Mt Hood Meadows, in the United States (Oregon State), is a medium sized ski resort with 9 ski lifts (4 chair lifts, 5 surface lifts) that offers skiers an impressive 846 metres (2776 feet) of vertical descent. Mt Hood Meadows has 2150 acres of terrain over 98 trails. Mt Hood Meadows is best suited to intermediate skiers and snowboarders but there is some terrain for beginners and advanced skiers. There are 70 kilometers (44 miles) of cross-country ski trails at Mt Hood Meadows. For snowboarders, there are 3 terrain parks and a half-pipe. The closest airport is at Portland but the transfer time is 1.5 hours. The nearest train station to Mt Hood Meadows is also at Portland.
Timberline, Ski-Bowl and Mt Hood Meadows are all on the wet side of the Cascades. That means occasional great powder, sometimes ok-ish powder and frequent cascade concrete.
MHM (Mt Hood Meadows) has much better snow quality than Timberline and due to the low-elevation, Ski-Bowl is usually just too iffy (agreed, when it's on, it's great but that isn't very often).
Even with the opening of the new lower runs at Timberline, MHM (Mt Hood Meadows) still has the best terrain hands down (though I agree, I think Timberline may be better for boarders/terrain-parks).
Obviously colder climates such as Utah, Colorado and Wyoming are going to have much higher quality snow but they are nowhere near Oregon and they'll cost you.
The $444 season pass for MHM (Mt Hood Meadows) is only if you get a bunch together, I think the regular rate is quite a bit higher but if you can do it, it's a great deal. $99 for a Mar/Apr spring pass; unbeatable. Timberline this year went to premium pricing for every weekend in Jan and Feb. Bleh.
My complaints about Mt Hood Meadows are:
a) the whole Cooper Spur thing, which led me to boycott them for years but hopefully is now over
b) the non-snow management, customer service, food quality, food prices etc. The only one that really annoys me (as I take my own food) is the customer service. The staff are just useless and think they're too cool for their jobs. We had a recent experience in the ski shop that was just surreal. Another time they never opened due to high winds. Fair enough but the staff had no info, management gave them no info. The guys who knew what was up, and who I should have listened to (and gone home at 9 rather than waiting till 11) were the guys running the ski-check.
Mt Bachelor in Bend is just so much better in this regard. If you like to eat at the resort, a lot of the food is made on site and it's close to in-town pricing rather than movie theater pricing. The staff are so friendly that it takes a while to get used to. A convo on the lift with someone who now refuses to ski at MHM (Mt Hood Meadows) said that Bachelor had made a real effort to improve service in the last few years. It shows. MHM should do the same.
But it still has the best snow quality, best terrain and best pass prices on Mt Hood Meadows.
Purchase your $119 unlimited spring season pass on line now! The spring pass can be used beginning March 1 - every day that Meadows is open through the 2007/2008 season. Enjoy more terrain, awesome freestyle terrain, wide open skiing and riding on Cascade Express and spring corn in Heather Canyon. Children 6 and under receive a free season pass when their parent or grandparent purchases an unlimited season pass! Visit www.skihood.com for details.
Coming up:
FULL SAIL BANKED SLALOM
March 15-16, 2008
Welcome to the 2nd Annual Full Sail Bank Slalom. Created for maximum fun no matter what your level or speed. This roller coaster of a course is sure to challenge and excite competitors of all ages and abilities. The faster you go the bigger the course becomes. A large number of bank turns and surprise features will push you to the limit. Get detatils at www.skihood.com/events
Salomon Jib Academy
March 29, 2008
The biggest underaged party of the year! Chance for kids 16 and under to hang out and learn from their heros. X-Games star Sammy Carlson will be at the Meadows event! Limited to the first 100 registered online (free). Go to www.skihood.com for registration details
