The Pilchuck Ski Club originally formed in 1951. In the early days of the club, ski jumping was more of a main focus versus downhill skiing. However, in 1957, seeking a more permanent home, the club leased 80 acres of northwest-facing land on the slopes of Mount Pilchuck. Pilchuck Park Lifts Incorporated was formed and constructed a day lodge and a handful of rope tows. Through the sale of public stock, the company hoped to raise $300,000 to install a double chairlift. The corporation had a five-year lease to the land with the possibility of a 16-year extension after 1963.

By 1963 the Forest Service had approved the upper chairlift plans and a 4,000-foot long double chair was installed by Riblet. In 1964, a serious scandal involving the Pilchuck ski area and Governor Dan Evans drew lots of attention. Reportedly, Mount Pilchuck filed a $1.6 million lawsuit against the state, alleging a breach in the state's contract to maintain the access road. In a panic, Governor Dan Evans authorized a $300,000 emergency fund to be used to fix the road, despite the fact that Mount Pilchuck had not made its last land lease payment to the state. Although the governor received much anger towards this decision, he refused to back down and the road was newly paved in 1965. The ski resort ended up dropping the lawsuit.

Mount Pilchuck operated the upper chairlift until 1967, when the lower chairlift was constructed, also by Riblet. This new terrain opened up lots of beginner alternatives and was a big draw for new skiers. The ski resort was sold in 1970 to a new investor who introduced plans to build a third chairlift above the tree line. This terrain had a fairly reliable snowpack unlike the lower base, and would have ensured the long-term success of the mountain. These plans were studied by the park commission.

Through the latter half of the 1970s, the resort experienced some of its worst winters ever. Generally Pilchuck always opened around a month later than its competitors, however it was especially bad during these years. Additionally, Pilchuck was significantly underdeveloped compared to its competitors, with a smaller ski season and underbuilt facilities. Something needed to change. The ski hill even proposed that the Forest Service waive their rent in 1977.

In 1979, Mount Pilchuck's lease came to an end. The mountain tried to renew the lease along with a 10-year master development plan that would have seen additional terrain above the existing chairlifts. However, both applications were denied. According to the Forest Service: "It's not that we don't want to see skiing up there, it's just that we haven't seen much skiing there since the area opened."

With this, the downhill ski resort on Mount Pilchuck permanently closed. Both Riblet doubles were sold to nearby Crystal Mountain. The lodge was gradually vandalized over time until a fire took out the remainder of the structure. Today all that remains of the ski resort is the access road and parking lot.