Summit East Ski and Snowboard Area at the The Summit at Snoqualmie aiming to reopen next season

The Summit East Ski and Snowboard Area at the The Summit at Snoqualmie won't be open this winter, but the hopes are to have it operating in time for next season.

On Jan. 7, 2009, a huge landslide about several hundred feet wide of debris, snow and trees wiped out the resort's Keechelus double chairlift and a cabin.

"It is our high priority to get the area back up and running [by the 2010-11] winter season, and that is the direction we're headed, but there is no way to say it will definitely happen at this point," said Trevor Kostanich, the planning director for The Summit at Snoqualmie.

The forest service is reviewing the master design plans, and the financial commitment is also being looked over regarding a new triple chairlift along with three towers.

Kostanich says the new chairlift would be moved from the original location, and put the top terminal area about 75 feet higher up the hillside.

"We're looking at putting it higher up on the ridge to provide better access, where in the past people would have to hike to get up to the trail area so that will be an improvement," Kostanich said. "Another change is the new chairlift would come right out of the bottom terminal base area so you wouldn't have to take the lower chair to access the second lift."

The area, formerly known as Hyak, is located on the eastern most side of the Snoqualmie Pass summit, and offers a mix of intermediate and advanced runs with a vertical drop of 1,100 feet. The other double chairlift at the area was not damaged by the landslide.

The hope, according to Kostanich, is to get started on the work by May of 2010.

The Summit at Snoqualmie will continue to operate the full service Nordic Center this winter season. Adjacent to the alpine ski area, the Hyak area has cross-country skiing on groomed trails along Lake Keechelus on the Iron Horse Trail, which is maintained by the Washington State Parks, and a Sno-Park Permit is required to use the trails and to park in the lot.

Summit East is operated by Boyne USA Resorts along with nearby Summit Central, Summit West and Alpental.

Notes

• Support the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation by taking part in the Applebee's Dining to Donate Fundraiser 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Applebee's Neighborhood Bar & Grill, 375 S. Grady Way in Renton. The restaurant will donate 15 percent of the proceeds to the foundation. Details: 425-251-3202 or www.castforkids.org.

• The Puget Sound Anglers Seafood Cooking Seminar is 7 p.m. Thursday at the VFW Post 5760 Hall, 1836 72nd Ave. S.E. on Mercer Island. Chef Tom Black will prepare gourmet dishes featuring crab, salmon, halibut, lingcod and other local seafood. Details: 425-823-0704.

• The Newport High School Ski and Snowboard Swap is 5-9 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 14 at Newport High School, 4333 Factoria Blvd. S.E. in Bellevue. More than 7,000 items will be for sale at bargain prices. Details: 425-456-7400 or http://skiswap.info.

• The Steelhead Trout Club of Washington dinner meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Orient Express Restaurant on 4th Avenue South in Seattle. Guest speaker fishing guide Pat Neal will make a video presentation on fishing the Olympic Peninsula rivers for steelhead, salmon and cutthroat trout. Details: 425-941-1148 or e-mail alsenyohl@aol.com.

• The Renton Chapter of the Puget Sound Anglers meeting is 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Kennydale Memorial Hall, 2424 N.E. 27th St. in Renton. Guest speaker Robert Nowowiejski from Rob's Guide Service will share techniques for river salmon and steelhead fishing. Details: 425-235-4297 or www.rentonpsa.com.

• State Fish and Wildlife will plant 2,000 rainbow trout averaging 3 pounds apiece into Beaver Lake near Issaquah on Monday. To facilitate fish planting the lake's access site will be closed at sunset Sunday, and reopen at sunrise Tuesday. The lake will remain open to fishing while the access site is closed. The trout were part of an educational display at state Fish and Wildlife's Issaquah Hatchery.

The lake's access site is most easily reached by way of East Beaver Lake Drive Southeast, off Southeast 24th Street in the city of Sammamish. Parking for vehicles and boat trailers is limited, and a valid state Fish and Wildlife vehicle access permit must be visible. Internal combustion boat engines are prohibited on the lake. The daily limit is five fish, and bait anglers must keep the first five trout they catch.

• The Roche Harbor Hook 'em & Hold 'em Salmon Derby & Texas Hold 'em Tournament Dec. 3-5 has 45 spots left. Cost is $100 per angler. Details: 800-451-8910 or 360-378-5562 or www.rocheharbor.com.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com