It’s a good start to winter at Northwest ski areas if they can open by Thanksgiving weekend.
On cue, serious snow fell on Turkey Day at Mount Hood this year.
By Black Friday, both Timberline Lodge and Mount Hood Meadows were operating, although on a limited basis with a reduced number of chairs.
This Monday, Mount Hood Meadows began daily operations, two weeks earlier than normal.
Timberline Lodge on Wednesday was operating six chairlifts with a 73-inch base at the lodge.
Mount Hood Skibowl, the third big ski area on the peak, started tubing on Dec. 3 and its chairlifts at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
“This is the best start to the season in a decade,’’ said Dave Tragethon, vice president of communications for Mount Hood Meadows. “Most recently we haven’t had enough snow to offer daily operations until later in the month. These storms aligned to give us a fast, early start to the season, providing enough snowpack to open even our lowest elevation lift and the nordic center.’’
Night skiing at Meadows is planned for Friday and Saturday. Beginning Dec. 16, the ski area will move to its holiday schedule, with chairlifts operating from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily through Jan. 1, with the exception of Dec. 19, Dec. 20 and Christmas Eve, when the lifts close at 4 p.m.
At Mount Hood Skibowl, the Lower Bowl, Upper Bowl and Multorpor chairlifts began at 3 p.m. Wednesday, said spokesman Hans Wipper.
Daytime chairlift operation begins at 9 a.m. Friday.
“We’ll be in full operation,’’ Wipper said.
Even nordic skiers got an early start.
The Oregon Nordic Club’s Teacup Lake trails on Mount Hood had more than a foot of snow and grooming under way before November ended.
Nearby, Mount Hood Meadows opened its nordic center for Thursday-through-Monday operations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In the southern Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the Forest Service had snow at its three main winter recreation areas on Wednesday.
The agency reported 12 inches on the south side of Mount St. Helens, 10 to 36 inches at the headwaters of Wind River and 10 inches on the south side of Mount Adams.
Make no mistake, conditions for winter recreation on Mount Hood and in the backcountry of Southwest Washington are off to a fine beginning.
Here’s a look at what’s new this winter at the three main ski areas on Mount Hood.
Mount Hood Meadows — The ski area has built a new vehicle maintenance facility near the Sunset parking lot, a less conspicuous location than the main parking lot.
The shop move has opened beginner terrain, where a 60-foot Sunkid Conveyor will be installed this winter.
The conveyor is a natural progression for ski and snowboard learners from the Ballroom Carpet to the Buttercup chairlift.
The shop move along with two new grooming machines will increase grooming. One groomer will be used for general terrain, while the other is designed for terrain park grooming.
Mount Hood Meadows has replaced all of its adult rental skis with Rossignol RTL skis, designed to help beginners maneuver and pivot at slow speeds.
The 1,400 rental boots are being stored in a new boot rack and drying system for quicker turnaround.
Meadows also will no longer base lift ticket pricing on set shift times.
Instead, ticket buyers will get seven hours of skiing from whenever when they start. There will be a four-hour ticket available at noon.
New skate skis, classic skis and boots are being added to the nordic center.
Four of the mountain cameras are being upgraded to high-definition to provide better views.
Timberline Lodge — New for this winter is the remodeling of Y’Bar in the Wy’East Day Lodge.
The bar was gutted and changed to combine the features of an apres ski lounge with the feel of a contemporary sports bar.
The central feature of the remodel is a large glass opening to the outdoor sun deck.
There also will be a new bar top, lighting and large screen televisions.
On the mezzanine of the day lodge, Timberline has added another fireplace.
Timberline has combined with Rossignol for new rental skis and boots for better versatility and ease of use in all snow conditions.
The ski area is getting an additional snow grooming machine. It also is installing high-definition cameras around the lodge and on the mountain to provide real-time views of the weather and skiing conditions.
Mount Hood Skibowl — A second conveyor has been added to the main tubing hill.
“This will increase the capacity of the tube hill for both day and cosmic tubing, resulting in less lines and more tubing,’’ Wipper said.
Cosmic tubing has increased in popularity to where a third night — 5 to 10 p.m. Sundays — has been added this season.
Snowmaking improvements also have been made at Skibowl.
More than 2,00 feet of specialized snowmaking piping and underground power, plus more hydrant locations, pumping station and high-pressure pumps have been installed.
“This will allow the maximum amount of snow guns, up to nine currently, to operate at once when the weather is favorable for snowmaking,’’ Wipper said.
A new snowmobile rental center on the eastern edge of the Skibowl east parking lot will operate 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and school holidays.
The snowmobiles have a dedicated trail system spread over 40 acres.
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