Mt Hood Ski Resorts Still Open with Base over 15 Feet

While Timberline Lodge boasts year round skiing in Oregon, most other resorts close down a few months shy of summer. But this year may compare with the late skiing season of two years ago, when Mt Hood Meadows was able to keep lifts going until June.

“So long as our skier visits tally 4,000 or more on a weekend, we’ll commit to open the following weekend,” Matthew Drake, chairman and CEO of Mt. Hood Meadows, wrote on his blog. This is good news for skiers and snowboarders that wish to take advantage of cheaper spring season lift tickets and season passes.

This week, the weather has been that of a more typical Mt Hood spring season, with bright blue skies, warm air, and blooming wildflowers. But just last week, as order to remove snow-tires were issues, there was still a layer of snow on the roads as far west as Welches area. So far, no plans have been made to plow and open roads to snow-covered campgrounds, lakes, viewpoints, or hiking trails. But the good news is, you can rent a pair of snow-shoes and head into the snowy back-country of the Mt Hood wilderness area.

VEGETATE THIS WEEKEND!

Mt Hood Meadows - April 5th and 6th for Vegetate '08!

The longest running independently produced competitive freestyle ski and snowboard events in the Northwest is going on this weekend at Mt Hood Meadows. This awesome annual event is being presented by Salomon and Full Sail Brewing, and will feature the SuperPipe and the RailJam competitions, and almost $14,000 cash prizes as well as merchandise giveaways!

Originally, the concept of Vegetate grew out of a "native wildflower revegetation program" that helps raise money and awareness for the program, which collects and cultivates native grasses and wildflowers. Today, the event draws talent from near and far to compete in one of the biggest cash and prize pool this side of the Rockies!

You can register in advance on Friday, April 4th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Find more information online by visiting their website.

2nd Annual Full Sail Bank Slalom at Mt Hood Meadows on March 15th and 16th

Mt Hood Meadows has created a roller coaster of a course, designed for any level of skill. Complete with a large number of bank turns and surprise features, this event is for all ages of skiers and snowboarders. Winners will be chosen by division, and single best recorded time, and competitors will have two runs each.

All categories will include separate men's and women's divisions, and are: Junior Skiers, Junior Snowboarders, (Juniors are 17 years and under), Master's Skiing, Master's Snowboarding, (Masters are 40+ years), Open Skiing, and Open Snowboarding. There is a total prize pool of $4800 in cash and gift certificates, and online pre-registration offers GUARANTEED entry. Check out their website for more details.

24 Year Old Skis Off 250 ft Cliff at Mississippi Head on Mt Hood

Would you purposely jump off the steep 250 ft. drop of Mt Hood's Mississippi Head? Well, Matthias Giraud did - and he's got the video to show off his perfect landing!

Giraud has been skiing for quite a few years, but more recently decided to go for base jumping. Several months later, he combined the two sports, and began planning jumps. He recently took his passion to Mt Hood, and shot down the slope at around 40 mph as he headed over the jump from the Mississippi Head. But my second-hand commentary would only diminish the moment, so I highly suggest watching the video below - it's truly awesome! The video is from Frontside Productions, and includes footage from the ground, as well as shots from Giraud's point of view. The helmet-cam views were just beautiful - it's almost as if you were there - but not.

Also check out the interview with Matthias Giraud on YouTube.

High Winds Forced Timberline Lodge to Close Lifts Yesterday

It was an extremely windy day yesterday, so much so - that Timberline made the decision to close down the lift. It was a small price to pay for safety, though!

Today is a gorgeous day, very clear - but it's cold! Gear up for cold weather if you're headed up to the mountain, as the clear skies make for an extra nippy day. The wind has slowed down a bit, and Timberline has reopened the lift, which runs today from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The temperature is a chilly 24 degrees, and be prepared for snow-covered roads, there is 11" of new snow on the mountain in the past three days!

Tons of Snow on Mt Hood and the Ski Season Kicks Off

Well, after a few days of the weather forecasters giving wishy-washy reports, we can finally see for ourselves that the ski season has finally kicked off! I have heard the saying "I wish it would just snow already" from just about everyone in "the Hood". It was a strange start this year, with frost on the ground in late October, and then sunny warm days to follow. For those who wanted to enjoy a late fall hike - it was perfect weather. But as the rain crept in and tempuratures dropped, most of us just wanted to snow to fall - and it finally has . . . is. Yep - it's snowing now, and has been nearly all day. There's even snow at the base of the mountain, all the way down to Sandy on the west side along Highway 26. If you're on the east side - we'd love to hear about the snowfall on your side!

So while the forecasters wait until Saturday for their snowfall in the valleys and possibly even downtown Portland - we've got a beautiful blanket of fluffy, white, sticky snow - and all of the Mt Hood ski resorts will be open. For all of you who've been waiting - either we'll see you there - or tell you all about it. Either way, enjoy!

Timberline Reached 95 Degrees

It was an amazingly hot day at Timberline today. We went up to the lodge with family who had never seen the beautiful mountain, and thought it would be a cool retreat from the sweltering heat below, but it wasn't. We were so hot, we bought clothing that was cooler than what we wore, hoping to cool off a bit. As a local, I withstood the comments about being a tourist as I sported my new Timberline tank top. But the real mystery was how the skiers and snowboarders could stand being dressed in full winter gear as they descended the glaciers, landing in the parking lot below. A group of them left the mountain donned in snow hats and sweatshirts, ski jackets, and other winter clothing as I fought to stay cool in the near 95 degree weather!

Northern Alliance Releases "Hood Rich" Teaser Video

Ready to get amped with an awesome Norther Alliance video from Premonition Films? The video was shot on Mt. Hood and put on YouTube as a teaser for the up-and-coming film "Hood Rich" coming out in fall.

Catch more of the Northern Alliance team, and find out what they're doing now by reading their blog. The posts are short, simple, and to the point, but jam packed with links to pics showcasing fine snowboarding skills.

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Mt Hood, Oregon, snow, snowboard

12th Annual Vegetate Snowboard Jam on Mt. Hood This Weekend

It has officially begun, Mt. Hood Meadows 12th annual Vegetate Snowboard Jam is going on on Mt. Hood this weekend, and kicked off with the SuperPipe, staged at Mt. Hood Meadows 500-ft. long in-ground SuperPipe. On Saturday, you can catch the Rail Jam, and the SCS Freestyle Snowmobile will be performing demonstrations. Sunday boasts the BigAir X in City Park, with a 60-ft. table top leading into a 30-ft. tall by 40-ft. wide 1/4 pipe (one of the largest features ever built for the competition,) as well as more of the Rail Jam. The events are free to spectators, and $30 for registration for competition, and lift tickets will also be available for competitors at registration.

Music will be provided by Spun Academy, and musical artists to perform include: Disciple, Keys, Miss Defy, DJ DannyG, CoolNutz, Soul P, Unified Theory, Blue Submarine Basic Shapes, Atlas, and sound will be provided by HAS. The annual competition is being presented this April 2007 by Salomon, Full Sail Brewing, Clif Bar, Tim's Chips, and Tully's Coffee.

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Weather Alert and Snow Advisory for Portland Oregon

There has been a snow advisory for the Northwest, mostly in the Cascades, but even the West Hills area of Portland is experiencing quite a bit of snow. Freezing levels are down as low as the 500-ft level, but residents on the valley floor are even seeing the snow fall. Some schools in the area are switching to snow routes for the busses, and others have already reported to be closed. Check the local news channels, there should be a marquee on the bottom showing which schools are two hours late, and which have already closed.

As the storm moves through the Cascades, the Columbia Gorge and the Dalles will getting their fair share of snow as well. Here in the area east of Sandy, The Mt. Hood Corridor - including Brightwood, Welches, Zig Zag, and Rhododendron will see some snow on the road, and it could be icy if you're driving to work this morning. As for the conditions on the mountain, there should be a lot of fresh powder to play in by this weekend. Get your skis out of the closet, pack up the snowboard, and head on out to Mt. Hood to enjoy this February fun. For the latest conditions up on the mountain, the Timberline Lodge website has updated conditions.

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An End to the Beautiful Sunny Skies

Well after a week or so of beautifully blue skies, we are again getting the rain that the Pacific Northwest is known for. For some, it's a relief, there are some strange people like me that love the rain. But it does cause some issues, such as the dog and kids dragging mud through the house, and slippery streets and highways. However, this is a great opportunity to get some great time on the slopes on Mt. Hood, because the snow levels have already dropped as far as Government Camp. Don't forget to check the weather before you go, Highway 26 can get a little icy, so check out the road conditions as well. All in all, there should be great skiing and snowboarding this weekend, with all the rain that's coming down over the Portland area, and the storm continuing on into the weekend, there's bound to be a thick white layer of fresh powder by Saturday. Just im time for a great weekend getaway!

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Mt Hood Skier Killed By Unknown Snowboarder

Geoffry Scott Bradeen, a 45-year old skier from North Portland, was found by passers-by at Mt. Hood Meadows on Friday morning, around 9:45. Skiers noticed him lying in the snow near the top of the North Canyon ski run, a beginners slope. Deputy Matt English, from the Hood River County Sherriff's Office, states that Bradeen may have fallen, and possibly got hit by an unknown snowboarder as he was attempting to get back up. Bradeen was not wearing a helmet and suffered massive head injuries. He was pronounced dead at the resort's medical clinic by an assistant Hood River County medical examiner, who was also skiing that morning. The run was closed for about three hours following the incident.

While sherriffs do not suspect that there was any criminal intent, he is eager to find out more information from anyone who may know who the unidentified snowboarder was. There appears to have been no witnesses to the collision, but English would like to obtain a statement from the snowboarder who left the scene of the accident.

When operators got the 9-1-1 call from passing skiers, they forwarded it to the Mt. Hood Ski Patrol, who arrived at the scene shortly after. English believes that it is possible that the person who hit Bradeen may have returned to the place of accident, but may have been scared off by the police presence.

Snowboarders tend to pose a greater risk on the ski runs, as they ride the slopes often with their backs turned, offering less of an opportunity to spot skiers on the runs. Some ski and snowboard resorts separate the runs offered to skiers and snowboarders, and some prohibit snowboarding all together. Although the county sherriff's office states that it does not appear to be a crime, it is not known whether the snowboarder could face charges for the "hit-and-run" death, since he had a choice at one point to report the accident.

UPDATE: While no one actually saw the collision, there were people who heard the incident. Meanwhile, the snowboarder who hit Bradeen said that someone was hurt and that he was going to get help. He never returned.

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Mt Hood, news, Oregon, safety, ski, snow, snowboard, winter

Current Ski Conditions on Mt. Hood

With several feet of new snow over the past month, and new snow falling just about every day lately, ski conditions are awesome right now, and the slopes are calling your name in the wind. So right about now, you should be looking for current ski conditions for Mt. Hood, right? And just to help you plan your ski trip with ease, here are the local weather reports from some of the ski resorts up on Mt. Hood. Feel free to bookmark this post for up-to-date ski reports! Check out the current traffic reports for Highway 26 from Portland to Government Camp (the small town at the base of Mt. Hood,) and Highway 35 from Hood River. Knowing what the conditions are before you leave home can help you prepare for a fun and safe trip! Enjoy!

Timberline Lodge -- Mt. Hood Meadows -- Mt. Hood Skibowl

TripCheck
(Road and Weather Conditions Statewide)

Oregon State Website - ODOT

(Highway Conditions Statewide)

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High Winds and New Snow

The wind was incredible over the past few days, knocking out power lines, toppling trees, and downed telephone service. Yep, it was windy - hurricane force winds blew through northwestern Oregon into the 90 mph zone continuously at times. But on the bright side, there is a great layer of several feet of new snow on the slopes on Mt. Hood, and that's going to make the ski season all the better.

We are about 20 miles southwest of Mt. Hood, and the weather has definitely changed over to that icy feel of approaching winter, as we anxiously await the snowfall...well at least some of us! I can hear the grumpies now, "I hate driving in the snow," or "It gets everything dirty." Well, winter-haters can go to the drier side of the mountain, because this area is known for up to 120 inches of precipitation per year, as opposed to the milder rainfall of around 60 inches per year in neighboring Portland, Oregon. Either way, I'm loving it - except when the wind knocks out my internet connection!

Timberline Reports New Snow on Mt. Hood

There has been quite a few days of rain so far, which should help pack on the snow to help kick in the ski season! Timberline has closed the lift for the weekend, due to unfavorable weather conditions, but hopes to re-open next weekend if weather permits. Last year was a pretty good ski season, and there are rumors and talk of how this year will be, but according to The Old Farmer's Almanac 2006, the winter forecast looks pretty good, so we'll hope for the best!

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fun, life, ski and snowboard, skiing, snowboarding, travel, travel and places, winter sports

Time to Get Out the Ski and Snowboard Gear!

Ready for skiing or snowboarding? Waiting for snowparks to open? Okay, so I'm still going to keep my favorite camping spots sacred, my precious hiking spots will remain my personal safe haven, and my best fishing holes will stay a highly guarded secret. But I'm going to let the cat out of the bag on the winter sports spots - if you're not familiar with the Mt. Hood area, you've got to come up and enjoy the powder stash we've got going on up here.

With the longest ski seasons in the contiguous states, the largest night skiing areas, Oregon is the place to come experience the best kept secrets of the Northwest. So get ready to gear up and send some rooster tails flying, because winter is fast approaching, and you want to be sure you're ready. Check out ski conditions, opening dates, and road and weather conditions for your favorite snowparks, all in the vicinity of Mt. Hood: Timberline, Mt. Hood Ski Bowl (West & East), Mt. Hood Meadows, and Copper Spur.

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fun, life, ski and snowboard, skiing, snowboarding, travel, travel and places, winter sports