Summit East and the "Hyak" Ski Patrol - A Timeline

 by Bill Brockway (May 2018)

For a narrative history of Hyak by Shirley Cummings - Click here

Year(s)	Historical Event
1936	​Snoqualmie Snow Owls (a pre NSP First Aid group) is operational headquartered at the Washington Alpine Club at Snoqualmie Pass.
1936 - 1939	Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railroad (AKA later as “The Milwaukee Road Railway”) establishes a “ski area known as the Snoqualmie Ski Bowl” at the “Hyak Station”.  Patrons commuted via train which included an aid station/car. In 1939 a group of aid people/patrollers from the Washington Alpine Club volunteered to staff the Hyak aid railcar and was known as the Hyak Ski Patrol.  Ted Wielander was the Patrol Director
1938 -1947	​Snoqualmie Ski Bowl at Hyak in operation with a lodge known as the Milwaukee Lodge built after it opened. The lodge was destroyed by a fire in 1947.  The Ski area continued to operate into the early 1950’s with most commuting and services continuing to operate out of train cars.
1959	​The “modern A Frame” Hyak Ski Lodge (without the lean-toos on either side)is built and the Hyak Ski Area opens with two Poma Lifts and three rope tows including a “Bunny Tow”. The Aid Room is a small room in the rear of the new lodge.  The “modern” Hyak Ski Patrol is established by a group of patrollers from the Snoqualmie Summit Ski Patrol with John Hight as it’s first patrol director.
1960 - 1961	​A Pan Abode precut cabin package was installed at the top of Poma Lift number two.  That building is the present day “Hut”.
1962 - 1963	​Two small railroad buildings are moved from the town of Hyak to the present site of the Hyak Ski Patrol Building.  One building was used as a ski rental (and or ski school) shop, the other as the aid station/Ski Patrol Room.  Two or three more rope tows added.
October 12,1962	​The Columbus day storm “blows down” many acres of timber creating the future Blow-Down and Creek Runs areas.
1963 - 1964	​The center section (between the Patrol Room and Ski Shop) was added forming most of the final footprint of the current Hyak Ski Patrol  building. A new ski shop ski school building was built up slope from the patrol building.
1965 - 1966	​Upper parking lot expanded and cleared to Highway 10 (now the frontage road).  Hidden Valley Chair lift planned and constructed, It opened for the 1966-1967 season.
1967 - 1968	​North lean-too built onto the Hyak Ski Lodge.  Night Skiing operational with electrical load center in the “Hut” .  Lower parking lot logged and rough graded. Hyak Estates Divisions 1, 2, and 3 platted and lot sales in progress.
1969 - 1970	​Lower parking lot operational.
1973 - 1974	Suncrest Condo’s built?  Dormitory addition to the patrol building. Nordic skiing operation added?  South lean too added to the lodge?
1975 - 1996	​Several ski area ownership and name changes including Mt. Hyak, Hidden Valley, and Pacific-West.
1975 - 1976	​Easy Gold Chair built to replace Poma Lift #1.  “Beer Can” water tank installed?
1987 - 1988	​Keechelus Chair Lift. Creek system and Blow – Down ski runs formalized. Sundance Condo built?
1989 - 1990	​Lights on the creek runs?
1992 - 1993	​Hidden Valley Chair Lift out of operation?  Hidden Valley ski runs closed. Grand Junction Nordic Ski Hut.
1996 - 1997	​Ski area purchased by Ski Lifts Inc. and made a part of the four areas known as The Pass”.  Hill lighting moved to Alpental.
1999	​Hyak Ski Patrol’s membership downsized.
2001 - 2002	​Booth Creek purchases the area.  Hyak Ski Area known as Summit East.
2008 - 2009	​A slide on the main ski hill destroys the Keechelus Chair Lift and damages the Easy Gold Chair Lift.  Only Nordic Ski Operations continue.  Alpine Ski Patrollers fulfill their duty shifts at the other three areas.
2010 - 2011	​The East Peak and the new Hidden Valley chair lifts begin operation. Extensive hill grooming and cutting and naming of new ski runs on the “back side” (AKA Hidden Valley) also completed.
2013 - 2014	​For the third time in recent history (mid 70’s to the present) lack of snow led to a non ski season.  Rampart Quad Chair lift was built and tested (twice) but not opened due to lack of snow.
2015 - 2017	​Three chair lifts in full operation. 2016-2017 season had record skier attendance and a near record snow pack.  Underground power completed to the top of the mountain, and activated, with all three chairlifts now on electric power.  Sarah’s Run dedicated in honor of Sarah Powers.
2018	​Boyne Mountain Resorts competes the purchase of the Summit at Snoqualmie, after having operating and managing it for many years on a lease from the investment group owners.

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