Oregon: A Day Trip To Mt. Hood Meadows
Nothing makes it feel more like Christmas than some snowy mountains and fresh powder. So while my family was in town, I planned for the 6 of us to take a day trip to Mt. Hood Meadows for a day of skiing.
Located just East of Portland, Mt. Hood Meadows is around a 90 minute drive. With 11 lifts and 85 runs, they are one of the best spots to ski in a convenient distance from the downtown area.
To get a full day's worth, my family and I woke up early to try and be some of the first people on the mountain. Seeing that it was Christmas weekend, we quickly found out that we weren't the only ones that wanted to hit the slopes early. Even though we caught a bit of traffic on the way out, we were still early enough to get a parking spot in their main lot and have full 7+ hours of skiing!
HOW TO PLAN FOR YOUR TRIP
TRANSPORTATION: There are a variety of ways for you to get out to the mountain. If you don't have traction tires, chains or feel comfortable driving in the snow, CLICK HERE for some bus, ride share and shuttle options.
CLOTHING/ GEAR: LAYER UP! Just because Portland has moderate weather, do not assume that the mountain does as well. It gets very cold and windy out there, so dress accordingly!
SKI GEAR CHECKLIST:
1. Ski Pants
2. Ski Jacket
3. Goggles
4. Snow gloves
5. Neck warmer
6. Wool/ Thick Socks
7. Thermal/ Base Layer
8. Helmets are also available to rent at Meadow's main lodge.
EQUIPMENT: Equipment is available to rent through Meadow's Rental Center. They can provide you with skis, snowboards, snowshoes, ski/snowboard boots, helmets and poles. CLICK HERE for their packages and pricing.
TIP: IF YOU PLAN ON SKIING AT MEADOWS, RESERVE YOUR GEAR AT LEAST TWO DAYS IN ADVANCE. IT CUTS DOWN ON YOUR WAIT TIME FOR EQUIPMENT AND SAVES YOU SOME MONEY.
LIFT TICKETS: If you are renting your equipment, you can purchase your lift ticket when you pick up your gear. If you aren't renting, you can purchase your lift ticket it the main building on the bottom level. Here is Meadow's current pricing for Winter 2017/2018:
TIMELINE FOR A FULL DAY OF SKIING:
1. CHECK WEATHER CONDITIONS to make sure the mountain is open. On average, Meadows is open at least 100 days a year for skiing/ snowboarding.
2. LEAVE EARLY: Their lifts typically open at 9:00am. If you want to be first ones the mountain, aim to arrive at Meadows around 8:45am.
3. SKI TIME: If you are a Level II or higher skier, I highly suggest taking the Mt. Hood Express Lift to the Cascade Express to reach the highest point of the mountain. At 7305ft up, you feel as if you are within walking distance Mt. Hood's peak. Needless to say, it's breathtaking.
4. LUNCH: Meadows has a variety of restaurants available. At the main lodge, they have 7 restaurant options with a wide variety of options. We ate at The Vertical Restaurant and enjoyed our Fun Guy Pizza (chicken pesto) and The Combination Pizza (Meat Deluxe).
If you are looking for a snack or drink on the slopes, they have two options, The Mazot and The Renaissance Cafe.
5. LOCKERS: When you rent your equipment, they have plenty of lockers all around for easy storage of your snow boots and personal items.
SEE THE VIDEO BELOW FOR A RECAP OF OUR DAY TRIP TO MEADOWS!