retrorewind
The Hansen Family Legacy at Stevens Lodge By Issy Steckel, Communications Associate John Hansen skiing powder in the Selkirk Mountains in 1982. All photos courtesy of Tom Hansen.
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sloping lot in the crook of a mountain pass at 4,200 feet caught the eye of Mountaineers volunteers 75 years ago. A lease from the U.S. Forest Service was signed, and construction began on a rustic ski in/ski out cabin. As the June 1946 Mountaineer bulletin stated, “All sites will be developed as cheaply as possible, with maximum accommodations for minimum cost.” Walter Little, the Chair of The Mountaineers Construction Committee, was a driving force behind this new lodge just west of the Stevens Pass ski area. Under his direction, construction began in the summer of 1946. Without electricity, the building was constructed entirely with hand tools. Establishing and developing both the structure and community at Stevens Lodge, like all of our mountain retreats, proved to be a grand exercise in volunteerism. In 1948, Stevens Ski Cabin opened its doors. The cabin was four stories high, with a basement, main floor, and ladders leading to two dormitories nestled under the steep roof. It boasted 33 bunks and had outdoor toilets. Rumor has it the early hosts were able to squeeze up to 40 bunks to meet the demand of outdoor enthusiasts flocking to stay. Expansions began just five years later in 1953. A new foundation for the larger building was poured, power lines were extended to reach the building, and a fireplace was installed. The cabin’s official designation was upgraded to “lodge.” It wasn’t long before Stevens Lodge developed its own special atmosphere. The 1960 Mountaineer bulletin reported that, “skiers arriving after skiing Saturday will find a bowl of popcorn being passed around the stone fireplace… In the basement, the ping-pong players hold forth while the wax artists compare notes on the best wax for tomorrow’s powder.” Throughout the lodge’s history, work parties, dinners, and planning sessions frequently included one individual: John Hansen. John was a fixture at Stevens Lodge for nearly 40 years, helping to build the original cabin in 1948, leading the expansion project, and working on its maintenance and improvements until 1986. He also served as a member of our Board of Directors
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and was the 1963 recipient of the organization’s coveted annual volunteer honor, the Service Award. John Hansen passed away in the fall of 2021 at the age of 95. His son, Tom, continues to carry on his father’s legacy.
Skiing his way to The Mountaineers From an early age, John was a talented skier and an industrious worker. Growing up in Minnesota, he earned the money to buy his first pair of skis by shoveling snow. After his family moved to Seattle in 1938, he spent hours on the slopes of Snoqualmie Pass, idolizing the skiers who had metal-edged skis with bear trap bindings rather than the leather straps that were on his. As an engineering student at the University of Washington, he balanced school with frequent trips to the mountains. It wasn’t long before he taught his first ski lessons with Husky Winter Sports, one of UW’s oldest clubs. At the time, Husky Winter Sports owned a cabin at Stampede Pass, located across the railroad tracks from The Mountaineers Meany Ski Hut. John’s outings often led him near the Meany Ski Hut, where he first learned of The Mountaineers. Through this skiing community, John decided to join The Mountaineers and was quickly recruited to lend a hand to the big project at Stevens Pass. At just 21, John spent weekends building the original structure alongside other avid skiers, carpenters, engineers, plumbers, and more.
A rewarding expansion In true Mountaineers fashion, John’s volunteer spirit was unflagging. He spent the following winters up at the cabin, manning the rope tows at Stevens Pass. His wife, Helen, would regularly join him to ski and stay at the cabin. Starting in 1953, John steered the effort to expand the cabin to its present-day footprint. At the time, John was 27, employed at Seattle City Light, and had a two-year old at home, but he took the opportunity in stride. In 1954, he devoted every weekend from the fourth of July until December (except the weekend Tom was born) to lead the expansion project. “I don't know how my mom put up with it,” said Tom.
