March 10, 2025
They don't care
from
USA - California
If you want a truly terrible experience where you feel as though a millionaire is taking advantage of you, go to Meadows. Nothing says IDGAF like paying Jackson Hole prices and receiving an overflowing porta potty in the parking lot with lift lines as long as the access road. When the resort ownership passed from the founder to his son it was all downhill from there.
That said, they have the best terrain on Hood (a monopoly) and when it's on, it's on. So here's to hoping they'll sell as soon as possible.
I've skied at Meadows since the beginning of it's existence (I was in college then). It just keeps getting worse and worse. Today is Rotary Night, when night skiing is to create donations for the local Rotary Club. Good old days night skiing ticket was $20 and the proceeds went to Rotary. Fast forward to the new and better Meadows where night skiing ticket is full purchase price, but some of it (unspecified) goes to Rotary. Ya just gotta love it. Kinda tickles if you stand just right...
I echo many of the previous comments. Mt Hood Meadows enjoys a monopoly on the mountain and seems more concerned with net profit than creating and maintaining a classy operation. When the lines at Mt Hood Express are 300 deep for night skiing and Stadium is open and beautiful still bathed in the fading light they never keep it open even though it is the best lit run on the mountain. It's maddening. When I ask the hands about it they eventually say they can't find staff for it. Then offer higher pay! And Sahale lodge? What a joke. Who designed that thing. Everything about it is wrong. I hate going in there. They run the place like it's a money maker and don't care about aesthetics or to create a top notch ski area to be proud of. But the mountain is pretty great when it's on. Too bad the owners just don't get it.
Meadows is sometimes a complete joke. The folks who ski there seem to clog the place up for 3 inches of new snow, when nothing but kook terrain is open. Sunny all mountain, all access days are less crowded.
The “good” skiing, for those who are advanced, doesn’t open until control is done by ski patroL who don’t get to the mountain early enough to open on time. Very sad upper management bean counter mentality. Cut down on overtime. At “real” ski areas (I skied /worked The ‘Bird for 10 yrs ) all staff on call for 5am tram load to get it open for the paying customers and keep that reputation going. At Jackson, my buddies on patrol get wake up calls to throw bombs off snowmobiles in the dark. They get cheers and ovations on that 1st tram that opens on time! They get overtime and hazard pay.
Get a clue Meadows.
December 14, 2022
Beaverton Brat
from
USA - California
Been off and on, currently more off than on at MHM for 20+ years. I prefer to give them the benefit of the doubt but you can only do that so long. The lines on weekends have gotten out of control, yet they'll still sell a walk up ticket. All over the website regarding size of resort Heather Canyon is noted, but it's rarely open mid-season when the storms are rolling and when it is, it's always later weekend. Must take a lot of ski patrols. I've waited for the ribbon to drop and found tracked out skiing in the canyon after fresh powder, so be it, perk of mountain staff. Having skied pretty much everywhere in the Northwest from Whistler through California, multiple trips to Canada B.C. etc, I think MHM could learn a lot from other resorts. I'll go there as a last resort, but if I can travel, I generally choose to. For me at least, the cost anymore with the lines and lack of access to supposed terrain is frustrating. I prefer challenging terrain, and MHM has some but it's often not accessible for a reason. Therefore, that just compounds frustrations. Take it for what it's worth. May your shred be gnarlable, and your gnar shreddable.
November 08, 2021
6milseemshigh
from
USA - California
Meadows is awesome. It has a little bit of everything that the big major resorts have. It boasts one of the longest snow sports season in America. I have ridden Meadows from Halloween weekend to the first weekend of June. You can count on it being open from Thanksgiving to Memorial day every year. Pow laps in April and May are quite common. Check weather bc as it does rain up there pretty often and that is not real fun.
I love Meadows and have skied here all my life. But still I go to Utah and Whistler and many other resorts. Keep thinking when I get back to Meadows, I'll be board! But not the case...the Bowls 1-2-3-4 are always open and I feel like you can always find a unskied track near or in the trees. When upper mountain is open it is exceptional and extends the runs significantly. When Heather Canyon and Clark are open it's far superior to any mountain out there! In Utah and Whistler (have family at both locations) they don't even ski there on the weekends. If you arrive at Meadows early, you can always get into the parking lot. I just love the double black diamond runs and think it's a super fun mountain!
This is my first season at MHM and a COVID season at that. I have to say, I think they are doing a great job. Below is my background and my pros and cons, hope this helps!
Ski history: lived in Breckenridge for a season. Have skied CO, Utah, and have been a 10-year passholder to Snoqualmie (Seattle) with plenty of days at Stevens and Crystal.
This is my first season at Meadows having re-located to the area. So here goes.
Pros: During COVID, Meadows has done a very good job of managing masks and the employees have been supportive, helpful and are doing their best to stop non-mask-wearers. That being said, because they are spacing out the lines, the lift lines are long. Be prepared and go on an off-day. I have already managed 10+ days and here are the stats. 2 of those days have been good snow and have been able to access Heather. 2 of those days have been able to access Cascade. It is true that this lift is often closed. On the days that Heather has been open, Silver Star has been great, Private Reserve has been great and Twilight Bowl (gate entrance) have been great. On the days Heather is not open, you have to be creative with runs off of MHX and MHW chairs. On evenings I have still found good snow and fun runs off the main chairs.
Cons: The lift lines, when only Express and Stadium are open are insanely long. This could be on a weekend morning and a weekend evening. Do not come at these times. Avoiding peak times will drastically improve your experience :) Also, don't be a Portland douche who thinks they own the mountain. I come up from Hood River and have to say it is a much nicer drive :)
One last thing, I have been very impressed with the employees this season. Everyone from parking lot attendants to the lift operator who blasts the Grateful Dead to the person directing the heinous traffic in the Express line, they have been doing a great job. Have some patience, be thankful for what you get, and shred on.
January 19, 2021
Bishop Washington
from
USA - California
Been to Meadows a few times. Once I didn't have a pass and an employee sold me one for using his employee discount (30 bucks cheaper)! Decent terrain, lift lines aren't bad compared to big resorts (Whistler, Park City). I'd go again.