Conditions Report
by Skimac
What did you do over the 4th of July weekend? Whatever patriotic activity you participated in, you could have gone to Mt Hood instead. You can ski and ride the Palmer glacier, or even climb the 11,240 foot (3426 m) peak in the Oregon Cascades all summer long.
The weather was just perfect: sunny, mostly clear and not too warm. The snow stayed in decent shape until about noon before it turned too soft for the ski racers that make up the majority of the people on the mountain.
The views from the top of the Palmer chairlift at 8500 feet are something else, as many other snow-cover peaks can be seen in the distance.
Others on the mountain included a group of ski pros getting nerdy during a 2-day ski instructor clinic.
Lower on the mountain, several freestyle and snowboard camps were in their respective parks, which include their own private rope tows.
Mt Hood is the 2nd most climbed mountain in the world, only more people climb Mt Fuji, Japan. Some groups leave around midnight to avoid the falling rock and ice, but you could see climbers throughout the day.
These two were descending in the early afternoon.
The non-camp participants not only get access to the “public lane” for skiing and riding, but there is a decent sized park with jumps and features on the lower part of the mountain.
Joe Public going for it.
Amazingly, you can ski/ride all the way back down to Timberline Lodge and the parking lot at the end of the day (the 2 chair lifts run from 7 am to 2 pm).
