Suncadia Resort - A Gem in Central Washington

- The expansive Suncadia Resort in central Washington encompasses nearly 6,400 acres, which is about half the size of Manhattan. You won’t find any skyscrapers at this premiere mountain resort, however, unless you include towering granite peaks and overgrown evergreen trees. Instead, visitors and property owners alike enjoy excellent golf, picturesque scenery, and lots of sunshine. Suncadia is home to two championship golf courses – one public and the other private – with a third on the drawing board.

Located just 80 miles east of Seattle, Suncadia sits near the tiny village of Roslyn, where the 1990s TV series Northern Exposure was filmed. At 2,200 feet in elevation, the public championship course called Prospector offers its own version of northern exposure. According to the resort’s head golf professional Brady Hatfield, the par 72, 7,112-yard course doesn’t have a signature hole, per se. However, hole 10 generates the most conversation. “This par 4 measures 411 yards and drops 125 feet from the tee box to the green,” says Hatfield. “While teeing off, the magnificent Cascade Mountain Range in the background constantly competes for your attention.”

Though the 10th hole is stunning in and of itself, other holes, like number 11, temp you with a variety of risk-reward challenges. Ray McGowan, a property owner and frequent golfer at Prospector, finds the 536-yard, par 5, 11th his favorite. “I’ve played this course about 15 times already this year, and I always find this hole fun and challenging,” says McGowan. “It features a dogleg left, and if you successfully cut the corner you can be on the green in two. But, it’s that risk-reward factor that makes it so tricky.”

Created by the Palmer Course Design Company, Prospector Golf Course offers its share of tests, including 68 sand traps scattered throughout, and water coming into play on five holes. In addition to Prospector, the Tom Doak-designed Tumble Creek Golf Course is Suncadia’s private course. Also, Champion Tour player Peter Jacobsen is designing the third course on the property; Rope Rider Golf Course is scheduled to open in late 2009.

“Four seasons of fun” is the moniker Suncadia Resort uses to present itself to the world, and with good reason. According to the resort’s marketing manager Joanne Bumanglag, in addition to seven months of golf, Suncadia offers more outdoor activities than you can shake a fly rod, golf club, or snowshoe at. “We have more than 50 miles of trails, both paved and unpaved,” she says. Available activities include hiking, tennis, rafting, sledding, trail running, kayaking, horseback riding, fly fishing (on the Cle Elum River), mountain biking, swimming, ice skating, rock climbing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.

Bumanglag also says that on July 4, the resort will open Glade Spring Spa, a full-service spa treatment salon featuring private pools and mineral baths, and a variety of innovative therapies. The swim and fitness center offers yoga classes, aerobics, free weights, and spinning, among other activities. Suncadia Resort also features several dining options:

Overlooking Prospector Golf Course is the Inn’s Gas Lamp Grille featuring fresh, innovative, and sustainable cuisine under the direction of chef Jason Kieffer. Monthly winemaker dinners showcase epicurean events, pairing handcrafted Washington state wines with seasonal gourmet fare.
At The Lodge at Suncadia, Portals offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and features an ever-changing menu of sophisticated, home style cuisine with fresh, local, and organically grown ingredients under the direction of executive chef Andrew Wilson. Here, great food is coupled with incredible, panoramic views of the Cle Elum River and Cascade Mountains.
Mulligan’s at the Turn is a convenient snack bar at the 9th hole on Prospector.

For visitors, the Inn at Suncadia features an elegant 18-room mountain inn that sets the mood for a relaxing getaway. Private rental homes are also available. For more information about Suncadia Resort, visit www.suncadia.com or call 866-904-6300.

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