Stevens Pass resort to replace 2 chair lifts and add trails, skill parks

Stevens Pass Mountain Resort has received approval from the U.S. Forest Service to replace two chair lifts, add a rope tow and expand its mountain bike area by adding new trails and two new skills parks.

The two chair lifts, Kehr’s (previously known as Big Chief) and Brooks, were built in the 1960s. Because both are getting older, they are starting to need more maintenance, said Alyssa Hetze, communications and social media manager. Replacing them also will improve the experience for skiers and snowboarders by reducing congestion and improving how people move around the mountain.

Hetze said there’s no timeline yet for when the replacement work will begin.

Kehr’s, currently a double lift, will be replaced with a fixed-grip, triple-chair lift. Brooks will be replaced with either a high-speed quad or a fixed-grip quad. On a fixed-grip chair, the chairs are attached permanently to one cable and the chairs move the same speed in the loading area and while traveling up the mountain. On a high-speed lift, the chair transfers to a slower cable while in the loading area, allowing passengers to load easily, and then the chair transfers back to a high-speed cable for a faster trip up the mountain.

The replacement of Kehr’s will also include removal of a water tank that is under the ramp used to access the lift. That will allow users to slide downhill to the lift, rather than having to climb uphill, and will help traffic flow more smoothly in that area. Kehr’s serves the area’s more difficult terrain, and also offers access to the Double Diamond lift to ski the backside of the ski area.

The Brooks chairlift is currently a two-person lift with a bar in the center. Brooks serves a lot of beginner and intermediate terrain. That style of lift can be intimidating for beginners and Hetze said replacing the chair will help ski and snowboard school students progress more quickly to intermediate terrains.

The lift will also serve the terrain park. Its increased carrying capacity will alleviate demand for some of the other lifts.

In short, Stevens Pass would like skiers and snowboarders to have more time on the snow and less time on the lifts or in line.

The rope tow, which will align with the Brooks lift, will serve a beginner area and an area with rails for skiers and snowboarders to play on. That park is currently served by chairlifts, so adding a rope tow would help reduce congestion on those lifts.

For the bike park, Hetze said Stevens Pass could begin work in 2016, once snow melts and the condition of the soil allows work, although plans are still tentative.

Stevens Pass would ultimately add about 4.3 miles of new trails and two new skill parks, one for advanced or expert riders and one for lower level riders to learn and improve.

“We’re seeing that mountain biking is an industry that is rapidly growing,” Hetze said. “The demand for trails is very high.”

In 2015, Stevens Pass saw a 45 percent increase in sales of season passes over the previous year. Hetze said Stevens Pass wants to remain competitive and keep riders coming back.

“We want to be able to service our bike park riders with different trail types and keep the level high here,” she said.

When Stevens originally submitted its plan for improvements to the Forest Service in March of 2013, it had asked for permission to expand its parking lots on the north side of U.S. 2. That part of the project has not yet been approved.

A few cabins in the area would need to be removed to make room for parking, although the plan includes leaving three cabins standing. The cabins that would be removed could potentially be listed as historic buildings, said Joe Neal, Skykomish Ranger District. However, Neal said, the buildings are in poor repair and probably not suitable to be listed.

The Forest Service’s archaeologist will submit information about the cabins to the State Historic Preservation Officer, who will determine if the buildings are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, said Barry Collins of the Skykomish Ranger District.

On good snow days, Hetze said, Stevens gets a lot of traffic and the parking lots can fill up. While they’re waiting for a decision on expanding parking, the resort is trying to communicate with visitors about the conditions. They have a twitter account, @stevensupdates, that offers updates on the parking situation and road conditions. While they wait for a decision, Stevens is looking at options for encouraging carpooling and the use of public transit.

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