Deep snow gives skiers, snowboarders a jump on winter of 2009-10
It takes more than a lot of snow for a bonanza ski season on the slopes of Mount Hood.
For the ski area operators, it takes lots of snow, and good snow, at the right times — and not so much snow at other times.
Last year, the big three ski areas on Mount Hood saw a 13 percent drop in visits from the previous winter and a 5 percent drop from their three-year average.
Those who assume less skiing was a result of the bleak economic outlook are overreaching, said Scott Kaden of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association in Hood River, Ore.
It was not that complicated.
“Visits were down last ski season for two primary reasons,’’ Kaden said. “We had a late start to our season, and the arctic blast over the Christmas-New Years holiday prevented people from skiing — many couldn’t get out of their driveways. The economy probably didn’t help, but it wasn’t a substantive factor.’’
If an early start is a key for a good season, then the snow gods are blessing Mount Hood this year.
Timberline Lodge started limited winter operations the weekend of Nov. 6-8. Mount Hood Meadows opened on Nov. 11. It was the earliest opening in a decade for Meadows.
Mount Hood Skibowl started limited operations on Nov. 14-15.
Meadows begins night operations on Friday.
The ski area will extend chairlift operations until 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.
A chairlift ticket valid from 3 to 9 p.m. will cost $25. A five-nights pass costs $75.
Dave Tragethon of Mount Hood Meadows said skier use closely follows snow conditions.
Skiers do not necessarily end their season early just because they started early, he said.
“The trend in the Northwest is to start about Christmas and end in February,’’ Tragethon said. “But with a great March product, skiing and snowboarding on Mount Hood has added an extra month.’’
Passholders particularly pick and choose their ski times on conditions.
“It’s an immediate response,’’ he said. “If there’s great snow, they’ll come up later.’’
Each year, the Northwest ski areas make tweaks and changes in their operations and grounds.
Here is a look at some of those changes:
Timberline Lodge — A new winter entrance is in place at the front doors of the historic lodge.
Timberline also is offering the “Timberline Complete Pass,’’ which allows unrestricted chairlift access for skiing and riding any time the area is open. There are no blackout dates. The cost is $999.
Mount Hood Meadows — The area paved the parking lot surface, improved storm water drainage and completed watershed restoration on the Sunrise lot, formerly known as the Annex lot.
Meadows replaced its rental line of skis, snowboards and boots; added more lockers to the day lodges, and improved its chairlift ticket scanning to be faster and more efficient.
The resort’s Web site also has been revamped, and a new snow cat was purchased for grooming.
Mount Bachelor — Oregon’s most popular ski area spent $200,000 to replace the circuit wiring and computer system on Northwest Express quad chairlift. The upgrade will improve chair spacing and reduce stoppages.
Mount Bachelor added a snowcat for grooming, a snow blower to improve snow removal in the parking lot and roads, and a new cross-country ski track setter.
The resort near Bend will unveil sliding scale daily tickets, where the price depends on the day’s weather and operating chairlifts.
Mount Bachelor also upgraded its avalanche control operation with new equipment and weather instrumentation.
White Pass — More than two decades of effort to expand White Pass ski area on U.S. Highway 12 east of Packwood is becoming reality.
Construction began this summer and will conclude in 2010 to add two new chairlifts, a mid-mountain lodge and 13 new ski runs.
The Washington Wilderness Act of 1984 removed 800 acres from Goat Rocks Wilderness in Hogback Basin for the White Pass expansion.
The act added 23,000 acres to Goat Rocks Wilderness in other locations.
