New ‘basecamp’ with Mount Rainier passes, coffee and recreation gear opens soon
A new community center in downtown Wilkeson is anticipated to open mid-July.
The Wilkeson Historical District Basecamp will be a community space at 521 Church St. The space was recently used as a women’s boutique. The center will be “focused on local recreation, visitor services, and downtown activation.” It will also feature a local coffee service, visitor information, Mount Rainier passes, gently used recreation gear people can purchase and recreation rentals, Jayme Peloli, founder and executive director of the Wilkeson Historical District nonprofit, told The News Tribune via email.
The center will sell some items from local businesses such as baked treats from Larsson’s Delectable Delights and fresh flowers from Carbon River Flower Farm, according to the HSD Facebook post.
Peloli said the opening day is anticipated to be July 25 for Wilkeson Days, which is the town’s annual festival celebrating their coal and mining history. Peloli said the nonprofit is helping lead the project and work is already underway with equipment moving in and finishing touches being done inside.
When asked what the project costs and how it will be funded, she said the project is being developed in phases and that it is supported “through a combination of different resources and partnerships.” Peloli said as the project moves forward, specific details continue to evolve.
“... the vision is to create more year-round activity while supporting local businesses and creating another reason for people to spend time in town,” she wrote in her email.
Peloli said the purpose of the center is to invest locally while celebrating the character and future of Wilkeson. The center is intended to be a destination experience downtown.
The basecamp will be open seven days a week after its doors open to the public.
The town’s economic growth was impacted a year ago in April following the indefinite shut down of the state Route 165 Carbon River Fairfax Bridge due to safety risks. The 103-year-old bridge was the only way to access key areas of Mount Rainier National Park by car, including Mowich Lake, Tolmie Peak and Spray Park, The News Tribune previously reported.
Peloli was elected mayor in November 2025 and was a leading voice in asking the state to build a new bridge and restore access to the Carbon Canyon. She resigned June 11 as mayor and will remain in town as a government-relations consultant.
“Over the last year, it became clear that the work ahead for Wilkeson and Carbon Canyon requires dedicated focus on infrastructure, transportation, mobility, access, and long-term resiliency,” Peloli wrote in a Facebook post. “Together, we recognized that my time could have the greatest impact in a role centered on advocacy, coordination, and advancing critical projects already underway.”
