Mount Spokane

Mount Spokane
Mount Spokane as seen from northeast Spokane
Elevation	5,887 ft (1,794 m) NAVD 88[1]
Prominence	3,503 ft (1,068 m) [2]
Location
Spokane County, Washington, USA
Range	Selkirk Mountains
Coordinates	47°55′25″N 117°06′44″W / 47.923599289°N 117.112179347°W / 47.923599289; -117.112179347Coordinates: 47°55′25″N 117°06′44″W / 47.923599289°N 117.112179347°W / 47.923599289; -117.112179347[1]
Topo map	USGS Mount Spokane

The peak of Mount Spokane in winter

Mount Spokane (elevation 5,883 feet / 1,793 metres) is a mountain located northeast of Spokane, Washington. It's summit is the highest point in Spokane County,^[2] and it is one of the tallest peaks in the Inland Northwest. Mount Spokane is surrounded by Mount Spokane State Park, the largest of Washington's State Parks at 13,919 acres (56.33 km²).

One of the well known features is a bald spot on the corner of the west and south parts of the mountain.

A non-profit organization operates the Mount Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park, located on the southwest portion of the mountain.

Summary of Mount Spokane State Park history

1909	Frances Cook, owner of the summit, builds a toll road to within 3 miles (4.8 km) of the summit.
1927	Mt. Spokane State Park is officially dedicated at 1500 acres (6.1 km²).
1929	H. Cowles, Jr. donates 640 acres (2.6 km²) of land to the park.
1930s	The Spokane Ski Club, the Selkirk Ski Club, and the Spokane Mountaineers purchase over 500 acres (2 km²) on the mountain for construction of lodges, rope-tows, and ski jump hills. The road is completed to the summit.
1934	Vista House is built by the Civilian Conservation Corps crew from Riverside State Park.
1935	CCC sets up camp on Beauty Mountain to improve the road and construct other facilities.
1939	The Spokane Chapter of the Conservation League buys 320 acres (1.3 km²) for the park for $1500 (south half of Section 21) to save virgin timber from logging and fire.
1946	The first double chair lift in the world is put into operation on the south face of the summit.[citation needed]
1952	A master plan is proposed for the park which includes over 24,000 acres (97 km²) and designates all of Mt. Spokane proper for downhill ski purposes. This proposal is not implemented.
1953	KXLY-TV becomes operational from the summit.
1955	Lodge #1 and Chairlift #1 are constructed.
1961	Concessionaire A.E.Mettler constructs Lodge #2 and Lift #2
1965	Another master plan is developed by State Parks to include 11,592 acres (46.9 km²) of land, 958 acres (3.9 km²) of which were allocated for general outdoor recreation with the remainder to be administered as a natural environment area. This plan is not adopted by the Parks Commission.
1974	Mt. Spokane Park’s official classification is changed from recreation area to state park and a new philosophy is applied: State Parks are to continuously service man’s spiritual, mental, and leisure time physical needs through the use of selected outstanding natural resources. This is to be accomplished by providing a full range of non-urban outdoor educational and recreational services and opportunities to a wide range of users with diversified interests and needs.
1978	A coordinated trail system plan is developed to, among other things, reduce conflicting recreational uses by specific allocation of park lands to user groups. The plan quickly became out of date and was never fully implemented.
1985	The Parks Commission formally designates the Ragged Ridge Natural Area within Mt. Spokane State Park.
1993	The Park contains about 13,643 acres (55.2 km²) of land, not including Quartz Mountain. Most of this land was donated or obtained during the Great Depression through property forfeitures. The Mt. Spokane State Park Alpine Ski Area Working Group Interface Subcommittee issues a report concerning the future of the Park. Among other things, it recommends a comprehensive planning process.
1994	State Parks proposes to classify areas of the Park as Natural Forest Areas. Several alternatives are proposed. The Mt. Spokane Planning Task Force Steering Committee is formed and issues its report. The group recommends a comprehensive planning process as well as the formation of a permanent, local Park advisory committee.
1995	Mt. Spokane State Park Advisory Committee appointed by Parks Commission begins monthly meetings in Spokane. Friends of Mt. Spokane State Park also formed.
1997	Mt. Spokane 2000, a non-profit group of local businesses and civic leaders, is approved as the new concessionaire for the alpine ski area to replace the Mt. Spokane Ski Corporation which operated the area for 20 years.
1999	A Classification and Management Plan (CAMP) process is started for the Park. New land classifications approved including about 10% as Recreation Area, about 58% as Resource Recreation Area, less than 1% as Heritage Area, about 22% as Natural Forest Area, about 4% as Natural Area Preserve, and about 5% as yet unclassified pending completion of the Ski Area Plan and further Commission consideration.
2009	Traditional Peace Blessing, sponsored by the Spokane Interfaith Council, including a Tibetan lama and a representative of the Spokane people.[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Y". NGS data sheet. U.S. National Geodetic Survey. http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=SV1719. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Mount Spokane, Washington". Peakbagger.com. http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=3056. 
3. ^ Moses, Barry (Sulustu) (July 25, 2009). "Peace Blessing". Sulustu. http://sulustu.blogspot.com/2009/07/peace-blessing.html. Retrieved September 19, 2011. 

External links

• "Mount Spokane". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1512684. 
• "Mount Spokane state park". Washington State Parks. http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Mount%20Spokane.