Snow Run to Stevens Pass, 1945

Today we have Snow Camp and other snow runs, but back in the 1940s it was not uncommon to see a group of riders tour up to Stevens Pass for a weekend of riding, skiing and good times.

One such group was the Queen City Motorcycle Club. Formed in 1938 and sanctioned as an AMA affiliate, the club began a tradition of snow runs to Stevens Pass early on.

The photo at right shows Les Annen on the front of the bike and comes from Annen's private collection. The other two riders are his wife, Perkie Annan and Russ Hoover. Annen's parents, Harold and Mabel Annen conveniently had a cabin at Stevens Pass where Les and other club members could overnight.

Annen participated in numerous hill climbing and other competitions at locations like Long Acres, Port Angeles, Port Orchard and Bellingham.

1938. Well... Stevens Pass got its start just about the same time, officially becoming a skiing destination on March 13th, 1938, with a dedication ceremony held by both the Wenatchee and Everett ski clubs. To reach the top of the run, skiers would hook on to an 800 foot-long rope-tow powered by a V-8 Ford engine.  Prior to that time, skiers would have to walk up the slopes, before taking each run.

But Queen City had another way to get skiers to the top. Arriving at the summit with skies attached to sidecars, they would tie a length of rope around the skier and drive them back up to the top, conditions permitting or not.

The place for food in the pass was the Summit Inn, which provided lunch and dinner to visiting dignitaries including members of the Great Northern Railroad. Had the GNR not returned the land, of which they owned 121 acres of, to the US Forest Service at that time, there might not be a ski area in Stevens Pass today. Imagine that!

Over the years, QCMC made numerous snow runs to additional places like Mt. Rainier, Snoqualmie Pass and outside of North Bend. Some were more than just a run, originating in the first snow camps (multi-day campouts) in the Northwest. The events were sponsored in-part by the local dealers of both Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles. In the remote locations, there were often large campfires to warm the cold and continuous cookouts to keep them fed.

How about now?

Today the tradition of snow runs and snow camps lives on in the Northwest with numerous groups creating rides. These include the annual Snow Camp, held near Mt. Rainier on President's Day weekend and the Snowline ride, put on by the Puget Sound Dualsport Enthusiasts each spring.

The Pacific Northwest Museum of Motorcycling is in possession of a number of home made movies featuring the QCMC's snow runs and is working to bring them to the web at a future date.

If you're enjoying this collection of history and have some old photographs, movies or other memorabilia you'd like to share, please contact our curator on the contact us page.

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