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Julie Caron of Sandy comes down with the hammer trying to ring the bell on the "strong-man's game" at the Mt. Hood Skibowl booth at Portland SkiFever.
(Terry Richard/The Oregonian)
Tubing is such a hit with families at Skibowl East that Mount Hood Skibowl has added 90 more parking spots at its east side base area.
Other summer improvements, according to Hans Wipper of the Skibowl staff, include annual chairlift maintenance and sprucing up the lodges, as well as some bigger ticket items.
A Prinoth Bison X state-of-the-art snow groomer joins the Skibowl fleet. This new snowcat is designed to groom terrain parks and gets better miles per gallon than older models.
Skibowl (and Timberline Ski Area) have joined the Powder Alliance, a business alliance of 12 Western resorts that give three free days of skiing to holders of season passes at any of the resorts. That pass for the Mount Hood participants is the Fusion Pass. The 12 resorts boast 123 lifts around the West.
The internet service to Skibowl West base area has been upgraded with the addition of high-speed fiber optic lines, laying the foundation for future expansion to guest use. There will be a wi-fi hotspot in the Wiwnu Wash Tribal Cultural Center so resort guests can stay connected to social media and jobs. Improved ticket scanning and increased speed for sales processing will benefit guests as well.
The parking lot rope tow on the west side was replaced by a state-of-the-art, 220-foot long conveyor lift that introduces new technology to conveyor lifts. New skiers and riders will have a better experience learning the sport with the new lift.
The snow tube park has 100 new, four-person tubes in the flotilla. A second adventure lane is also being added to the hill. The huge hit of last winter, Cosmic Tubing is back and with more lights and lasers, more DJ nights and the remodeled comforts of Multorpor Lodge.
Skibowl becomes the first resort on Mount Hood to install a public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station. The station provides a trickle charge (240 volt) and a level III quick charge (480 volt), allowing two separate electric vehicles to charge simultaneously. The quick charge takes approximately 20-30 minutes, while the trickle charge takes 3-6 hours, depending on the vehicle. The station was built with a federal grant to build the "electric highway" in Oregon, and will be open 24/7. Check skibowl.com for when the station goes online.
The ski slopes received an extensive "buzz cut" this summer. A special brush cutting tractor trimmed the lower slopes, while crews hand-cut the upper steeper runs. Loose rocks were removed. Along with the improved snowmaking system, Skibowl will be able to open on the least amount of snow of any area on Mount Hood.
An upgrade of e-commerce software allows guests to pre-purchase ski and tubing tickets from home, reducing ticket lines at the ski area.
The first-aid facility is getting a complete facelift. New flooring, restrooms, lighting, cabinets and bedding will be installed for guest comfort and efficient use by the professional patrol.
The closest ski area to Portland is known for its beginner terrain low down and expert runs up high. It's popular for night skiing, when finicky temperatures drop a degree or two and drizzle becomes snow.
Go info:
53 miles east of Portland on U.S. 26; 87000 E. Highway 26, Government Camp, OR 97028; 503-222-2695 (snow conditions and Portland office), 503-272-3206 (Government Camp).
Web: www.skibowl.com
Social media: facebook.com/skibowl and twitter.com/skibowl
Stats: 5,026-foot top elevation, 1,500-foot vertical drop; four double chairlifts; tubing hill with tow; the ski area's Mt. Hood Adventure, located in the Ratskeller building in Government Camp, offers snowmobile rentals, guided snowshoe and cross-country ski tours and rentals, as well as guided trips of summer sports.
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Nordic: None at the ski area; numerous nearby trails in Mount Hood National Forest.
Lift cost/hours: $49 (lower prices for night or twilight tickets); 3-10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday (midweek hours extended during school holidays).
Lodging: Government Camp has a growing assortment of condominiums, including the ski area's affiliated Collins Lake Resort and Grand Lodges Mount Hood. For other lodging information, call Mt. Hood Adventure at 503-272-3062 or go online to mthood.info.
-- Terry Richard