In life there is rarely something more exciting than the first time. One's first kiss, first love, first puppy, or the first time skiing/snowboarding from the summit of Oregon's 11,239 ft. crown jewel, Mount Hood.
My friends and native Oregonians, Carlos Martinez and Alia Hazen, kept repeating the one phrase that all first time summiteers seem to repeat, “This is incredible, holy mackerel this is incredible!!” It is hard to explain how beautiful and inspiring the mountain can be when you see it from the top rather than looking up at it. So all that seems to come out is “This is incredible!” The best way I know of how to describe the feeling is that Carlos rode from the summit for the first time in early May 2011 and fell so hard in love with it he did it four more times during the rest of May. Five summits in a month is fantastic but the real amazing part of his story is he is about to be married in less than 5 weeks and his fiancé Nancy has been understanding enough to allow him the latitude to chase his new addiction to the high alpine.
Mount Hood is amazing in that we can ski powder all the way through June in the higher elevations. Timberline is the only resort in North America that can be skied all 12 months of the year while allowing access as high as 8,600 ft. via the lifts for those who want to explore higher or all the way to the summit. So for all the Oregon adventurers, and those visiting our great state, it's time to strap those skins on the bottom of your skis and snowboards or just throw them on your back pack and go up. Everything is more awesome higher up on the mountain, those that say differently have never been there. Go out and do something for the first time today because tomorrow never really seems to come.
Asit Rathod
Posted by: Asit Rathod on 06/14/2011
Powder Alert - (4/6 - 4/7)
Oregon powder lovers,
A POWDER ALERT is in effect for this WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY!
According to the calendar, spring is here… but winter in the mountains is not giving up quietly! A cold, late-season weather system is dropping towards Oregon from the Gulf of Alaska… and by the time the pocket of coldest air is over the Pacific Northwest, the snow level could be as low as 1,000 feet later this week. Not bad for April!
The weather system prompting this POWDER ALERT arrives late Tuesday night. By Wednesday morning, it should be snowing intensely at all Oregon ski areas. The most intense snow will fall during the day Wednesday into Wednesday night. Steady snow gives way to lighter snow showers by Thursday morning.
How much powder? 10-18” seems like a fair estimate at this point… with most of that falling during the day Wednesday into Wednesday night. By midday Thursday, some spots in the higher Cascades could have a storm total closer to 2 feet! And with such a chilly air mass, the powder snow will be exceptionally dry and fluffy!
Several Oregon ski areas are now closed midweek… so you’ll want to check to the conditions page at skioregon.org to see which ski areas will be open during this POWDER ALERT. More ski areas will be open this weekend… and it this point, Saturday looks like a beautiful day with nothing but sunshine.
Enjoy our late-season powder feast!
Drew Jackson Ski Oregon meteorologist
Posted by: Drew Jackson on 04/04/2011
Powder Alert - Thurs/Frid (3/24-3/25)
Oregon powder lovers,
Here we go again… a POWDER ALERT is in effect for THURSDAY and FRIDAY!
By now you’ve likely heard that chatter (from the Portland-centric media) about very low-elevation snow this week. While I no longer specifically forecast for the low elevation cities west of the Cascades, I must point out that, if the snow level is potentially low enough to bring snow to valley-floor locations, then it’s going to be a cold, light, dry and fluffy powder that falls in the mountains! And that’s exactly what I expect later this week.
By the time that you read this, snow will be increasing in the mountains. Some new snow will fall Wednesday, but the most intense snow will fall later Wednesday into Thursday… with it easing off by off Friday morning. Thursday will be the “snowy” powder day, and with tracks being filled-in throughout the day, look for an all-day “renewable” powder experience! Friday morning’s powder will be deep, but it will get tracked-out faster that day as it will have stopped snowing by then.
How much snow? I expect a minimum of 12-20” at every ski area from later Wednesday through Friday morning. But it’s possible that the “big winners” will get nearly 3 feet of new snow during that time! And with ski-area temperatures in the 10s or 20s all week, the powder will be fluffy and dry.
