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It all started with the dream of a young man named Jack Barron, who rode this magnificent country as a youth. He wanted to share the experience of this land with others. He began construction of his dream of a mountain top resort in 1965 and opened the original Sun Mountain Lodge in 1968. The location chosen was a 3,000 foot high mountain top with 360 degree views of mountains, wilderness and valleys. He wanted to make the lodge blend in with its surroundings, so he used huge local boulders, fossil-imbedded stones and mammoth timbers in its construction.

The main facility of Mr. Barron's Sun Mountain Lodge included a dining room, lounge, front desk and public meeting rooms with adjacent pool and hot tub. There were two two-story buildings for guest rooms, one facing Gardner Mountain and the other facing Patterson Lake, with a total of 50 rooms. The original "lodging" facility was actually on the valley floor, and consisted of a cluster of cabins near the Sunny M Ranch. The cabins were moved to Patterson Lake, where they were in use through 2004. They have all been replaced with new cabins.

In 1987, the Haub brothers of Germany purchased the Lodge with the adjacent Sunny M Ranch. When they decided that Sun Mountain needed renovation and expansion to meet the needs of today's traveler, they did not want to alter the original vision or style. They hired the Seattle-based design firm NBBJ to design the "new" Sun Mountain Lodge, using natural materials and huge dimensions throughout, in keeping with the original structure. The magnificent wooden beams were made of Douglas Fir and the stone floor was constructed of Idaho Quartz. The new Sun Mountain Lodge opened in May of 1990.

Besides the original dining room and lounge, the main lodge now includes expanded and modified meeting rooms, a hot tub and outdoor swimming pool, full service spa, an exercise room with universal-type equipment, an activity/recreation center, a full line gift shop, a secluded library with a fireplace and many outdoor recreation facilities. The expanded lodge building contains 44 guestrooms, and in the totally rebuilt Gardner building are 28 rooms with wet bars and gas fireplaces. The Robinson building, which opened at Christmas 1996, has 24 deluxe rooms with stocked refreshment centers, gas fireplaces and whirlpool tubs in each room. All accommodations have spectacular views of either the North Cascades Mountains or the scenic Methow Valley below.

In 1999 the old swimming pool area was transformed into the free-form swimming pool and hot tub on the bluff, and the surrounding patio area was renovated and enlarged . This is a lovely area to sit and enjoy the view on a warm summer evening. The Wolf Creek Bar & Grill deck was also expanded in 1999 allowing for casual outdoor summertime dining, and a new kitchen was added. The Activities Shop and game room were both renovated and enlarged.

In 2002, Sun Mountain embarked on a 2.5 million dollar reconstruction and refurbishment of its Main Lodge guestrooms and Patterson Lake cabins. All forty four guestrooms in the Main Lodge building were completely refurbished, including new paint, beds, armoires, side tables, game tables, chairs, light fixtures, and bedspreads. According to interior designer Deb Maenner, the rooms have an entirely new feel, with a warmer, brighter look.

In keeping with Sun Mountain Lodge's founding objectives, the $900,000 project was completed by local craftsmen and contractors. The new armoires and tables were fashioned out of maple and cherry by local furniture makers Cliff Schwab and Michael Martin. The upholstery and duvet covers were made by Twisp residents Julie Langeberg and Evelyn Oakford, new paint by Sharon Cohen and David Blum, and ironwork by D.J. Stull of Winthrop.

Down at our sister resort at Patterson Lake, all of the old studio cabins have been replaced . We now have ten one-bedroom units, four loft suites and two Grand Suites. Each cabin has a gas fireplace, full kitchen, living and dining area, and a lovely veranda overlooking the lake. Designed by Boe Architects of Tacoma, each new cabin will sleep five people and feature a full bedroom, kitchen, living room with gas fireplace, and deck. The new two-bedroom loft suite sleeps eleven people and has an expanded living space for hosting small groups and family reunions. Wade Perrow Construction of Gig Harbor and Winthrop is the general contractor of this 1.6 million dollar project. A new office has also been built.

Handcrafted items new and old add to the atmosphere at Sun Mountain Lodge. The antique key rack located at the Front Desk is circa 1910, from an old bar in the Ballard District of Seattle. The arts and crafts displayed in our rooms are all from local artists ranging in age from 4 to 94 years old. Local artists and local craftsmen's products were used throughout.

As you will discover during your stay, we offer a unique dining experience. Chef Patrick Miller designs menus for the Dining Room and Wolf Creek Bar & Grill as well as banquets and special occasions. Opened in 1998, our 5,000 bottle, 450 label wine cellar is one of the finest in the Pacific Northwest.

Sun Mountain was the first destination cross country ski resort in the Northwest. It is now the largest, with over 60 km. of groomed trails, which are connected to and are part of the huge 200 km. Methow Valley Sport Trails Association system - one of the largest groomed ski trail systems in North America. Former P.S.I.A. National demonstration team member Don Portman, directs the ski program. Sun Mountain is well known for top quality ski instruction and rental equipment.

In 1990 Sun Mountain Lodge, through its general contractor Lease Crutcher Lewis of Redmond, Washington, received the "Excellence in Construction" Award. In the same year the Dining Room received its first AAA Four Diamond Award, and in 1994 became the only resort in Washington State to have the AAA Four Diamond Award bestowed on both the Dining Room and the Resort.