The Palouse Divide Lodge is a mountain top retreat center dedicated to helping small groups enjoy time together. During any season, the Lodge provides a stunning back drop for a variety of activities. Learn more about the Lodge itself here.
Preserve the PAST
Lane and Shirley Hathaway dedicated 27 years to improving the mountain top retreat into a thriving Retreat Center. Partnering with the US Forest Service, the Hathaways established the first official Nordic ski trails and formed the first Nordic Ski Club at the Palouse Divide.
The rich history of the Palouse Divide is preserved in the stories guests share, the photographic memories and relics in its halls, and the historic CCC cabin still in use today.
Celebrate the PRESENT
The Hathaways expanded the Palouse Divide Lodge into a 15,000 square foot year-round Retreat and Conference Center. A quiet and peaceful space for retreats, the Lodge accommodates small and large groups such as church groups, quilting, scrapbooking, knitting, or other crafting groups, cross country ski groups, family reunions, and more. This year-round retreat hosts hundreds of visitors each year and has become a beloved gathering place for Lodge guests to slow down, step back in time, and enjoy community.
Now a well established group with hundreds of members, the Palouse Divide Nordic Ski Club tirelessly volunteers to maintain and groom the Nordic ski trails each winter for the public to enjoy. Thank you PDNSC!
Plan for the FUTURE
- Address the urgency of the impending change of ownership
- Secure a community minded future for this magical space
- Prioritize environmental conservation
- Keep the Lodge affordable, welcoming, and accessible to the public
PDCC Commitment
The Palouse Divide Community Co-op (PDCC) is committed to securing the Palouse Divide Lodge as a vibrant community center, fostering connection, culture, and conservation.
About the PDCC Campaign
This grassroots campaign to transform the Palouse Divide Lodge into a welcoming community center, fueled by shared values, transparency, and a passion for connection and growth unites neighbors through events and shared purpose.
Our participants are united in a foundational set of values that guide how we work together to realize a shared vision for our community:
1.We embrace collaboration and follow the cooperative values and principles to meet our common needs and aspirations.
2.We invest in the Palouse Divide Lodge to ensure it remains accessible, welcoming, and inclusive.
3.We value preserving the Lodge and its historic presence at the Palouse Divide, its peaceful rural atmosphere, local heritage, and communal identity.
4.We celebrate diverse artistic expressions, respectful outdoor recreation, and environmental stewardship.
5.We are committed to social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
6.We support affordable lodging and environmental conservation.
7.We promote a culture of belonging where differences are respected and valued.
PDCC Steering Committee:
- Chelsea Feeney
- Steve Daley-Laursen
- Andy Jacobs
- Debra McKinnon
- Brandon Seiler
- Jesse Spohnholz
Support for the PDCC:
The PDCC is supported by consultants at Mission West Community Development Partners.
Mission West Community Development Partners (MW) is a nonprofit based out of Ronan, Montana that helps rural communities in Montana and across the Northwest build a stronger economic future. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life and long-term economic well-being of the rural communities we serve. We carry out that work through several connected teams covering community and economic development, food and agriculture, and cooperative development. Because our work is grant funded, we are able to provide our services free of charge to qualifying rural communities and businesses in our region.
Cooperative development has been central to our organization for decades. We established our Cooperative Development Center in 1999, and helping people start, grow, and strengthen cooperatives and mutually owned businesses has been a cornerstone of our work ever since. Cooperatives allow neighbors and producers to pool their resources and keep jobs, services, and investment rooted in their own communities, and we support that work from the ground up. Our assistance spans everything from feasibility studies and business planning to bylaws, financing, bookkeeping, hiring, governance, food safety, marketing, and connecting people with the right partners. Because our cooperative work sits alongside our lending, food, and agriculture teams, the communities we serve benefit from all of that expertise in one place.
Please read about the Co-op Conversion for the Palouse Divide Lodge here.
You could be a Member of the PDCC!
- Are you a frequent guest at the Lodge and want to see it preserved for the future?
- Are you a local resident who wants to participate in saving the Lodge?
- Are you a Nordic skier or member of the PDNSC whose values align with this effort?
- Do you consider the PDL your favorite retreat center and feel strongly about making sure it stays affordable and accessible?
- Do you attend affordable quilting, knitting, weaving, or other craft retreats at the Lodge and want to continue to do so in the future?
- Are you a local artist who finds inspiration at the Lodge?
- Are you an outdoor enthusiast who values environmental conservation?
- Do you have a spiritual, historical, or emotional connection to this special place?
- Do you love working together in community to make positive change?
Join the PDCC Today
Discover how you can help transform the Palouse Divide Lodge into a vibrant hub. Sign up to volunteer, donate, or stay informed about the Palouse Divide Community Co-op’s progress and upcoming events.