Winter is teasing skiers, snowboarders and the resorts on Mount Hood.
There’s snow on the peak, but just barely enough to open limited slopes for limited periods of time
Timberline Lodge reported on Wednesday morning a base of 10 inches. Mount Hood Meadows also had 10 inches.
Mount Hood Skibowl has been able to make more than 3 feet of snow on its tube hill and the snow tube and adventure park at Skibowl East will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today through Sunday.
According to Hans Wipper of Skibowl, the opening includes the tube hill conveyor lift, indoor play structure and Multorpor Lodge.
Full food service will be available at the lodge.
Night tubing under colored lights will be open 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The remainder of Skibowl is waiting for more snow.
Timberline opens Friday and Mount Hood Meadows tentatively on Saturday.
Dave Tragethon of Mount Hood Meadows said the extent of operations is weather dependent. On Sunday, Meadows operated three lifts — Easy Rider, Buttercup and Ballroom Carpet.
“We’re still shooting for the weekend,” Tragethon said. “What lifts, how much terrain and even when we would be able to operate is all dependent on when the forecasted rain changes to snow, and how much snow we get out of the storm. With enough snow, we should be able to open Saturday, but it could be a late opening.”
Timberline Lodge will resume operations on Friday.
For updates on Meadows or Timberline operations, go online to www.skihood.com. or www.timberlinelodge.com
When skiers and snowboarder get to the slopes, here’s some of what’s new on the Mount Hood for the 2014-15 season:
Mount Hood Meadows — The largest of Mount Hood’s big three ski areas plans to build on its terrain park program this winter by taking advantage of the width and length of Shooting Star run, which is accessed easily by Shooting Star chairlift.
Parks contain rails, jumps and other man-made features to allow skiers to catch air and do tricks and maneuvers not possible on natural terrain.
In addition, Meadows has installed a new rope tow at Shipyard rail park that will allow skiers and snowboard riders to run repeat laps of the rail park both day and night.
Meadows began working with Snow Park Technologies, a Nevada company, last season to improve its terrain parks.
Tom Scully, director of mountain operations, said the goal is to offer guests “access to some of the most progressive parks in the West.”
The ski area has purchased its fourth snowmaking fan. The fans use water and compressed air to turn mist into snow crystals.
Last season, Mount Hood Meadows moved 908 tons of mid-November snow from its parking lots via a trailer to the slopes early in the season.
“That was the base that got us through a snow stingy December and January,” said Tragethon.
The custom-built dump trailer is ready again for 2014-15 and can be supplemented with snow from the snowmaking fans, he said.
Meadows is initiating a Southside Season Pass for $289. It allows access to the south side of the resort, including Vista Express, Daisy, Easy Rider, Buttercup and Ballroom Carpet, plus the Shipyard rope tow.
That includes four freestyle terrain parks.
For an additional $10, the Southside Pass adds unlimited equipment rentals and three lessons.
Tragethon said Mount Hood Meadows has made a big push in the past two years to improve its cell phone and Internet connectivity. Wi-Fi coverage has been expanded through the lodges.
“We’re making it easy for business people to go skiing and still stay connected,” he added.
Mount Hood Skibowl — The parking lot rope tow has been replaced with a new 210-foot conveyor lift.
“New skiers and riders will have a much better experience learned the sport with the new life,” said Wipper, in a news release.
The rental shop has automated the rental process. Once a guest has entered the system, their information can be recalled allowing the shop to preset the gear before they arrive.
Slope maintenance over the summer used a special tractor to give the hillsides a buzz cut. Loose rocks were removed. Along with the snowmaking system, Skibowl can open on a minimal amount of snow.
Work has began on a three-year restoration project to replace the foundation of the warming hut, repair siding and installing a new shake roof.
This past summer, a Forest Service restoration crew from Colorado replaced two sill logs around the base and the majority of the support posts under the building.
Wi-Fi internet access is being installed at Skibowl west base area. The old coin-operated lockers have been replaced with electronic lockers that accept credit cards or cash. The lockers will be in the rental shop below the Starlight Cafe.
Timberline Lodge — The historic lodge and ski operation does not have any particularly noteworthy tweaks or changes for this season.
Jon Tullis, a Timberline spokesman, said this will be the second year for the Mt. Hood Express bus service from Sandy to Government Camp, Timberline Lodge and other locations on Mount Hood.
The Federal Lands Access Program awarded $476,000 to Clackamas County, Mount Hood National Forest and the City of Sandy.
The buses operate daily with five runs, except seven runs during the winter from Dec. 1 to March 31.
The cost is $2 each direction.
Tullis said there are new buses for this winter with ski and snowboard boxes.
“Everybody’s stoked up,” he said.
The buses allow teens, seniors and others who might not drive access to the mountain. Employees of the ski areas use the buses, preserving spots in the parking lot for customers.
Tullis also said the buses are very help for mountain community residents to get to Sandy for services like going to a pharmacy.
“It’s been a big boon to the community,” he said.
