Snow place like home: Santiam Pass Ski Lodge gets a cool makeover

By Lauren White. 

Workers restore the historic Santiam Pass Ski Lodge, bringing it back to its original 1940s charm for future winter adventurers. 

Summer is in full swing and ski resorts are now a mountain biker’s delight, but across the highway from Hoodoo Ski Area in Central Oregon, phase two has commenced on the Santiam Pass Ski Lodge to once again make it operational for you snowbirds. Whether you ski, snowboard, snowshoe or just enjoy a good winter escape, one place you’ll want to add to your list of winter wonderland destinations is this ski lodge, which is being restored back to its original 1940 glory thanks to some TLC, a lot of local labor and a new roof. 

Over 80 years ago, between 1939 and 1940, when there was a growing demand from the public for recreational facilities in national forests, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) completed this recreational ski lodge at the summit of the Santiam Pass. With similar architecture as six other ski lodges in the PNW, also built by the CCC, the Santiam Pass Ski Lodge provided many outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the years – ski lodge, hiking center, rest area, church camp. 

In 1986 the lodge was shut down and left vacant until 2018 when Dwight and Susan Sheets secured a special use permit from the Willamette National Forest to update and restore the old lodge to its original glory. “We both grew up in Salem and spent a lot of time on the Santiam Pass skiing, hiking and backpacking,” Sue Sheets said in an interview with The Nugget. “We visited the lodge when we were younger and always loved the place. As time went on, we became frustrated that year after year the lodge was falling into an increasing state of disrepair.” And this is what inspired them to take action. 

With a five-year restoration plan and funding from grants, donations and donated in-kind work, restoration began. “Sisters contractor Don McCreight and his crew will begin repairing dry rot and other structural issues that must be addressed to provide structural integrity through the winter,” Dwight shared with The Nugget when work was just getting underway. 

When it came time to work on the roof, they discovered there was a layer of asbestos felt underneath the cedar shakes. According to Friends of Santiam Pass Ski Lodge, to maintain a safe working environment, all roofing material was removed to the plywood decking and it was covered with ice and water shield until the new cedar shake was installed. Thomas Hunziker, owner of AM-1 Roofing in Bend, a family owned and operated business that has been serving Central Oregon since 1993, donated 39 rolls of ice and water shield to contribute to the project.  

This labor of love has included numerous groups and local companies, including: 

• Heart of Oregon - Three crews worked at the lodge in 2021 to clear and dig a trench for the electric and water lines, clearing downed trees and sealing the cedar siding of the lodge. 
• Job Corps - A five-person crew, under the leadership of Ryan Prochaska of HistoriCorps, rebuilt the front southwest wall, repaired significant dry rot problems in the dining hall, replaced 80 feet of sill plates and rim joists. 
• HistoriCorps - Two crews from HistoriCorps worked on installing the horizontal siding below the windows. 
• Stayton Wood Windows - Restored two thirds of the windows 
• Alpine Abatement Associations - Cleaned the lodge, did asbestos abatement work and removed exterior additions that were not original 
• Moisan Construction and Electric - Trenched 800 feet from Big Lake Road to the lodge, installing conduit and vaults for a new electric system 

Other companies that have been instrumental in the restoration of the ski lodge include: Central Electric Cooperative, Ridgeline Electric, Kirk Moisan Excavation and Robinson & Owen Excavation. 

As of 2018, the Santiam Pass Ski Lodge was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. And while there’s still more work to be done, once completed the lodge will be open year-round to serve as a gathering place, retreat and respite for people traveling through the mountain pass or recreating in the national forest. In an interview with The Bulletin, the Sheetses shared that they’ll have an event space where they can host weddings, birthdays or business meetings. “We want to have special events to bring people out and we want to go all out at Christmastime,” Susan said. “We want people to learn about the lodge and the history of Santiam Pass.” 

Watch some of the restoration for yourself!