Winter Blast A Mixed Bag For Oregon Resorts

ADMIN

• January 06 2009
• 127 views
• add a comment

It has been a tough early season for Northern Oregon resorts. Late snow falls and now massive dumps that caused a landslide which closed the road to Hood on December 27th during the busy holiday season have conspired to stymie ski areas and locals alike. However, with solid snow and serious road work, the resorts hopes to capitalize on the deepening snow pack.

According to Oregon’s KCBY:

ith little snow on the mountains, ski areas throughout the state got off to a late start this season.

But now, with an abundance of snowfall brought by December’s record winter storms, many ski areas are expected to remain open well into the spring.

Willamette Pass opened Dec. 19, and since then, says ski area spokesman Randy Rogers, 700 skiers have hit the slopes each day.

Willamette Pass has 48 inches at mid-mountain.

Hoodoo Mountain Resort reports a 65-inch base. And Mount Bachelor, the state’s largest ski resort, says recent storms have created a 98-inch base at mid-mountain.

Landslide hurts business on Mount Hood

A landslide that closed U.S. 26 and blocked the main route to ski areas on Mount Hood last week has dealt another blow to a recreational industry already suffering a tough season.

Business owners and ski area managers say a late start to the season and a crippling snowstorm in Portland made for an unusually slow December.

The closure of U.S. 26 from Thursday until Sunday added to problems that included a Dec. 27 power outage at Timberline, where December revenue fell by 50 percent compared to last year.

Rentals and lessons at Mt. Hood Skibowl in Government Camp were down.

Mt. Hood Meadows officials say the remainder of the season should be normal now that ski areas have enough snow and the holidays are over.