CHEWELAH, Wash — 49 Degrees North Ski Area in Chewelah will close one if lifts for the remainder of the season due to a mechanical issue.
According to 49 Degrees North owner John Eminger, staff are unable to safely repair the lift or acquire a part to repair the Silver Load lift. This comes as the ski area is running at max capacity to keep the resort functional during record-breaking snowfall.
It will also take upwards of 12 weeks to make a replacement part, according to Eminger.
A lift manufacturer said the part failure was not caused by human error, Eminger said. He added that it is not uncommon for the specific part to fail.
Eminger said the Sunrise Quad and Angel Peak lifts will be moved in a more “aggressive operational schedule” for the spring season. Spring skiing and riding on these lifts will be a new experience for many customers.
“Thank you all for your patience and understanding, here’s to a wonderful spring of skiing!” the ski area wrote in a Facebook post.
Visit the 49 Degrees North website for an update lift and operations schedule.