In my quest to cover nearly every Twin Peaks film location on TwinPeaksBlog.com, I uncovered something unique about the view of The Great Northern Hotel (aka The Salish Lodge) found in several Season Two episodes. Unless I invent a time machine, I’ll never be able to take the exact photo of the Hotel as something is now missing at Snoqualmie Falls Park.
I first noticed something odd when I published Vacant Peaks articles about this location (Part 3 and Part 4). In certain shots there appeared to be part of a roof in the upper left corner of the frame.
This roof is best seen in Episodes 2002, 2004 and 2016. During my recent visit to Snoqualmie, Washington this fall, I didn’t find the same roof. Where did it go?
TWIN PIX
The answer to the question came from an unlikely source – a Pixar (yes, THAT Pixar) employee parody video titled “Twin Pix.” I stumbled upon this video while looking for something completely unrelated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGXnQ2QBSiQ
This first Christmas video, according to YouTube user Alan Grant, was made after Pixar moved from Point Richmond, California. Alan wrote, “[This video] is a parody of Twin Peaks and is essentially just clips from the show re-edited to fit PIXAR.”
According to the Pixar Wiki, Pixar made an employee exclusive DVD titled Made in Point Richmond some time after completing For the Birds. It contained “a selection of non-movie content from their Point Richmond days like their television work, short work, F/X work and party videos.”
The two-minute video contains several film location scenes from Washington state including the former covered viewing area found at Snoqualmie Falls Park. This is the same covered structure that made a cameo in the aforementioned scenes.
The structure was once located in the red circled area.
You can see it on a 2009 image from Google Earth. By 2010, the structure was gone.
Several users posted images of this structure on Flickr including this fantastic shot from underneath the structure looking at Snoqualmie Falls.
The official SnoqualmieFalls.com website included this side view of the former structure.
Another Flickr used named Myatala shared a similar shot probably taken at a different time of year than the SnoqualmieFalls.com image.
There was even an image of the unique roof that Flickr user UberSleuth shared. You can see the same geometric shapes in the Twin Pix video and previous images.
I love this image from Flickr user Wildcat Dunny taken from the lower Falls park.
The crazy part is that I probably have video or images from this structure as it would have been standing in August 1996 during my first visit to the area. I somehow had forgotten about it.
SNOQUALMIE FALLS PARK RENOVATION
An article published in the Seattle Times on September 3, 2009 announced that major changes were coming to Snoqualmie Falls Park. The park closed on September 8 and reopened in December that year.
Puget Sound Energy, which operates the Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Project, made extensive improvements to Plants 1 and Plant 2 as well as Snoqualmie Falls Park and historic buildings near the falls between 2010-2015. At the time, the Snoqualmie Falls were already attracting 2 Million visitors annually, so improvements were needed.
Seattle-based Design + Planning practice at Aecom provided landscape architectural services. An article in the Daily Journal of Commerce from March 25, 2010 by Jeff Bouma described some of the work done to the Upper Falls area.
“Aecom’s vision for the Upper Park was to create a place that celebrates the magnificent views and improves the experience of exploring the site. The improvements were designed to protect and enhance the natural landscape while respecting the cultural significance of the site.
The dramatic landscape inspired a simple, yet robust aesthetic for the park and materials used. This is consistent with a “national park-like setting” that is rustic yet refined, while robust enough to withstand millions of visitors over the next several decades.
Use of the park continues to be focused on viewing the falls. Trails and pathways connect users to significant viewing areas and interpretive nodes within the park. The park itself will become the nexus of several regional and community trails.
SNOQUALMIE FALLS PARK IN 2019
I can attest that the improvements made now offer an even more spectacular view of the 268-foot waterfall and iconic Salish Lodge hotel.
I mean just look at this spot! After being away from the area for more than 23 years, the Falls were definitely a sight to behold.
I took a similar shot of the Salish Lodge that was seen in the Season Two episodes mentioned early.
One of my favorite details was the stainless steel letters embedded in the wide steps throughout the Upper Falls park.
These power words really capture the emotions I felt when viewing the Falls.
AWARD WINNING DESIGN
Ohno Construction Company took home the Grand Prize award at the 2012 WALP Environmental Landscape Awards ceremony for their outstanding work at Snoqualmie Falls.
According to the Northwest Professional Landscape from November 2013, Ohno Construction and Puget Sound Energy made sure to protect the Native Lands of the Snoqualmie Nation during construction:
“Puget Sound Energy provided an on-site archeologist who identified the artifacts as they were unearthed during the excavation process and during planting. Items that were found had to be returned to the indigenous owners.
Extra care had to be taken so as not to damage any buried artifacts or burial sites that might have been uncovered,” Ohno explained. “And, it was PSE’s policy that all demo materials had to go to approved recycling locations – no landfill.”
On September 14, 2013, Puget Sound Energy held a grand-reopening celebration for the Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Project and Park.
SPECTACULAR SNOQUALMIE FALLS
Words can’t accurately describe the beauty of Snoqualmie Falls. Luckily, a fellow visitor to the Park captured this image of me taking photos during a misty October morning.
I highly recommend making this spot a must-see on your Twin Peaks locations list.
The free parking and free viewing area are open from dawn until dusk. Leashed pets are allowed. Here are driving directions for when you visit.
