Mount Hood 2024 ski season preview
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Ski resorts are hoping a La Niña year will translate to deep snow. Photo: Craig Tuttle/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
With rain in the forecast and a chill in the air, ski season is fast approaching.
Why it matters: Resort operators are hoping a forecasted La Niña — which is expected to bring colder conditions and more precipitation — will get things back on track after warmer temps delayed the start of the season last year.
The big picture: The first significant snowfall on Mt. Hood is expected Thursday, though resorts typically open in early to mid-December.
State of play: Portland's closest places to hit the slopes are all on Mt. Hood, about 90 minutes from downtown, where three primary ski resorts each offer different experiences.
Mt. Hood Meadows
With 11 lifts and more than 2,100 acres of accessible terrain, Meadows is the biggest resort on the mountain.
- It has lots of runs for beginners, plus some great pockets of steep terrain — mostly in Heather Canyon and Private Reserve — for advanced skiers and snowboarders.
- Price: An unrestricted adult season pass is about $1,100.
Timberline
The Timberline Lodge ski area is smaller than Meadows — with eight lifts and just over 1,600 acres — but it makes up for it in vertical feet.
- Skiers and snowboarders can hop on a snowcat to the top of the Palmer Snowfield and ride all the way down to Government Camp, a drop of some 4,500 feet.
Price: $899 for a season pass. For $999, you can get the "Fusion Pass," which grants access to both Timberline and Ski Bowl — available at this price until Nov. 3, when it increases.
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl
The smallest of the resorts on Mt. Hood — touting four lifts and nearly 1,000 acres of terrain — Ski Bowl punches above its weight with access to steep forested runs and technical runs on the upper slopes.
- The resort boasts a family-friendly Adventure Park, with no-hike tubing assisted by a conveyor belt.
- It also has the nation's largest night skiing program, with nearly a third of its terrain lit up for those who want to get some turns in after the work day.
Price: $589 for a season pass.
What they're saying: Hopes are high for mountain conditions this year, Mike Quinn, vice president and general manager of Ski Bowl, told Axios.
- "It's starting to really line up for a strong season," Quinn said, noting that previous La Niña years have seen big dumps of snow. "It comes hard, fast and often."
What's next: With the help of some snow machines, Ski Bowl's tubing hill should be open by Thanksgiving, per Quinn.