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North–South Ski Bowl

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North-South Ski Bowl
North-South Ski Bowl is located in the United States
North-South Ski Bowl
North-South Ski Bowl
Location in the United States
LocationSt. Joe National Forest
(Idaho Panhandle N.F.)
Benewah County, Idaho, U.S.
Nearest major cityEmida – 10 mi (16 km)
Moscow – 40 mi (64 km)
Vertical   398 ft (121 m)
Top elevation3,788 ft (1,155 m) AMSL
Base elevation3,390 ft (1,033 m)
Skiable area28 acres (11 ha)
Lift system1 chairlift,
1 surface tow
Snowmakingnone
Night skiing22 acres (9 ha)

North–South Ski Bowl was a modest ski area in the western United States, located in northern Idaho in the Hoodoo Mountains of southern Benewah County.

Its bowl-shaped slope in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest faced northeast and the vertical drop was just under 400 feet (120 m) on Dennis Mountain, accessed from State Highway 6 south of Emida. An "upside-down" ski area, the parking lot and lodge were at the top, less than a mile from the highway, formerly designated as 95A (U.S. 95 Alternate).

With a day lodge built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps through the WPA, the ski area was originally owned and operated by Washington State College[1] (Pullman is approximately 50 miles (80 km) southwest, about an hour by vehicle). In the early 1950s, it was known as the "St. Joe Ski Bowl,"[2] and prior to that as the "Emida Ski Bowl."[3] After a poor snow year in 1958, it was sold to a private owner, Fred Craner and his brother, Merle, and a platter lift was added in 1959.[4][5]

It was the primary training area for the WSU and UI intercollegiate ski teams and included a ski jump.[6][7] The Ramskull Ski club formed in 1960, named for the creek of the ski area.[8][9] The road from the highway was improved and parking areas expanded in 1962.[10]

Closed for the 1969-70 season,[11] the students of WSU (ASWSU) regained ownership and operated North-South until 1980.[12] A chairlift in 1970[13][14] and a new lodge in 1976[15] were added, and the area was lit for night skiing.[16] The area got into financial difficulty in 1979, and the students searched for a buyer.[17][18] After leasing it to a private operator in 1980[19] for four seasons, ASWSU sold the area outright in 1984.[16]

With an aging chairlift and inconsistent snowfall at a low elevation, alpine skiing was discontinued in the 1990s.[20] The entrance area near the highway is now a "Park 'n Ski" area for cross-country skiing and the top of the former ski area is home to Palouse Divide Lodge, a private conference and retreat facility.[21][22]

References

  1. ^ "College may now lease Idaho ski bowl area". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. November 2, 1948. p. 3.
  2. ^ "Enjoy beautiful St. Joe Ski Bowl". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. advertisement. December 29, 1951. p. 7.
  3. ^ Williams, Dick (December 18, 1948). "Ski Topics". Spokesman-Review. p. 13.
  4. ^ Williams, Dick (December 12, 1959). "North-South Ski Bowl takes strides towards bigger time". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 11.
  5. ^ Williams, Dick (December 17, 1960). "Lift, slope, access improved at Emida". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 9.
  6. ^ "Idahoan writes ski bowl story". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. December 7, 1961. p. 48.
  7. ^ "Ski school is planned near Emida". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. January 15, 1960. p. 6.
  8. ^ "Ski group is formed". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. November 10, 1960. p. 44.
  9. ^ Young, Larry (January 17, 1965). "Ram-Skull school draws 350 to North-South Bowl". Spokesman-Review. p. 5.
  10. ^ "Ski Bowl road resurfaced". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. December 6, 1962. p. 13.
  11. ^ "10 ski slopes within easy driving distance of Lewiston; Emida Bowl reopens in fall". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. May 24, 1970. p. 27.
  12. ^ "Ski area to open". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. December 24, 1980. p. 10.
  13. ^ "Pullman firm files low bid for lift, tow". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. June 27, 1970. p. 3.
  14. ^ "Skiing popularity shown in new guide". Southwestern View. Dillon, Montana. December 17, 1970. p. 6.
  15. ^ "Ski Bowl job set". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. May 13, 1976. p. 6.
  16. ^ a b Burton, Gregory H. (March 15, 1997). "Ski dreams gone sour". Moscow-Pulllman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1C.
  17. ^ "Ski bowl available". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. September 28, 1979. p. 23.
  18. ^ "Losses yield ski area closure". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. November 1, 1980. p. 3.
  19. ^ "Ski area to open". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. December 24, 1980. p. 10.
  20. ^ Caldwell, Bert (September 28, 1993). "For sale: one slightly used ski hill". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. A10.
  21. ^ Barker, Eric (January 17, 2002). "Crossing the divide". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1C.
  22. ^ "History". Palouse Divide Lodge. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
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