NEWS

Rain, low snowpack keeps Oregon ski areas on edge

Zach Urness
Statesman Journal

Low snowpack in the Cascade Range isn't expected to improve over the holiday weekend, something that isn't good news for skiers and snowboarders.

Precipitation is heading into the mountains Friday night, Saturday and Sunday, but will fall mostly as rain instead of snow, said Will Ahue, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Portland.

The snow level will rise to around 8,000 feet on Saturday, bringing heavy rain to every ski area in western and central Oregon, before dropping back down to 3,000 feet on Sunday and tapering off Monday.

"We're probably not going to see much (snow) accumulation," Ahue said. "By the time snow levels drop, most of the moisture will be out of the system."

Officials at Mount Bachelor, Mount Hood Meadows and Timberline Lodge — the only three ski areas open in Western Oregon — are looking for bright spots during what is an important three-day weekend for business.

All three did get some snow Friday – Mount Bachelor got more than eight inches – and may get a few inches on Sunday and Monday.

"Saturday has the most potential for rain or a wintry mix, but Sunday and Monday looks like snow," said Dave Tragethon, spokesman for Mount Hood Meadows. "The snow conditions should be awesome, even if raining, as long as you dress for wet. The beauty of a three day holiday is you can pick your best days."

The news is worse for mid-elevation ski areas. Hoodoo Ski Area, Willamette Pass Resort and Mount Ashland have all been forced to close due to a lack of snow. Mount Hood Skibowl has snow tubing and a tow rope open.

All four will get almost nothing but rain over the weekend, hurting their already meager snowpack.

Snowpack throughout Oregon is well below average, including 25 to 26 percent of normal at Mount Hood, Santiam Pass and Willamette Pass areas along with 34 percent of normal in Central Oregon. Southern Oregon's snowpack is 21 to 23 percent of normal.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors writer, photographer and videographer in Oregon for seven years. He is the author of the book "Hiking Southern Oregon" and can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Facebook at Zach's Oregon Outdoors or @ZachsORoutdoors on Twitter.

Western Oregon Ski Area status

Timberline Lodge: Open

Mount Hood Meadows: Open

Mount Bachelor: Open

Mount Hood Skibowl: Partly open

Hoodoo Ski Area: Closed

Willamette Pass Resort: Closed

Mount Ashland: Closed