49 Degrees North, Washington, is making headway on the latest of its recent improvement projects. The Spokane-area independent ski resort is installing a currently unnamed Doppelmayr quad chair, which will service the beginner terrain areas of Gold Chute and Treasure Hill on the mountain’s lower slopes. Given current updates, the lift is on track to be operational by the start of the 2026-27 ski season.
The new lift will replace the now-retired Payday chair, a fixed-grip two-seater that had been in operation since the resort’s inaugural season back in 1973. A number of the old double chairs were offered to the public in mid-July for $550 apiece. The tokens of memorabilia proved highly coveted, selling out in a matter of days.
This project is the latest in a slew of improvements at the northeastern Washington ski hill. In 2021, 49 Degrees North installed the Northern Spirit Express, a detachable quad lift transporting guests nearly 1,900 vertical feet from the resort’s base area to its summit, making it the longest single chairlift in the state of Washington.
The upgrade cut base-to-summit ride times in half, as the new lift replaced the now-decommissioned, fixed-grip double Bonanza chair, which fell from an overhead cable in 2020, injuring two guests. Prior to the installation of the Northern Spirit Express, 49 Degrees North was actually the largest ski resort in the country without a modern, detachable express chairlift.
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49 Degrees North has also invested over $1 million into recent snowmaking improvements. The resort not only purchased 15 new snow guns, but also installed a reservoir to feed its snowmaking equipment, allowing for earlier openings and season-long artificial snow production. There have also been whispers of impending future improvements at the resort, the most notable of which is the potential installation of a terrain-park-servicing rope tow, which would provide endless quick laps for park enthusiasts.
These infrastructural improvements should bolster the resort’s already strong footprint and terrain. Despite often being overshadowed by in-state competitors such as Stevens Pass and Crystal Mountain, 49 Degrees North can certainly hold its own, offering over 2,300 skiable acres and a more than respectable 1,871 feet of vertical drop. Additionally, given its Rockies-adjacent inland location, 49 Degrees North tends to receive lighter, drier accumulation than other parts of the region, making the resort a hidden gem for those seeking a laid-back, under-the-radar ski experience.