 season, and planning is already underway for the installation of a new chairlift to the summit of Angel Peak in 2011.
While the Angel Peak development was the primary objective for the summer, other resort projects were completed as well. A new north parking lot was cleared in late August, which will help alleviate parking overflow that has occurred due to the resort’s popularity. A new expanded front deck has also been built, which will allow more of 49° North’s customers to enjoy those brilliant sunny days that the resort frequently receives. Perhaps the most interesting addition to the mountain has been the installation of a public restroom on the summit of Chewelah Peak, making it the highest toilet in Northeast Washington State. 
Photos taken by Brad Northrup
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August 28, 2009
Chances are you have read about it or heard about it from friends. Here is the first sneak peek. Angel Peak is the largest addition to skiing and riding in the State of Washington this year! . This photo was taken 8.27.09 during a fly over and shows all seven of the new runs, and you can make out the gladed terrain just below the summit ridge. Just add snow!! (1).jpg)
Photo: Brad Northrup 8.27.09
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