The Patrol Race was one of the original ski tours within Washington State that dates back to the 1930’s. Its history comes from the original ski resort in the Cascades called Meany Lodge and started by the Mountaineers. The route itself starts at Snoqualmie West and follows the forests nearly 20 miles to Meany Lodge. This was the first race of its kind in North America and ran until America’s involvement in WW2. Luckily it was started again in 2014 and I was in one of the groups to keep history alive.
This Trip would connect Crystal Mountain to Stampede Pass to the South and the Alpine Lakes Traverse to the North from Mount Rainier to Mount Baker.
A few months earlier I had been invited by my friend Nigel Steere to be involved in the Patrol Race. Not many people know it but the Pacific Northwest has a long history of mountaineering. Being a long time supporter of storytelling and keeping these legends alive I was honored to be involved. in the race. I had become a Nordic Skiing Splitboarder.
Starting the Patrol Race from Summit at Snoqualmie to Meany Lodge
We were the last group in the staggered start and enjoyed easy navigation. By now the skin track was broken in by over 10 other groups as we made our way past Snoqualmie West. Breaking off of the summer trail we found ourselves on a snow covered groomer and making good time on the Patrol Race.
As we made it through the Snoqualmie Pass Nordic area we broke off onto the Patrol Race trail. By now the snow was deep and we were thankful that others had broken in the trail the day before. What took us 30 minutes to go through must have taken the original group hours. The weather was coming in and out as we made our way past open alpine slopes. Soon we would be on Forest Service Roads for the rest of the Patrol Race.
Following the Patrol Race Through Forest Service Roads
Once it was time for our first descent we had a view of the terrain to our south. It was a mixture of clear cuts and spaced out forests. Zig Zagging through the area was the occasional road. It was a quiet day in the Snoqualmie Pass backcountry that would be broken by snowmobile engines.
Skinning through the forests we were happy to find shelter from the strong winds. Looking in front of us it was east to spot where the wind was coming from. Each and every tree showed signs of how bad the weather was the previous few days.
Arriving at Meany Lodge
20 Miles and countless hours later we arrived at Meany Lodge which was bustling with activity. This was a place I was always interested in seeing and it felt fitting to ski there from Snoqulamie Pass. The building was the first ski resort in Washington and it felt like a time machine walking through the front door.
The rest of the day we celebrated the Patrol Race event with the other groups. They handed out different awards for both speed and style as the day went on. It was great being a part of the small community for a day. That night we all had choirs from cleaning to cooking before it was time to go to bed.
Day Two Experiencing Meany Lodge After the Patrol Race
The next morning we woke up to new snow as they dug out the rope tow. Everyone there was a volunteer. They had a rule that if you were going to go ski you had to right what you were doing on the board. With the conditions being so good this was my one time to experience both the riding and the culture at Meany Lodge.
Like the lodge the lift system was relatively unchanged over the last century and it was like looking at history. At the base there was a small building with an engine running the rope tow. It was awesome to see and made me happy to think that at one time all the ski resorts in North America were like this.
The hardest part of the trip was committing to grab onto the rope as it was going fast. Any hesitation would both destroy your gear and burn your hands. There was no 90% commitment you were all in. Once you were holding on the rope would drag you up the hill. It was very similar to the club field culture of New Zealand.
In Conclusion
The resort was small but the terrain, history and people really make the place special. For the next few hours I explored the terrain around Meany Lodge before heading on the snow cat down to the Stampede Pass parking lot. It was a great experience and you felt like you were a part of history doing. Thank you to Nigel Steere for putting the Patrol Race on and it was an honor being involved.
Click here to check out more of our trips from Mount Rainier to Mount Baker
Thank you for reading this trip from Snoqualmie West to Meany Lodge via the Patrol Race. If you want to see more ski tours within the Snoqualmie Pass Backcountry check out this link.