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Ski USA - Oregon

Timberline Resort Reviews


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Visitor reviews for Timberline Ski Resort

Timberline Ratings

Overall: 3.8. Based on 42 votes and 47 reviews.

Rate this resort

Snowsure: 4.4

  • Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
  • Is often closed due to a lack of snow
  • Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
  • Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
  • Timberline is snowsure even in the poorest seasons

Variety of pistes: 3.8

  • The ski runs are featureless and unvaried
  • The ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week
  • Timberline has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain

Off-piste: 3.5

  • No off-piste worth mentioning
  • Off piste is out-of-bounds
  • Some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days
  • A vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days

Scenery: 4.7

  • An ugly resort in a bland setting
  • Average mountain views and resort
  • A spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town

Access: 4.3

  • At least one overnight stop
  • Requires a whole day
  • Requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns
  • Arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon
  • There is a main airport within an hour of Timberline

Public Transport: 3.3

  • There are no buses or taxis to Timberline
  • There are slow or infrequent buses / trains available
  • Getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections

Accommodation: 3.9

  • No places to stay in/near Timberline
  • A few places to stay in the resort
  • A wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets

Cheap Rooms: 3.1

  • No budget accommodation available
  • Just one or two hostels so book ahead
  • Several cheap hostels and pensions available

Luxury Hotels: 3.8

  • No luxury accommodation available
  • Just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead
  • Several up-market hotels in Timberline

Ski in/Ski out: 4.3

  • The ski area is located far from any accommodation
  • A free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip
  • Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available

Childcare: 3.0

  • There are no child care facilities at Timberline
  • The resort has limited child-care facilities
  • the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche

Snowmaking: 2.5

  • Timberline relies entirely on natural snow
  • There are just a few snow cannons
  • There are snowmaking facilities on all pistes

Snow Grooming: 4.6

  • There are no snow groomers at Timberline
  • Occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state
  • All the runs at Timberline are groomed daily

Shelter: 3.8

  • There is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut
  • There are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close
  • Timberline is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close

Nearby options: 3.4

  • If snow conditions are poor at Timberline, it will be poor everywhere nearby
  • There are good alternatives within an hours drive
  • Other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions

Regional rating: 4.2

  • Timberline usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region
  • Has average conditions for the region
  • Usually has the best snow conditions in the region

Lift Staff: 4.5

  • The staff at Timberline are rude or unhelpful
  • Lift staff at Timberline are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help

Crowds/Queues: 3.7

  • The resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues
  • It is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays
  • It is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare

Ski Schools: 4.1

  • No ski schools available
  • One or two ski schools but local language only
  • A few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors
  • Plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available
  • Excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors

Hire and Repairs: 4.6

  • Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex
  • There are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance
  • Good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible

Beginners: 4.5

  • Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard
  • A few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week
  • Vast areas of gentle terrain

Intermediates: 4.7

  • No intermediate terrain at Timberline
  • Intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days
  • Vast areas of cruising runs

Advanced: 3.4

  • Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders
  • Enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste
  • Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week

Snow Park: 4.4

  • Not even a kicker at Timberline
  • Average sized park quite well looked after
  • Huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails

Cross-country: 3.1

  • There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Timberline
  • There are some cross country trails available
  • The area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails

Luge/Toboggan: 1.8

  • No designated luge or toboggan runs
  • There are toboggan runs that open quite often
  • Timberline has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages

Mountain Dining: 4.0

  • Nowhere to buy food by the pistes
  • Some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive
  • There is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets

Eating: 4.0

  • Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop
  • There are a few places to eat in the resort but nothing special
  • A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants

Apres-Ski: 3.9

  • Nothing to do, not even a bar
  • There are a few bars in the resort but nothing special
  • Clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere

Other Sports: 3.2

  • No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts
  • Resort has just a small public swimming pool
  • Resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool

Entertainment: 3.5

  • Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here
  • The non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week
  • The resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports

Winter Walks: 3.9

  • Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails
  • A couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails
  • Extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities

Ski Pass Value: 3.9

  • A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available
  • The ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts
  • Ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area

Value (National): 4.1

  • Overall, Timberline is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money
  • Overall represents average value for money
  • Overall offers the best value resort in the country

Value (Global): 4.0

  • Overall, Timberline is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world
  • Overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries
  • Internationally the resort offers excellent value for money

Show all 35 ratings

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January 20, 2009
Mark B. from Ski USA - California USA - California
I'm a huge fan of T-line (Timberline). The history, the staff, the view and now the new buffet. With a Fusion Pass in my pocket the cold rainy weather in Portland only makes me smile cause I know my favorite place is getting a fresh load of white. If there is good fresh snow on Palmer and the Mile, these huge snowfields above the lodge offer the best off-piste low angle skiing that can be found in a ski park. It's like back-country skiing without the heavy hiking or the high cost. My kids love the snow cat. How about running two when the weather is especially perfect? I would like to encourage the staff to not get too happy on the quads around the parking area. I know they're fun, I ride them too. But please remember: you might know you're in control but I don't and I'm usually shepherding little kids around with fogged up goggles and short attention spans, so slow down...please. Can't wait to see the new portico, the multi-plate culvert works great but couldn't be uglier. A gondola across the canyon to Meadows and we would have a world class park.
January 16, 2009
Snowcat from Ski USA - California USA - California
I recently bought a Subaru and got a free Fusion ski pass. I hadn't been to Timberline is years (10 or so) and what a nice surprise to see the improvements they made. The snow was awesome, the people great and no lift lines. Unfortunately, this recent string of gorgeous weather means no new snow on the mountain. Looking forward to more snow and a long ski season.
January 02, 2009
Gully from Ski USA - California USA - California
I've ridden lots of different mountains between Whistler and Tahoe and T-Line (Timberline) is definitely my favorite. For starters, the parking lot is too small for the resort. So as long as you get there early, you'll never have to deal with the crowds you would at Meadows. I almost always get fresh tracks somewhere. The people working at T-Line are always helpful and stoked. The people riding T-Line always seem to be very cool too. I've had very few problems with people's park etiquette - which is usually where I've seen problems arise at other resorts. I rode T-Line about 30 times last year and the only time there are issues with crowds is when there is a park competition and people are bussed in. That only clogs up the park but you'll always be able to find open runs elsewhere. Palmer and The Mile runs don't open too often but I think that is too be expected with how high they are on the mountain and how bad conditions are up there. Plus it makes it all the more magical when you do get to take a run from up up there. Three biggest complaints are 1. Trail at the bottom of Pucci to get to Floodo's is super flat and results in having to avoid Pucci terrain. 2. Hard Coffee drinks are way too expensive. 3. The guys at board check seem to move as slow as the tectonic plates (but it's free so I can't complain too much). T-Line is doper than dope. Keep up the great work fellas.
December 24, 2008
Jeremy Ojua from Ski USA - California USA - California
T line (Timberline). Terrain is not the best, but the terrain parks are ultra fun; Floodo's has offered up some trees which we needed. But Timberline takes the cake as far as the culture goes. That's why I ride there. People are cool and usually stoked, unlike many experiences I've had at another resort. I've witnessed 3 fist fights in one day at 'Meadows', people heckling strangers from the lift and pretty much a generally bad feeling from many of the folks that ride there. So yeah T line... way laid back.
November 20, 2008
austin from Ski USA - California USA - California
T-line rocks.. it's a little flat but if you know how to board and you wax every ride you're fine. Last year I went 50 times and every day was pow, pow. T parks are sick and there's a pool outside to cheeoo timberline best and you can board ski bowl at night then sleep in the car and board T line next day.
November 18, 2008
Terrence Waggoner from Ski USA - California USA - California
The only complaint I can make is that Palmer and Magic Mile were closed on the last day of summer because of the weather. Too much snow? Even with it closed that day, I was able to get in runs in June, July, August, September, October, and November. With my last day done two days ago (15 Nov 08), it makes it a 12 month season for me here in Oregon. The lift ticket were so inexpensive, I felt like I was putting my hand into someone's pocket at Timberline and pulling out twenty dollar bills. Short or non-existent lines and no breakdowns along with happy and helpful lift operators made my day.
November 17, 2008
Lindsay from Ski USA - California USA - California
The 07-08 season was awesome! I love Timberline. We must have been up there about 40 days total and can't wait for the new season to start up. The new trails are wonderful. My only complaint about the lifts for me had to do with the time they shut down during the week days. With no night time skiing during the week, they close around 3:30 or 4 PM (give or take) which seemed kind of early when it wasn't getting dark until around 6 or 7 PM. As for not having lifts open, I understand about not opening Majic or Palmer for safety reasons. There was an event in January where the power on the whole mountain went out. It was night time and I was stuck on the Pucci lift in a blizzard! The wind was really whipping and causing the chair to sway while my son and I hung there waiting. The Timberline folks immediately took action which included lining the entire length of the lift with people and flashlights about every 50 yards. The emergency generator cranked up and we were moving within 10 minutes or so. They decided to close early that night and gave us two complimentary lift tickets and free rentals that are good for 2 years. It was clear that the staff was doing the best they could. Lets face it, you're up on a mountain...whatever could go wrong just might. So you have to take the good with the bad. My philosophy is that any day on the mountain is a good day! Once again, cudo's to the crew at Timberline! See you in a few.... JCL
November 12, 2008
Brian from Ski USA - California USA - California
In regards to "Ron's" comments... I was "working" at T-line, day Flood'o went down (Jeff's express) Longest someone was on lift was less than 1 hour... 26 + degrees, 5-10 mph wind. Palmer does not run in the winter (from Late March to Early November) once the "lower" hill opens, Palmer closes (insurance reasons)... Only time Storman's is closed is...1)weather...2)Mile is open...Pucci is a slow 2 person chair, and as such, if Stoman's and/or Flood-o is open Pucci is not... T-line will open as many lifts as is "humanly possible" but the weather dictates what is open... Best bang for the buck around. JMO
November 06, 2008
Ron from Ski USA - California USA - California
Ever since Timberline opened Jeff they seem to think 'since we've opened up so much more terrain we only need to run 2 lifts (Jeff and Molly most days) and we can still charge the same as if we were running all 6!'. Last year rode Timberline 12 times, never once saw the Mile or Palmer open. 2 times Pucci was open, 1/2 time Norman was closed. One time we were stuck on Jeff for 2 hours in the open with 30+ mph wind around 20 degrees and had to repel off. They got the repel rope hung up on the chair and my nephew 1/2 way down had to climb back up to the chair snowboard and all! Nice! They offered us some hand warmers for our near frost bite conditions. Raised a fuss and they gave us each a voucher for a free meal at the Cafe. There are a lot of flats between runs with choke points and the noobs get stuck there all the time, and since they wont open pucci all the noobs are over chokin the trails on Jeff. When pucci's not running can't access the terrain unless you want to hike out. I'm seriously hoping they fixed the bleed out trail from the bottom of pucci to Jeff in the off season, would make a HUGE difference. Been riding Tiberline for 10 years+, depending on how many lifts they run (bruno doesn't count), it's directly proportional how good the day will be. Seems to me they should proportion ticket prices, just in the interest of fairness, cuz you never know until your there how many lifts they will actually run, the morning chair report online or snowphone is almost always wrong. Regardless, last year they had almost 900" of snow:)
November 04, 2008
elderdeity from Ski USA - California USA - California
Skiing from the top of the year-round Palmer snowfield to the bottom of the Jeff Flood Express is a truly awesome experience. It must be over 3.5 miles long! Nowhere on earth will you ski amongst such giant old growth trees and the view is among the most spectacular in the world.