Winter Adventure Awaits – Where To Ski In Oregon This Season

As we brace for the dead of winter here in Portland, outdoor activities might not seem like the most appetizing prospect. But staying active is important, particularly through the dark-at-4pm-months. So, why not take advantage of a winter-specific option and hit the slopes? 

The following paragraphs and table will tell you all you need to know about where Oregonians can go to alpine ski.

Portlanders can get to the three downhill ski resorts near Mount Hood in under ninety minutes. If driving East on Highway 26, one would reach Mount Hood Skibowl first. Skibowl is a nice medium size at 960 skiable acres, with 9 lifts and 71 runs. Notably, Skibowl reigns as the bell of the night skiing ball; 67 runs stay open until 10 pm seven days a week until March 23rd (here’s the full Skibowl schedule). It’s the most night skiing terrain in North America! As John Clary Davies wrote for Ski Magazine about evenings at Skibowl: “To ski lift-accessed powder all night, on a Tuesday, with no one else around, is to feel like you are getting away with something.” Go ahead, get on with getting away with it!

Just a few miles and minutes farther await Timberline Lodge and Mount Hood Meadows. Timberline comes in at 1,685 skiable acres, with 11 lifts and 41 runs. It boasts the greatest vertical drop (elevation of the highest lift-served point minus the elevation of the base of the run) in the United States at 4,450 feet. You can ski until 4 pm 10 months a year–also the highest in the U.S. of A (full schedule). Mount Hood Meadows is a bit bigger at 2,150 skiable acres, with 12 lifts and 87 runs. You can shred from 9 am to 4 pm on Mondays and Tuesdays and until 9 pm on Wednesdays through Sundays (full schedule).

If you’re not based in Portland or are just looking to explore skiing beyond Mount Hood, rest assured there are excellent options down South. Two and a half hours away, just about due east of Corvallis, is Hoodoo Ski Area near Santiam Junction, almost to Sisters. Hoodoo–which perhaps you know from its “Steeper, Deeper, Cheaper” bumper sticker–spreads over 800 acres, with 5 lifts and 34 runs. It tends to be populated by fewer Portland folks and has a relaxed atmosphere if you’re just starting to explore the joys of skiing. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, Hoodoo is open until 9 pm Wednesday to Saturday and until 4 pm on Sundays. The fun-loving resort offers all kinds of lift ticket specials, such as Oneside Wednesdays and Thrifty Thursdays. Check their full schedule for details.

Three hours outside of Portland, a little over an hour Southeast of Eugene, is Willamette Pass Resort. They’ve got 550 acres, 4 lifts, and 29 runs; they’re open 7 days a week from 9 am to 4 pm. Willamette Pass is the cheapest lift ticket by far. You can ski on April 10th for $10! Daily prices range from that to about $75–a steal through and through. See their website for more.

If you want to drive for one more hour each way, head to Mount Bachelor Ski Resort. Bachelor has a whopping 4,300 skiable acres, 12 lifts and 101 runs, and a sizeable vertical drop of 3,365 feet. You can crisscross the vast resort from 9 am to 4 pm. 

Finally, if you just need to get in a few hours on your way to California, stop at “Southern Oregon’s Mountain Playground,” Mount Ashland Ski Area. It’s the humblest acreage on this list, at 223 acres, with 6 lifts (one of which is new this season) and 45 runs. Mt. Ashland is closed most Tuesdays and Wednesdays. On Thursdays, Fridays, and some Saturdays, you can “Twilight ski” until 9 pm. The ski area closes at 4 pm on other open days. See their operating schedule for specifics. 

Across these seven sites, every gnar-seeking Oregonian should be able to get their fix this winter. Don’t forget your sunscreen and your helmet!