Mt. Hood Meadows is trash. Sure, it has pretty nice terrain but it is far too crowded. Unless you are there weekdays, you can expect long lift lines, often with 10 minute waits. Even then, weekdays aren't always better. If you're going to have crowds that large, then learn to manage the crowds. Mt. Bachelor gets more people but they at least know how to manage the crowds. Meadows doesn't and it causes awful crowds on the mountain.
Meadows also attracts some of the worst people to the mountain. Most people at Meadows are not friendly. This ranges from riders who think they're better than everyone else down to the people who work there. You know, it's possible to go to the mountain (or work there) without being a complete douchebag. Unfortunately, Meadows has a long way to go to learn this.
All in all, good terrain but the crowds and quality of people make it my least favorite place to ride in Oregon. If you know where to go, there is steep stuff at Timberline where the crowds are smaller and the community of riders/workers is much more enjoyable. If you don't like Timberline, there is always Ski Bowl which has great terrain and again, it's not the community of douchebags who ride Meadows. But if you think you're better than everyone else and arrogant enough to scream at beginners instead of simply riding around them, then please go to Meadows where douchebags aren't only welcome, they're encouraged.
First off, "Friendly Neighbor," you sound like the biggest d-bag ever. Do the world a favor, take your own advice, and "STFU." Did you really bring up snowboarders scraping powder off of runs? I remember when I started riding blacks and double blacks. There were times I had to heel slide to regain control and establish a new line. If you had screamed at me, I would have calmly unhooked my bindings, pulled your jacket over your head and punched you in the face repeatedly. Then people would call you a gaper because of the empty void where your front teeth used to be. So if you ever see a 6'4" snowboarder in a Marmot jacket and pants doing something you don't approve of, you might want to keep your mouth shut.
Now on to Mount Hood Meadows as a resort... There are definitely better resorts out there and there are definitely worse. For those of us who come from the Portland area, it's hard to turn your nose at such an accessible place to come up and ride/ski for the day and in some cases the night. The snow and conditions aren't always the best, but if you follow the weather and pick your days you will usually come home happy. Being so close to a metropolitan area, it does tend to get pretty busy on weekends. In most cases if you distance yourself from the Mount Hood Express runs as soon as possible and only use them to get back and forth from the two sides, you will find plenty of open real estate. If you have an issue with the food prices, pack a lunch and throw it in a backpack. Pull off in a low traffic area and enjoy a meal on the side of a dormant volcano. Personally, I love coming to Meadows and plan on having a pass for many seasons to come.
I've been to all of the resorts on Mt. Hood enough to know it can be epic for any skill level. People get really psyched up about barreling down a hill at fast speeds and you will hear them talk about being awesome no matter their skill level. The diversity of terrain and size of meadows brings the crowds. Put enough rats in a cage, or on a mountain, and they fight or bicker. Its not people at any resort that suck. Its a sweet resort when you are there to simply ride and, as you should always, ignore humanity at large.
Just a quick comment on MHM (Mt Hood Meadows). I have skied the mountain for 40 years and I have skied B.C. Utah, Idaho and Montana as well. Hood is a great local venue. It has some insanely steep terrain (please stay away from it until you know what you're doing) and lots of intermediate stuff too. In years like this we get great powder and in other years we get "cascade concrete"...no different from Whistler!
Yes, it's crowded and all the 'greenies' in Portland sue to limit expansion. It's funny that the "keep Portland weird" people are probably the same ones bitching about the mountain! I digress...sorry, anyway be happy you have such a great mountain an hour and change from your driveway - but, hey MHM, open Daisy again for night skiing mid week!
I love the Meadows (Mt Hood Meadows)! We always have a wonderful time there. Last spring was some of the best skiing I have ever done in my life. We made so many friends just riding on the lift talking to complete strangers. I have yet to encounter any rude or unpleasant people, with one exception... the ski patrol. Anytime I ask about the conditions I always get some snide and sarcastic remark and feel like I have bothered someone. Standing at the top of Bowl 1 trying to make friendly conversation and hopefully get some safety info I asked a patroller if the snow was still set up (hard). he just shrugged and said "why don't you find out for yourself". Why do they have to be like that? Aren't they there to serve and protect like the police. Here's to you Meadows at Mt Hood. Here's not to you ski patrollers. Get off your high horse and be cool for once. You're nothing more than a rent-a-cop on skis. Be friendly, courteous, polite.
my .02 cents.
All I want to say is thank you so much Meadows (Mt Hood Meadows) for a great place to ride! I don't care if your food prices are high, I bring my own food thank you. Not a hard thing to do..throw some PB&J in a cooler and call it good! and to all you rough tough rude-riders who take offense to a person not at your pace or skill level on the same run as you.. go complain to someone who actually cares! I have been boarding for a while now and have never taken offense to a beginner learning on the big mountain..(you don't learn it all on the bunnie hill)..slow the hell down for one second! Thank you and see you on the mountain**
November 09, 2010
Rick Smith
from
USA - California
Really, all this complaining? Wow, we are so lucky. On the mountain (Mt Hood Meadows) in less than an hour from the east side and 1 1/2 hrs from downtown? Really, just be happy and zenful! Your food prices just suck though. Food sucks and dollars spent on it just don't add up. Yes, I could bring my own but what if this is a place where I, the customer, shouldn't have to pack any food. Feed us good healthy food at a reasonable price and stop being the food scrooges!
Other than that, MHM (Mt Hood Meadows) rocks! Have fun and be safe!
May 19, 2010
friendly neighbor
from
USA - California
Reading all this makes me want to vomit! People are talking more about other people than they are the mountain and snow. I'm not the authority on international ski destinations, but I've seen my share of mountains, terrain, snow, and dumbass people. MHM (Mt Hood Meadows) has them all.
Lets first address these common complaints from dumbass people:
First, there is a thing called Avalanche Danger, which is why Cascade and Heather are not open the moment you arrive on your one day trip per year up to the mountain. Did anyone notice the 1.5 mile long slide that happened this year? Heather was open that day and had it not slid at night, hundreds of people would have undoubtedly died. So from this one example, you can proceed to STFU.
Mt.Hood is in a maritime climate, it gets wet manky snow and is affected by weather anomolies such as El Nino. Now that you know this, STFU and stop complaining about imperfect snow conditions.
Mt. Hood is a volcanic mountain formed a long time ago. MHM staff cannot go back in time and change its formation, or the terrain you ride. Now that you know that, STFU and ski it for what it is. There's great shit on MHM if you know where to look (think Daisy chair).
Now that we are clear on things we can't change, lets address those that we can. First of all, Gapers. Gapers are those skiers or boarders who just started riding, or have been riding 1-5 times per year for years and not gotten anywhere progressing their abilities, but believe, or try to hard to be extreme... To those of you who fit in this category, please realize you suck (yes, it's ok to suck) and mind those that take to the mountain like their trying to tame a beast. Get in their way and yes, they will make you want to dig a snow cave, crawl in, and cry. Yes it is everyones mountain, but realize your ability levels and stay within those limits. Realize there are others who's life passion revolves around every line they ski, not a weekend trip to disney mountain, who will be severely disturbed should you interfere with that pursuit.
When in the lift lines, learn to alternate with the line next to, and then the line across from you. Jump up with the unfilled group (4 on quads) to fill a chair. Do not stand in the middle of the lift line waiting for your buddies, adjusting your bindings, or doing something else stupid that clogs the efficiency of lift lines. Keep this as a general rule in your head at all times.
To (some of) the MHM lifties; try and smoke a lil less ganga on your ride break and make sure the lift lines flow the best they can. This is your job. Some of you do it ever so well its like music, yet some really suck ass so bad i doubt you could tie shoes or match those colored blocks. Yes it is that easy to make a group of four, and alternate.
Snowboarders: If you're learning how to snowboard, learn on the bunny hill, or something relatively easy (and groomed) how to use both your heel AND your TOE edges. Do not venture into terrain outside your comfort zone, and heel slide down a perfect chute, scrapeing what little powder surface we had down to the ice. This is bad, and you will at one point, get screamed at for being a dipshit gaper.
To those that think the people you meet on the mountain have attitudes and should go somewhere else, STFU. They likely have an attitude towards you because you've done something stupid that interfered with their enjoyment, or worse, nearly gotten you or them hurt. Just STFU and know your place.
Lastly, to you gaper parents, yes of course your kids are precious to you, and nobody wants to intentionally hurt them. When you see someone cruising by your out-of-control gaper child at a speed you think is too fast, do not scream at them, unless you want to humiliate yourself and loose all respect from your child. Because someone is going faster than is comfortable to you does not mean that someone is out of control or sucks as bad as you do. Keep your child (and yourself) on appropriate runs and just realize that other people can ski, even if you cannot.
Meadows is a good mountain for what it is, but the people there can really excel at making it worse.
April 24, 2010
Carlo the Ski Nose
from
USA - California
If you skied Meadows (Mt Hood Meadows) five years ago, you'd have some stuff to complain about. Nowadays the mountain is run a gazillion times better than then. The only problem is the crowds. But when you're the only higher elevation hill with above average terrain in a market where there are only 3 resorts serving the entire Portland area, then you've got crowds. They could discontinue the 4 by 4's etc... but that's not bidness.
So what's the mgmt to do?
I'd say.. in 2004 on a scale of 1 to 10, the mountain was run at about a five. Nowadays I'd give them a 8. And here's why. Heather has been opened as much as possible and the new cannons open it more quickly. They cancelled the superbowl snowcat.. opening up superbowl when conditions are prime only to those with proper gear and a partner. This has kept some of the upper reaches untracked and pristine. The inbounds grooming has become much better and is as good as any grooming, anywhere.
A one would be too crowded, terrain and lifts never opening, cranky lifties, bad mgmt, crappy snow.
A ten would be a place like Red Mountain on a powder day. Local, uncrowded and untracked for days after a storm.
April 08, 2010
ProphFrmTha3rd
from
USA - California
I'm a rookie to the shred game so I don't know a whole lot as of yet. But it's funny to me how many reviews I read of people just crying and complaining. There's a simple solution..... If you don't like it, don't go! I went up last Sat. and yeah it was packed, but the pow was unbelievable! You have to find other lifts and other runs. My rookie ass was only there for a little over 3 hours and I got 8 great runs in, with a few stops in the trees for trees. I love Meadows, and so do my boys that have been shredding it for 15 years.