Wednesday, August 18, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
7
Ski Inn completes its reincarnation
By Bill Bartlett
Correspondent
Eight years after a large,
150-year-old ponderosa
pine tree fell on the origi-
nal Ski Inn located on East
Cascade Avenue, the newly
redesigned and rebuilt lodg-
ing and dining establishment
is in full swing on the same
site.
After several months
of delay, the Yozamp fam-
ily, owners, have most of
the opening kinks worked
out 4 notwithstanding the
nationwide labor shortage
that has been a challenge for
the operators to meet. Some
hours have been curtailed
to give the staff a needed
break.
The original, opened in
1972, was a plain-looking
edifice common of 970s
design. It was a popular
breakfast and burger spot.
The regulars would show up
almost every day at 6 a.m. to
dine on omelets, biscuits and
gravy, hash browns and other
breakfast staples with praise
for their bacon and ham.
Despite its name, it never
was an inn with lodging.
Today9s Ski Inn Tap
House & Hotel, over a year
in the making, is in every
sense of the word Five-Star
as defined by the hospital-
ity industry. That is, when
referring to the lodging
side of the business. The
PHOTO BY BILL BARTLETT
The Ski Inn, once crushed by a falling tree, has been reimagined and reborn as Ski Inn Tap House & Hotel.
2,670-square-foot second
floor, offers six boutique-
class rooms, one of which is
ADA compliant. The rooms
are surrounded by a wide,
wooden deck and railing,
with doors from each of the
rooms opening onto the deck.
The largest room, located at
the front of the building, has
a kitchenette. All six feature
a king bed, seating area,
designer furniture, and walk-
in shower.
<Tap House= is an apt
part of the business name.
And taps there are: 16 in
fact, rotating regional craft
beers and ciders. Four
wines, vinted in the Pacific
Northwest, are in the mix to
pair with the pub-fare eats.
That9s half as many as the
ultra-large, high-definition
TVs inside playing eight
different games in differing
sports at one time. A ninth
giant-screen TV is outside in
the patio area.
The restaurant can seat
86 inside and almost 60 out-
side. The indoor and outdoor
space is all one when the
20-foot-wide roll-up doors
are opened, making it an
open-air setting during good
weather.
Ski Inn is also a study
in craftsmanship and atten-
tion to detail. No expense
was spared in fulfilling the
vision of Pacwest Builders,
also owned by the Yozamps,
with an assist from Hayes
Building and Design. From
floor to ceiling the result is
an architectural masterpiece.
Examples include reclaimed
Year-round
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FOREST PRODUCTS
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barnwood and brick, divided-
glass windows and doors,
ironwork by Ponderosa
Forge, and clever use of
Western-themed elements
such as a bicycle rack made
of old, iron wagon wheels.
The exterior is corru-
gated steel with a natural rust
patina and rough-sawn cedar
boards with a burnt-wood
finish. Handrails are galva-
nized pipe and fittings. But it
is the sound engineering that
gets the most kudos from the
room guests. Considering that
the first floor is a packed pub
every night until at least 9
p.m., engineering was needed
to make sure lodgers didn9t
leave with a bad taste in their
mouth, or in this case a bad
ring in their ear.
A layer of concrete sits on
top of sound board, which
sits on a wooden floor. Below
that is a two-foot acoustic air
chamber before two layers
of drywall and the barnwood
plank ceiling.
Observers note that there
is rarely a time between noon,
when Ski Inn opens, until
closing that it is not full of
patrons. With a 12-foot-long,
gas-fired warming table, the
owners expect the outdoor
area will be in use year round.
home & offi ce, small event
& wedding styling
home decor & gifts
home staging &
styling services
Jennifer Beech, Owner
541-420-5764
251 E. Sun Ranch Dr.
withhomestyled.com
THANK YOU, SISTERS
COMMUNITY…
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8-25-21
541-548-2899
3818 SW 21st Pl., Ste. 100
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www.skiinn.com
…For your support and
patience as we add staff
and refi ne our service
during the post-COVID
tourist season.
— The Ski Inn Team