Project name: Timberline Lodge Pool Replacement

Location: Government Camp

Completion: March 2024

Size: 4,900 square feet

Owner/Developer: RLK & Company

Architect: Soderstrom Architects

Interior Designer: Soderstrom Architects

Engineers: Interface Engineering, Counsilman-Hunsaker (pool consultant)

General Contractor: Bremik Construction

Submitting Company: Bremik Construction

Other Key Participants: U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Health Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, Friends of Timberline, State Historic Preservation Office, Hoodland Fire District, Clackamas County

Subcontractors: Airx, American Welding and Iron, Anderson Poolworks, Arrow Timber Framing, B&B Tile and Masonry, Bell Hardware of Portland, Christenson Electric, CMC Rebar, Culver Glass, Don Rhyne Painting, Dynalectric, Elite Steel Products, Hanset Stainless, Harlen’s Drywall, JW Underground, LaRusso Concrete, Northwest Masonry Restoration, Piper Mechanical, Sign Wizards, Skyline Sheet Metal, Versatile Wood Products, Western States Fire Protection, WH Cress

Perched at 6,000 feet on the south slope of Mt. Hood, Timberline Lodge has completed an ambitious renovation project, replacing its 1958-era pool with a modern facility that honors the historic property’s architectural heritage.

The project, which began after the original pool was decommissioned in fall 2022, features a heated year-round pool with depths ranging from 3 to 8 feet and a new hot tub with massage jets. At this elevation, it becomes the highest pool in the Pacific Northwest.

“Recreating the Timberline pool experience for our guests while preserving the historic value of the Lodge is what makes Timberline a very special and unique place,” Jeff Kohnstamm, Timberline’s president and area operator, noted in the project submission form. “I could not be more excited about this new page in Timberline’s story.”

The 4,900-square-foot elevated design includes a bird-friendly 75 percent glass enclosure that frames views of Mt. Hood and surrounding mountains. A new skybridge connects the spa deck to the west side hotel vestibule, providing seamless access for guests. The upgrade also included a new mechanical and storage room, as well as two public restrooms designed for both pool guests and skiers/snowboarders.

Construction teams faced considerable challenges building at such high elevation. The final concrete pour was completed in November 2023, requiring a specially designed mix suitable for freezing conditions after a 1.5-hour drive from the batch plant. To complete pool plastering and tiling during winter, crews constructed a 53-foot-long temporary heated enclosure that withstood multiple snowstorms while maintaining 70-degree interior temperatures.

The renovation also corrected architectural compromises made when the original pool was installed in 1958. Working from 1930s-era drawings, Soderstrom Architects and Bremik Construction restored historic windows, lower walls and rock buttresses that had been concealed for more than six decades.

Special attention to detail included rough-sawn cedar board-formed concrete finishes and pre-weathered materials to match the lodge’s aged aesthetic. New railing balusters match the Lodge’s iconic heavy timber construction, and the pool incorporates Timberline’s signature “snow goose” motif.

For visitor comfort, the pool deck features a radiant floor heating system that prevents ice buildup, while a new fire pit creates a gathering spot for evening relaxation.

Originally constructed in 1937 with funding from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, Timberline Lodge now welcomes approximately 2 million visitors annually, with the new pool enhancing its appeal as a year-round destination.

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