Overall:
3.9.
Based on
33
votes
and
46
reviews.
Vote
Access: 4.4
(1) At least one overnight stop, (2) requires a whole day, (3) requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns (4) arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon, (5) there is a main airport within an hour of Timberline.
Public Transport: 3.2
(1) There are no buses or taxis to Timberline, (3) there are slow or infrequent buses / trains available, (5) getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections.
Scenery: 4.9
(1) An ugly resort in a bland setting, (3) average mountain views and resort, (5) a spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town.
Accommodation: 3.9
(1) No places to stay in/near Timberline, (3) a few places to stay in the resort, (5) a wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets.
Cheap Rooms: 3.4
(1) No budget accommodation available, (3) just one or two hostels so book ahead, (5) several cheap hostels and pensions available.
Luxury Hotels: 3.8
(1) No luxury accommodation available, (3) just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead, (5) several up-market hotels in Timberline.
Ski in/Ski out: 4.5
(1) The ski area is located far from any accommodation, (3) a free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip, (5) Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available.
Childcare: 3.2
(1) There are no child care facilities at Timberline, (5) the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche.
Snowsure: 4.6
(1) Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing, (2) is often closed due to a lack of snow, (3) occasionally suffers from a lack of snow, (4) rarely suffers from a lack of snow, (5) Timberline is snowsure even in the poorest seasons.
Snowmaking: 2.7
(1) Timberline relies entirely on natural snow, (3) there are just a few snow cannons, (5) there are snowmaking facilities on all pistes.
Snow Grooming: 4.5
(1) There are no snow groomers at Timberline, (3) occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state, (5) all the runs at Timberline are groomed daily.
Shelter: 4.0
(1) there is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut, (3) there are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close, (5) Timberline is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close.
Nearby options: 3.6
(1) If snow conditions are poor at Timberline, it will be poor everywhere nearby, (3) there are good alternatives within an hours drive, (5) other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions.
Regional rating: 4.4
(1) Timberline usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region, (3) has average conditions for the region, (5) usually has the best snow conditions in the region.
Lift Staff: 4.7
(1) The staff at Timberline are rude or unhelpful, (5) lift staff at Timberline are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help.
Crowds/Queues: 3.9
(1) the resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues, (3) it is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays, (5) it is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare.
Ski Schools: 4.1
(1) No ski schools available, (2) one or two ski schools but local language only, (3) a few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors, (4) plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available, (5) excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors.
Hire and Repairs: 4.6
(1) Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex. (3) there are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance, (5) good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible.
Variety of pistes: 4.0
(1) The ski runs are featureless and unvaried, (3) the ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week, (5) Timberline has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain.
Beginners: 4.4
(1) Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard, (3) a few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week, (3) Vast areas of gentle terrain.
Intermediates: 4.7
(1) No intermediate terrain at Timberline, (3) intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days, (5) vast areas of cruising runs.
Advanced: 3.6
(1) Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders, (3) enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste, (5) Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week.
Snow Park: 4.5
(1) Not even a kicker at Timberline, (3) average sized park quite well looked after, (5) huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails.
Off-piste: 3.7
(1) No off-piste worth mentioning, (2) off piste is out-of-bounds, (3) some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days, (5) a vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days.
Cross-country: 3.2
(1) There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Timberline, (3) there are some cross country trails available, (5) the area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails.
Luge/Toboggan: 1.9
(1) No designated luge or toboggan runs, (3) there are toboggan runs that open quite often, (5) Timberline has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages.
Mountain Dining: 4.1
(1) Nowhere to buy food by the pistes, (3) some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive, (5) there is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets.
Eating: 4.0
(1) Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop. (5) A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants.
Apres-Ski: 3.8
(1) Nothing to do, not even a bar, (3) there are a few bars in the resort but nothing special, (5) clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere.
Other Sports: 3.1
(1) No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts, (3) resort has just a small public swimming pool, (5) resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool.
Entertainment: 3.5
(1) Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here, (3) the non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week, (5) the resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports.
Winter Walks: 3.8
(1) Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails, (3) a couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails, (5) extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities.
Ski Pass Value: 4.1
(1) A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available, (3) the ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts, (5) ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area.
Value (National): 4.2
(1) Overall, Timberline is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money, (3) overall represents average value for money, (5) overall offers the best value resort in the country.
Value (Global): 4.2
(1) Overall, Timberline is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world, (3) overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries, (5) internationally the resort offers excellent value for money.
I'm a fan of Timberline. Everybody who works there is super friendly and there is never a wait to catch a chair. The Magic Mile can have amazing snow when the conditions are right. It is very exposed, so not always open ... but when it is... wow! The mountain is kind of lacking in steep terrain, so if you're looking for a steep mogul bowl go elsewhere. But if you want the best snow in the area, friendly staff, and no lift lines, don't overlook Timberline.
I like Timberline. It usually isn't that crowded although the parking lot, like most other resorts, can fill up on weekends. It's a good place for recreational types in the winter season. The terrain parks look great and they do a pretty good job of keeping the recreational types and the park rats separated on the slope. There are some great advanced beginner runs but you need to navigate solid blue runs to get to them. Once you get there though, it's some relaxing skiing without worrying too much about speed demons coming at you. They tend to stay on the upper intermediate runs and you mostly just see them at the lifts.
However, once the other ski areas close in the spring, all the hardcore skiers show up as it's the only game in town. I get that the beginners and intermediates put their equipment away come the end of spring break and it's not cost effective to keep the easier runs maintained, but it's still disappointing. As an older intermediate skier, I wouldn't go back in the late spring or summer because there's few options for slower skiers and boarders on weekends. The last time I was up, I felt like I was getting in people's way. Weekdays, it's probably better.
The shape of the mountain dictates everything but I wish the beginner lift served more terrain or there was a longer lift that didn't require navigating steeper blue terrain to use. I don't use it myself but it would also be great if the magic carpet conveyor was closer to the day lodge (so parents can keep an eye on their little ones).
Another reviewer said on May 13th 2015 "There used to be summer skiing up there on the glacier and they only ran that lift in the summer. Now there's really no glacier so they run it in the winter."
This is completely false. Last winter 2014/2015 was only the 3rd time that the Palmer lift (installed for the summer of 1978) was closed before the end of the regularly scheduled season (usually September).
It is true the glacier is getting much smaller, but it has been open for summer skiing every year since 1978.
T-Line is a fun area for snowboarders (parks), families and those learning. If you need something steeper there's always Ski Bowl and Mt Hood Meadows. But a day in the summer on Palmer glacier is hard to beat!
Wonderful place to ski! Doable slopes, options for stringing together many runs to make a really long, fun run down!
The snow is amazing this year. Very friendly staff. World class historical lodge, with restaurants both casual and upscale. The rooms are updated yet still have enough of the original furniture and charm to set it aside from the average hotel.
Don't miss it.
The glacier or ('permanent') snow field is no longer. But the highest lift is still open in summer (the Palmer). It closed about a month early this year (usually closes on labor day). It can be open in fall or spring when there are few other runs open below. On weekends they have a snow cat take people up in winter, if it is clear enough. The lift ices up too much to make it worthwhile to open in winter when it is usually too cloudy as well. In spring they cut back on staff so they have fewer lifts open, but this spring the bottom of the ski area was closed anyway.
I find the skiing to be so so up there, but it is fun to go out of bounds over for the view of Mississippi Head, when they let you. In summer there is rarely new snow so it is pretty much racers practicing. I like this resort as the mid-week pass is cheap, and they let you ski out of bounds, (sometimes they close the East side due to avalanche potential) which is great for untracked snow. It isn't steep enough for some skiers, who go to Meadows instead, which also has more runs (if they are open they are lower down).
Since there's no snow any more in the western US Timberline has been okay the last couple of years on the "mile" which is a wide open, somewhat steep run at the very top of the mountain. It's like a blue run or maybe double blue at the beginning. There used to be summer skiing up there on the glacier and they only ran that lift in the summer. now there's really no glacier so they run it in the winter. Skiing Timberline is probably what people thought skiing was about in the 20's. Not what we expect today: skiing the trees, in steeps, bowls etc. All in all, it's a great spring spot and the spring pass is $99 plus the lodge is stupidly awesome with great food and bars.
Timberline sucks when you can only ride Normans; they close at 3.30. Who wants to ride Bruno and if ya want to go above 6000 it has to be perfect weather; 8 times out of 10 it's closed. When Jeff Flood is closed Timberline sucks' Pucci is for beginners.
The Pros:
1)The best cruiser runs on Hood. Wide, mellow, fun for the whole family, kind of resort.
2)The best, most consistent terrain parks around. Creative and progressive; Timberline's park crew has lots of tricks up their sleeve.
3)The historic day lodge is like taking a step back into history. You will never see another lodge as majestic as this one.
4)Epic sidecountry!!! That's all I'm gonna say about that.
5)Summer. This is the only resort in the US that is open year round. Nothing like slashing the half-pipe on the 4th of July!
6)You get to start out with a warm up run before you have to ride a chairlift. Really nice on cold days.
The cons:
1)Their website/snow conditions page is kind of useless. More updates and lots more first hand snow reports would help out vastly.
2)Parking can fill up on peak weekends. So just make sure you get up there early if you want your Christmas turns.
3)The weather: Yes, the same weather that dumps up to 600" in a season is the same weather that shuts down and wind blasts the upper Mt. For days on end. But a good rule is if you can't see the summit or it's windy in the parking lot then you don't wanna be above tree-line anyhow.
Overall, Timberline offers up experiences you just can't find at most resorts. The views are some of the best you will ever see; 365 days a year! The snow is almost always soft and it's almost 3 miles top to bottom!
See ya up on the Palmer Glacier and just remember to put on lots of sunscreen or the UV up here will get ya.
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