Friends of Timberline Raising Funds for Fire Clean-Up

Timberline Lodge and the surrounding land are owned by the United States Forest Service but operated by R.L.K. and Company through a Special Use Permit.

Friends of Timberline noted in a recent statement that this unique arrangement creates "operational complexities and unique funding challenges not seen in a typical private sector business environment."

The statement explained that recovering from the fire will incur "enormous costs" outside of a "normal insurance strategy"—highlighting the importance of fundraising.

KOIN 6 News is reporting that Friends of Timberline's manager Randi Black has stated that the non-profit hopes to raise $100,000.

Together, Friends of Timberline, R.L.K. and Company, and the United States Forest Service collaborate to maintain Timberline Lodge, which was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977 and receives millions of visitors annually. 

The lodge was constructed over 80 years ago with funding from the Works Progress Administration and the Mt. Hood Development Association.

On April 18th, at approximately 9:30 p.m., the exterior roof and headhouse attic area of Timberline Lodge caught fire. Guests and staff were evacuated quickly. No one was injured.

First responders arrived soon afterward and extinguished the fire by approximately 11:00 p.m. The lodge noted that it suspects fireplace embers caused the blaze.

The accompanying ski area and Timberline Lodge temporarily closed following the fire, reopening on April 20th and April 21st, respectively.

"All things considered, fire and subsequent water damage is benign and contained to the central areas of the Historic Lodge, including the headhouse and main lobby areas," Timberline Lodge wrote in an update last week.