Appeal Tribune
❚ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018 ❚ 1B
Sports
Snow days
Hoodoo finally has snow, $20 lift tickets
One skier takes in the fresh snow at Mount Bachelor Ski Area. PHOTO COURTESY OF MOUNT BACHELOR SKI AREA
Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal
USA TODAY NETWORK
Multiple ski runs had become noth-
ing but bare dirt.
There were signs marking hazards all
over the mountain.
And even though Hoodoo Ski Area
was technically open, manager Mat-
thew McFarland knew each weekend
that getting people to come skiing
would be a challenge.
“The snow was so low — beyond low,
next to nothing,” he said. “All we could
do was hope for the best.”
Thankfully for Hoodoo and ski areas
across Oregon, the best has finally ar-
rived.
Snowpack at Hoodoo had more than
doubled by Jan. 24 to 50 inches, from
just 20 inches most of the season. That
number is expected to grow.
That means far better skiing at every
resort in northwest Oregon, but espe-
cially Hoodoo, the closest ski area to
Stayton on Santiam Pass.
“All of the runs are open, and all of the
lifts except Hodag will be open,” McFar-
land said. “We still have early-season
conditions, just because on some runs
we were literally down to bare earth, but
it looks as though winter is finally here.”
The Hoodoo winter carnival is sched-
uled for Saturday, Feb. 10.
Ski deal: The best deal at Hoodoo re-
mains its ultra-cheap lift ticket prices
available on Thursday: $20. It's called
"Thrifty Thursdays." “Ditch work, and
come get some turns,” McFarland said.
Mount Bachelor
Oregon’s largest ski area hasn’t been
hit as hard by the snow-stingy winter,
but it’s still welcoming the deluge.
“It was a challenging December and
first part of January, as we had to do
more ‘snow moving’ than what we
would ordinarily need to do,” Bachelor
spokesman Drew Jackson said. “The
past few storms have deepened our
snow base enough that we now have
enough snow to operate all of our chair-
lifts."
“While all of our lifts have enough
snow to open, we still need another 2 or
3 feet before every section of the moun-
tain becomes safe to ski or ride," Jack-
son said. "The trees and glades, espe-
cially lower on the mountain in the Out-
back and Northwest areas, still need
more snow. We advise guests to stay on
the designated runs in those areas —
and out of the trees — until the base
deepens.”
Ski deal: Children 12 and younger ski
free the same number of days as their
parents at Mount Bachelor with the ad-
vance purchase of an adult multi-day
lift ticket (three days or more). There are
no blackout dates on this promotion, so
it’s a valid offer for Presidents Weekend.
Details
here:
mtbachelor.com/ticket-deals.
Mount Hood Meadows
The biggest challenge at Mount
The Mount Bachelor Ski Area is welcoming the snow after a stingy winter. PHOTO COURTESY OF MOUNT BACHELOR SKI AREA
Hood’s largest ski area has been provid-
ing enough terrain on busy weekends,
spokesman Dave Tragethon said.
The latest snowstorm series allows
the resort to open its Hood River Mead-
ows terrain served by the Hood River
Express.
“That lift was open only for a few
days this season during Christmas, so
that adds a lot more terrain and access
from our lower parking lot,” Tragethon
said. “That will also help with the week-
end crowds.”
Ski deals:
Learn to Ride deals: Discounted
“learn to ride” packages for those eager
to hit the slopes and learn to ski or
snowboard this winter Olympic season.
Let’s go for the snow: This deal
packages features three night lessons
for $79 and allows the purchaser to add
on three night lift tickets and three night
equipment rentals for $20 each.
Mount Hood Skibowl
The Government Camp-based ski
area is open and probably best known
for its tubing hills and focus on getting
kids into the snow.
Zach Urness has been an outdoors
writer, photographer and videographer
in Oregon for 10 years. He is the author of
the book “Hiking Southern Oregon” and
can be reached at zurness@Statesman-
Journal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find
him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.
Fresh snow at Mount Hood Meadows. PHOTO COURTESY OF MOUNT HOOD MEADOWS