After several years of skiing at Silver Mountain, this past year I switched to 49°N, a similarly sized operation just slightly further away in Chewelah, Washington.

49°N bills themselves as “The Northwest’s Favorite Family-Friendly Mountain Resort.” They aren’t kidding. It doesn’t have the steep slopes of nearby Schweitzer, and honestly even Silver has some steeper slopes. But it’s affordable, it’s accessible, and it’s shockingly friendly.

So far this year, either I or a close friend of mine have experienced the following acts of good will or grace:

  • The mountain gave my friend John their drill and some brushes so he could create a “race course” for his three year old
  • When Stefi asked how much it would cost to rent a helmet, the response was “here, bring it back when you’re done” (no form, no deposit)
  • The man in charge of the ski school remembered Stefi by voice and asked how she had been doing when she returned 6 days later
  • The lifties remember remember how many runs I’ve had that day and give out friendly banter about “going back for more”
  • The trees are perfectly spaced. Tight enough to provide a challenge, not so tight as to be dangerous.
  • The bar pours shockingly strong drinks. The bloody mary at 49°N is the best of the Northern Idaho/Eastern Washington resorts, by far. They don’t mess around.
  • The groomers know what they are doing. I don’t want to be on the groomers, but it’s nice to know that when the powder isn’t available, the smooth slopes are worth the trip.
  • The progression of slopes from beginner to intermediate to expert is about as good as I’ve seen anywhere.
  • The bunny slope is nearly as good as at Schweitzer. It’s shorter, which means shorter runs, but it also means less waiting while the chair stops for inexperienced skiers and riders.
  • Food drive night skiing. ‘Nuff said.

And then there are the fun little tidbits.

  • The biggest upside to Silver is the gondola. The biggest downside to Silver is the gondola. The ride up is great, until you want to go back to your car to eat lunch. Or it gets windy. 49 has a proper access road to the base, as it should be.
  • Too cheap to stay in a motel? Just drag your trailer up, $18 and you can stay.
  • To encourage exploration, we have started to “find all the bells they’ve hidden on the mountain.” I know where one is, I know that at least one other exists (I’ve heard it), and I know of rumors that there’s at least one other. As if I needed to find an excuse to further explore.
  • The ownership is investing in the mountain. It’s clear that everybody associated with the place truly loves it and thinks of it as more than a job.
  • Each March, they have a “Bavarian race”. Skiing with beer!

I have finally found a place that matches up to my very fond memories of learning to ski at White Pass.