White Pass Expansion Underway (28-Jun-09)

White Pass, USA - Work is underway at White Pass ski area in Washington

SkiInfo - Work is underway at White Pass ski area in Washington state to expand the ski area over the coming two seasons.

One of the few new lift projects currently underway in North America, and one of the still rarer terrain expansions, is scheduled to be completed for winter 2010-2011 and will see two new quad chairlifts installed to open up the Hogback Basin area.

The new lifts will include Chairlift 5, a fixed grip quad chairlift approximately 3,500 feet in length with a top terminal elevation of 6,150’. Chairlift 5 will open up include four new ski trails and one lodge access trail along with an access trail from the existing Holiday Trail and an egress trail to the existing Quail Trail.

The second new chair, Chairlift 6, will be a detachable quad chairlift approximately 4,050 feet in length with a top terminal elevation of 6,460’. Chairlift 6 will access seven new trails and an egress trail to the mid-mountain lodge and onto the existing Quail Trail.  

All developed and undeveloped trails and facilities are in a sub-alpine area of naturally open vegetative terrain necessitating very little tree removal and almost no ground disturbance according to the ski area.

A new Mid-Mountain Lodge will be located on a slight ridgeline between chairlifts 5 & 6. This structure is seen by the area as a critical component in the development of the basin, by allowing the White Pass guest to enjoy the two upper chairlifts without returning to the base area for services. The footprint of the structure is planned to be approximately 2,000 sq. ft. with two levels.