In my teenage years, I was lucky enough to spend weekends in Parkdale, a 25-minute drive from the closest ski resort. Winter on Mt. Hood started my relationship with Oregon’s ski culture, largely due to Oregon’s best ski resort: Mt. Hood Meadows.
Mt. Hood is perhaps best known by skiers for the historical Timberline Lodge and its year-round snow operations on Palmer Glacier, where one might see the likes of Mikaela Shiffrin come mid-July. Since there are few places in America that can offer summer skiing, Mt. Hood is often overlooked by skiers during the winter. From an Oregonian’s perspective, this may be for the better, as Mt. Hood Meadows offers some of Oregon’s most impressive playful riding, while getting consistently dumped on every winter, including over 400 inches in the last four seasons.
Lying on the southeast flank of Oregon’s largest volcano, “Meadows” provides skiers with the most varied terrain in the entire state. When all the lifts are running, the resort has over 2,500 vertical feet of world-class trees, groomers, and parks, open nine to nine. If you’re lucky enough, the often-gated pillows and wide-open bowls of Heather Canyon and the private reserve may be open. These are the resort’s crown jewels. The combination of the two gives a backcountry feel, amidst the stunning vistas that can be seen on the rare bluebird day. Rounding out, there is total of 9 chairs with a magic carpet and 2,150 acres of skiable terrain. When it’s all open, the snow sliding possibilities are seemingly endless.
Of the four Mt. Hood resorts, there’s no doubt that Meadows has the best terrain. A short ride up the newly reconstructed Mt. Hood Express chair has something for everyone. From smooth cruisers to crowdpleaser cliffs and secluded old growth powder fields, this one chair is enough to keep any skier happy all day long. If you do get tired of the lower slopes, the Cascade chair provides access to Hood’s steepest inbounds skiing and unparalleled views of the volcano.
Whether you’re from a big city or a mountain town, Meadows rivals anywhere in the great Northwest. The weekends here may tell another story, but the new six-person chair on Mt. Hood Express should be a huge help this coming winter. Otherwise, the mountain truly has it all for a locally operated ski resort. The new developments including the Sahale Lodge are sure to keep everyone comfortable, whether they’re on the snow or enjoying some local craft beer from Double Mountain.
After recently joining the Indy Pass, the resort is now more accessible and affordable than ever. Like other resorts on the Indy Pass, Meadows is still a hidden gem. A short drive from Portland during a midwinter weekday will prove this to any skier or snowboarder. Diverse terrain, high volumes of snow and an occasional view of Oregon’s largest volcano makes this a must-go destination for skiers and snowboarders alike. Oh, and if you can stay in Parkdale there’s a good chance you might never want to leave, just be sure to keep it a secret!
