Winter provides a fresh playground to pursue outdoor sports
By James Baggett
Winter is upon us, and here in the Pacific Northwest, that means it's time to pull the skis and snowboards out of the garage, grab your riding partner, and head up to Mt. Hood or one of the other mountains in the Cascade Range of Oregon and Washington.
Mt. Hood is home to three ski resorts, all within two hours of Portland. All three have their own unique qualities and, depending on priorities, everyone has a favorite, so it's good to explore all three.
There's Mt. Hood Meadows, the largest of Mt. Hood's resorts with 87 runs and 11 chairlifts. Then there's Ski Bowl, which boasts the largest night skiing area in the U.S. And finally there's Timberline. The tallest of Timberline's lifts reach almost to the summit of Mt. Hood, where views are incredible on clear days and where a lift is open year-round and you can ski on the glacier, the only place of its kind in the U.S.
For those of you who like to get in the snow but aren't turned on by bombing uncontrollably down a mountainside, UP's Outdoor Pursuits Program (OPP) offers organized snowshoe and cross-country skiing trips to various locations in the Northwest.
"These trips are low-key, and low cost," says OPP Director Brian Dezzani. "They are good opportunities to explore areas you usually wouldn't go."
Check out OPP's office in Howard Hall for upcoming trips. Also, if you're feeling brave, OPP rents snowshoes to those who do their homework and plan their own trip.
A major obstacle for many college students that want to ski is the high price of lift tickets. At Meadows, even with the student discount, a day pass costs $44. A single day pass at Timberline costs $49. But rest easy, there are alternatives.
One is to sign up for OPP's ski bus program. How about free transportation to Mt. Hood on four consecutive Friday nights and discounted lift tickets? For around $100, though it could be a little more this year (costs have not yet been set), busses co-sponsored by OPP and ASUP take students to one of the night skiing resorts for the four Fridays in February.
According to Dezzani, about 90 students participated last year.
"It's a nice opportunity for students to get off campus, meet new people and break from studies," Dezzani says.
Whether you're with OPP or not, night skiing is a cost-efficient alternative to expensive day passes. Also, it's serene, peaceful and crowds are usually small. Though it can be pretty cold, on a mountain with relatively slushy conditions, the colder temperatures at night can bring drier and more powdery snow.
More importantly, night skiing is cheap. At Ski Bowl, $25 will get you a pass that lasts from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. and until 10 on Friday and Saturday nights. You can explore a variety of runs and a couple terrain parks serviced by four lifts.
Bring your UP I.D. to Meadows and get a $20 night skiing pass. Though the lit area open for night skiing is not as extensive as at Ski Bowl, because of its location on the mountain, the snow is usually better, especially early and late in the season.
If you plan to go to the mountain regularly, then maybe a season pass is for you. Timberline and Ski Bowl are collectively offering the Mt. Hood Fusion Pass, which, for $300, gives you access to both resorts all season long. But act fast because the price rises to $400 on Nov. 11.
Meadows offers a different season pass for the same price, called the "3x300." As the name implies, you and two friends throw down $300 each, a total of $900, and you all get a pass that lasts until the snow melts.
