SANTIAM PASS — In Central Oregon, it is common for us weekend-warrior types to pursue two or more outdoor activities on the same day.
In summer and fall, this could be some combination of hiking, running, mountain biking and much more.
In spring, it could be a day that includes skiing, golf and road cycling.
But during this exceptionally snowy Central Oregon winter, it seems among the few options are skiing and, well, skiing.
A day of cross-country skiing and alpine skiing seemed like the perfect idea last week as snow continued to pile high in the Central Oregon Cascades. Mt. Bachelor ski area reported a snowpack of 105 inches on Tuesday, and Hoodoo Ski Area had 75 inches.
From Bend, the most accessible location for a nordic/alpine outing is obviously Bachelor, about 20 miles away. The Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center is just across the parking lot from West Village Lodge and the Pine Marten chairlift.
But Santiam Pass, about 45 miles northwest of Bend, offers the same sort of opportunity, though typically without the crowds and a more remote feel. The area is much more than just a challenge to wintertime drivers from Central Oregon traveling to the Willamette Valley.
And speaking of driving conditions, U.S. Highway 20 was relatively clear of snow and ice and was easy to navigate on my way to Santiam Pass last week.
The sign that directs drivers to Hoodoo also notes Ray Benson Sno-park. I had made the turn into Hoodoo dozens of times, but as a somewhat new nordic skier, this would be my first time at Ray Benson.
The sno-park is located almost adjacent to Hoodoo just a couple of miles off of the highway. Somehow, though, it still seems like it’s in the middle of nowhere.
The Mt. Jefferson Snowmobile Club grooms and maintains snowmobile trails at Ray Benson, and at several other sno-parks in the Santiam Pass area.
But Ray Benson also offers some 18 miles of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails. These user groups are encouraged by the U.S. Forest Service to keep their trails separate, as skiing through snowshoe tracks can be painstaking.
Most of these trails at Ray Benson are ungroomed, so it is a good place for classic touring skiers — not skate skiers — who are seeking to cut their own trail through deep snow or follow the tracks of a previous skier.
I decided on the North Loop Snow Trail, a 3.8-mile loop that is rated as “more difficult” and seemed a good fit for my skill level.
But because of such a deep snowpack, the sign that marked the start of the trail was barely protruding from the snow. And getting up to the start of the track from the parking area required me to scale a 5-foot snowbank.
I somehow made it up while carrying my skis and poles, post-holing through the crunchy snow. At the top, I strapped into my skis and was on my way. Because the trail was not groomed, I made fresh tracks the entire way and was able to follow the blue signs affixed to trees that marked the trail.
From Ray Benson Sno-park, the North Loop Snow Trail leads to the northwest through a forest of lodgepole pine trees, mountain hemlock and fir, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The trail then follows the old Hogg Railroad Grade east for half a mile before turning south.
I cruised through the gently rolling terrain of ridges and meadows, deep in the Deschutes National Forest, between the Mount Jefferson Wilderness and the Mount Washington Wilderness.
The North Blowout shelter provided a rest stop about halfway into the loop. After a quick snack at the shelter, I circled back to the north side of the sno-park.
Fairly tired but ready for the second part of the winter outing, I made the short drive to Hoodoo.
It was a “Thrifty Thursday,” so lift tickets at the ski area were only $19 and the parking lot was nearly full.
The small ski resort is thriving on Mother Nature’s bounty this season, after recent winters during which it struggled to remain open even during the heart of the snowriding season.
The current 80-inch snowpack would appear to be enough to carry Hoodoo into April, when it typically closes, but significant rainfall at Hoodoo — whose base is at 4,668 feet — can wash away snow quickly.
Last Thursday, the precipitation was coming down as wet snow — but definitely snow — so skiers and snowboarders seemed to be enjoying their cheap thrills on the hill.
Hoodoo has four chairlifts, and three were operating on Thursday. The Green Machine takes skiers and boarders to the top of the hill, at 5,703 feet.
Coming down from the summit on my skis, I turned along a steep slope, then found untouched powder through an area of small trees. Because the crowds are typically so small at Hoodoo, fresh snow is often easy to find, and chairlift lines are nearly nonexistent.
The Ed Chair is perhaps my favorite chairlift at Hoodoo, as it provides access to the southeast side of the hill, which always seems to hold powder.
Hoodoo is open Thursdays through Mondays. While most of its business comes from the Willamette Valley, Hoodoo is also popular among Central Oregon skiers and riders.
Add an adventurous cross-country ski outing to a day of downhill at Hoodoo, and you have a full day of skiing — and skiing.
