Milwaukee Ski Bowl facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milwaukee Ski Bowl |
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 Milwaukee Ski Bowl
Location in the United States
Milwaukee Ski Bowl
Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | Hyak, Washington |
| Nearest city | Seattle |
| Coordinates | 47°23′24″N 121°23′49″W / 47.39°N 121.397°W |
| Vertical | 1,140 feet (350 m) |
| Top elevation | 3,740 feet (1,140 m) |
| Base elevation | 2,600 feet (790 m) |
| Lift system | 4 tows and Ski-Boggan (1946) |
Milwaukee Ski Bowl was a popular ski area in Washington, United States. It was open from 1937 to 1950. You could find it in the Cascade Range mountains, near Hyak. This spot was on the east side of Snoqualmie Pass, southeast of Seattle.
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History of Milwaukee Ski Bowl
The Milwaukee Ski Bowl was built by leaders from a railroad company. This company was called the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, also known as "The Milwaukee Road." They started building it in the fall of 1937.
The ski area had a big, two-story day lodge. It also had a surface lift to help skiers get up the hill. This lift was close to the entrance of the railroad's Snoqualmie Tunnel.
From Snoqualmie to Milwaukee
The ski area was first named "Snoqualmie Ski Bowl." It closed when World War II began. In 1946, it reopened with a new name: "Milwaukee Ski Bowl." This new name helped avoid confusion. There was another ski area nearby called The Snoqualmie Summit, about two miles away.
Milwaukee Ski Bowl was a big deal for its time. It was similar to Sun Valley, a fancy resort in Idaho. In early 1938, you could even go night skiing there! A lift ticket for a whole day cost one dollar. Or, you could pay ten cents for a single ride on the cable lift. This lift took skiers up about 300 feet.
Ski Runs and Activities
The ski bowl had five main runs. Each run was named after one of the railroad's popular trains. These names included Hiawatha, Chippewa, Arrow, Pioneer, and Olympian. Over time, more lifts were added to the area.
The ski area became even more popular when the Seattle Times newspaper started a free ski school. This school was for high school students from Seattle and Tacoma. In 1940, a round-trip train ticket to the ski area cost one dollar. Lift tickets were fifty cents. The large lodge could hold about one thousand people.
Ski Jumping Events
In 1941, a special ski jump was built. It was a Class-A jump, which meant it was very big. Some people said it was the largest in North America. Important national ski jumping events were held there. This included the tryouts for the 1948 Olympic team.
The End of an Era
Sadly, the main lodge burned down in the early morning of December 2, 1949. Even after the fire, the ski area reopened about a month later. For its last season, it operated out of several railroad cars. These cars were on a new spur line built just for the ski area.
In 1959, the ski area reopened under new owners. It was renamed Hyak. Today, it is known as Summit East. It has the lowest base elevation of the four Summit at Snoqualmie ski areas. Its base is about 2,600 feet above sea level.
The railroad company that built the ski area later went out of business. The old railroad path in the mountains is now a walking and biking trail. It is called Iron Horse State Park.
