Only an hour and a half from Portland, Oregon, the Mount Hood Meadows Ski Resort is nestled into the Mount Hood National Forest offering a big mountain experience in the Pacific Northwest.
Big means big on the number of runs, 85, spread over the number of acres, 2,150, with a big drop of 2,777 feet---with the longest run stretching a full three miles. Add onto that a big annual snowfall of 430 inches and you have the makings of a spectacular ski and snowboard resort. The abundance of snow is tamed by modern efficient snow grooming equipment to ensure safety and perfect conditions along all runs. The resort is rated as having over 50% expert runs, however there are lots of runs for intermediate and beginners.
flickr image by
Ryan Harvey
Big also applies to the facilities of the resort which include 9 restaurants in the south and north lodges, bars, stores, and a large network of lodging partnerships that surround the area. The Alpenstube Restaurant serves salads, soups, steak fish, and desserts with sit-down service. The Schuss Grill provides fun fast food with an emphasis on natural, vegetarian, or without antibiotics or hormones meat dishes. The Vertical Restaurant makes pasta, gourmet pizzas and nachos. A bistro up on the mountain serves sandwiches, bison hot dogs and beer. A deli serves healthy sandwiches and salads. Manuel's Cantina serves Mexican fare, there is a BBQ on the deck, and many more dining options throughout the resort. There's even a rustic Warming Hut reminiscent of Alpine huts in Europe with its old wood, German beers, goulash and cozy ambiance.
Some of the most written about aspects of the mountain are the huge wide Alpine meadows of snow from the Cascade Express that provide superb panoramic views for skiers to enjoy as the cruise along the easy terrain. For snowboarders, it is the six differently designed freestyle terrain parks. That is a true boon for snowboarders.
Night skiing is a huge feature of the mountain. The night skiing program. called Meadows After Dark, operates five nights during the week lighting up 140 acres for night skiing---claimed to be the largest night skiing area in the country. For cross country skiing, the Nordic Center grooms over 15 miles of runs and has its own lodge for warming up and renting skis.
To get up on the mountain, there are six high speed quad chairlifts plus five other chair lifts working the terrain.
Skiers who want to stay in Portland and ski Mount Hood can take the bus provided by the resort round trip every day. For lodging why not try a chic boutique hotel? The RiverPlace Hotel is right on Portland's riverfront. It is elegant, comfortable, quiet, and is a relaxing haven to return to at night with a gourmet restaurant in the hotel where you can have your dinner. Another very special choice and one that is very affordable is Portland's White House B&B. It is elegant as well and serves an excellent gourmet breakfast.
Skiing Mount Hood, which is such a beautiful area, and being able to stay in one of America's most interesting cities makes an ideal ski vacation.
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Mount Hood Meadows Ski Area, This is a wonderful place for families as it has a great mix of trails for all levels of skiers. The terrain is diverse so everyone should be able to have a good time. The lines moved quickly and I rarely waited for more than 3 minutes. The staff was not rude but they were not friendly either. It seemed like they were indifferent to the visitors. All in all, Mount Hood Meadows has a little something for all skiers. The views are really beautiful, too. Roseann Lahey
