Snoqualmie Lodge

1914

p. 90

“May wood-fire glow And perfect peace abide.” – C. M. Bixby

OUR LODGE IN THE HILLS

Small toll we ask. 0 forest,
Who love thy smallest flower,
Who plan no sordid plunder,
Nor flaunt an iron power;
   On Shelter Crest
   This mythic nest–
Our home for joy-filled hour!

When unchained wheels of winter
Through yonder canyon ride
And whirl their crystalled burden
Where terraced gardens hide,
    'Neath billowed snow
    May wood-fires glow
And perfect peace abide!

This mountain mothered refuge
Our love of earth fulfils–
Who seeks will here find shelter,
A balm for storm-born ills.
    O may respect
    For thee protect
Our lodge, Eternal Hills!

by EDMOND S. MEANY

Dedicated to The Mountaineers, 21 June, 1914.

p. 93

THE LODGE

by CLAYTON CRAWFORD

As a week end or vacation home for members and their guests, winter or summer, and as a base for climbing trips of large and small parties of Mountaineers, the Lodge is fulfilling the expectations of those who dreamed of it and worked so long and faithfully to make the dream come true. Quiet visitors can loaf about the building or find inspiration and refreshment in the beauties of the park and lakes close by, while the more active can begin the day with an exhilirating swim in Big Lake and try their climbing ability on any of the splendid peaks visible from the Lodge. From Dedication Day, June 21, 1914, to October 17, 1915, 800 members and guests signed the book in which all visitors to the Lodge are required to register. This is a good showing, but the Lodge will be used increasingly as members become better aware of its charms and its appeal to sojourners in the Northwest. A Chicago girl wrote, after arriving home, that the week end spent at the Lodge in August was an unique experience and the most delightful portion of her long trip through the Far West.

Constructed of well-matched peeled fir logs and rough hewn cedar shakes, the building is striking in appearance and appropriate to its site. ‘This is in the Snoqualmie National Forest on a knoll jutting out from the ridge of the Cascade mountains through which the Milwaukee tunneled to avoid the summit of the Snoqualmie Pass. By advice of the architect and other authorities, the committee in charge has tried to preserve the simple and rugged beauty of the Lodge, feeling that the log walls needed no decoration, that the pictures of forest and mountains framed by the five large windows of the living room should not be shut off by hangings and that the grounds should show man’s intrusion as little as possible. The extinction of elk horn moss in the early days of lodge visits led to a rule against cutting or digging up flowers or plants on the ten acres covered by our lease.

A large portion of the construction was done by members, and there is still work to be done in improving the building and grounds. During the past year the log walls have been oiled, chinks filled with oakum and battened with wood strips inside and out, a large amount of brush and stumps left from clearing the site and cutting logs for the building has been cleared away, trails have been improved and extended, and, best of all, a pipe line has been laid for nearly 800 feet and now brings water to a faucet outside the kitchen door from a small rock walled basin on the mountain side 68 feet higher than the Lodge. This does away with the long pull up to the Lodge from the spring. It was a picturesque task to stride through the forest with an old-fashioned yoke on one’s shoulders and two pails of cold, delicious water dangling therefrom, when alone or with a small party, but irksome in bad weather or when many persons were at the Lodge and some one had to be running for water every few minutes. When finances will admit, water will be piped into the building for hot water tanks connected with fireplace and kitchen range, shower baths, etc. The pipe line was a big task for amateurs, but its difficulties were overcome by the energy and resourcefulness of Mr. Bremerman, committeeman in charge, with the advice and assistance of Messrs. McKee and Bowman, and the trench digging was joined in by many members and dubbed practice in modern warfare.

Labor worth hundreds of dollars has been given by members during vacations or week ends spent at the Lodge by individuals and small parties, and on two Helping Hand outings, October 14-15, 1914, and October 16-17, 1915, when all the members that could be taken care of applied themselves with energy and enthusiasm to various tasks. Most of the work was out of doors and the air is so vitalizing and the surroundings so inspiring that wonderful appetites, even for Mountaineers, assailed the commissary and no one seemed to get too tired to be proud and happy.

Every trip to the Lodge and every contribution of time, labor, or money seems to make the members fonder of it. At every visit one sees new beauties in the lake gemmed park, interesting plants or fungi unnoticed before, new glories in the mountain views, the cloud effects above, or the seas of fog in the pass below. It is hard to determine which is the best season : spring is delightful, flowers burst up as the snow melts and bees and humming birds astonish with their early appearance, frequent rains patter on the shake roof lullabies one would fain listen to but cannot resist ; summer is not hot or dry enough to spoil the varied greens of the abundant undergrowth or make hiking and climbing uncomfortable, and berry bushes offer delicacies everywhere ; autumn brings more rain but many delightful days and colors the mountain sides with richer hues ; winter has most advocates-Big Lake freezes into a field for snow shoe races and other sports of winter outings, the landscapes are symphonies in white and dark green, moonlight turns the forest to fairy land, and the Lodge seems more inviting than at any other time of the year ; the great fireplace, filled with logs that blaze defiance to the cold outside, warms the heart as well as the body, intensifies Mountaineer good fellowship, invites the singers to do their best, the storytellers to be most’ brilliant and all to dream of happy Lodge days past and happier still to come.

1916

p. 103

by CLAYTON CRAWFORD, Chairman

The last year has seen considerable Improvement at Snoqualmie Lodge: the Wright trail to Rockdale has been re-scouted and completed, giving a good trail with gradual ascent and splendid views; a trail has been cut half way around Big Lake; a woodshed has been built east of the entrance door with a connecting passage that will keep wood and workers dry and serve as a vestibule; the terrace has been completed and careful cutting of trees has made the Denny Creek basin and surrounding peaks show up delightfully from the terrace and the living room windows; and, joy of the cooks, a fine range has been set up, gift of J. Fred Blake, and an extension put on the kitchen chimney makes the draft good In all winds. The unusual snowfall around the Lodge last February was very beautiful and interesting and received publicity in Miss Nettleton’s story In the Town Crier and Mr. Depue’s Illustrated article in the September Outing.

The register shows 477 visitors from October 1, 1916, to November 1, 1916. A voluntary trail committee lately organized and now receiving subscriptions, promises to add greatly to the value of Snoqualmie Lodge by building trails to Silver Peak, the Denny Creek country, and other attractive fields for hikers.

1944

p. 37

The Mountaineers suffered a great loss this year in the destruction by fire of Snoqualmie Lodge. Over 20,000 names have been registered since its completion in 1914; each have contributed to its background of tradition. Vince Millspaugh and his committee had done a great deal of work to make the lodge an even more desirable place, and this season proved to be a particularly popular one. We look forward with anticipation to the time when this spirit is carried over into the planning and building of a new lodge.

p. 40

Snoqualmie Lodge: 1914 - 1944

It was reached by train to Rockdale followed by a two-mile trail trip. But those hardy old-timers came up oftener and in greater numbers than later when use of the highway cut the trail trip in half.

Nov. 9, 1913, one hundred eleven were in a party that went up to look over the proposed lodge site. The plans were drawn by Carl Gould (member) and work started May 8, 1914.

Dedication day was June 21, 1914, and found the log walls up and roof partly done. The ceremonies were held with Professor Meany, Professor Turner, Mr. A. H. Denman, and May Ingraham speaking. Afterwards everyone made up a work party and carried up shakes for the roof. Individuals and work parties labored during the summer until the Lodge was ready for occupancy by August. Between June 21, 1914 and Oct. 17, 1915 eight hundred signatures were put on the register. The bricks for the stove chimneys went up from Rockdale in Mountaineers’ rucksacks. The Forestry Service cooperated, as usual, in every way.

1944

77 acre site purchased. The Snoqualmie Lodge was built in 1948 by an all-volunteer crew. The Lodge was used for classes, training and social events as well as base camp for hikers, skiers and recreationists. sf

1946

Report from Snoqualmie Lodge Site

Considerable progress has been made in the building program this last summer. Starting with virgin forest the following improvements have been made:

A combination rest room and tool house has been constructed. Considering the difficulties we have made good progress this year, and hope to be able to do better next year. Unless material shortages or government regulations prevent us, we expect to build the basic Lodge building next summer.

All club members who can, should plan to give some of their time for work parties. This new lodge should fill the present need for more skiing facilities as well as give us a good climbing and week-end vacation spot. We’ll be seeing you on next summers work parties.

1956

p. 18

Then in 1944 disaster struck: the lodge burned to the ground, despite the efforts of C. L. Anderson, the only person present, who suffered severe injuries and burns in his attempts to stop the blaze. Today the forlorn remains of the fireplace still stand, in mute testimony to the many wonderful times enjoyed by Mountaineers in what is truly one of the beauty spots of the Cascades.

1960

Starvation of a Lodge organism by an inadequate supply is not a new experience for the Mountaineers. In 1937 Walt Little chairmanned a fact-finding committee, which inquired into the difficulties besetting the original Snoqualmie Lodge, which burned in 1944. All supplies and customers had to come up a trail a mile long, 750-foot rise. Symptoms of starvation were clear. People were unwilling to serve on committee; so a caretaker had been hired; not enough people came to pay enough fees, so the operation was deeply in the red; not enough workers would show in the summer to cut wood, so a woodcutter was hired. The caretaker was subsequently discontinued, and the Lodge operated on a very limited basis until 1944 when it burned, losing money but not as much. tp

1967

p. 79

Andy Anderson who had inadvertently started the fire that burned down the old Snoqualmie Lodge, wanted to do something for the club so he took Dave Castor down to Mt. Hood to see the new ski lodges in that area. Many of the ideas such as a gas cooking stove in the kitchen, trusses to hold up the main floor ceiling, so as to eliminate need for posts, and others, were obtained from the trip.

2006

Fire totaled the lodge. sf