Industry News
Two New High-Speed Six-Person Chairlifts & Multi-Million Dollar Investments Re-Energizing Local Resorts
Oregon ski areas are heading into this 2023/24 El Niño season following record snowfall and visitation over the past season. The big news is the addition of two new high-speed six-pack chairs—the Mt. Hood Express at Mt. Hood Meadows and the Skyliner chairlift at Mt. Bachelor. Oregon’s twelve unique ski resorts continue to gain notice, with U.S. News voting Mt. Hood among the Top 15 Best Ski Trips in the U.S. and readers of Conde Nast Traveller voting Mt. Bachelor among the Top 25 Ski Resorts in the U.S.
Mt. Hood Resorts
Timberline
The big news at Timberline is the brand new outdoor pool and hot tub, which is expected to be ready for guests this December. This replaces the original 1950s era pool. The resort is also installing a bank of EV Charging stations ahead of this season.
In lift news, Timberline added a new covered conveyor surface lift called Timber Tiger, located west of Bruno’s Run, this will serve as a new learning area for beginner ski lessons. Timberline also made upgrades to Bruno’s Lift and installed a new haul rope on the Summit fixed-grip double chairlift at Summit Pass.
Timberline is keeping its eye on the long-term prize of upgrading facilities in line with the Timberline 2022 Master Plan, which includes the planned Timberline Express Gondola—a 10-person gondola with approximately 65 cabins—connecting Summit Pass in Government Camp and Timberline within the next five years. The plan will reduce the current reliance on cars within the area as well as improve infrastructure. The popular, free and daily Timberline Shuttle will continue providing transportation between Government Camp and Timberline again this season.
Mt. Hood Meadows
Mt. Hood Meadows is kicking off the season with a brand-new Mt. Hood Express detachable, six-person chairlift. This lift replaces the previous four-person high-speed lift, increasing capacity by one thousand people per hour—from 2,600 to 3,600 passengers transported from the main base area to the upper mountain. Mt. Hood Meadows also rolled out a brand new website and announced that the resort will be cashless this season.
Mt. Hood Meadows is again focused on offering lesson packages and passes to beginner skiers and snowboarders. The new Beginner Progression Passes offer access to progression-friendly terrain, rental equipment, and an adult group lessons package to encourage beginners to progress. The resort also recently expanded its seasonal state-licensed child care to year-round.
Sister resort Cooper Spur was recently nominated in Best of the Gorge awards.
Mt. Hood Skibowl
The Mt. Hood resort with the biggest night skiing in North America continued its night lift replacement transitioning to more energy efficient illumination. Skibowl also upgraded the lighting and programming on its popular Cosmic Tubing park. The resort added two snowcats ahead of this winter season.
Central Oregon
Mt. Bachelor
Mt. Bachelor is debuting its first six-person detachable chairlift this season. The brand new Skyliner lift, previously a four-person, transports skiers from the Skyliner base area and services a large central swath of the mountain including the majority of the Woodward Parks. The resort also completed numerous other lift improvements including replacing haul ropes on the Northwest and Little Pine cahirlifts. The resort also welcomed a new President, John Merriman and new Director of Marketing and Communications, Lauren Burke.
Willamette Pass
Willamette Pass has a new GM, Mindy Ingebretson-Wolowicz, in its second season under new joint ownership with Mountain Capital Partners. The resort invested over 1 million in upgrades and improvements over the summer. The Peak 2 chairlift has been converted from diesel to electric, increasing efficiency and performance while reducing the resort’s carbon footprint and noise pollution. The resort is also planning to reopen the Midway chairlift this season, which will reduce lift lines and allow for quicker laps in the park. The resort added another snowcat, increased snow making capabilities, added a fleet of new Atomic demo skis and additional facilities upgrades.
Hoodoo
Hoodoo just announced a new Kids Ski Free initiative offering free ski tickets to all kids 10 and under this season available at the ticket counter. The resort also discounted the season pass for ages 75-plus to $49. The resort upgraded lights on select runs for night skiing, which is offered Wednesday through Saturday. The resort also updated its rental fleet with new skis from Line, Armada, Rossignol and Solomon. Hoodoo added a new Nordic Cat grooming machine with new track setters for smoother trails out there this winter.
Southern Oregon
Mt. Ashland
Mt. Ashland is celebrating its 60th anniversary this winter with the announcement of the “Elevate Mt. Ashland” initiative with $1 million in upgrades currently underway. The nonprofit ski area has purchased two snowcats. Mt. Ashland is also adding a third night of twilight skiing, adding Saturday night to its existing Thursday and Friday offerings, and now offering a Twilight Skiing pass in addition to a new College Pass.
Last season the resort set a new visitation record of 128,625 guest visits, breaking the previous record of 106,003. The resort also experienced the fifth snowiest winter on record with 343-inches of snow, allowing it to close weeks later than its usual closing date (late-April). As part of the Elevate initiative, Mt. Ashland announced plans to build a new chairlift, replacing what used to be a Poma surface lift. This chairlift, to be called the Lithia Chair, will reopen beginner and intermediate terrain that has been inaccessible since the original lift was removed in the 1980s—planning is underway.
Warner Canyon
Warner Canyon had a busy summer. The volunteer-run ski area in Lake County installed a new bull wheel, cable and lining on the resort’s Highlander triple chair and updated the communication line.
Eastern Oregon
Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort
Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort is looking ahead this season to future improvements in line with the resort’s 2023 Master Development Plan, which was recently accepted by the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest (WWNF). The proposed new activities include new mountain bike trails, a new rental shop building, a Nordic warming hut, daycare facilities, and additional infrastructure upgrades to be implemented over the next decade. (All proposed activities will still require the approval of the Forest prior to implementation.) The resort is “dedicated to maintaining the experience that is Anthony Lakes, preserving its authentic and down home feel while also enhancing offerings to better serve the community and guests.”
Ferguson Ridge
The volunteer-run ski Ferguson Ridge ski area has a new website.
Spout Springs Ski Area is currently has an opportunity for a new operator to take over.
