49 Degrees North Ski Area

{{Short description|Ski area in Washington, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox ski area

| name = 49° North

| logo =

| picture =

| caption =

| location = Colville National Forest
Stevens County, Washington

| nearest_city = Chewelah: {{convert|10|mi|0|abbr=on}}
Spokane: {{convert|52|mi|abbr=on}}

| pushpin_map = Washington#United States

| pushpin_relief = 1

| coordinates = {{coord|48.301|N|117.563|W|type:landmark_scale:50000|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_label_position = bottom

| map_caption = Location in Washington

| vertical = {{convert|1851|ft|abbr=on}}

| top_elevation = {{convert|5774|ft|abbr=on}}

| base_elevation = {{convert|3923|ft|abbr=on}}

| skiable_area = {{convert|2325|acre|km2|1}}

| number_trails = 82
13px – 30% easiest
13px – 40% more difficult
13px – 25% most difficult
13px – 5% experts only

| longest_run = {{convert|2.75|mi|1}}

| liftsystem = 6 chairs: 2 quad, 4 double

| lift_capacity = 6,600 per hr

| fast_quadchair =

| terrainparks =2

| snowfall = {{convert|301|in|cm}}

| snowmaking = yes

| nightskiing = limited

| external_link = [http://www.ski49n.com/ ski49n.com]

|}}

49 Degrees North Ski Area is a ski resort in the northwestern United States, located inside Colville National Forest in Stevens County, Washington, {{convert|10|mi|0|spell=in}} east of Chewelah, which is {{convert|42|mi}} north of Spokane.

The base is at an elevation of {{convert|3923|ft}} above sea level with the summit at {{convert|5774|ft}} on Chewelah Mountain, yielding a vertical drop of {{convert|1851|ft}}. Its slopes are primarily north-facing and are served by six chairlifts - one quad, one high-speed detachable quad, and four doubles.

The ski area first opened in late 1972 with three chairlifts.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VLozAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oPgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7358%2C2270869 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Chewelah site readied |last=Roskelley |first=Fenton |date=August 8, 1972 |page=19 }}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rHFUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o48DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6390%2C429199 |newspaper=Ellensburg Daily Record |title=New ski area is opening|date=January 9, 1973 }} It is actually at 48.3° North, about {{convert|50|mi|spell=in}} south of the 49th parallel, the international border with Canada. Following two consecutive winters of poor weather, the ski area filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 1990.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g1tWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6e8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4815%2C1407173 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |title=Ski hill ready to reorganize |last=Jamieson |first=Sean |date=August 24, 1991 |page=B6 }}

File:International Selkirk Loop - Skiing at 49 Degrees North - NARA - 7719616.jpg

Six years later in June 1996, John Eminger, a local, purchased the ski area and acted as owner operator for the next 23 years. In the 1990s, the trees were thinned over most of its {{convert|2300|acre|km2}}, providing some of the greatest variation and magnitude of tree skiing found at a single resort in the northwest United States.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ski49n.com/content.php?id=22|title=Trail Maps & Stats | 49 North}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.ski49n.com/content.php?id=3|title = 49° North Ski & Snowboard Resort, Chewelah, Washington}} The resort will soon be implementing mountain biking.

A predecessor ski area named "Chewelah Peak" was about {{convert|2|mi|0|spell=in}} west ({{coord|48.302|-117.612}}), towards Chewelah.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zmwpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TecDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5727%2C2101698 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |last=Williams |first=Dick |title=Chewelah area refurbished |date=December 5, 1956 |page=21}} It was served by a double chair that vertically climbed {{convert|1450|ft}}.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0i5WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6eUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6965%2C4763027 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |title=Chewelah Peak fast becoming one of area's favorite ski centers|date=February 25, 1952 |page=12 }}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nrszAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qfcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6098%2C7783581 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |title=Face-lifting planned at Chewelah ski lift |date=November 25, 1965 |page=17 }} It began operation with a rope tow in 1936; the double chairlift was added in 1950,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ADRWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zucDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6880%2C1446408 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |last=Williams |first=Dick |title=Lift speeded, slope improved at Chewelah |date=December 20, 1960 |page=11}} and a lodge in 1952.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A3ApAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AOYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6931%2C2810353 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |last=Williams |first=Dick |title=Chewelah ski area bustling with work as season nears |date=November 21, 1952 |page=14}}

In the spring of 2019, the ski area was sold to CMR Lands LLC, headed by Seattle-area businessman Tryg Fortun. The group also owns Silver Mountain in Kellogg, Idaho, purchased three years earlier in 2016.{{cite news |url=https://www.shoshonenewspress.com/local_news/20190508/silver_mountain_owners_purchase_49_north |work=Shoshone News-Press |location=(Osburn, Idaho) |last=McDonald |first=Josh |title=Silver Mountain owners purchase 49º North |date=May 8, 2019 |access-date=September 2, 2019}} In 2021, the resort installed a base to summit high speed detachable quad chairlift. Northern Spirit, built by Doppelmayr USA, is the newest, longest, and most powerful chairlift in the State of Washington and the Inland Northwest, surpassed only by Crystal Mountain and Silver Mountain's Gondolas.