Took a Snow Day Today...

[WAYNO]

As the crow flies, we are about 40-miles from the nearest ski area, Government Camp, on the south side of Mt. Hood. When I was much younger, folks expected skiing to be in full swing by Thanksgiving. Doesn't happen that way much any more. The weather forecast for this year looks promising. Figured I'd take a drive up the mountain and see for myself. :shock:

Government Camp is the lowest (altitude) ski area on the mountain. 4000' at the parking lot. It's on the sunny side of the mountain, so it's often the last ski lift to open each fall. It was 40-degrees and raining, so looks like a few more weeks to even think of an opening.












Then 6 more miles up the road, and we've got Timberline Lodge. Open year-round on the higher glaciers. The parking lot is 6000'. Not great snow, and not a lot of snow, but folks were skiing. I think they will have a successful Thanksgiving opener. Quite a beautiful place, but today it was impossible to see thru the fog.







And families already getting their Christmas Trees. :mrgreen:


WAYNO.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Only place I was EVER on snow skis was Mt Hood in 1957.
"On Skis" ?? Well that is kinda of a misnomer; Spent MORE time on my posterior.
:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[OldRugerMan]

I learned to ski at Crystal on Mt. Rainier, mostly on my posterior too :!:

 

[WAYNO]

I learned to ski on Mt Hood, at Mt Hood Meadows. I spent a fair amount of time on my backside also.

One time I particularly remember. I was on a little more advanced slope at Meadows, and it was icy. Trying my best to remain in control skiing down the mountain, I found myself accelerating beyond any control whatsoever. Pushing my skis into the snowplow from hell had no effect, and it was just unnatural to make myself fall on purpose. I skied as long as I could until nature made me fall. Seems I slid on my arse another ridiculous distance until I came to a stop, in a pile. Just that fast, the ski patrol skied up to me and threatened to revoke my lift ticket for skiing too fast. I said, "do you really think I did this on purpose?"

WAYNO.

 

[exavid]

I spent a couple of winters driving skiers up to the ski lodges on Crystal, Snoqualmie and Stevens Pass and Whistler B.C. Crystal Mountain is on a ridge north of Mt. Rainier. It was an interesting place to drive in the morning. There were always a few vehicles that had slid of the access road that went from the highway to the ski lodge, almost always a four wheel drive vehicle. Interesting because I had no problem operating a 45 foot motor coach on that road. A lot of the accidents were because people seem to think four wheel drive lets them drive fast down the mountain. I found it a lot better to take my time and ride the jake down.

 

[graygun]

I learned to ski on Mt Hood, at Mt Hood Meadows. I spent a fair amount of time on my backside also.

One time I particularly remember. I was on a little more advanced slope at Meadows, and it was icy. Trying my best to remain in control skiing down the mountain, I found myself accelerating beyond any control whatsoever. Pushing my skis into the snowplow from hell had no effect, and it was just unnatural to make myself fall on purpose. I skied as long as I could until nature made me fall. Seems I slid on my arse another ridiculous distance until I came to a stop, in a pile. Just that fast, the ski patrol skied up to me and threatened to revoke my lift ticket for skiing too fast. I said, "do you really think I did this on purpose?"

WAYNO.

I skiied there once,about ten years ago. It was very deep powder everywhere and I'm mainly a packed powder skiier. I think that was a year where OR and WA had ridiculous accumulations. I recall one in WA had a 339 inch base.

 

[Poco Oso]

Great pics WAYNO.I spent a couple weeks at Timberline Lodge, doing restoration work on the lodge, in the mid '80's. Beautiful place. Gave up downhill skiing after blowing out a knee. It's a shame too because I can see Mt. Bachelor clearly from my front porch although, with the price of lift tickets now, I doubt I'd be doing much skiing anyhow. :shock:

 

[WendyZXZ]

Thanks for sharing, those are some great pictures and a fun looking snow day!

 

[AJGUNNER]

The current forecast is calling for 2 to 4 feet at pass elevations and below between tonight and saturday. That entire area will be looking much different by tomorrow. Sounds like a Thanksgiving weekend opening for the ski places, which has not happened for lots of years.

 

[WAYNO]

The current forecast is calling for 2 to 4 feet at pass elevations and below between tonight and saturday. That entire area will be looking much different by tomorrow. Sounds like a Thanksgiving weekend opening for the ski places, which has not happened for lots of years.

Yep, they're supposed to have an old fashioned snow-explosion.

I no longer ski, but snow on the mountain excites me. I hope they have a great opener.

Few things are as great as skiing while the snow is building up by multiple feet in a day.

WAYNO.

 

[WAYNO]

It was a false alarm. No snow in Government Camp.

 

[Poco Oso]

Mt Bachelor opened today! Don't know for how long though. The base was nothing like it used to be at this time of the year but, enough on the lower slopes, and still snowing as reported on the 6 o'clock news. Nothing at the lower elevations. Not a bad day here. In the 50's and a little sun, clouds, and wind off and on.

 

[powder smoke]

Sunday River opened yesterday, Learned to ski at Cannon Mt NH.
Worked as a lift rat for a couple of winters great fun. ps