Raven Hut

A new Mt. Baker lodge opening this winter

Story by Jeremy Schwartz

Skiers and snowboarders carving up the powder at Mt. Baker Ski Area will soon have another place to rest their weary, boot-clad feet.

But don’t be too eager to unstrap those bindings just yet. Just like the old Raven Hut Cafe, the new Raven Hut Lodge will only be accessible by ski or snowboard.

Duncan Howat, general manager of the Mt. Baker Ski Area, planned it that way. Crews from Wellman & Zuck Construction and True Log Homes have been working on the new lodge since June. While the El Niña weather predicted for this winter is not expected to delay construction, crews had to plow through 12 feet of snow last summer just to access the building site.

Once the June snow was clear, crews started work on the lodge, which was inspired by mountain lodges of the 1930s. Howat said Cascadia-style architecture fits in much better with the lodge’s natural surroundings than would a more modern take on a ski lodge. “The building is absolutely spectacular looking,” Howat said. “It’s a warmer look and is more inviting.”

The Mt. Baker Ski Area wanted to incorporate as many local materials in the project as possible, and the lodge will not disappoint in that regard. Most of the millwork is being done with reclaimed wood, using recycled gym floors for tabletops. The lodge’s two fireplaces are also built from local columnar basalt. Due to its retro design, Howat said the amount of real wood and logs that are used are immense.

“The logs are very large and make the ones in the White Salmon Lodge look like toothpicks,” Howat said.

The Raven Hut Lodge totals 10,000 square feet and is located mid-mountain at the bottom of chairs 4, 5, and 6. It will feature a full-service kitchen and bar with beer on tap and indoor restrooms. The lodge will be able to seat about 300 people, a welcome relief for skiers and snowboarders who often have a hard time finding places to sit in the White Salmon Lodge on the weekends. Construction, estimated at $3.5 million, is slated to wrap up mid-December.

For more information about the project, visit www.mtbaker.us. X

Jeremy Schwartz is a 24-year-old reporter who’s curious about the lives of everyday people and became a journalist to help tell others’ stories.