New Lift at Timberline

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.