Five Must Ski Mountains Near Portland, Oregon
Portland Oregon might not be the first, second or even the third city you think of when it comes to thrilling skiing and snowboarding destinations. But we’re here with five exciting ski hills, just outside the Portland, OR metro that will have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about the City of Roses.
Oregon ski resorts average about 35 feet of snow each season. In case you are measuring, that’s about six more feet than the Vail corridor resorts. In addition to more snow, the season in the Cascade Mountains starts early and ends late. There’s even a resort that’s open year-round thanks to huge amounts of snow it receives. And where else do you can ski down the side of a dormant volcano? Have we changed your mind about Oregon skiing yet? If so, read on for our picks on Oregon’s best skiing destinations.
Top Five Ski Destinations of Portland, Oregon
There are more than 12 ski resorts in the Portland area offering everything from big-mountain destination skiing to laid-back local hills. Here are our top five picks for the must ski mountains in Oregon.
Mount Bachelor
Mount Bachelor is a dormant volcano. Reaching an incredible height of 9,068 feet, it is the highest elevation ski area in Oregon and Washington and offers stunning views of the surrounding peaks. Snow totals can top an incredible 38 feet. It is one of the largest ski resorts in the US with 101 trails. Fifty percent of which are black and double black diamonds. The resort has 12 specific areas on the mountain for snowboards and freestylers as well as an extensive network of groomed cross-country ski trails. It is, however, about 3 and half hours outside of Portland.
Timberline Lodge and Ski Area
Timberline Lodge is located way up the flanks of Mount Hood, about an hour and a half from Portland. It’s offers year-round skiing with most of the resort being able to stay open through May, glacier skiing in the summer and weekend skiing in the fall. Its long season isn’t its only claim to fame. The lodge is well-known for its role in The Shining. The resort’s 41 runs skew towards beginners and intermediates, but it has the largest vertical drop (3,690 feet) in the northwest.
Mount Hood Meadows
Mount Hood Meadows is the largest ski resort on Mount Hood. It offers 87 trails, a 2,777-foot vertical drop and an average of 35 feet of snow each season, over 2,100 acres of skiable terrain. It offers a variety of trails with some of the best grooming in the region. There’s something for beginners and intermediates as well as advanced runs and a back-country trail experiences that are not for the faint of heart.
Hoodoo Ski Area
If you want to escape the crowds of Mount Hood, head a little over two hours from Portland to the large, yet affordable Hoodoo Ski Area located in the Willamette National Forest. Hoodoo Ski area sits on atop the Santiam Pass, a base elevation of 4,668 feet. It offers over 800 acres of skiable terrain with 34 runs, a 1,034 foot vertical drop, night skiing and one of the largest tubing parks around.
Mount Ashland
If you are looking for a friendly-local vibe, Mount Ashland, just over the California state line, is where it’s at. It offers challenging technical terrain, wide-open bowl skiing, but a limited amount of beginner trails. It gets about 22 feet of snow each year with an elevation that tops 6,300 feet. Small and compact, it has 44 runs spread across its 240 skiable acres with a 1,150-foot vertical drop. The resort also has three terrain parks with boxes, rails and jumps for boarders and freestylers.
Portland, OR Ski Storage
When it’s time to put away skis after your Portland, OR adventure, make sure you have a nice, safe place to store them. Log Ski Rack hand-crafts storage racks for skis and snowboards that are both beautiful and functional. The high-quality ski racks are made from northern white cedar logs and provide excellent ski storage for homes, resorts, lodges and more. Shop our ski racks online now and get free shipping to the Portland, OR area or contact us for a custom ski rack designed to meet your unique storage needs.
