PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A gondola may one day connect Summit Pass to Timberline Ski Area, according to Timberline’s 2022 Master Development Plan, which was shared publicly Tuesday.
Timberline recently consolidated its U.S. Forest Service permit area with the Summit Pass permit area. The two areas are now one, from the top of the Palmer lift to the bottom of Government Camp. It spans 4,500 vertical feet and 5 miles from top to bottom.
In a video Timberline posted online Tuesday, ski area president and area operator Jeff Kohnstamm said the plan is to begin operating both the Timberline and Summit Pass terrains as one ski area in the winter of 2022. While the construction and completion of a gondola could be several years away, Kohnstamm hopes people will be able to use Sno-Cat machines or shuttle buses to access both ski areas.
The installation of a 10-person gondola is the highlight of the Master Development Plan. Kohnstamm said it won’t only serve to transport skiers and snowboarders between Summit Pass to Timberline Lodge, but will also provide great sightseeing opportunities for tourists and should help alleviate some of the traffic congestion on Timberline Highway.
“Once you arrive at Government Camp, hopefully, you don’t need to get back in your car again. You can ride local shuttles or walk to Summit and certainly ski back down, if you’re skiing in winter, or ride your bike back down in summer,” Kohnstamm said.
According to the plan, Timberline also hopes to upgrade or replace the existing Summit Pass Chairlift, install a beginner surface lift, construct new trails to connect the upper portion of Timberline to the Summit Pass base area and expand its snowmaking system.
Kohnstamm said the U.S. Forest Service recently reviewed and accepted the 2022 Master Development Plan. He said this does not mean it approved any of the concepts in the plan, but it does mean the concepts are consistent with the forest management plan.
With the proposed developments, Kohnstamm said he envisions Government Camp becoming more pedestrian-oriented. He also thinks these changes would enhance the village’s liveability.
He said Timberline isn’t just focusing on improving traffic on Timberline Highway, but also on US-26, which often becomes congested as people arrive or depart from the Mount Hood ski areas.
R.L.K and Company, which operates Timberline, is working with Oregon Solutions and state officials to relocate the state rest area in Government Camp.
“The state rest area creates quite a bit of congestion in the upper intersection of Government Camp and we feel there’s a better alternative for a rest area that doesn’t impact the transportation issues in Government Camp,” Kohnstamm said.
The Master Development Plan explains that Timberline hopes to improve the Summit Pass Lodge and parking facilities. The planned Summit Pass Lodge would be built to expand guest services and will serve as an entry point for the larger Timberline area. The lodge would be approximately 20,000 square feet and would include space for a restaurant, ticketing, ski school, retail, restrooms and more.
Guests could use the drop-off zone or access public transit or parking lots. Timberline would also like to construct a deck on the northern and eastern sides of the lodge to allow guests to take in the view of Mount Hood. The deck would also provide direct access to the planned gondola and new Summit Pass Chairlift.
Summit Ski Area is the oldest continually operating ski area in the Northwest and the second-oldest in the United States.
“Our goal is to honor the history there, to keep it an affordable place to enter the sport of skiing. The terrain is still the same terrain; it’s very gentle, gradual, perfect beginner terrain,” Kohnstamm said.
Timberline plans for the Timberline Express Gondola to connect to a mid-station, which would provide access to a beginner ski area with two carpet lifts, a planned tubing site, an area for camping sites or overnight yurts, along with a small guest services facility.
The top of the gondola would include a small warming facility with a restroom and an ADA accessible path that connects the gondola to Timberline Lodge.
With the gondola’s completion, Timberline hopes to remove part of the existing parking lot in front of the Timberline Lodge and replace it with a large green space, a vehicle turn-around loop and a milling area for guests.
Timberline said it’s interested in hearing public input on the Master Development Plan. Kohnstamm said Timberline sees itself as a partner to the larger community and is working with the federal government, state government, county and local governments, and ODOT on its plans.
The company expects to take a phased approach in implementing and constructing its projects. The president said they’ll likely start with parking improvements and the construction of the gondola first and the other amenities will follow.
“The timeline is dependent on a bunch of things, but it’s not out of the question to be looking at this in a five-year time period,” Kohnstamm said.
Timberline purchased Summit Ski Area in 2018 and R.L.K. and Company began drafting plans for the terrain that same year.