There is something special about being the first. Mount Hood is the second most climbed peak in the world and rarely has a sunny day without many summiteers. January 27, 2010 dawned clear and cold with no wind. We started skinning up around 4am towards the summit in moon light that was so bright we had no need for our headlamps. There was about a foot of new snow and our excitement could not be contained. All we kept saying to each other was ‘incredible’. It became irritating that we could not come up with any other way to describe this morning but it was simply incredible.

I have over a hundred summit ski descents on Mount Hood and this day ranked among the top three. We arrived at Hogsback and decided it was safe to go for the summit. We were the only ones going up the Hogsback and across to the Old Chute. It took us over two hours to climb the last 1100 feet to the summit because the snow was so deep. Pain is not something I enjoy or find some higher meaning in but standing on the summit this day made it all worthwhile. The wind was calm and the sky was so crystal clear it felt as thought we could reach out and touch Mount Jefferson to our south. Standing alone on the summit we could see all of Oregon in its beauty.

The best part was now about to begin as we clicked into our bindings just a few feet shy of the summit. The skiing down The Old Chute to West Crater Rim was amazing. Looking up and seeing only our two tracks brought a Cheshire Cat grin to both our faces. The skiing down Big Zig Zag Canyon back to Timberline was straight out of a Warren Miller film. Looking up at the mountain from the parking lot all we could do is hi-five each other and continue uttering incredible.

Author’s Note: Please use caution when entering the high alpine on any mountain in Oregon. Snow safety and rapidly changing weather patterns during the winter months can easily make a perfect dream day into a nightmare.

Declared a National Historic Landmark, the lodge was built during the Great Depression (by hand, no less) as part of the Federal Works Progress Administration. History buffs in the family can join a U.S. Forest Ranger for a free tour of the remarkable structure. Or perhaps a family member’s interest lies more in cinematic history? Watch Stanley Kubrick’s 1980s flick, “The Shining,” and then explore the exterior of the lodge, which was used in the opening scene. Visitors can also see a piece of Room 237’s door and the axe immortalized by Jack Nicholson in the movie.

Perched at the foot of Oregon’s tallest peak—Mt. Hood—Timberline Lodge is a mecca for any adventure-seeker or sightseer, no matter the time of year. Open all 12 months of the year, the slopes boast 41 trails, ranging in ability to accommodate any level. Ski or snowboard the slopes, and if you’re just learning or want to get better, connect with the Lodge’s many instructors. If you’re looking for a back country experience, Timberline has endless trails for snowshoeing and Nordic skiing in the winter or hiking amid wildflowers and stunning views in the summer. And if you want to climb a mountain, Mt. Hood is ideal. It’s the second most-climbed mountain in the world (behind Japan’s Mt. Fuji) and the most popular route begins at Timberline Lodge.

Whether it’s a day filled with historic tours and scary movies or trekking around the mountain, you’ll surely have built an appetite come sundown. Good thing Timberline has five restaurants to chose from. Whether it’s a huckleberry-glazed chicken at the award-winning Cascade Dining Room, a beer and burger at the Blue Ox Bar, hot chocolate at the Ram’s Head Bar or an après ski at Wy’East Day Lodge, there’s a plethora of places to go with the whole family or for a romantic meal for two.

Winter is back! After an amazing start the snow stopped falling but the rain kept pouring. Skiers all through Oregon were crying the blues knowing that the rain in town did not mean snow at the resorts. Well old man winter has given us the powder that we all have been craving.

Mid-week is an amazing time to go up since there are no crowds while the mountain feels, as it is all yours. The mid-week deals are amazing. I recently stayed at the Mount Hood Inn in Government Camp for next to nothing and was met with an amazingly nice staff. The greatest part about staying in Government Camp is that you are walking distance from Ski Bowl, 15 minutes to Timberline, and 25 minutes to Mount Hood Meadows. Nothing like rolling out of bed at 8:30 and still catching first chair.

So get out there and enjoy the new snow!

Image Courtesy of Randy Boverman

Mount Bachelor and I go way back. I’ve skied there dozens of times dating back to the 1980s, a time before there were high-speed quads and when the old summit triple chair was brand new. While not a bona fide “local”, I know my way around Mount Bachelor quite well.

The weather was nice during my most recent visit. With the sky staying partly cloudy and temperatures in the 20s, it was a comfortable day for “fair weather” skiers. Being a holiday week, and with decent weather, Mount Bachelor did big business this day. But one of the many things I like about Mount Bachelor is that, even on its busiest days, there are numerous places on the mountain where one can escape the masses.

I was ready to board the Pine Marten lift right at the 9:00am opening. I really like the groomed runs in the Pine Marten lift pod – Thunderbird, Coffee and West Boundary are pitched just right for smooth and fast cruising. On busy days, I suggest carving down these cruisers either early or not at all, as they tend to get skied-out quickly. Furthermore, with the Pine Marten liftline maize getting jammed by 10:00am, you’ll want to be elsewhere on the mountain within an hour of the mountain’s opening.

Throughout the morning, I gradually moved west into the Outback and Northwest territories. I primarily skied the groomed runs, as the perfect corduroy wasn’t going to last much longer. (Off the groomed, the variable snow ranged from pleasant packed powder to small moguls and scattered slippery spots. It could wait until later to be skied, as it wasn’t going to change much during the day.) I was delighted to see that one of my all-time favorite cruisers – Snapshot Alley to Atkeson’s Zoom off of the Northwest Express lift – was groomed top to bottom. It starts steep, so sharp edges are a must. After the initial plunge, the run dips, drops, meanders and gradually shallows through the forest for nearly two miles. Even with the smoothest snow, it’s a challenge to ski it top-to-bottom without pause. Other fun cruisers included Osprey Way (after an initial mogul-dotted plunge) and Boomerang, a run that drops beneath the Outback lift. I should note that, while the Outback Express quad developed some minor crowding later in the morning, I never once waited to board the Northwest Express lift. And this was one of the busiest days of the season.

After lunch, it was time to experience the Mount Bachelor summit. Grooming machines weren’t yet able to reach the summit due to the still-shallow early-seasons snow base, so the terrain in all directions off the top was left to nature and skiers/boarders to shape. The normally-groomed front-side summit runs were the best… Beverly Hills and Healy Heights featured pleasant packed powder with only a few icy patches. There was plenty of snow; I never hit bottom. One of my other favorite Mount Bachelor runs – Cow’s Face down into the Rainbow bowls – was variable. I encountered small moguls, packed powder, icy patches and even some untracked powder on my way down to the catchline that leads back to the Sunrise & Rainbow lifts. Each day I ski, I typically make at least one poor choice of descents… and on this day, it was skiing from the Bachelor summit down the West Ridge towards the top of the Northwest quad. For 1,000 vertical-feet, it was an even mix of ice and wind-packed chop. Not pleasant. But then I hit my favorite Snapshot-to-Zoom screamer down to the bottom of the Northwest quad, so all was well.

By 2:00pm, my legs were failing me. Not ready to quit just yet, I decided it was best to stick with some groomed runs for the rest of the day. Fortunately for me, the masses’ legs must’ve failed them as well. The crowd thinned considerably in the afternoon. Some of the shallower groomed cruisers (Flying Dutchman & I-5) off of the Rainbow chair were still in good shape – I’ve found that those runs are usually good late-day options as they are don’t receive that many guests.

After 25 runs and probably 40,000 vertical-feet skied, I called it a day at 3:30pm. Add this day to my list of great days at Mount Bachelor. In hindsight, I am surprised at how easy it was to avoid the crowds on this very busy day. The secret is to realize that the Pine Marten and Sunrise quads are going to be jammed between 10:00am and 2:00pm. But the Red & Rainbow chairs, respectively, provide no-wait alternatives. And if Outback gets busy, the Northwest lift almost never has a line… and it accesses all of Outback’s terrain. The only spot on the mountain where crowds are unavoidable during the busiest midday hours is the Skyliner Express lift, as there’s no alternative way up in that pod. Avoid that area during the busy midday period if you’re uncomfortable with a wait to board the lift. Otherwise, with smart decision-making, it’s easy to experience Mount Bachelor without waiting in liftlines, even on the busiest days.

Lastly, a note about the way Mount Bachelor prices its lift tickets. The ski area is drawing national attention for its innovative daily lift ticket pricing model introduced this season. Instead of a fixed daily price, Bachelor management personnel determine the rate each afternoon (for the next day) depending on the expected weather and snow conditions. The price can be $49, $59 or $69. At the $69 rate, it’s the most expensive lift ticket in Oregon. But considering that the ski area is the 6th largest in the USA, and resorts of comparable and lesser size in California, Colorado, Vermont and Utah now charge more than $80 for a daily lift ticket for what might be a lesser product, Mount Bachelor is still a relative bargain. You get what you pay for at Mount Bachelor… it’s worth the price.

Willamette Pass
Sunday, December 27, 2009

My “base camp” for this central Oregon ski trip was my parents’ home in Bend. From there, Willamette Pass is an easy 1-hour and 15-minute drive. The base of the ski area is right at the summit of Highway 58, and at 5,100 feet, Willamette Pass is one of the higher Cascade passes.

Being the Sunday after Christmas, I was prepared to battle the holiday crowd. My concern was unfounded – I skied nearly 20 runs, and on all but two of them, I skied right up to the chair and boarded as a single. Lift-line mazes weren’t even set up. If this is what it was like during the Christmas holiday “peak” period, I can’t imagine how quiet the place must be on a regular midweek day!

Willamette Pass is much larger ski area than it appears to be when initially looking up the mountain from the base. Only the wide Success and By George top-to-bottom run is easily-seen from the parking lot. The other 500 acres of terrain you can’t easily see – and that terrain can be divided into three zones: The lower front side, the upper front side, and the backside.

Served by the Twilight triple chair, the lower front side is where the most of the beginner and intermediate runs are clustered. Aside from the wide-open cruiser By George, most of the runs are narrow and tree-lined. This is helpful, because this area is south-facing and can suffer from excessive sun exposure. The snow doesn’t get particularly deep here, but it doesn’t need to get deep. Even with the meager 15-20” base when I was there, these runs were well-covered with groomed corduroy snow (thanks in part to the snowmaking machines scattered around this pod). The intermediate runs have a perfect blue-square pitch – steep enough to allow for some speed, yet not steep enough to be intimidating to the average immediate rider. For beginners and novices, there are several green-circle trails here that round the western edge of the ski area. These runs are a natural next-step from the Sleep Hollow first-timer area, a well-placed & isolated learn-to-ski/board zone near the lodge.

The upper front side is accessed by the Eagle Peak Accelerator, Oregon’s only high-speed six-passenger chairlift. It climbs 1,500 vertical-feet from the base to the 6,666-foot summit of Eagle Peak in just a little more than 5-minutes. The final push to the top is one of the steepest climbs of any chair in the state. In fact, a run (named “RTS”) that drops off the west side of the Eagle Peak summit is the steepest in-bounds run in Oregon. Other drops from the summit aren’t quite as steep, but their black-diamond label is well-deserved. Unfortunately, most of these steep runs are south-facing – which means that they can be excellent when the snow is new, but rotten with just a minimum amount of sun exposure. Intermediates can drop from the top to the bottom along the Rosary and Perseverance trails. But unlike the nicely-pitched blue-square cruisers on the lower front side, these long summit-to-base trails are narrow cat-tracks for most of the route. They serve their purpose of providing an intermediate route to the base, but they’re not ideal for lapping or cruising.

From the top of Eagle Peak, straight off the back side is the trail network of Peak 2. This north-facing pod is like a different ski area. The day I visited, the difference was especially noticeable. While the front side featured partial sun and hard-packed snow, fog & low clouds socked in the north side and light snow intermittently fell. The snowpack was much deeper, and the powder & packed-powder was light & fluffy in the absence of any sun exposure. The Peak 2 lift, a triple chair rising 800 vertical-feet, accesses the seven blue-square and black-diamond runs in this area. I spent nearly two hours back there, having fun on the cut trails and in the trees. Whereas the snow base at the front-side was less than two feet deep, the snow depth on the Peak 2 back-side was easily double that.

My ski day lasted nearly five hours at Willamette Pass. Having never skied there before, I didn’t know exactly what to expect upon arrival. (One can only learn so much about an area from looking at the trail map!) With no lift lines even on peak days, a speedy base-to-summit express lift, a wide variety of terrain for all ability levels (including some of the steepest runs in Oregon), a spacious yet cozy base lodge, and very reasonable lift ticket & food/beverage prices, Willamette Pass rocks! I highly recommend that you give it a try sometime. I doubt you’ll be disappointed. Those of you who are regulars there – you know what the others are missing. And now I know too!

In the Pacific Northwest, El Nino winters are typically a little warmer than usual. But the amount of rain and snow is a lot more variable. For example, at Mount Hood Meadows, their second-snowiest winter on record occurred during an El Nino winter. But one of the most disastrous snow seasons on record, the winter of 2004-2005, was also an El Nino winter. Those are two extreme examples. Most El Nino winters bring snowfall that is not too far from average, with the extreme winters being rare (and impossible to predict in advance).

One positive aspect of El Nino winters is that more often than not, the snow tends to arrive early in the Cascades. I believe we’re seeing that this year. That big late October snowstorm dropped nearly two feet of snow at the higher ski areas, but warmer rain immediately following the storm melted the snow away. That’s the way it works in October, as the snow comes… and goes. But November snow typically grows… and stays! And while this most recent storm brought enough snow to open some runs at Timberline and possibly Mt. Hood Meadows later this week, all Oregon’s ski areas, are starting to build a healthy base. And with more storms on the horizon, the start of the 2009-2010 skiing/boarding season appears imminent!

So… wax your boards and get your gear organized. And keep checking your e-mail, as my first “Powder Alert” could hit your inbox anytime now!

Think snow,

Drew Jackson
KPTV FOX 12 meteorologist

Editor’s Note: Sign up for Powder Alerts by visiting Ski Oregon

In an effort to visit more Oregon ski areas this season, I made a trip to Central Oregon to ski at Mt. Bachelor and Hoodoo this past weekend. Since it’s been such a bummer snow month, my expectations were low. My, was I surprised. At both places, the snow was in excellent shape!

Mt. Bachelor – Sunday, February 1st

Looking towards the summit

I had a marathon day, skiing from 8:30am until 3:45pm. That’s how good the skiing was! Despite it being purely a groomer day, Mt. Bachelor is large enough and grooms so many runs that I never got bored. Being Super Bowl Sunday, there wasn’t much of a crowd. I waited 5 minutes to board the Sunrise Express once, but otherwise I never waited more than a minute or two.

The grooming team at Mt. Bachelor is top notch. I’ve skied at other resorts famous for their grooming (Deer Valley and Sun Valley) — and Mt. Bachelor’s groomed runs were of the same caliber as the runs at those resorts. The snow was hard-packed and fast, yet still carvable. And while the mountain could certainly use additional snow, there isn’t a problem with rocks or bare spots. Everything is well-covered.

Downed Trees from the Ice Storm

The damage from the early-January ice storm was incredible. Unfortunately, it’s going to take several feet of new snow to cover all of the trees that are down in the forest. Without significant new snow, the tree-skiing season is over. I had heard reports about the damage, but I was unprepared for the sight of so many snapped & downed trees. And nearly one month after the storm, there is still thick ice on trees & lift towers on the west side of the mountain. This “blue” ice is nasty stuff – totally bulletproof. Some of it still coats the snow off the groomed runs… which is why the groomers are the only place you want to be until snowstorms return.

Thankfully, Mt. Bachelor is not short on groomed runs. Among my favorites (by lift):

Rainbow chair: Flying Dutchman, I-5.

These runs had the best snow on the mountain, as the eastern part of the mountain featured softer snow. These runs also had the fewest people skiing them, so even at 3:00pm, the runs were still smooth.

Summit Express: Beverly Hills, Healy Heights.

The summit was hard-packed and icy… but these are classic, steep cruisers no matter the groomed snow surface.

Pine Marten Express: Tippytoe, West Boundary

While Thunderbird is usually my favorite warm-up run, Tippytoe & West Boundary see far fewer skiers/boarders and have similar pitches. Tippytoe isn’t always groomed, but when it is… it’s a “dig in the edges to avoid a skid” screamer. Love it!

OutbackExpress: Boomerang, Down Under

Not always groomed… but when they are, both of these runs feature long, steep & sustained pitches. The runs on this side of the mountain are generally steeper & longer than those on the east side.

Northwest Express: Snapshot Alley to Atkenson’s Zoom, Osprey Way to Sparks Lake Run

These are long, rolling & winding screamers that start steep & become gentler towards the bottom. Narrower than many of Bachelor’s other runs, the runs in the Northwest Territory are among my favorite runs in the entire USA! At two miles, they’re leg-burners for sure… and they demand control and skill when skiing at speed.

Overall, I was very impressed with the conditions at Mt. Bachelor on Sunday. The staff was friendly as well — the lift operators and ski patrols were kindly professional during every exchange I observed. Mt. Bachelor is one of those mountains that is so big that, even with a large number of skiers/boarders on the mountain, it never seems that crowded.

Hoodoo – Monday, February 2nd

The view from the parking lot

On my return to Portland, I stopped by one of Oregon’s oldest ski areas on Santiam Pass. But while Hoodoo’s history goes way back, it’s facilities are anything but ancient. The lodge and quad lifts are brand new. And while the runs are much shorter than Mt. Bachelor’s runs, Hoodoo’s groomed runs are generally steeper than those at other Oregon ski areas (especially when compared to the Mt. Hood areas).

Unfortunately, I could only spend about 3 hours at Hoodoo before I needed to get in the car and head home to Portland. But during those 3 hours, I was able to get in about 15 runs.

I have never skied an Oregon mountain so deserted of other skiers/boarders. It was rare that I encountered another person on any of my runs. It was almost eerie. The weather was beautiful – comfortable temperatures & little wind beneath blue sky & sunshine. And yet no one was there. With such a low skier count, the groomed corduroy remained as corduroy the entire morning. I must give a shout-out to Hoodoo’s grooming department as well — the grooming was expansive and flawless. And unlike at Mt. Bachelor, Hoodoo’s off-the-groomed snow was soft enough to ski — especially in the sun-exposed spots. The Grandstand run off the top had small moguls, and by 10:30am they were soft & fun to ski.

Once at the summit, with a couple exceptions, one can ski nearly 360 degrees off the top of the Butte. I’ve never been to Hoodoo on a powder day, but I can imagine that the summit runs of Crater, Face, and Chuck’s Backside would be heavenly when the snow is deep & fresh. Hoodoo rarely gets crowded enough for lift lines, so powder lasts longer here than at other areas (so I’m told!).

While Hoodoo is a much smaller ski area than Mt. Bachelor or the Mt. Hood areas, I definitely recommend a visit if you’ve never been there. It’s a friendly place with a nice, caring staff. There is terrain for all abilities. And the mountain & lodge don’t get overly crowded (but I hear the parking lot can fill on the busiest days). Hoodoo’s annual Winter Carnival is this Saturday (Feb. 7th) — check it out!

Overall, the weather pattern is going through a significant change – from super-stormy to super-serene. Starting next week, high pressure takes control over the Northwest – meaning that blue sky, sunshine, and calm winds will prevail nearly every day next week. We’ll have a little bump in the road to pass over this weekend, however, as a weak weather system slides through Sunday morning. A few light rain or wet snow showers are possible Sunday – otherwise it looks dry and pleasant for most of the week ahead.

Enjoy the snow!

The news isn’t all bad, however. Looking back at past winters, rarely, if ever, does the month of November characterize the entire winter. Often, the opposite is true. So just because November has been a bummer month weather-wise, it doesn’t mean that this winter will turn out poor overall. It just means that we must exercise a bit more patience than usual this fall.

For those who must get some turns in between now and when the storms return, don’t forget that Timberline Lodge ski area plans to operate its Palmer Express lift daily, weather permitting. The Snowfield is in great shape. Elsewhere, there’s a chance that areas with some snowmaking guns might be able to coat a run or two with a minimal snow base for the holiday weekend… but it’ll be tough. Be sure to check the conditions page at SkiOregon.org to see the status of each Oregon ski area… especially as the weekend draws near.

Think snow!

-Drew

Editor’s Note: Drew Jackson is the consulting meteorologist, forecaster and weather broadcast producer for FOX 12. He’s also an avid skier and our newest blogger. For the latest Oregon snow conditions, sign up for Drew’s “Powder Alert” at SkiOregon.org.

Drew Jackson's Powder Alert

Welcome skiers and snowboarders to my blog for ski conditions and Oregon snow experiences!

This is your home for the latest updates on weather and snow forecasts tailored to skiers and snowboarders. My name is Drew Jackson… I grew up skiing in Oregon and after earning my meteorology degree from Penn State University, I now work for FOX 12 Oregon as a meteorologist and weather forecaster each weeknight on the 8 O’Clock News (on PDX-TV) and the 11 O’Clock News (on KPTV FOX 12). This is the first of many blogs that will be posted right here throughout the winter, so check back frequently!

I’m also excited to announce a new “Powder Alert” e-mail service this winter in partnership with Ski Oregon. Those who sign-up will receive e-mails from me on a situational basis (primarily when big snows are expected and prior to big skiing/boarding weekends & holidays). It’s completely free, and I’ll start sending them once the snow starts accumulating. To sign up, head to the Ski Oregon site and sign up at the bottom of the page so you don’t miss out on great upcoming conditions!

And speaking of accumulating snow… that happens to be the topic of this first blog post. Snow… specifically, how much is expected this winter… was one of the main topics of the 16th Annual “What will the winter be like?” meeting on Friday, October 24th. Sponsored by the Oregon Chapter of the American Meteorological Society, several of Oregon’s top climate forecasters boldly shared their predictions for the upcoming winter. Here are some of the details:

• The strong La Nina conditions (colder than average Pacific Ocean water from South America west to the central Pacific) have faded and more “neutral” conditions are now present. Most climate forecasters agree that conditions are expected to remain in the “neutral” (neither La Nina nor El Nino) range for this winter. Unfortunately, neutral winters are the toughest to predict because they can feature quite a bit of variety.
• One method of winter prediction that several forecasters use is called the “analog” forecasting method. With this method, forecasters analyze the current & recent-past conditions in the atmosphere & oceans and look for past years when similar conditions occurred. Here are the “analog” years to this year, according to two of the presenters, and the resulting snow situation in the Oregon Cascades:
  • 1955-1956 Huge snow winter… strong start in November, but nothing late in April/May
  • 1971-1972 Huge snow winter… strong start, big December & January, normal spring
  • 1974-1975 Huge snow winter… sluggish start, strong from December through April
  • 1975-1976 Huge snow winter… strong from start to finish
  • 1984-1985 Big snow winter… strong start, poor in January, then a strong finish
• All of the analog years feature big snow years… and most of the forecasters agreed that this winter is likely to have AT LEAST an AVERAGE amount of snow, with the scale tipped towards above-average snowfall.

In summary, it seems doubtful that a bummer snow year is headed our way. Instead, all indications are that we’ll again be blessed with plentiful snow. For additional information about this winter’s outlook, check out this website.

So… when will the season start? Unfortunately, that question is nearly impossible to answer. All it takes is for the weather regime to switch to pattern that brings in 2-3 cold storms… and the lifts will be turning shortly thereafter.

Until next time,

Drew Jackson
KPTV FOX 12 meteorologist

Editor’s Note: Drew is our newest blogger and will write about his experiences playing in Oregon’s snow. To subscribe to Drew’s snow alerts, please head to Ski Oregon and sign up at the bottom!