Oregon Skiing & Boarding

Big Snow Coming

2009-03-12T22:35:00.001-07:00

Lots of new snow coming this weekend & early next week! I expect upwards of 2 feet of new snow by Sunday evening, with even more snow on Monday & Tuesday. The snow level will waver between 1,500 and 3,500 feet, so the snow could be a little wet & heavy at times. But it will be deep.

Beware the wind, however. It will be a stormy few days... strong winds will affect lift operations at the higher elevations for sure.

Enjoy!

Spring Deals... and an 80th Birthday

2009-03-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

Oregon's ski areas are offering some incredible deals this spring... here is a list of my "top 5" spring skiing/boarding deals:

1) HOODOO

Hoodoo wins top honors for the best spring deal: $295 for an UNLIMITED Season Pass -- good for the rest of this season and ALL OF NEXT SEASON. This represents a nearly 50% discount... which is almost unheard of. But here's the catch: brand new Season Pass purchases only have 2 days to get this deal -- this Saturday & Sunday (March 14-15). Current Hoodoo pass-holders can renew for next season at this same price starting Monday (March 16) and continuing through March 31. (The $295 is for adults -- the kids' price is $195.)

Hoodoo will operate daily (except Wednesday March 18) through March 29 (with night skiing on Friday & Saturday nights), and then will re-open for a final weekend April 4-5. http://www.hoodoo.com/

2) MOUNT HOOD MEADOWS

An unlimited season pass for the rest of the season... for just $99. This includes free ski check and a $10 credit good for any purchase at the ski area. The $99 price is for ages 7 & up... passes for kids 6 & under are free (with the purchase of an adult pass). Daily lift tickets remain regularly-priced at $54.

Meadows plans to operate daily through April 26, with a couple weekends in May possible depending on snow conditions and attendance. Night skiing has ended for the season. http://www.skihood.com/

3) MOUNT HOOD SKIBOWL

Skibowl's spring pass is just $80. A good deal, for sure... but the best spring deal will be offered on one day only -- this Saturday, March 14. Skibowl is celebrating their 80th anniversary that day. All lift tickets, for all shifts, are just $18... snack foods will cost just 25 cents... and fireworks are scheduled for 8pm that evening. Several other fun events are planned for the day as well.

Skibowl will maintain their normal, published operating hours through Spring Sreak (with expanded hours likely during Spring Break). After that, the operating schedule is still to-be-determined... with operations likely limited to the weekends. http://www.skibowl.com/

4) TIMBERLINE

Timberline's best spring deal is its $99 unlimited spring season pass -- good every day through May 25. And for an extra $80 ($179 total), you can make it a "Mt. Hood Fusion Pass" -- good for both Timberline and Skibowl.

Timberline will be open daily (weather permitting) throughout the spring and summer. The Palmer chairlift typically opens in time for Spring Break. After Memorial Day, the lower mountain will close for the season and only summer season passes will be valid. http://www.timberlinelodge.com/

5) MOUNT ASHLAND

The "Skiesta Pass" is just $89 ($79 for those under 18)... and it's good for unlimited skiing through the end of the season. And daily lift tickets are now among the cheapest in the state at just $29 (weekdays) and $34 (weekends).

Mount Ashland operates daily (except Tuesdays) through March, and then Fridays-Sundays in April. April 12 is the season finale. http://www.mtashland.com/

OTHER DEALS

- Mount Bachelor is allowing season pass-holders to purchase $29 lift tickets for 5 of their friends every day except Saturday. Kids also ski free at Mt. Bachelor with the purchase of any adult multi-day ticket. http://www.mtbachelor.com/

- Anthony Lakes is offering 1/2-price lift tickets on Thursdays through the rest of the season. http://www.anthonylakes.com/

- Willamette Pass is discounting their "Five Day Super Pass" to just $119. http://www.willamettepass.com/

- Check out the "Ski Free with Shell" deals that continue through mid-April. Two-for-one deals are available at various ski areas on certain days of the week with the purchase of a full tank of gas. Go to http://www.skifreedeals.com/ for more information.

Finally... Big Snow!

2009-02-24T21:39:00.000-08:00

Short post tonight... but I had to at least acknowledge here that big snow is falling. And it will continue to fall this week.

The 24-hour snowfall has far exceeded expectations: 2-3 feet! Unfortunately, it's been a wet, heavy & thick snow. That will change later this week as colder air bleeds in from the northwest. Heavy snow should continue, but the freezing level should fall to as low as 1,500 feet by Thursday... meaning that the 12-18" of new snow Wednesday & Thursday will be lighter & drier than what's on the ground now.

Enjoy!

A Snow Drought

2009-02-17T22:09:00.000-08:00

Remember that miserable winter of 2004-2005? (In case you forgot, that was the winter when several lower elevation ski areas were closed more of the winter than they were open.) Well... that winter was dominated by what we (meteorologists) call "split flow" -- a pattern that features several "cut-off" storm systems that plug-up the jet stream pattern. The result is a weak or nearly non-existent jet stream and a lack of storminess in the Pacific Northwest, with the cut-off storm systems ending up over California. Lots of mountain snow down south... but little over the Northwest. It's been four years, but that dominant weather pattern has returned -- and has been frustrating to us powder hounds in the Northwest for more than a month now.

Unfortunately, I don't have good news in the short term. After a few dry and mild days, some light (wet) snow may return later in the weekend and early next week. But I see no sign of significant storminess returning to the Northwest anytime soon.

To end on a more positive note, my co-worker at FOX 12 (Mark Nelsen) looked up some data earlier tonight and noticed that we've had quite a stretch of dry Februarys in recent years. In fact, every February since 2002 has been drier than average. And this February is on track to be no different. So... where's the positive news, you ask? It's March! After each dry February, the following March has been nearly equal to or wetter than average.

Despite the lack of big powder days recently, conditions have been surprisingly good at the ski areas. Unlike 2004-2005, there's plenty of snow on the ground and all the terrain is well-covered. And the groomed runs have been fantastic. But... it will be nice when the big powder days return.

Think snow!

Drew

TRIP REPORT: Mt. Bachelor & Hoodoo

2009-02-03T16:33:00.000-08:00

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

I had a marathon day, skiing from 8:30am until 3:45pm. That's how good the skiing was! Despite that it was 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 calibre 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.

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 patrolers 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

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 courderoy remained as courderoy 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 liftlines, 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!

When Does the Snow Return?

2009-01-21T22:01:00.000-08:00

It's time for some new snow! That's the message I've been hearing loud and clear from my fellow skiing & boarding friends. Well, there is SOME good news -- there is a weather pattern change on the way.

It looks like we'll be getting a shot of cold air from the north late this weekend into early next. As this cold air arrive arrives, a weak low will attempt to form off the Oregon Coast. The result will be some light snow over the mountains -- and that snow will fall at nearly every elevation (including down to sea level!). Later Saturday through Sunday the time frame for the snow.

That's the good news. The not-so-good news is that the new snow amounts are likely to be minimal. I can't see any more than 6" from this late weekend system. And it could be more like 1-3". With such a small amount of new snow, conditions will be "variable" -- meaning that the new snow will barely cover a bullet-proof, hard-packed base.

And beyond this weekend, it appears that we'll head back into dry regime again. But I suspect that next week's dry spell won't last for long... there are longer-range signs of a return to wet & snowy weather beyond next week. We'll see... and hope for it!

-Drew

Calmer Weather... Finally

2009-01-08T16:31:00.000-08:00

Since Christmas, the weather in the mountains has been.... AWFUL. True, there have been a couple good days, but some of the days have featured the harshest weather in my memory. The normally busy Christmas holiday was a nightmare for the ski areas. Attendance was devastatingly low given the heavy rain, freezing rain, strong winds, and snow in Portland.

And this week was no better, as the past two days were truly terrible in the mountains. Here's a summary of this most recent storm's effects:

- Timberline and Ski Bowl were closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Mt. Hood Meadows had Buttercup open, but decided to close completely Wednesday afternoon.

- Mt. Bachelor had several days of freezing rain and damaging wind. The ski area was open only on a limited basis Monday and Tuesday, and was completely closed Wednesday. There are hundreds of trees down all over the mountain. The ski area managed to get a small portion of the area open today, and they're hoping to get more of the mountain open Friday.

- The wind peaked Tuesday evening -- there was a gust to 130 mph at the top of the Magic Mile lift at Timberline, and a gust to nearly 80 mph at the top of the Mt. Hood Express lift at Meadows. This is about as windy as it gets up there.

Now... some much better news. The worst is over. Today (Thursday), the situation is far improved, as the temperature has dropped and new snow has returned. Friday will feature several inches of new snow, and the sun will come out during the day.

Overall, the weather pattern is now going through a significant change -- from super stormy to super serene! After tonight, there won't be much new snow for many days. And next week looks sunny, warm and calm every day. It's a much-needed break!

-Drew

TRIP REPORT: First day... finally!

2009-01-05T21:13:00.000-08:00

So... after the late start to the snow season, and then all of the weather craziness keeping me at work, I FINALLY got to ski on Sunday (January 4th)!!!!

I went to Mt. Hood Meadows, whereI skied from 9am until 5pm (minus 1 hour for lunch). Yes, it was a long day... and my knees are feeling it today. Overall, it was a really good day.

A few observations:

1) There is plenty of snow. This year has gone from famine to feast in a hurry.

2) There is so much evidence of last week's storminess. It's obvious that ski area crews had significant clean-up work to do. Many trees fell, and there is very thick ice still caked onto many of the lift towers. The storm on New Year's Day was especially brutal, and I understand how and why it took most of the day-after to recover from that storm. The snow itself was pretty good -- some nice dry fluff above some "variable" snow underneath. The groomed snow was sufficiently carvable, yet still fast.

3) Despite the challenging conditions of late, Meadows had all lifts and runs open on Sunday, with the exception of Cascade Express (and the upper mountain runs served by that lift). It was apparent that crews we working up there -- blasting some potential avalanche spots and de-icing the lift tower machinery. They were doing this despite the forecast for increased storminess that surely would undo much of their work.

4) Heather Canyon (and the lift serving it) is now open for the season. The Howitzer is there, and they're using it when necessary. While the weapon may help get the Canyon open earlier each day, its real benefit is to make the avalanche control work safer and more effective for the patrol crew.

It may be several days before I'm able to make it up there again, but if you have a report to share, feel free to leave a comment for me to post.

Briefly turning to the weather... we'll have to survive a couple days of rainy and windy conditions before more pleasant winter weather returns. The snow level will be at or above 8,000 feet through Wednesday. Rain will be light through Tuesday, but Wednesday looks like a soaker. Skip that day. The snow level will dramatically plummet early Thursday, and significant new snow is likely Thursday (but it'll be windy). By Friday, it'll be dry and calm... and Friday will begin an extended stretch of dry and mild weather in the mountains. While the snow may turn spring-like, the break in the storminess will allow mountain crews to get their upper mountains open... for the first time this season!

-Drew

Snowy... Soggy... and Stormy

2008-12-31T21:14:00.000-08:00

Just 3 weeks ago, we were fretting about barren slopes and a very sluggish start to the skiing/boarding season. My, how things can change in a hurry.

The past two weeks have featured some of the craziest winter weather in nearly a half-century. Tremendous snow fell in the Cascades (10 feet!), and then there have been freezing rain, heavy (regular) rain, and some damaging winds thrown in the mix as well. Indeed, conditions in the mountains have been "challenging" at times. And there's still more to come in this wild weather pattern.

Up next... an intense storm that will bring heavy rain and extremely high winds to the mountains for New Year's Day. It will be an unpleasant day on the slopes -- I wouldn't be surprised if the wind gusted to nearly 100 mph above tree-line on Mount Hood. Take a look at my forecast graphics... and you'll see that starting Friday, the situation greatly improves. The snow level absolutely plunges Friday morning, and heavy snow will fall down to nearly 1,000 feet all day Friday and into Saturday. The weekend will feature the best conditions of this season to date.

Unfortunately, the freezing level will take a hike upward again next week. Overall, it's a stormy weather pattern -- snowy at times... and soggy at times. And also very windy at times. Dress for the storminess... and enjoy this weekend's great snow!

Drew

Deep Powder... RUINED

2008-12-21T18:30:00.001-08:00

I think everyone will agree that freezing rain is miserable. It's rare that freezing rain falls at the ski areas, but it happened overnight Saturday night into Sunday. If any of you were up to the mountain expecting to enjoy the five-plus feet of light fluffy powder, I can only imagine your level of disappointment and disgust to discover that the powder was totally ruined by a freezing rain-caused icy crust. I'm bitter about it... and I wasn't even up there to experience it.

It was a complicated weather situation that caused the freezing rain in the mountains. I won't get into the physics of it. Instead, I'll jump to the punchline: it's over! No more threat of freezing rain. And it does look like we'll get significant new snow to cover that icy crust in the coming days. Wednesday through Friday will feature another monster snowstorm for the Cascades -- expect at least 2 feet of new snow. It may end up being 3-4 feet when the storm winds down late in the week. Friday looks to be a "Powder Alert" day with high-quality snow, as the snow level will be down to nearly 1,000 feet and temperatures will be in the teens at the higher ski areas.

I should also mention that avalanche danger is now extremely high, due to that heavy crust on top of the deep powder. Backcountry skiing/boarding at higher elevations is a terrible idea this week -- stay safe and wait until the snowpack stabilizes.

Have a great holiday break!

Drew

Back by Popular Demand

2008-12-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I was going to do something else this winter and (and I am... more below)... and not do this blog. But, I've reconsidered. I'm back... and I'm sorry for the abandonment.

First things first -- I've started a "Powder Alert" e-mail service through Ski Oregon. You can sign up at SkiOregon.org -- just go to the bottom of the page and enter your e-mail address. I'll be sending situation-dependent snow forecast e-mails periodically this season to subscribers. It's totally free... and I promise that your e-mail inbox won't get cluttered with junk mail.

Despite the late start, all signs point to a good-to-great snow season in the mountains. This recent storm featured cold, dry & fluffy snow, and while that would be great during the mid-season, it's actually not ideal for base building. The snow will likely settle -- a lot -- meaning that a 30" base could be no more than 20" in a couple days. But that's without additional snow. Thankfully, there's more coming.

After a terrible November & early December, the weather pattern looks much more favorable now for accumating snow. Up to a foot is possible with the Wednesday/Thursday storm, and this weekend will bring additional significant accumulation.

The season is off and running... and I promise not to disappear (for a least a few months). Thanks for being loyal!

Not much to talk about...

2008-03-11T09:15:00.001-07:00

Sorry I've been so silent lately... it's just that the weather pattern has been so benign and uninteresting lately. I've been too busy to make it up the mountain much as well. The last time I was up there (two weeks ago), however, it was pretty dead. Without significant new snow, the crowd has been very thin on the weekdays. I heard the weekend of 3/1-3/2 was very busy though.

It looks like we'll get a good burst of new snow later this week. Maybe 1-2 feet if all goes well. I'm talking about Thursday-Saturday. The snow level should be pretty low too... 2,000-3,000 feet. That's pretty low for this time of year.

Each of the three Mt. Hood ski areas is now offering unlimited spring passes for sale. The prices:
- Skibowl $88.00 -- good for unlimited visits until closing day (mid-April?)
- Timberline $99.00 -- good for unlimited visits through the end of May
- Meadows $119.00 -- good for unlimited visits until closing day (April 27 for daily operation, weekends only as part of the May Challenge)

The new trend is for the ski areas of offer good deals on end-of-the-season passes instead of discounting daily lift tickets. Timberline typically has dropped their spring daily rates into the $30-40 range -- we'll see if they do that again this year. And Skibowl & Meadows have offered free lift tickets on closing day in the past as well.

Within the next couple weeks, Timberline should be prepping the Palmer lift for its seasonal opening. We're entering my favorite time of year to ski at Timberline -- when the Palmer lift opens and the full 3,800 vertical feet of mountain is available to ski. It's a thigh-burner going from top to bottom!

Fresh Snow Returns

2008-02-29T05:52:00.000-08:00

As many of you noticed, there was a big weather pattern change a couple weeks ago... the result being a lack of new snow recently. Indeed, as the above graphic shows, 175" of new snow fell at Mt. Hood Meadows during a 2-3 week period from late January through early February. But since mid-February -- just 17" total.

While I do not see a return to the very snowy pattern of a month ago, this weekend will mark a return to snowy conditions in the mountains. From Friday night through early Sunday morning, I expect at least 12" of new snow at the ski areas. Saturday should be pretty snowy, with the snow level around 2,500 feet, while Sunday should feature some sunshine.

All told... it looks like a very good skiing & boarding weekend coming up. Enjoy!

My Favorites

2008-02-20T06:19:00.000-08:00

I'm back... sorry for the lack of posts this past week. I made it up to the mountain once during the recent spell of dry and sunny weather. It was nice to be up in the sunshine and to let the skis fly on the spring-like snow. Upper Bowl at Skibowl is really fun when it's groomed. Smooth, fast and steep... my favorite type of ski run.

Speaking of favorites... allow me, if you will, to share some of my favorite runs on Mount Hood:

My favorite groomed cruisers:

1) Timberline -- Palmer. I love skiing this run (when the lift is open and when there's lots of snow). It's wide, it's usually well-groomed, and it has the steepest (sustained) pitch of all regularly-groomed, long runs on the mountain. There are steeper pitches elsewhere on Mt. Hood, but none match the length and wide-open nature of Palmer.

2) Skibowl -- Cannonball. This main run down the "gut" of the Upper Bowl is a speed-a-holic's dream -- when it's groomed smooth. If only it was longer...

3) Meadows -- Outer Limits to Memorial or Pluto Bowl (lower Heather Canyon). This route drops 2,000 vertical feet over a 2-mile path and, when groomed, combines the intermediate cruise down Outer Limits with the "hold-your-edge-or-suffer-big-consequences" skid down Memorial or Pluto bowls of Lower Heather Canyon.

4) Meadows -- Two Bowl. Not always groomed, but when it is... it's a fun one-two punch down Two Bowl and then Lower Face.

5) Meadows -- Boulevard. Not as steep as my other favorites, Boulevard can still be challenging at high-speeds because of it's rolls, dips and slight twists & turns. Also, it's one long ride...

My favorite "natural" runs:

1) Meadows -- Silver Bowl (upper Heather Canyon) to Clark Canyon or Heather Woods. When the powder is deep and fresh, nothing further needs to be said. :) Even when there's no new snow, a perviously-triggered avalanche can leave a smooth path right down Silver Bowl (just be sure to avoid the avalanche pile at the bottom). About 3/4 of the way down, traverse left so that you can get over to Clark Canyon. Depending on the snow and recent weather, sometimes the shadier pitches down Clark Canyon are best, while sometimes the sun-exposed paths through Heather Woods are best.

2) Skibowl -- Outback area. Granted, I'm just beginning to explore this area... I don't know it well just yet, so I can't be very specific as to which routes through the Outback I like best. But from what I've seen, it's a powder playground when the weather pattern is right (snowy with a low freezing level). I like the mix of bowls and trees... along with the low density of skiers/boarders.

3) Meadows -- Jacks Woods. Yes, it gets cut-up way too fast. But that first run (or two if you're lucky) on a powder day is heavenly.

4) Skibowl -- the West Wall (in the Upper Bowl). The trees are perfectly-spaced, and there's enough night-lighting nearby such that you can venture into parts of this area after dark. There aren't many places in the world where you get get fresh tracks... in the trees... during a snowstorm... at 8 o'clock at night.

5) Meadows -- Private Reserve. Relative new to the Meadows' collection of expert playgrounds, the "PR" is open more often and skied/boarded less often than Heather Canyon above it. If it weren't for the walk-out at the end...

There you have it... my favorite runs. How about yours?

Tuesday Quick Update

2008-02-12T08:17:00.001-08:00

Well... so much for the Wednesday powder day. New computer model guidance now suggests that this Tuesday/Wednesday push of colder air won't be accompanied by nearly as much moisture. So I now expect only a couple inches of snow... at best... Tuesday night into Wednesday.. It will get dramatically colder, however, so if there isn't much new snow... expect very hard-packed conditions off the groomed runs until Thursday afternoon.

This weekend still looks very spring-like, as the freezing level will be near the summit of Mount Hood. Ski area temperatures in the mid-high 40s are likely both Saturday and Sunday beneath bright blue sky, sunshine, and little wind.

A Warm Week

2008-02-11T08:52:00.001-08:00

Aside from a shot of chilly air arriving later Tuesday and staying through Wednesday, it's going to be a warm week on the mountain. Tuesday night's and Wednesday's snow showers should total 8-12", but that should be it for new snow this week. So... Wednesday is the one powder day, with Thursday featuring limited leftovers in the morning. By next weekend, conditions should be approaching spring-like again... with hard-pack conditions in the shady spots and up high in the wind-exposed areas.

Future Projects

2008-02-07T06:44:00.001-08:00

Over the past year, I've quietly been doing some research on each local ski area's plan for the future. Here is what I've discovered about the future of Mt. Hood's ski areas:

Timberline

With the completion of the new Jeff Flood Express chairlift and expansion into Still Creek Basin, the Timberline ski area is essentially built-out now. The area has no plans for any further terrain expansion. However, Timberline has ambitious plans to improve access by constructing a gondola connecting Timberline Lodge with central Government Camp. Given that the proposed alignment would be along a path previously used by the 1950s-era "SkiWay" areal transport lift (a suspended city bus!), there are relatively few environmental concerns. And the benefits would be huge: dramatically reduced traffic along Timberline road and an environmentally-friendly solution to Timberline's current parking shortage. Timberline is working with Skibowl on this project, and it's on pace to get underway within 5 years. The primary obstacle is funding; the project could cost $15-20 million.

Another project on Timberline's horizon is a new Operations building near the top of Molly's Express. This new building would be larger and more "Timberline-esqe" than the current Operations building in the same location. It would also include a new Patrol Headquarters, allowing that space in the Wy'East Day Lodge to be used for a new Day Care center.

Other projects include underground parking and land restoration in front of Timberline Lodge and a new beginner's complex in the area below the Day Lodge. Farther down the road (and further ahead in time), Timberline would also like to explore the possibility of building parking, a lodge, and overnight accommodations near the bottom of Molly's Express.

Timberline has published a nice brochure outlying it's plan for the next 50 years; you can download from Timberline's website: http://www.timberlinelodge.com/more_info/about_us.php

Mt. Hood Meadows

First, some history. In the late 1980s, Mt. Hood Meadows announced its intention to create a very ambitious new Master Plan for the future. Lots of new lifts, new terrain, new lodges and overnight accommodations were part of that plan. In response, a group of local environmental protectionists formed the Friends of Mt. Hood, a group dedicated to opposing further development at Mt. Hood Meadows. While the Forest Service approved Meadows' proposed Master Plan in 1991, the Friends of Mt. Hood appealed that decision -- and the appeal was successful. Mt. Hood Meadows then modified its plan, reducing the scope of development and eliminating plans for overnight accommodations. This revised plan was approved (with a couple exclusions -- mainly a rejection of terrain expansion into the White River Canyon) by the Forest Service in 1997. The Friends of Mt. Hood, together with other environmental groups, again challenged the approval -- this time in court. In 2001, the court upheld the Plan's approval, but denied permission for parking expansion, pending further study of parking alternatives. In 2004, Mt. Hood Meadows finished the first major project included in the Master Plan: the Vista Express chairlift.

The above is a brief summary; much more information is available (including a litigation summary) at the Friends of Mt. Hood website: http://www.friendsofmounthood.org/fmh.htm

Despite the approval of Meadows' overall Master Plan, each individual project will require specific approval by the Forest Service -- and that approval can only occur after extensive and satisfactory environmental analysis. The public, including environmental groups, will have the opportunity to comment and potentially challenge each major project.

Now, on to the projects. Several new chairlifts are possible:

A high-speed quad to replace the Stadium (Yellow) chair, with a possible extension to the top of the Heather lift... which would allow easy access to Shooting Star & HRM

A high-speed quad to replace the Daisy chair in a similar alignment

A new high-speed quad that would begin somewhere near the North Canyon run and would roughly follow the Upper Elevator run to the top of the Cascade Express lift

A new lift connecting the Annex parking area to Buttercup

A new lift above Cascade Express servicing Dallas Bowl and providing access to Superbowl and upper Heather Canyon

Also, a mid-mountain lodge is proposed near the top of the Heather and new Stadium chairlifts. This lodge could be open year-round with lift access from the new Stadium quad. Additional night skiing expansion is possible as well. Meadows is also pursuing parking expansion possibilities, permanent snowmaking, and permission to open gates into the backcountry.

The full Mt. Hood Meadows 1997 Master Plan, with additional details about what is listed above, is published and available for public review. While I've not seen it online, there are hard copies out there. The copy I read is kept at the Portland State University library.

In replies to comments on Mt. Hood Meadows' blog, Meadows President Matt Drake has repeatedly indicated that discussions concerning Meadows' future plans are "in a sensitive place". In other words, Meadows executives are privately meeting with representatives from the Friends of Mt. Hood to see if any common ground and/or compromises can be reached concerning future expansion. Both sides would prefer to avoid costly and time-consuming lawsuits, and both sides have agreed to keep the meeting notes confidential. I expect some information about the next couple projects in Meadows' future to be released sometime this year -- most likely by Matt Drake in Meadows' blog.

Mt. Hood Skibowl

Most of Skibowl's future plans center around creating a destination resort in and around Government Camp. Skibowl's parent company owns, operates, and is expanding the Collins Lake Resort, and the company also has plans to add a new lodging complex next to the Skibowl East (Multorpor) parking lot. A central village core in Goverment Camp (as part of Collins Lake Resort) is also in the works. The gondola to Timberline will originate in this village core, with an extension of the gondola connecting Skibowl with Goverment Camp proposed as well. When complete, Government Camp will be a significant bedbase and transportation hub. The number of shops, restaurants, and bars is also expected to increase. It should be a fun little village when all is said and done.

On the mountain, Skibowl's plans are less ambitious. An old Skibowl Master Plan indicates that future projects could include a couple short chairlifts in the novice terrain off the southwest (backside) of the Upper Bowl. A bottom-to-top chairlift is also possible down the road. In the short term, Skibowl is attempting to get permission to cut a run run off the Multorpor chair that would become home to the area's terrain park.

Summary

The future plans I've discussed above, for all three areas, are little more than wish lists by our local resort operators and owners. It's probable that at least some of the projects outlined will eventually become reality... but it's also likely that many of the projects will never get beyond paper plans & dreams. I look forward to seeing how things turn out down the road.

A Milder Week

2008-02-05T06:36:00.001-08:00

After a week of huge powder down to very low snow levels, this week looks more "normal". That means we'll see more of a fluctuating snow level from day to day. The jet stream pattern has changed such that we're getting more of a westerly flow now, which means that each arriving storm will push a tongue of warmer air out ahead it. And behind each passing front, colder air will arrive again with lowering snow levels.

As of now (Tuesday morning), it appears that today, Thursday, and Saturday will be the milder days. Snow could switch to rain for a brief time along the lowest runs & lifts at Mt. Hood's ski areas, but any rain that falls will be short-lived, as arriving colder air will switch the rain back to snow within a few hours. The best days this week will be Wednesday and Friday. The stormiest day will be Thursday... with lots of wind and wet snow.

Unfortunately, this warmer storm cycle will take it's toll on the fantastic cold powder we've been spoiled by lately. While rain won't be much of an issue (except down very low), heavy/wet "Cascade Concrete" snow will be more common this week. Avalanche danger will become high again with the increasingly heavy top snow layer, so Heather Canyon at Meadows will likely be closed more than it's open this week... and backcountry skiing/boarding will be very dangerous.

Monster Snow Week

2008-01-30T06:54:00.001-08:00

Two to four feet of new snow fell since Monday... and there will probably be another two to four feet before the week ends. This has been an incredible snow season... and all indications are that the weather pattern won't change significantly coming up. The storniness will ease a bit as we head into the weekend... but overall, the dominant long range pattern continues to look snowy.

Below is a chart of the base depth at Mt. Hood Skibowl (at mid-mountain) on January 29th each winter back to 2001.

You can see that this year is the biggest snow year at Skibowl this decade... and it's a bigger snow year than most years in the 1980s and 1990s as well. I can't remember a year when Skibowl's base depth and Timberline's base depth were so near in total. That's a testiment to the low snow level that has persisted most of the winter.

One of the trade-off's of all the deep and fresh snow: it's very difficult for patrol crews to keep up with avalanche control work. This winter's snow has been more slide-prone than most winters' snow... and with the frequent stormy days, it's often been impossible to visibly survey slopes to asses the real avalanche threat. Here in the Pacific Northwest, because the humidity is relatively high most of the winter, the visibility is often much worse than in other mountain areas across the USA. For example, when I was in Montana, even when it was snowing heavily, the cloud base was above the peaks and the visibility remained quite good. That's because the air is much drier there than it is here... even when it's snowing. On Mount Hood, when it's snowing heavily, it's rare that the visibility isn't poor... mainly due to low clouds and fog. This makes a huge difference for patrol crews. They must be able to see. When they can't; the terrain stays closed... and for good reason.

Weather Outlook

2008-01-25T07:22:00.000-08:00

We're headed back into a snowy pattern. Starting Saturday afternoon, the snow returns... and accumulating snow is likely every day in the foreseeable future. Some days will feature higher snow totals than other days, but I expect at least 6 inches every day... and as much as 18" of new snow possible on a couple of the days. The snow level should stay low -- 500 to 1,500 feet -- most of the week. It's going to be fantastic... enjoy!

TRIP REPORT: The Yellowstone Club

2008-01-25T05:54:00.000-08:00

I just returned from spending several days near Big Sky, Montana, at the most exclusive ski mountain in North America -- The Yellowstone Club. It was a surreal experience.

The Yellowstone Club is a private club with strict financial and behavioral requirements of its members. In addition to annual dues and an initial six-figure joining fee, members are required to own real estate in the area. Potential members are screened, financially and morally, to ensure that those admitted are wealthy, humble and friendly. No garish people are invited.

Once in, skiing/boarding (winter) and golfing (summer) privileges are included in the membership cost. In other words; there are no lift tickets to buy or wear. In my case, as a guest of a member, I was free to ski at my leisure... and at no cost... once I was through the front security gate.

About the skiing...

While I don't have any actual numbers to support this claim, I honestly believe that there were more employees on the mountain than there were skiers and snowboarders. The main mountain has three high-speed quad lifts and two shorter, fixed-grip chairs, while some of the secondary mountains have additional lifts primarily dedicated to providing home access. Rarely would there be anyone waiting to board any lift. The lifts frequently run in circles with no one aboard.

The main mountain itself has a nice mix of steep pitches, glades, and carefully groomed runs. From the top, the front face features several steep chutes between cliffs and outcroppings. The chutes widen and level-out towards the bottom. The powder was incredible here -- apparently, not many of the Club members like dropping through the narrow chutes at the top.

The backside of the mountain has some of the longest glades I've ever skied. The pitch starts out fairly slight, but the terrain steepens with each turn. After nearly a mile and half, the glades empty to a long runout back to one of the lifts on the frontside. The runout is flat... too flat... such that a lot of pushing & skating is necessary. Snowboarders had to walk, and they were apprehensive about returning to that side of the mountain. This part of the mountain was literally deserted; partner skiing was an absolute necessity. If alone and injured, bears and mountain lions would find you far sooner than a human would.

It was VERY cold when I was there -- the coldest weather I've ever experienced, in fact. It was -23 F Monday morning. They delayed opening for an hour because of the extreme cold. I skied that afternoon, but the temperature never exceeded -10 F. I did OK... I covered my entire face and used hand & foot warmers in my gloves and boots. It was a beautiful sunny day with no wind (thankfully). Tuesday was slightly warmer, and it turned cloudy with snow increasing later in the day. Three inches of new snow greeted us Wednesday morning, along with bluebird skies again. The three inches easily turned into a foot in the bowls up top. The powder was the best I've ever skied. Interestingly, the snow was a bit slower than I would've guessed it to be. Apparently, when it gets THAT cold, there's such a lack of (liquid) water in the snow that it's not very lubricated and the snow crystals are more abrasive. The result is more friction on the base of the ski/snowboard.

Not all the runs were powder-filled; many are groomed nightly. Since most of the Club members join because of the allure of "Private Powder", the groomed runs aren't particularly popular. Much of the courderoy remains untouched well into each afternoon. One member I briefly skied with kept using the phrase "ABC" -- an acronym for "Anything But Courderoy'.

Big Sky ski area is adjacent to the Yellowstone Club, and there are connecting lifts and trails to and from. I didn't get a chance to venture over there; in part because the skiing was so good where I was... and in part because I didn't want to deal with the security guard stationed at each trail entrance back into the Yellowstone Club from Big Sky. Security is tight; a former director of the Secret Service is the current Director of Security for the Yellowstone Club.

As you can imagine, the homes in the Yellowstone Club area are large and spread out. The area is very large, spreading over a couple mountains and thousands of acres. There is no village core; it's more like a mountain neighborhood. Nearly every home there has ski-in, ski-out access, and there are several short feeder lifts to and from the homes. Those home-access lifts remain idle most of the day; once a member/guest approaches, a bored employee becomes excited to see an actual person and starts-up the lift.

I took some pictures; I'll post some of them later (my camera's batteries are dead at the moment).

Overall, this was an incredible opportunity that few get to experience. I am very grateful to my friends for inviting me to share it with them. They've invited me back; I intend to return sometime!

Bits & Pieces

2008-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

Trip Report (1/18/08 - Mt. Hood Meadows) - I was able to get up there for a few hours before I had to work Friday evening. It was sunny and warm (about 40 degrees); the groomed snow was nice and easy to carve, but the snow not groomed was frozen, choppy hardpack. After a couple hours of sunshine, Upper Heather Canyon (and other non-groomed areas with sun exposure) softened nicely -- a I had a great run down Silver Bowl in Upper Heather. And then I did another lap by dropping into A-Zone and traversing/hiking over into Clark Canyon. I was able to traverse across the huge, south-facing wall (which is often unskiable given its exposure) -- it was SO smooth and not too soft. Very nice! The top of that ridge was melting out, though, so there were quite a few small rocks rolling down the slope that I had to dodge. Overall, I had fantastic day.

New Ski Review - So I finally got to try my new Rossignol Zenith Z9 skis. In short, I LOVE them. They were so smooth on the groomed -- nice and stable even when I was flying down Boulevard as fast as I could. I have a pair of Salomon Scream X-hot skis that tend to chatter a lot on this type of snow; my Rossi's didn't chatter at all. The Z9s also did well in Heather Canyon, but not as well as on the smooth groomed. I have a pair of Rossi B2s that probably would've been better in the Canyon. Overall, I'm really happy with the Z9s -- they'll be a lot of fun in the spring when it's firm hardpack in the morning.

Weather Outlook - As you've probably heard, it's going to get very cold for a few days. There will be a little new snow Saturday afternoon/evening/night (maybe 4-8" at most), then after that it'll be dry again for several days. Temperatures will fall from the 30s into the 20s by later Saturday, and then into the teens by later Sunday. Monday's and Tuesday's temperatures will be 5-15 degrees. Brrr! And the wind will pick up too -- by later Sunday, it'll be blowing hard out of the northeast. Monday looks windy, but Tuesday and Wednesday look much calmer. Lots of sunshine, though... but with the extreme cold and wind, the snow surface will become boilerplate hardpack by Monday. The next chance for any new snow will be Thursday... but that weather system looks very weak.

I'm off to Montana - Ever hear of The Yellowstone Club? It's a private ski area (about the size of Mt. Hood Meadows) adjacent to Big Sky in southern Montana. I have friends who are members and have a house there -- and they've invited me to spend a few days with them enjoying the "private powder". The average number of people on the mountain each day is about 50! I'll be sure to write a trip report and post it here, as this should be quite an experience!

Have a great weekend...

Condition Reports, Snowphones and Websites

2008-01-16T05:46:00.000-08:00

In the "old days" (before the internet), there was only one way to find out what conditions were like on the mounain. The snowphone. As a kid, I would call several of the resorts' snowphones so often that my parents had to put limits on the number of times I could call each day. (I believe the limit was three.) I still have the numbers memorized. And I still remember the names of some of the voices on the line -- Camille, Bill and Don at Timberline... also Jon at Timberline and Karen at Skibowl (both of whom are still there!). And on big snow days, I would call and call and call... only to get a busy signal. The volume of callers would frequently overwhelm the resorts' snowphone lines.

Today, the internet is trying its best to make the snowphone obsolete. It's rare that I call anymore. (Don't get me wrong; I am still obsessive-compulsive about checking the snow condition reports -- but now I use a computer instead of the telephone.) I am not alone... one resort official told me recently that the number of phone lines they now dedicate the snowphone is only a small fraction of the number they had during the pre-internet days. And jammed lines or busy signals are almost unheard of anymore.

Ski areas have long been accused of lying about their conditions on the snowphone. Alright, lying isn't the best word -- perhaps "omitting" or "exaggerating" are better word choices. Regardless, skiers and boarders had no way to knowing whether or not the voice on the phone was speaking the full truth, the complete truth, and nothing but the truth, unless they ventured up to the mountain to see for themselves what conditions were like. But not any more, thanks to the vast amount of weather data from automated weather sensors on the mountain. That's why, despite my nostalgia, the movement of the snow-reporting emphasis to the internet is a very good thing. Not only does it force accuracy, but it allows the resorts to disseminate SO much more information than a voice on the snowphone could ever deliver. But this is only true if the resorts choose to disseminate a lot of information. Unfortunately, many still don't.

The Mount Hood ski areas have made great progress with their on-line condition report web pages in the last couple years. Mt. Hood Meadows' page is the best of the batch -- they display more information on their site than Timberline and Skibowl display on their sites. But, when I surfed around other ski area sites around the USA, I saw some amazing web pages that put our Mt. Hood ski area sites to shame. My favorites:

Mammoth Mountain (California) (http://www.mammothmountain.com/index.cfm). What I like about this site: lift status is updated automatically, in real-time, with status indications of OPEN, CLOSED or STANDBY during operating hours, and indications of EXPECTED or CLOSED each morning before the mountain opens for the day. There are also detailed new-snow reports and live weather conditions with several LIVE web cameras scattered throughout the resort to view.

Okemo (Vermont) (http://www.okemo.com/okemowinter/ourmountain/snowreport.asp). What I like about this site: The snow reporter writes a lengthy, detailed report about the conditions each morning. True, there's a lot of "selling" in the reports, but I still appreciate the effort. I really like the list of EVERY run on page, with indications about each run's open/closed status and symbols showing if the run has been groomed, had snow made on it, or is full of bumps.

And, my favorite: Sugar Bowl (California) (http://sugar2.sugarbowl.com/trailmaps/sugarbowlmap.swf). What I like about this site: It's not a tradional snow report page; instead, it's an interractive trail map with real-time open/closed status of lifts, trails (with grooming information), lodges and facilities along with clickable views of webcams from various spots on the mountain. There are even clickable views of terrain parks and podcasts that describe the terrain.

Sugar Bowl is on the right track, and is headed in the information-dissemination direction that all resorts should be headed. My dream snow report page would indeed be in the form of an interractive map. I would hope to see numerous clickable information points on the map, with each point showing:

live weather conditions
24 hours of weather history
snow accumulation information
a live/interractive camera view.

Each lift, when clicked on the map, would be indicated as open/closed/expected, the lift's operating hours would be shown, the current lift-line wait time would appear, and there would be a description of the terrain served. Each run, when clicked on the map, would be described and indicated as open or closed and there would be information about the current snow surface (groomed, bumpy, powder, bare spots, unskiable, etc.). Each terrain park area, when clicked on the map, would be described (in words and pictures) and a park status update would appear. And lodges & parking lots would be clickable on the map as well, allowing information to be displayed about facilities open/closed and how full the lots are with cars.

I realize that such an interractive map would require a tremendous computer programming effort and a large commitment to infrastructure so that the map could be highly detailed and updated in real (or near-real) time. But it's a target at which every resort should aim. Too-little, inaccurate and/or untimely/out-dated information are significant sources of guest complaints to ski areas. The resorts that hit the target with such a detailed, interractive map will benefit greatly, in my opinion, by being leaders in information dissemination and accuracy. I look forward to the day when a Mount Hood ski area overcomes the technology challenges to make it happen...

One Last Powder Day

2008-01-14T07:16:00.000-08:00

It's been a great 6 weeks... deep snow and high-quality powder (for the most part). But this spell of big powder dumps will end after this last storm moves through Monday night. Beginning Tuesday, it looks dry for at least a week... and the dry pattern could last into next week as well.

First things first -- Monday night's storm. When the snow initially begins late Monday afternoon, the snow level will be relatively high -- between 5,000 and 7,000 feet. There could even be areas of freezing rain along the lower slopes. But shortly after the precipitation arrives, the snow level will plummet rapidly and the wind will really pick up. Before 10pm, I expect the snow level to be no higher than 1,000 feet. The moisture supply quickly disappears after midnight, however... so most of the new snow will fall between 4pm and 10pm. The storm total will be 4-6", with the newest snow on top being fairly light and dry. But it will be windblown, as strong northwest winds will mark the arrival of the increasingly cold air.

Tuesday looks beautiful -- new snow on the ground with plenty of sun during the day. It should stay fairly cold Tuesday, with temperatures at the higher elevations staying in the low-mid 20s. Lower down, the temperature will approach freezing.

From Wednesday through Saturday, the sun will shine each day. Temperatures will be climbing, as the freezing level will be above 8,000 feet. A temperature inversion will likely set up, however, and that means that some chilly air may get trapped in the low spots... especially each morning. Up high on the sun-exposed slopes, it'll probably be mild enough to turn the snow into wet, spring-like slush in spots each midday. Then, in the late-afternoon, the snow will set back up again, making for hard-packed conditions each evening through morning. The groomed runs will be nice, but non-groomed areas will feature an unpleasant hard-packed base except for a couple hours around midday. Spots that stay completely shaded could maintain some winter-like snow for a few days. Night skiers/boarders beware -- this isn't a very good pattern for night-riding. By the time the lights come on each evening, the groomed areas will be skied-out, choppy and slippery, and the off-groomed areas will have frozen back into a rough hard-pack. Overall, it'll be very icy at night this week.

Frankly, I'm looking forward to this change in the weather. The powder has been great, but I'm itching to get in some high-speed cruising on nicely groomed runs beneath the daytime sun. Each resort should have their grooming fleets working hard, laying down lots of courderoy all over the mountain. My new high-speed Rossignol Zenith Z9s will get a much-needed test drive coming up. Can't wait to get up there...

Enjoy the sunshine!

Weekend Update

2008-01-11T16:41:00.001-08:00

It appears as if the "big snow pattern" may finally be ending -- at least temporarily. Our weather pattern is definitely shifting away from frequent cold storms and more towards occasional storms with more dry weather than wet weather. I see several sunny days on the mountain coming up.

As of now, here's the outlook:

Saturday -- Increasing light snow in the afternoon. Snow level around 4,000 feet... which is a little high. But it's low enough to keep the precipitation as snow, albeit a wet snow. Expect only 3-6" with this storm -- it's not very strong.

Sunday -- Becoming sunny. The freezing level will be 5,000-6,000 feet, so it'll be fairly mild in the afternoon with temperatures into the 30s. There shouldn't be much wind. Overall, a nice day on the mountain.

Monday -- Increasing snow again in the afternoon. Expect about 6-10" of new snow by Tuesday morning. As the snow begins, the snow level will be near 4,000 feet... but it should fall to below 2,000 feet by Tuesday morning.

Tuesday-- Becoming sunny. It'll be cold in the morning, but afternoon temperatures will be 25-30 degrees.

Wednesday through Friday -- Mostly sunny and milder. The freezing level should be above 6,000 feet... meaning that the runs exposed to the sun may enter a freeze/thaw pattern. That means firm conditions in the morning with some afternoon softening. It is January, however, so once the snow gets firm or icy, it can be difficult for it to soften unless it gets unusually warm. Higher-elevation areas with a northerly exposure (such as Heather Canyon and the bowls off of Shooting Star Ridge at Meadows and the Outback & Northwest territories at Mt. Bachelor) may maintain winter-like snow for several days since the sun angle is so low, however.

A major plus to this upcoming break in the weather: Crews will have lots of opportunities to build parks and pipes in the coming week.

Have a fun weekend!

A Little Warmer...

2008-01-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

The past three weeks have been a real treat. The snow level has stayed low, and the temperature at the higher ski areas really hasn't been higher than 25 degrees. Much of the new snow fell at temperatures between 18 and 25 degrees -- which is cold for the Pacific Northwest (most of our snow falls between 25 and 30 degrees). So the quality of the snow has been excellent. (No complaints about the quantity either!) I was at Mt. Hood Meadows yesterday afternoon -- the snow was magnificent packed powder.

The weather pattern will be changing slightly as we head through this week... and not necessarily for the better. The storm moving through today is a little warmer. So the new snow won't be as dry & fluffy. And the Wednesday night & Thursday storm looks a little warmer yet... meaning that the new snow from that storm will be thicker and wetter. Avalanche danger will become very high this week with the denser snow overwhelming the deep, fluffy powder beneath it.

It appears as if we'll get a break from the storminess this weekend. A lot of high cloudiness will dim or block the sunshine, but I believe it will stay dry on Saturday and Sunday. It'll be milder yet, as the freezing level may rise above Timberline for the first time in weeks.

My day of choice this week is tomorrow (Wednesday). At least a foot of new snow will greet you in the morning, and the sun may make an appearance or two during the day. Friday doesn't look bad either, but the snow will be a bit thicker & wetter at the end of the week.

Enjoy!

Snow Depth Comparison

2008-01-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

So... how good of a year are we having so far? Well... in terms of the amount of snow on the ground, this year is up there with the good years so far this decade. The graphic above shows the settled snow, on the ground at Timberline and at Ski Bowl, on January 1st of each year. You can see that this year's snowpack isn't the highest... but it's close. It's even more impressive when you take into account that we've really only had one month of snowfall so far -- the base really didn't start climbing until around the 1st of December. In previous years, the base started building earlier... so this year's pace has been very impressive.

Looking ahead, there will be another 1-2 feet of snow this weekend. The snow level will start near 4,000 feet Friday, but by Sunday night, it will have steadily lowered to near 1,000 feet. There will be a little break between storms later Monday into early Tuesday, but then another powerful storm arrives later Tuesday and keeps the trees white through Thursday of next week.

Enjoy!

Heather Canyon Opens

2008-01-03T06:16:00.001-08:00

It's true... the Canyon opened Wednesday. The break from the storms Monday and Tuesday provided enough of a window for Meadows' patrol staff to finish their avalanche control work and to set up the necessary rope lines. Any first-hand accounts of what it was like?

Sorry for not posting for a while... I was in Orlando, Florida, during the past few days. But now I'm back... and I'm picking up my newest pair of skis today (Rossi Zenith Z9s -- high-speed cruisers!) following the binding-mount. (I bought them at the ski show two months ago... and just now got around to getting them ready.) But given the forecast for a snowy & stormy weather pattern to continue, those new Z9s of mine may sit in the garage for a while... as my Salomon 1080 Gun (fat) skis stay in the car.

More powder days are coming, but we'll have to wait until the weekend for the snow level to drop back down to below pass-level. Between now and then, it'll snow up at Meadows and Timberline... but it may rain at times at lower areas. From the weekend into early next week, the snow level shouldn't be any higher than 2,500 feet... meaning that a couple feet of additional medium-quality snow can be expected.

While still young, this winter is increasingly behaving like a classic La Winter winter; a little sluggish early, then an onslaught of Pacific storminess that results in deep snow and a rapidly growing base. I have every reason to believe that we're in for more of the same in the coming weeks... frequent snowstorms with only short, occasional breaks of drier and tranquil weather.

Bits & Pieces

2007-12-27T07:33:00.000-08:00

What a treat -- Utah/Colorado type powder at our Oregon ski areas has made for the best holiday conditions in years! Lots more new snow coming between now and the weekend, and after that... it looks like it will dry out and warm up. More details below...

I've got a few miscellaneous items to discuss... read-on!

Trip Report (Skibowl, Christmas Eve day) I stopped by for a couple hours on my way home from Bend... and couldn't be more pleased that I did. The Upper Bowl was fantastic, lots of powder in the trees. There's plenty of snow cover now; hitting bottom was not an issue.

Trip Report (Mt. Hood Meadows, Christmas day) Another great day! I arrived around 10am to find the main parking lot about 80% full (it eventually filled). Cascade and Vista were both open, and there was plenty of powder along with nicely groomed runs. Snow started heavilly falling around noon, resulting in Cascade and Vista closures. The new snow was perfect in the afternoon. One kink in the day, however -- I think Meadows wasn't quite prepared for the amount of people who showed up. It wasn't super crowded, but having to wait 1 hour from the time I sat down in the Alpenstube to when my food showed up is pretty bad. I think the lodge staff was probably reduced given the holiday, and those working were overwhelmed. Hopefully it's an exception rather than the norm.

Meadows Parking update As it turns out, Meadows has decided not to make a significant change to their peak day parking plan after all. But, to encourage carpooling, Meadows will give a raffle ticket to people arriving in cars with three or more people on peak days. Ten winners in a drawing each peak day will each win a $50 Meadows gift card. If this incentive helps the parking situation in the main lot, then great! But if no measurable improvement is visible, then the smart bet is that Meadows will implement a stricter plan... but not until next season.

Heather Canyon update The buzz at Meadows is that Heather will be ready to go once the weather calms down. There's now plenty of snow, and they've been working to build the bridges over Clark Creek in the runout. We just need a couple clear & dry days so that the patrol can do some control work and rope construction. My prediction, given the weather outlook: Heather may open next week.

The new Jeff Flood Express at Timberline I haven't had a chance to write about this yet, but I was able to ski several of the new runs in this area a couple weeks ago. I'm pleased to say that the new runs add an additional layer of variety to Timberline. But overall, the terrain is somewhat similar to the rest of the lower mountain -- good for novice and intermediate skiers/boarders, but lacking in steep thrills for experts. Also, snowboarders beware: The West Leg Road route to the bottom of the lift is really flat. If the snow is soft or sticky, you'll be walking.

Weather Outlook The snow level will bounce around between 1,500 and 3,000 feet through the weekend, with an additional 3-4 feet of new snow likely. This storm cycle will have produced 6-8 feet of snow by the time all is said and done. And it now appears that we'll have a weather pattern change after this weekend. High pressure is projected to build across the West, allowing the sky to clear and temperatures to climb. The freezing level will take a hike up the mountain starting Monday, so enjoy the cold, dry, fluffy and deep new snow now. Next week will be much different...

Yucky Rain

2007-12-23T18:19:00.000-08:00

Ouch. It turned to be a very wet day on the mountain. This Sunday storm pulled up quite a bit of warm air out of the south... and the freezing level climbed to nearly 9,000 feet. Not a good day on the mountain at all.

Big weather improvements are coming, however. It still looks like we've got a wet and chilly week coming up, which should allow for some excellent skiing & boarding conditions. If you're looking for sunny & calm weather, however, it won't be your week. It'll be snowin' and blowin' much of the week with only short, occasional breaks from the storminess.

Here is a forecast update (as of Sunday evening):

Monday (Christmas Eve) - Snow, tapering off in the afternoon/evening. Snow accumulation 6-10". Accumulating snow level drops from 8,000 feet Sunday evening to 2,500 feet by Monday morning... further dropping to 1,500 feet later in the day.

Tuesday (Christmas) - Dry with some early sunshine, then increasing clouds with snow arriving by midday. Snow accumulation up to 4" before sunset, then 6-10" at night. Accumulating snow level 1,500-2,000 feet.

Wednesday - *** POWDER ALERT *** Snow, heavy at times... especially in the morning. Windy. On top of the 6-10" of new snow that fell during the night, expect another 8-12" of accumulation during the day. Accumulating snow level 1,000 feet (or lower).

Thursday - Increasing snow and wind. Snow accumulation 6-10" during the day, followed by another 6-10" at night. Accumulating snow level rising to 2,000 feet.

Friday - Increasing snow and wind again. Snow level rising... it's too soon to tell how high it will rise. New snow accumulations will be depending on where the rain/snow line sets up.

Merry Christmas!

TRIP REPORT (Fri 12/21) - Mt. Bachelor

2007-12-21T21:44:00.000-08:00

Friday was a phenomenal day to be on any mountain in the Northwest. I was fortunate enough to be at Mt. Bachelor, as I'm in Bend for a few days visiting family.

The word "epic" has become a cliche in the skiing and snowboarding world, but no other word truly captures the essence of Friday any better. The sky was mainly clear; there was no wind; it was cold; the snow was light & dry; and it was busy but not overly crowded. And as an added bonus, the Northwest Express chair and runs opened for the first time this season... and Bachelor got the Summit chair open for business around noon.

Not surprisingly, the best skiing was over on the Northwest side of the mountain where 5 feet of snow lay untouched. That first run down Devil's Backbone was memorable, to say the least. Later in the morning, I made it up to the Summit shortly after it opened. There was a fair amount of wind-packed and slabby snow, so the top wasn't as good as the tree-lined runs lower on the mountain. But that didn't stop me from doing three top-to-bottom runs from the Summit down into the tree-lined bowls south of the Rainbow chair. Good stuff.

My only complaint was that Bachelor seemed to still be in "early December, no crowds" mode. They didn't run the Rainbow or Red chairs, despite up to 10 minute waits to board the Sunrise & Pine Marten lifts; they had minimal staffing in the lodges during the lunch rush; and the Pine Marten lodge still hadn't fully openend for the season. Not the best planning, in my opinion, for the first nice day after 4 feet of new snow that happens to be one day before the start of a major holiday period. It wasn't overly crowded, but the crowd could've and should've been better managed by having more facilities open. But in the big picture, it was a fantastic day.

And now... a brief weather update:

Saturday's storm looks a bit warmer (initially) than it did yesterday. So you'll notice a change in my snow level forecast below. A similar situation will occur with the next storm later Sunday. We'll be back to colder storms and lots of high-quality new snow by midweek, however.

Saturday - Increasing rain or snow. Snow level rising to 4,500 feet around midday, then lowering back to 3,000 feet in the evening. Snow accumulation 4-8" Saturday evening & overnight.

Sunday - A few morning snow showers, then increasing rain or snow in the evening. Snow level 3,000 feet in the morning, but rising to 6,000 feet by the time the rain/snow arrives in the late-afternoon or evening. Only minor snow accumulation during the day.

Monday (Christmas Eve) - Heavy snow at times and windy. Snow level down to 2,000 feet. Snow accumulation 8-14".

Tuesday (Christmas) - Mainly dry and cold early. Increasing clouds with snow arriving again by evening. Snow level 2,000 feet. No snow accumulation during the day.

Enjoy!

La Nina is Delivering

2007-12-20T22:04:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a week so far! Last Sunday morning, Skibowl had 18" on the ground... now they have 50". And Meadows went from 35" on the ground to 75". The weather pattern responsible is a classic La Nina pattern; storm after storm arriving from the Pacific, with each one bringing lots of Cascade snow and lowland rain.

The mountains will get a breather from the storms on Friday. But the break will be a short one, as the next storm in the series is due Saturday. And it now appears that the weather pattern is going to remain active, with snow-producing storms arriving just about every other day for the next week. Earlier this week, I was fearful that we might transition to a wet but warmer pattern... now, I don't believe that will be the case. The storms lined up in the Pacific all look sufficiently cold to bring nothing but snow to the mountains, but some of the snow may be thick & heavy at times.

Here's how the next few days should play out:

Friday - Mainly dry, good visibility, possibly sunny. Freezing level 3,000 ft.
Saturday - Increasing snow and wind. Snow accumulation 4-8". Snow level 3,500 ft.
Sunday - Snow showers decreasing. Snow accumulation 3-6". Snow level 2,000 ft.
Monday - Increasing clouds, snow arriving later. Snow level 4,000 ft.
Tuesday - Snow, decreasing later. Snow accumulation 8-12". Snow level 2,500 ft.

I'm in Bend at the moment and plan to ski at Mt. Bachelor on Friday. The Northwest Express is tentatively scheduled to open for the season, and with some luck... Bachelor may get Summit open too. I'll let you know how it goes...

TRIP REPORT (Tue 12/18) and Weather Update

2007-12-18T18:59:00.000-08:00

Did I really say in my previous blog that this week's new snow would be of excellent quality (meaning light & fluffy)? I guess I did... so I guess I need to issue a correction.

It got much warmer today (Tuesday) than I thought it would... the snow level jumped to about 4,000 feet, and wet & heavy snow fell on me most of the day at Mt. Hood Meadows. It was one of those days when your goggles get foggy, your butt gets wet from wet chair seats, and you are generally wet with sweat on the inside because you've overdressed. Yep, that was my day. It won't go down as one of my top 10, that's for sure. But the good news is that the snow base is increasing steadily, and by Christmas day, there should be a lot fewer stumps, rocks and small trees poking through the snow.

Another storm is due Wednesday morning. This next storm should be a little colder than Tuesday's storm, so instead of it being 32 degrees at the base of Meadows, it should be more like 28-30 degrees. And this next storm will produce the most snow so far in this storm cycle. Look for 8-14" Wednesday, and another 8-14" Wednesday night through Thursday.

Thursday looks great -- a lower snow level (1,000 feet) and colder air will dry the snow and make the new snow lighter & fluffier. Friday looks nice and cold too, but there won't be much new snow on Friday.

That's all for now... enjoy.

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

2007-12-17T08:27:00.000-08:00

Here it comes... lots and lots of snow! The graphic above is my updated Monday morning forecast for Mount Hood. We've entered a very active weather pattern... and there should be significant new snow every day this week. It'll be high-quality new snow too... as the snow level will be no higher than 3,000 feet all week. But be prepared for stormy weather -- it'll be snowin' and blowin' up there.

Looking further ahead, I'm a little concerned about a wet & mild weather pattern developing over the weekend. But, even if that pattern develops, the indications are that it won't last long. There's still lots of time for the computer models to change their tune between now and then, however, so we'll hope for a different tune!

I'm going to head up the hill for some turns this afternoon. More later...

Snow on the Horizon

2007-12-13T05:46:00.000-08:00

New snow has been hard to come by lately... but it looks like that's about to change. It now appears that, starting Friday night, a much more favorable weather pattern (for Cascade snow) will develop over the Northwest.

The graphic above is my 7-day forecast for Mount Hood. As you can see, I expect that the snow level will remain at or below pass-level for the entire week coming up. The mountain will get a shot at significant snow from three moderate-intensity storms that are lined-up in the Pacific. The first one arrives Friday night and continues through Saturday. After a brief break on Sunday, storm #2 arrives Sunday night and continues through Monday. Tuesday is up on the air... we'll be on the northern edge of a storm that is headed towards southern Oregon and northern California. Storm #3 is scheduled to arrive later Wednesday. All three storms should provide at least 8-12" of new snow... and possibly more than that.

Obviously, if this forecast holds, the ski areas will get a MUCH NEEDED boost to their snow bases heading into the critical holiday period. While the snow cover is marginally sufficient at Timberline and Mt. Hood Meadows right now, Skibowl and Mt. Bachelor are struggling with their meager bases and several other Oregon ski areas (Hoodoo and Willamette Pass, for example) lack enough snow to open. With this next storm cycle, I expect the situation to improve dramatically.

Enjoy the new snow this weekend... and feel free to report on the conditions in the comments of this blog post.

Parking at Meadows

2007-12-10T05:59:00.000-08:00

(Note: If you haven't read the post & comments about this topic on "Matt's Blog" at Mt. Hood Meadows' website, you should do so before you read my lengthy post here....)

It appears that Mt. Hood Meadows is getting ready to change how they handle parking on peak days. An announcement about their new plan is expected on December 20th. Without knowing specifics of their plan, we do know that it will apply to the peak days between Christmas and New Year's and to weekend days in January & February.

For those unfamiliar with this issue, Mt. Hood Meadows simply doesn't have enough parking for all cars arriving on peak days. Futhermore, late-arriving guests -- many of whom are infrequent visitors relatively new to the skiing/boarding experience -- are forced to park in remote lots or on the access road. And if those guests need the services that only the main base lodges can provide (rentals, day care, lessons, etc.), then a crowded and time-consuming shuttle ride becomes necessary. The experience can be overwhelming and souring to those who are forming their initial impressions about both Mt. Hood Meadows and skiing/boarding in general.

That's the problem... it's easy to identify. But reasonable solutions are difficult to achieve... and many are controversial.

The simplest solution, in concept, is for Meadows to add more parking. That's easier said than done, however. While Meadows does have plans to add some additional parking in the future, an expansion of this type is very involved. Extensive environmental studies are necessary, other alternatives need to deemed less practical, funding needs to be secured, and discussions must occur with the various opposition groups so that the issue doesn't result in a lengthy and costly lawsuit. Expanded parking at Meadows is several years away at the earliest, and even with a modest expansion, demand may still exceed supply on peak days. Other solutions are necessary.

The short-term solution that seems to have the most "buzz" is for Meadows to restrict parking (on peak days) in the upper main lot to vehicles that contain three or more people. It is important to note, however, that Meadows has not officially announced a plan -- this one or otherwise. But if this plan is implemented, it would help in both aspects of the problem. It would (hopefully) reduce the total number of cars arriving at Meadows, and it would cause the upper main lot to fill more slowly... meaning that there would be more room for late-arriving families and carpoolers. The HRM and Annex lots would fill faster with this plan. Understandably, the thought of this plan being implemented is upsetting to many long-time Meadows guests who are of the "first come, first serve" mentality. This plan also might create some logisitical enforcement issues that could result in problematic traffic jams. For instance, there must be some kind of "checkpoint" set up where only carpoolers are allowed past into the main lot. And there must be a place for those who aren't allowed past the checkpoint to turn around. This plan is obviously not an ideal solution either.

Other ideas floating around in cyberspace concerning short-term solutions include providing financial incentives for carpoolers, financial penalties for non-carpoolers, increased bus service, reserved parking in the upper main lot, and valet parking. All the ideas have their plusses and minuses.

Further ahead, in the long-term, the solution-ideas are more grandiose. A popular idea is to centralize much of the parking in Government Camp and offer either a frequent shuttle bus service to Meadows or a gondola connecting Meadows with Government Camp. Obviously, the gondola idea would be HUGELY expensive. But assuming that adequate parking facilities are constructed in Govy, the gondola to/from Meadows would be quite successful, in my opinion.

I do not envy the management team at Mt. Hood Meadows in their task of trying to solve this parking problem. And to be fair, I should add that Skibowl and especially Timberline also face similar issues (a gondola from Govy to Timberline is a reality within five years -- that should really help Timberline's parking issue). But the Meadows' parking solution is complex and must be tackled from several angles, both in the short term and long term.

My personal thoughts on what Meadows should do:

Short-term solutions...

- Implement a $10 fee to park in the upper main lot on peak days... but only collect that fee between 8am and Noon and waive the fee for cars containing three or more people. And once the lot becomes 75% full, make it carpool-only (until Noon). Meadows could put the revenue from the parking fee towards environmental initiatives. This plan represents several compromises -- it caters to early birds who are of the first-come, first-serve viewpoint, it rewards carpoolers and guests arriving very early in the morning or late in the afternoon with the parking fee waiver, and it preserves space in the main lot for late-arriving carpoolers (families).

- Offer valet parking.

- Continue to aggressively promote bussing options.

Long-term (expensive) solutions...

- Make the current HRM lot more attractive by increasing the services offered at the HRM base (with a new/expanded lodge) and by adding night lights to the HRM runs. With this expansion, HRM would become a true "second" base area and could take pressure off the main base area & upper parking lot.

- Make the current Annex lot more attractive by connecting it to the main base area with a lift. I suggest a stand-up "Cabriolet"-style gondola, similar to the lift at The Cayons in Utah. With one station at the Annex lot and the other station in front of the main lodges, this two-way transport lift would make parking in the Annex lot much more hassle-free.

- Once the above is completed, then the upper main lot can truly turn into a restricted carpoolers-only lot without any significant consequence to non-carpoolers who must park in the HRM or Annex lots.

- Move forward with plans to develop parking in Government Camp and a connector to Meadows (either by shuttle or gondola).

Those are my thoughts... contained in my longest blog post to date! Thanks for reading through it... and I welcome your comments.

TRIP REPORT - Friday, December 7th

2007-12-08T10:38:00.000-08:00

Finally... I was able to get up to the mountain on Friday. I spent some time at both Mt. Hood Meadows and Timberline. I have to say -- both areas were in pretty good shape. I expected worse, given all the rain earlier in the week. But a few inches of snow following the rain really helped.

Friday reminded me that early season skiing and boarding is unique. There is so much energy in the air and the crowd is full of excitement about being back on the mountain. And while the runs are in need of additional snow to cover the various small trees, rocks, brush and creek beds, there is a lot of character to the runs early in the season. The terrain is far more natural -- rollers and small canyons have yet to be smoothed-over by a deep winter snowpack. It's fun to ride... as long as you're care-free about the land mines you might come across.

At Meadows, the best conditions are in the Shooting Star area. There's enough snow covering most of the runs there such that hitting bottom isn't much of a concern. Runs off the Vista Express and Mt. Hood Express lifts are still a little dicey in spots. And forget about Hood River Meadows -- even though the lift is open to skiers & boarders, the area needs another couple feet of snow before the experience will be enjoyable to most.

At Timberline, most of the runs in the Pucci lift pod are in great shape. Stormin' Norman's runs are adequately covered... but could use another foot or two. There is one ridable path down the Mile -- it too was adequately covered (but narrow in spots). All other areas & runs served by the Mile are rocky death traps. Neither Molly's nor the new Jeff Flood Express lifts were open; I assume that the snowpack isn't what it needs to be in those areas just yet.

All told, I had a nice, leisurely day on the mountain. A good warm-up to (hopefully) a great season. I welcome your reports from this weekend.

Thoughts on Snowmaking

2007-12-05T21:02:00.000-08:00

The mountains of the Pacific Northwest get more snow, on average, than nearly any other regional mountain cluster in the United States. It's why Northwest ski areas have never felt the need to have extensive snowmaking systems. In fact, only in the past couple years have Oregon ski areas "dabbled" into snowmaking operations -- and those operations are limited to small sections of Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Hood Meadows and Willamette Pass.

Nowhere is snowmaking more necessary than at ski areas east of the Mississippi River. That's because the weather along the East Coast and in the Great Lake States is far more variable than it is in the Northwest. In the East, weather patterns often behave such that a storm will initially bring snow, then sleet or freezing rain, then heavy rain, then dramatic cooling and drying with very windy conditions. In some cases, there can be a 40-degree temperature change in this cycle. You can imagine what that does to the snowpack and the snow surface. Enter snowmaking -- Eastern resorts heavily rely on it to replenish the base following spells of changeable weather.

While Northwest resorts have a lesser need for snowmaking overall, they definitely could use it right now. We've just gone through a classic East Coast weather pattern -- heavy snow followed by very heavy rain and now colder and drier conditions. If the snow isn't bullet-proof yet, it will be soon. And the bare spots are numerous after the weekend washout. But we don't have the extensive snowmaking operations here that allow Eastern resorts to recover much more rapidly from snowpack-damaging weather events.

The trade-off is that we are rewarded by lower lift ticket prices than our East Coast counterparts. Snowmaking is very expensive (and increasingly so with energy prices on the uptick). But... snowmaking undoubtedly would improve the skiing and boarding experience on the mountain during times like these. Maybe someday...

As far as the forecast is concerned... look for some light snow (a couple inches) through Thursday midday, then it looks completely dry through the weekend. It is doubtful that the lower-elevations ski areas (such as Skibowl and Hoodoo) will be able to open this weekend because the rain caused so much damage to the snow base. But neither area has ruled out reopening just yet, so keep watch. Timberline, Meadows and Bachelor will be open for sure.

BREAKING: Highway 35 Closed

2007-12-04T15:35:00.000-08:00

8:00 am Wednesday Update...

ODOT crews worked through the night to fix the problem; Highway 35 is now open again.

7:00 pm Update...

From Matt's Blog on the Mt. Hood Meadows website (www.skihood.com):

"ODOT has assessed the situation and a crew will be working through the night to repair the damage. It appears to be a repair that will take hours, not days, using an excavator and a couple of dump trucks (We LOVE that big yellow equipment!). We'll have an update at 8:30 AM Wednesday."

So... a bad situation tonight, but a relatively quick fix is coming it seems.

By the way, this particular flood and the damage caused by it is not the result of another "glacial outburst". Glacial outburst floods, like the devastating one last fall, are caused when warm, heavy rain falls on mountain glaciers bare of snow. The heavy rain saturates the exposed glaciers and dams that build-up within them burst, sending a torrent down into the canyons below. Since these events happen when the mountain is devoid of snow, lots of volcanic dirt, rocks and boulders get mixed into the outburst flood. Last night's flood was the result of heavy rain and fairly rapid snow melt -- nothing more.

Original Post...

Here we go again... sort of.

Nearly 2" of rain fell on Mt. Hood yesterday & last night all the way up to 9,000 feet. This is a minor amount compared to the 8-10" that fell a year ago November, causing the great "Glacial Outburst" flood that severely damaged Highway 35. However, last night's rain has caused flooding problems again.

Polallie Creek is overflowing its banks and water is running across Highway 35. This is near the Cooper Spur intersection. The highway is blocked and closed at that point, meaning that travel between Hood River and Mt. Hood is not possible along Highway 35 right now. ODOT has not announced a timetable for its reopening.

Access to Mt. Hood Meadows is only available via travel through Government Camp along Highway 26. Highway 35 is open from the Highway 26 junction to Mt. Hood Meadows. There are no problems at White River Canyon (where severe damage occurred last year.)

It is unclear whether or not access to Cooper Spur is possible, given that Polallie Creek is flooding Highway 35 very near where Cooper Spur road intersects Highway 35.

More information posted here as I get it...

A Wild Few Days

2007-12-01T17:43:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy day. The people of Portland are throwing rotten tomatoes at their TVs in hopes that miraculously one will break through and actually hit a weather person. Of course, I'm talking about the busted snow forecast. Even the best forecasters don't win them all... and this one was far from a win. Enough on that... time to move on, because there's plenty more to talk about.

Up next: Heavy Cascade snow followed by rain and VERY windy conditions up on the mountain. The snow level will start out near 2,000 feet early Sunday, but by day's end, it'll be above 5,000 feet. But between Saturday night and Sunday evening, I expect 10-20 inches of new snow. It'll be increasingly wet and thick snow too... which, falling on top of lighter and fluffier stuff, will lead to a huge avalanche risk. Southwest winds will steadily increase Sunday as well.

Sunday night into Monday morning, conditions will deteriorate rapidly on the mountain. The snow level will jump to 8,000 feet and heavy rain is likely at the ski areas throughout Monday. Southwest wind could easily blow at 40-60 mph sustained, and gusts over 100 mph are likely above treeline. Given the forecast, I hope that Timberline has spent the past couple days working to put their Palmer Express lift "to bed" for the winter. (This involves lowering the haul rope off the sheaves to a spot half-way up each tower, ensuring that the towers won't snap in the event of extreme rime ice build-up on the rope. That happened twice in the 1990s; each time it required a costly fix. For this reason, Timberline no longer makes any effort to run the lift during the winter season.)

The weather calms down Tuesday, and some cooler air behind the passing front should lower the snow level again. But I don't see a lot of snow coming after the snow level drops. Despite the bad weather conditions Monday, the rain will be good for the snowpack. It will compact it and then the cooler weather arriving Tuesday will stabilize it. It's what we need early in the season.

Enjoy all the new snow Sunday... and drive safe.

Great Weekend

2007-11-30T05:26:00.000-08:00

This storm cycle has dropped more snow than expected... there's more snow on the way... and most ski areas will be open this weekend. Life is good. Some of this weekend's highlights:

Additional Ski Area Openings... Skibowl opens today (Friday) at 3pm and they'll be open through the weekend (and probably beyond...). The small Mt. Hood ski areas (Cooper Spur and Summit) will also be open this weekend. Farther south, Hoodoo is set to go too.

More Terrain Opening... Runs off the Mt. Hood Express and Shooting Star Express lifts open today (Friday) at Mt. Hood Meadows. And Timberline is expected to have most of the lower mountain open this weekend (with the exception of the new Still Creek Basin).

Fantastic Snow Quality... This storm cycle has been characterized by very light, dry and fluffy powder. That's great for skiing/boarding, but bad for snow base building. Because the snow is so light, the snow gets pushed around easily... meaning that "hitting bottom" will be a much greater threat than if the snow was wet & heavy. More light & fluffy snow will fall beginning later Saturday. Sunday looks snowy too -- but Sunday's snow will become increasingly wet & heavy later in the day.

Enjoy the weekend... it'll be a great one on the mountain. Be sure to take it easy on the roads -- they'll be snow-covered down to very low elevations.

Enjoy The Conditions NOW!

2007-11-28T19:30:00.000-08:00

Darn... it's too bad there's not more of a snow base at the ski areas yet... because the new snow that falls between now and Sunday will be of FANTASTIC quality. It's ironic... because, this time of year, when the ski areas really need to build their initial snow base, they want wet & heavy snow -- not the light & fluffy stuff that's in the forecast. That's because the wet & heavy snow naturally compacts and tends to be stickier. It covers the rocks and brush better, it doesn't blow around as much, and it doesn't get scraped away as easily by skiers & boarders. That said... I'm sure the ski areas will take whatever they can get -- as long as it's white!

Recent new snow (and expected new snow in the next couple days) has made an extremely thin snow cover become not quite so thin. But it'll still be a thin cover through the weekend. Despite that, the snow quality will be excellent, as the snow level will stay at or below 2,000 ft. Get your turns in between now and Sunday... because changes are ahead.

Starting Sunday, it looks like we're going to enter the dreaded "Pineapple Express" pattern. For those unfamiliar with that term, it's a weather pattern characterized by warm, wet and windy conditions as southwesterly flow aloft directs lots of moisture into the Northwest. The source of that moisture is down near Hawaii, hence the name. Pineapple Express patterns bring rain to the ski areas -- and rain is likely up there from later Sunday through early next week. Hopefully... there will be enough of a snow base at the ski areas such that the snowpack will survive the warm & wet pattern. I think it will. And if it does... it will actually HELP the snow base, as the snowpack will get compacted and will serve as an excellent base to build from as we head through December.

Enjoy the conditions over the next few days... I'm going to try and get up there myself this weekend -- if it's not snowing in Portland. (Then I'll be stuck at work!)

More Snow

2007-11-25T13:22:00.000-08:00

Tuesday evening update: A couple tweaks to the forecast (indicated in this font below). Overall, most everything is playing out how I thought it would...

The ski areas need it... and they're going to get it. There are two snow-producing storms on the horizon. The first arrives Monday night, with snow lasting through Tuesday. Later Wednesday, the second storm arrives, and the snow will fall with that storm through Thursday. And the snow level should drop to very low levels with both of these weather systems.

Here is my snow level forecast (+/- 500 ft):

Monday... falling to 2,500 ft late
Tuesday... 2,000 ft
Wednesday... 1,000 ft initially, then 3,000 ft
Thursday... 2,000 ft
Friday... 1,500 ft

And here are my expected snow totals:

Monday night-Tuesday storm:
Above 5,000 ft... 8-12"
3,500-5,000 ft... 6-10"
2,000-3,500 ft... 2-4"

Wednesday night-Thursday storm:
Above 5,000 ft... 8-12"
3,500-5,000 ft... 6-10"
2,000-3,500 ft... 3-6"

There is also the possibility, especially with the Wednesday night-Thursday storm, that the snow level will be low enough to bring snow to areas that seldom get any snow. The sticking snow level may be as low as 1,000 ft when the precipitation first arrives Wednesday evening. But the snow level will slowly rise back to 3,000 ft by Thursday morning.

At any rate, plan on a total of 1-2 feet of snow at Ski Bowl this week, with 2-3 feet at Meadows and Timberline. That should go a long way towards improving snow conditions on the mountain.

Opening Weekend

2007-11-23T13:29:00.001-08:00

Those of you who made it up to the mountain... how was it?

Opening & Operating Plans

2007-11-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

Here's a rundown of what we can expect this holiday weekend:

Timberline - 9am-3pm daily through the weekend. Two or three lifts will be open for skiing/boarding: Bruno and Palmer for sure; Pucci possible. The Magic Mile will also be open, but it will serve only as an access lift to/from Palmer. There' s not enough snow on the Mile's runs yet, so downloading will be required. Lift tickets will be discounted at $38.

Mt. Hood Meadows - 9am-3pm starting Friday. Two lifts will run: Buttercup and Easy Rider. Only beginner and lower intermediate terrain will be open. Lift tickets will be discounted at $40.

Mt. Bachelor - 9am-4pm starting Thursday. Two lifts will run: Pine Marten and Sunshine Accelerator. Only 4 runs will be open: Thunderbird, Skyliner, Home Run and Milky Way. Lift tickets will be discounted at $35.

All other Oregon ski areas - will not open this holiday weekend; more snow is needed.

Timberline to open Palmer on Tuesday

2007-11-19T05:42:00.000-08:00

Weather permitting, Timberline will open for skiing and boarding tomorrow (Tuesday). Riding will most likely be confined to the Palmer Snowfield... with downloading recommended (if not necessary) on the Mile. Depending on how much snow falls today, there's a chance that Timberline might be able to get some of the lower mountain open -- but the snow base will be skimpy. The Palmer Snowfield should be in EXCELLENT condition though -- I estimate that there has been 3-4 feet of new snow up there in the past week.

Timberline plans to operate daily through the holiday weekend, offering skiing and boarding on Palmer at a minimum. And the weather will permit it -- I expect sunny and dry weather up there all week.

Last Snow Chance

2007-11-18T14:28:00.000-08:00

Monday morning update

Well, we got our foot of snow... and then some. This storm has been FANTASTIC, dropping more snow than expected. As I write this (5:30am), there is about 18" of snow on the ground at Timberline and Mt. Hood Meadows. Ski Bowl has 14" at the top. There will probably be another 4-8" today.

So... by the time it stops snowing tonight, base totals should be nearly 2 feet at Timberline & Meadows -- but it's an unpacked snow base. Compacted, it'll settle to 14-18", which is VERY marginal for skiing and snowboarding. There's no chance that Ski Bowl will have enough snow to open, but it'll be interesting to see what Timberline and Meadows decide to do.

Original Sunday post

As expected, the snow level has finally dropped... and as I write this (Sunday afternoon, 2:30pm), it's snowing hard on Mount Hood down to about the 3,500-foot elevation. The forecast I outlined in my previous post seems to be verifying -- we can expect up to a foot of snow at Timberline and Mount Hood Meadows between now and Monday evening. Ski Bowl should get several inches too, as the snow level will be as low as 1,500-2,000 feet Sunday night into Monday. That's the good news.

The bad news is that the snow totally shuts off after Monday -- with no snow in sight for at least a week. So this batch of snow is the last before Thanksgiving. Is a foot enough? In my opinion, no. Barring either a miracle (and an incredibly blown forecast) or some extremely creative snow management techniques at the ski areas (send crews into the trees with shovels & tell them to throw any available snow onto the ski runs), options for skiing & boarding in Oregon this coming weekend will be extremely limited. The only reasonable option, in my opinion, will be at Timberline -- up high -- on the Palmer Snowfield (which, by the way, should be in GREAT shape with all the new snow).

The long-range pattern looks uncooperative (for snow) through the holiday weekend. High pressure stays centered near the Northwest, keeping the West Coast dry, the Central USA cold and the Eastern States stormy. Beyond next weekend, the models are hinting at continued drier-than-normal weather, with a dominant pattern of north/northwest flow over the Northwest. Chilly, light snow-producing weather disturbances can definitely drop out of the north/northwest & brush by us in the projected pattern -- but the disturbances are usually weak and often have little moisture with them. Unfortunately, I see no sign of a "big snow" pattern in the long-range. Let's hope that the computer models change their tune... because if they don't, the start of the 2007-2008 ski season could be significantly delayed.

Opening Outlook & Thanksgiving

2007-11-15T04:32:00.000-08:00

This weekend marks the traditional, published date on the calendar for tentative ski area openings. Resorts aim to be open the weekend before Thanksgiving so they have a few days to shake the bugs out before the holiday rush. Of course, mother nature makes the final decision -- and this year, she's decided there will be no skiing or boarding this weekend.

So... what about Thanksgiving skiing and boarding? Honestly, I don't have good news. It's going to be too warm through Saturday for any meaningful snow on the mountain. I'm hopeful that a cooler air mass arriving Sunday-Monday will have enough moisture with it to bring 8-12" of snow down to 3,000 feet. But since the Tuesday-Thursday period looks dry again, that Sunday-Monday system is our last best hope before Thanksgiving. Frankly, 8-12" won't be enough. The ski areas need another 2-3 feet. And I don't think they're going to get it before the holiday.

While not much of a consolation, keep in mind that Thanksgiving this year falls about as early as this holiday ever gets. Thanksgiving skiing & boarding is a crapshoot every year; the odds are tougher when Thanksgiving is early. But if the lifts aren't turning by the last week of November, then I'll consider it a late start to this season.

Most long-range forecasters agree that a snowy winter for the Cascades is more likely than not (because of the strengthening La Nina). But it's not unusual for La Nina winters to be a little sluggish early-on with the arriving snow. A "classic" La Nina season would produce normal or even below-normal snow in November and December. But frequent heavy snowfall during the back-half of La Nina winters usually makes up for the bashful beginnings... and then some. Winter hangs-on and spring often arives late during La Nina seasons. (Oppositely, El Nino tends to produce a good November & December -- but January-March can be disappointing and spring often arrives early during El Nino years. Sound familiar? That's how last year worked out.)

I'm not ready to give up hope for Thanksgiving holiday boarding just yet, but my hopes are fading. We'll see how this Sunday-Monday weather system plays out. At best, there will be very limited operations over the holiday at a one or two of the ski areas. At worst, nothing will be open.

New Lift at Timberline

2007-11-09T07:31:00.000-08:00

While we all patiently wait for the coming snow season to begin, there is excitement at Timberline over the new Jeff Flood Express chairlift. Serving an area called "Still Creek Basin", the new chairlift marks the most significant terrain expansion at Timberline since the Palmer lift opened in the late 1970s.

This is a big project that took two summers to complete. Last summer, the liftline was cleared and new runs were cut. Major lift construction occured this past summer. The Jeff Flood Express (named after Timberline's long-time and nationally-respected snow grooming guru who was tragically killed in an auto accident a couple years ago) is the longest lift on Mount Hood. Thanks to high-speed detachable lift technology, the quad chair will speed riders more than 6,000 feet from bottom to top in about 6 minutes.

With the addition of the Jeff Flood Express, Timberline now has five high speed quad lifts -- the same number as nearby Mt. Hood Meadows. Unlike most other ski areas, Timberline prefers to cap the carrying capacity of their quads at 1,200-1,800 riders per hour (by hanging fewer chairs on the line). The new Jeff Flood Express will be no exception. Normally, a high speed quad might carry up to 2,800 riders per hour, but Timberline's management has been smart in recognizing that higher capacity lifts would too easily overwhelm the relatively small number of runs at their ski area. The lower capacity isn't without consequence, however; on the busiest days, when there are lines to board Timberline's lifts, the queue moves slower than one might expect. But the trade-off is less crowded runs.

The opening of the Jeff Flood Express will allow riders to ski/board several new runs. Most are low on the mountain, ensuring that they'll be open even on the worst of weather days. The lift is positioned between the Pucci and Stormin' Norman lifts with the top terminal a quick and easy ski to the base of the Magic Mile and to the lodges. The bottom terminal is far below the bottoms of Pucci and Norman, at 4,800 feet, making it the lowest point within the Timberline ski area. The old West Leg Road winds around through this new pod of runs. I drove down from Timberline this past summer along the West Leg Road, and got to see what many of the new runs look like. Most seem to be intermediate in difficulty with some steeper pitches, especially near the bottom. One of the primary criticisms about Timberline's terrain is that it's too flat... and while that perception about Timberline likely won't change with the addition of these new runs, the new terrain will add a considerable amount of character and variety to the ski area.

I expect that the Jeff Flood Express will operate daily once sufficient snow covers the runs. Since the new lift serves all of the existing runs in the Pucci lift pod, I imagine that Timberline may choose to keep Pucci closed most weekdays once the new lift opens. No big loss, because despite being only half as long, the old & slow Pucci lift takes just as long to ride as the new Jeff Flood Express will.

Regardless of the lift's actual opening day, Timberline is planning a grand opening celebration for the new Jeff Flood Express during the weekend of December 8-9.

Opening Outlook

2007-11-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

Thursday 11/7 Update:

Well, the computer models have changed their tune (which they are good at doing)... and now it seems that Monday's storm will become Tuesday's storm instead. Worse, it now looks like a much warmer weather system. The snow will come at some point... it always does. But at this point, it seems that ski/snowboard season is at least two weeks away.

Original post:

After nearly three weeks of dry weather and high pressure over the Northwest... finally, a pattern change is in sight. While it doesn't appear that we're headed back to the very Cascade snow-friendly pattern that persisted during the first three weeks of October, we will be entering a wetter pattern that should bring some snow to the mountains.

The first system is due Friday... I expect minimal rain/snow from that storm. Consider it the sacrifical lamb -- the storm will die as it squashes the dominant high pressure ridge. From there, the door is open to stronger storm that should hold together when it moves in Saturday. That storm should drop a few inches of snow at Timberline & Mt. Hood Meadows. Ski Bowl is probably too low to get snow from Saturday's system. A third storm, due Monday, looks more promising yet -- and slightly colder. While not a whopper, another 4-8" should fall... even at Ski Bowl.

Looking further ahead, more typical November weather appears likely; meaning that weak to moderate storms should move through every 1-2 days. The snow base should gradually grow with each passing storm. We could really use a whopper storm to greatly add to the snow base, but I don't see that kind of storm coming in the short term.

So... we will probably need to be patient for a little while longer. With each storm that moves through, excitement and anticipation should continue to build... and with some luck, Thanksgiving skiing and boarding is definitely still possible. I'm still not ready to call it a likelihood, however.

-DJ

La Nina & This Winter

2007-11-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

The first three weeks of October were sure promising, weren't they? Timberline and Mt. Hood Meadows had 2-3 feet of unsettled snow on the ground by the 20th of the month. And then... the pattern changed, and now the snow is nearly all gone. So far this fall, we've been through a very dry pattern that lasted for most of September, a very cool and wet pattern that prevailed during the first 2/3's of October, and lately we've endured a very dry pattern again that is beginning its third straight week. Lots of variety so far... and I believe there's more variety to come. It has to do with La Nina. Read on...

It seems that there is a lot of excitement in the air about the La Nina episode that has developed in tropical Pacific Ocean. For those unfamiliar with La Nina, it's a recurring (every 5-7 years) phenomenon characterized by stronger-than-normal easterly trade winds over the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The result is an area of cooler-than-average ocean temperatures in the central Pacific that, in turn, affects weather patterns over much of the Pacific. Historically, the stronger the La Nina episode, the stronger the winter jet stream, which often means lots of Cascade snow as storms are frequently directed at the Northwest. Hence the excitement about this year's La Nina.

But not so fast. According to snowpack data compiled and posted at one of my favorite websites (www.skimountaineer.com), La Nina episodes don't always lead to big snow years in the Northwest. In fact, of the 11 "weak" La Nina episodes since 1950, during only 5 of those winters did the total seasonal snowfall at Government Camp exceed the long-term average. Several of those years featured below-normal snow -- including the dreadful 2000-2001 season (Ski Bowl didn't open until January that year). But when you look at data during winters when La Nina was strongly developed, it's a much different story. Seven of the eight "strong" La Nina episodes since 1950 resulted in above-average snowfall at Government Camp. Only during the most recent strong episode (winter of 1999-2000) did Govy not reach it's average seasonal snowfall.

So... where do we stand going into this winter? La Nina conditions developed this past summer. They've persisted long enough now that this episode is a bona fide La Nina. Just this past month, the index used to the measure the strength of the episode indicated that we've entered strong La Nina territory. But that index must stay strong for several months in order for the La Nina episode itself to be classified as strong. But all indications are, at this point, that a strong La Nina is brewing. Again, hence the excitement about this year's La Nina.

If a strong La Nina is indeed developing, then above-average Cascade snowfall is a good bet for this winter. That doesn't necessarily mean the snow will come early, however. At the ski areas, of course the managers there like big snow years... but they like early snow years even better. Quality conditions at Thanksgiving and especially Christmas often determine how successful the season will be. And for visiting skiers and snowboarders, a deep, early base makes for a longer season with more boarding opportunities. I raise this point because I feel that too much emphasis & pre-season hype is placed on how much snow might fall over the course of the season -- and not enough attention is paid to when the big snow might come. Maybe that 's because when is a much more difficult forecast. An early snow can come in any year... La Nina or otherwise. And the snow can start late during any year... La Nina or otherwise. (Please remember this when there's panic in the air the next time an El Nino develops...)

I mentioned above that we've seen a lot of pattern variety so far this fall. And that is somewhat common during La Nina episodes. My guess is that the next couple months will continue to be quite variable. I envision spells of significant valley rain and mountain snow alternating with pronounced dry spells. There are signs that the next wet spell may arrive late next week. If so, that could be the start of the real snow base-building season. (The October episode was just a tease.) And it only takes a couple really good storms to get the lifts turning.

Thanksgiving skiing and boarding on Mt. Hood is still a very real possibility this year. But I wouldn't dare call it a likelihood... not yet. What is likely, however, is that the total seasonal snowfall on Mount Hood might be above average. But as for when the snow comes... flip a coin. Heads = early; tails = late. (But the summer butterflys on the mountain did arrive about a month early this year...)

-DJ

Welcome

2007-11-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

A few of you know me, some of you may know of me, and most of you don't know who the heck I am. Let me introduce you to myself -- my name is Drew Jackson, and I work for KPTV FOX 12 as a meteorologist each weekday morning on Good Day Oregon, which airs from 4:30-9:00 a.m. I am also a long-time skier and frequent visitor to Mount Hood's ski areas. I learned to ski as a Powder Hound at Timberline back in the early 1980s... and have been hooked since. Enough about me...

I've started this blog with two goals in mind: To provide the best insight into the weather conditions specific to the Cascade mountains from a skier's perspective, and to provide timely news, analysis and commentary about Oregon's ski and snowboard industry. While reading each post, please recognize that my thoughts and opinions are my own (and not of my employer's).

With that said... check back often for updates and comment (politely) as you see fit. Thanks for stopping by!

-DJ