The air is becoming cooler. The daylight is growing smaller. The rain is coming down harder. For fans of winter sports, this means one thing: time to hit the mountain. The local snow sports destination, Mt. Hood, experienced its first snow storm of the season during the week of Nov 14. Timberline opened its lower mountain lifts on Nov 18 while Mt. Hood Meadows kicked off its season Nov 19. Meadows After Dark began the night of Nov 25, while Timberline After Dark is scheduled to open night skiing and riding on Dec 16. The remaining major Mt. Hood resort, Ski Bowl, is awaiting more snowfall before operating lifts.
Currently, Timberline is operating five out of seven lifts and two out of four terrain parks from 9 a.m. to 3:30 to 4 p.m. Meadows is operating eight out of 12 lifts, including the new Stadium Express, and three out of six terrain parks from 8:55 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.
Timberline daily ticket rates vary from $38 to $58 and Meadows daily tickets range from $44 to $74. All three ski resorts offer rental and/or lesson packages for those without their own gear or beginner riders and skiers. If you plan to visit the mountain more often, season passes are a convenient alternative to individual lift tickets. The Fusion Pass offers a season ticket to both Timberline and Ski Bowl resorts for just $365. Unlimited season passes to Meadows are $669.
Current forecasts predict snow flurries in the Cascade mountain range throughout this next week.