2022 - 2023 Far West Skier's Guide - 58

The Drake Family
Founders and Operators
of Mt. Hood Meadows
In 1966, a company headed by Franklin
Drake and his two brothers, Donald and Mitchell,
edged out a Hood River-based group and
secured a 30-year lease from the U.S. Forest
Service to build and operate a ski resort on Mt.
Hood's east side.
Franklin Drake, an enthusiastic skier
himself, used helicopters to haul concrete and
steel for the two original chairlifts. He managed
to build a lodge, a parking lot, all the infrastructure
and the lifts in a year, and opened
for business in 1967.
Mt. Hood Meadows now draws about
half-a-million people a year, second only to Mt.
Bachelor. Drake managed the resort until
2006, when his son, Matthew Drake, took
over. Franklin Drake died in 2021.
The Drake family has maintained a philosophy
of continuous improvement and development
at Mt. Hood Meadows. The ski
resort has expanded over the years, and the
most notable was the development of the adjacent
Heather Canyon Ski Area in the 1980's.
In 1984, they began adding triple and quad express
lifts.
While Mt. Hood Meadows had always
been committed to preserving and maintaining
the environment in which it operates, it
was in the 1990's when it became recognized
as being on the leading edge of these environmental
issues.
The resort was the recipient of the National
Ski Areas Association's prestigious " Golden
Eagle Environmental Excellence Award " in
2015, and received the " Recycler of the Year "
from the Association of Oregon Recyclers in
2016.
Mt. Hood Meadows began construction of
the new Sahale Lodge in 2019. It is the first
significant commercial improvement at the
Resort since 1999. The Lodge was designed
to add 10,000 square feet for dining and 13,500
square feet for skier services. Sahale is
equipped with a heated roof and concrete embedded
hydronic snow melt system in the outdoor
dining area and entry slabs.
Mt. Hood Meadows was named to the list
of " 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon "
by Oregon Business Magazine, as well as, making
the Top 100 Green Companies to Work For,
marking the seventh year in a row Meadows
received the award.
The FWSA Snowsports Builder Award is given to
individuals who have made an indelible positive impact
on snowsports. The builder may be honored for
achievements in athletics, the press, publishers, historians,
industry; humanitarian work, area development, or
technology. In short, they honor those who have made
significant contributions to snowsports.
u u u u u
Mt. Hood Legends Receive FWSA
Snowsports Builder Award
by Steve Coxen
Service Awards Chair, FWSA
Kirk Hanna
Operator, Mt. Hood Skibowl
& Developer Collins Lake Resort
Kirk Hanna purchased the Mt. Hood Skibowl
ski area in 1987. Mt. Hood Skibowl is located
just below Government Camp. The
resort's origin dates back to 1928, making it
one of the oldest remaining ski resorts in the
country. The ski area began as two separate
resorts -- Skibowl and Multorpor.
While Skibowl's name was derived from
the natural shape of its Upper Bowl, Multorpor's
name came from the combination Multnomah
County, Oregon and Portland.
The famous Jump Hill on Multorpor
Mountain was developed by Everett Sickler in
1928 and one year later the newly-formed
Cascade Ski Club began holding competitions
at Multorpor's Jump Hill. The area gained national
recognition after holding an official National
Ski Association event.
Kirk Hanna purchased Skibowl out of
bankruptcy in 1987 and formed H-Ski Corporation.
He made major improvements to the
resort by adding the 300 acres outback, cutting
the Olympic Certified Reynolds Run and expanding
the night skiing to 34 lighted runs,
making Skibowl " America's Largest Night
Ski Area. " He also remodeled and reopened
the Historic Warming Hut. Hanna also built
upon the summer activities, adding mountain
biking, Indy Karts, Miniature Golf, group func58
Far West Skier's Guide 2O22 - 2O23
tions, and some inflatable summer recreation.
In 1993, Skibowl added a 100 foot Bungee
Tower to its summer attractions. Skibowl's
success has been its year-round recreational
activities.
The Lower Bowl was completely rebuilt
and everything was replaced but towers and
chairs. The Upper Bowl also received new improvements.
The Multorpor Chair and the
Lower Bowl lift terminal are completely rebuilt,
resulting in shorter rides, faster chairlifts
and more seating.
Kirk Hanna also developed Collins Lake
Resort, providing luxury lodging in the heart
of Government Camp near Mt. Hood Skibowl.
The Kohnstamm Family
Operators of Timberline Lodge
& Timberline Ski Area
Richard L. Kohnstamm was the president
and area operator of Timberline Lodge
and Ski Area from 1955 until 1992, when he
turned the operation over to his son, Jeff.
Dick Kohnstamm passed away in 2006.
U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer memorialized
him before the House of Representatives
as a " visionary leader who conceived and
then for half a century led the Kohnstamm family
crusade to restore the jewel that is Timberline
Lodge " .
When he first saw Timberline Lodge in
1955, Dick Kohnstamm was immediately enamored
of the building. Built in 1936-1937
2022 - 2023 Far West Skier's Guide

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