I worked there in the kitchen in the fall of pretty sure 88 till about Feb 89, Man oh man the stories so much fun.I remember working with a couple scottish gents named Alister and Neil. Again so much fun.
Man o' man does this video bring back some great memories! My 1st job was at Fortress in 1987; my buddy Sean and I were hired to park cars, load lifts, shovel snow etc. I believe we made enough to pay for gas money driving in from Calgary every weekend. The pay-off was the free skiing; and lot's of it. I spent most of my High School winter weekends up there... to see the state of the lodge is quite hard to digest; in my memories, I still see every corner of that Lodge and Mountain teaming with people... if only someone had taken care of the roof to prevent this post apocalyptic shell she has become... the bursting pipes are another thing all together. I experienced 2 floods while lodging in the basement below the offices; raw sewage bubbled up from the washroom drains - covering the whole basement in a couple inches of this waste. In short, the place always had some issues; regardless, it shouldn't have ended this way. BZ
Thanks for this video! A little trip down memory lane for me. I lived in the staff condos (seen at 1:05) that were just up the hill from the lodge for one summer in the mid-90s. I was 15. My father had been hired by the owners to do renovation work. They were just starting to build the newer condos shown at 7:46 then. The lodge is where we went to do large loads of laundry, and my dad was responsible for some basic housekeeping. It wasn't condemned at that time, but it was empty over the summer and a lot of the staff-only areas were really run down. They'd had a minor flood the previous winter, and they'd stripped the far end of one of the basement corridors of drywall and carpet, but just sort of left it like that, after. I explored it for hours. The architecture was phenomenal. The floors were a mosaic flagstones in places. The hearthroom was like a step into another world. The ceiling and balconies were a dazzling sight. I would sit by a window and read in there for hours. What a place. I wish I could have seen it in its prime.
Thank you very much for your comment! I really wished I could've explored the inside, but at least there's been little to no vandalism to the building - it's deteriorated naturally. I also wish I could've seen the building in all its prime and glory. Unfortunately, little to no pictures exist on the internet of the interior. On another note, I have emailed Fortress asking them for permission to explore the inside of the building. If I can gain access, I'll definitely be heading back (hopefully sooner than later).
I remember catching a bus at Woodward’s with my brother and heading up there every Saturday morning…brings back great memories. Sad to see it like this 🥲
I learned to ski at Fortress on a school trip in 1987. What fond memories I have of the lodge, staying in the dorm rooms, and sitting by that fireplace. Anxiously waiting for it to reopen so I can bring my kids and the kids I teach to experience Fortress!
I worked there for a season back in the 90s. I did maintenance and cleaning in the main building, and spent the rest of my time skiing and partying. One of the best times of my life. It's a shame to see it so delapedated now.
Thanks for your comment! It is sad to see the building so dilapidated. Hopefully Fortress can re-open, but I'm not sure what the future of this building holds.
I remember the basement there near the lockers that is flooded now. I went downstairs there to take a plop, must have been '91 or '92, and there was already water damage and leaks at that time. The lodge was rad though, in the late 80's we used to stay in the dorm/hostel rooms that circled the fire place in the middle on the upper floors, and we'd sneak booze in there, partyy it up, and I almost made it to 3rd base for the first time up there with some girls we met... I say almost because I got shut down hard, and she just drank all my booze and even gave be a bogus phone number to boot, lol. The 80's were interesting times. EDIT: Oh yeah, some ass stole my poles from the rack outside, I was choked!
Thanks for the love. Also I wanted to add more comment. Also the ski resort could have restored the area with new buildings and leaving the old icons where they were as remembered.
I was a ski instructor at Fortress, and I lived in that lodge for a winter. At Christmas, with the copper chimney(flue?) it was like fucking HarryPotterville. I highly suggest you get inside. I'll come with.
I worked at F.M. in the late 70s l was a mechanic ..fixed sno-cats,trucks,ski doos .
Really good time😊 tks for the memories
I worked there in the kitchen in the fall of pretty sure 88 till about Feb 89, Man oh man the stories so much fun.I remember working with a couple scottish gents named Alister and Neil. Again so much fun.
Man o' man does this video bring back some great memories! My 1st job was at Fortress in 1987; my buddy Sean and I were hired to park cars, load lifts, shovel snow etc.
I believe we made enough to pay for gas money driving in from Calgary every weekend. The pay-off was the free skiing; and lot's of it. I spent most of my High School winter weekends up there... to see the state of the lodge is quite hard to digest; in my memories, I still see every corner of that Lodge and Mountain teaming with people... if only someone had taken care of the roof to prevent this post apocalyptic shell she has become... the bursting pipes are another thing all together. I experienced 2 floods while lodging in the basement below the offices; raw sewage bubbled up from the washroom drains - covering the whole basement in a couple inches of this waste. In short, the place always had some issues; regardless, it shouldn't have ended this way. BZ
I'd say there's a solid probability you and I crossed paths at some time. The basement was heinous, lol.
Thanks for this video! A little trip down memory lane for me. I lived in the staff condos (seen at 1:05) that were just up the hill from the lodge for one summer in the mid-90s. I was 15. My father had been hired by the owners to do renovation work. They were just starting to build the newer condos shown at 7:46 then.
The lodge is where we went to do large loads of laundry, and my dad was responsible for some basic housekeeping. It wasn't condemned at that time, but it was empty over the summer and a lot of the staff-only areas were really run down. They'd had a minor flood the previous winter, and they'd stripped the far end of one of the basement corridors of drywall and carpet, but just sort of left it like that, after.
I explored it for hours. The architecture was phenomenal. The floors were a mosaic flagstones in places. The hearthroom was like a step into another world. The ceiling and balconies were a dazzling sight. I would sit by a window and read in there for hours. What a place. I wish I could have seen it in its prime.
Thank you very much for your comment! I really wished I could've explored the inside, but at least there's been little to no vandalism to the building - it's deteriorated naturally. I also wish I could've seen the building in all its prime and glory. Unfortunately, little to no pictures exist on the internet of the interior.
On another note, I have emailed Fortress asking them for permission to explore the inside of the building. If I can gain access, I'll definitely be heading back (hopefully sooner than later).
I remember catching a bus at Woodward’s with my brother and heading up there every Saturday morning…brings back great memories. Sad to see it like this 🥲
Thank you for the video. It’s appreciated. I worked there in 2002.
Sorry, 2001
I learned to ski at Fortress on a school trip in 1987. What fond memories I have of the lodge, staying in the dorm rooms, and sitting by that fireplace. Anxiously waiting for it to reopen so I can bring my kids and the kids I teach to experience Fortress!
I worked there for a season back in the 90s. I did maintenance and cleaning in the main building, and spent the rest of my time skiing and partying. One of the best times of my life. It's a shame to see it so delapedated now.
Thanks for your comment! It is sad to see the building so dilapidated. Hopefully Fortress can re-open, but I'm not sure what the future of this building holds.
I remember the basement there near the lockers that is flooded now. I went downstairs there to take a plop, must have been '91 or '92, and there was already water damage and leaks at that time. The lodge was rad though, in the late 80's we used to stay in the dorm/hostel rooms that circled the fire place in the middle on the upper floors, and we'd sneak booze in there, partyy it up, and I almost made it to 3rd base for the first time up there with some girls we met... I say almost because I got shut down hard, and she just drank all my booze and even gave be a bogus phone number to boot, lol. The 80's were interesting times. EDIT: Oh yeah, some ass stole my poles from the rack outside, I was choked!
Yea that's sad to see old lodges gone to waste
Thanks for the love. Also I wanted to add more comment. Also the ski resort could have restored the area with new buildings and leaving the old icons where they were as remembered.
baby boomers made it more expensive over time
@@steve00alt70 Yes and no. No denying that prices keep going up but at the end of the day skiing has always been a rich-man sport.
I swear I can still smell the inside the melting snow and fireplace.
I was a ski instructor at Fortress, and I lived in that lodge for a winter. At Christmas, with the copper chimney(flue?) it was like fucking HarryPotterville.
I highly suggest you get inside. I'll come with.
Miss this old hill. Would love to have it open again. Would help ease the line ups at the others in the area.