A phoenix is rising in the Central Oregon forest

Most people traveling over Santiam Pass on Highway 20 are probably unaware of the historic architectural gem hidden in the trees. It sat abandoned and neglected for almost 40 years.

Just to the west of Hoodoo Ski Area and across the highway, a group of dedicated volunteers and donors - Friends of Santiam Pass Ski Lodge - are meticulously bringing back to life the rustic lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in just seven months, from July 1939 to February 2, 1940, with a dining hall added the next year.

The lodge is one of six unique CCC-built structures of its type in the Pacif...