# Mt. Hood Meadows next weekend



## jpb3 (Nov 29, 2009)

I will be in Portland next week on business through Friday but plan on bringing my gear with me and get one day in at Mt.Hood Meadows on Saturday March 27. Never been there but it seems like conditions are really good right now which is what I was hoping for when I booked this trip last month and built in the extra day. 

Anyhow, where is the best place to stay Friday night? I have been to Hood River once and liked the town a lot but it seems like Welches may be much closer though neither seem to have many lodging options? From the map it looks like there are two ways in, from the north on 35 or from the west on 26, which way is the best? I'll be on an expense account so would prefer somewhere decent if possible. I looked and it seems the only thing that is somewhat "close" is "The Resort at the Mountain" in Welches but the reviewers are saying its not worth the $$ on hotels.com. I'm thinking about just staying in Hood River Friday and then drive back to Portland after riding Saturday for a super early flight home on Sunday morning.

Any opinions on the best place to stay?


Also, any tips on what lifts/trails to hit? I'm an experienced intermediate rider but will be by myself so not really pushing it too hard. The place looks pretty big and based on experience knowing where to go at a big resort that you don't "know" means the difference between a good and great day. From the map it looks like I should head straight to the Cascade express lift and just start picking fresh lines down from the Texas Trail? Or/and work my way over to the Shooting Star Express lift as well. 

TIA


----------



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Paging snowolf...


----------



## ATOTony76 (May 26, 2009)

hmmmm......stay in government camp would be your best bet when it comes to money.


----------



## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

Yea govy is probably your best bet..here's a list of all the spots up there.
From Govy you are probably 10-15 mins from the main lot of Meadows...

Both Welches and Hood River would be considerably longer...about 45 mins from Welches and an hour from Hood River...

Government camp lodging - Google Maps

http://maps.google.com/maps?source=...roup&ct=more-results&resnum=1&ved=0CCYQtQMwAA


----------



## MnBoarder763 (Jun 5, 2009)

Govy for sure. I stayed 3 days at the Huckleberry Inn at govy last seasn...Awesome place, cheap, and the 24 hour diner downstairs is amazing.. You gotta get the spaghetti..


----------



## jpb3 (Nov 29, 2009)

Thanks for the replies, looking into Govy accommodations today.


----------



## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

Saturday should be the better of the two days, at least until the forecast changes again.


----------



## jpb3 (Nov 29, 2009)

Thanks for the insight Snowolf. Just landed at The Resort At The Mountain after a long three days working a conference in Portland. Going to the Meadows in the morning. According to the snow report they got dumped on with 16" of fresh in the last 24hr as I am sure you know. Vista, Cascade, and upper Meadows did not open today so its still virgin for tomorrow! Planning on being there ASAP in the morning and heading straight to Cascade section. 

Thoughts of knee deep POW and face shots will make it hard to fall asleep tonight


----------



## jpb3 (Nov 29, 2009)

Doh!.....dude I really wish I would have checked this board before I left Saturday morning! I pretty much just woke up, got dressed and was there at 8:30AM, wanting to try and get there early to catch some left over stashes. Would have loved to had the guided tour from you as I was looking at the trail map all morning long  Meadows is pretty big and fairly spread out IMO. I saw a group of riders when I was buying my ticket and asked them the best way to Cascade Xpress and they pointed me to the quad. Luckily the group I was paired up with on Cascade were really nice and a girl/boy couple who were riding let me tag along and took me over to upper Heather canyon via the traverse there at the top of the lift. The first ride down was the best of the day and I understand all the hype about Heather Canyon now  I then came back up via the little chair out of the canyon and made my way to the Shooting Star and saw some guys who had unstrapped and were booting it up to the middle Heather "drop in". I say "drop in" b/c on the side of the Canyon that is pretty much what you do, it just dropped away! So after two runs through the canyon I wanted to see a little more of the mountain before my legs gave way. (I should point out that I only rode about 4 hrs b/c I had been standing on my feet the last three days working a conference in Portland and my legs were seriously fatigued)

By the time I got back over to the Cascade Xpress again I went skiers right but the bowl there was pretty much tracked out, as the rest of the mountain was getting to that point as well. Made a couple more laps from the lodge to the top of Cascade and called it a day around 1PM. Drove to Full Sail and had lunch then back to Portland and watched my WVU BB team with a buddy of mine I went to WVU with who now lives in Tigard. 

I had a great time and the mountain was a lot of fun. It was the first time riding in the PAC NW and there were a few places where I came to understand the term "Cascade concrete" but as typical with most of my trips this year I miss epic conditions by days. You guys are going to have an awesome week up there from the looks of it. I was driving to the airport yesterday morning at 6AM in an absolute downpour and could only think how much it must be dumping up on "The Hood"!

Oh, that place was like a carnival on Saturday too. Band playing at the base, people tailgating in the parking lot, really good atmosphere!

Next time I'm out Snowolf I'll be sure to try and look you up again as it would have been really cool to meet and make a few turns with ya!


----------



## MnBoarder763 (Jun 5, 2009)

Awesome.. If Meadows stays open late into May.. I'll come for sure. I have a Delta Airlines Voucher I need to use before May 8th.


----------



## MnBoarder763 (Jun 5, 2009)

That is awesome. I remember last year I came to Hood in June at Timberline... and only the upper half was opened (Palmer/Magic Mile).. great times but I felt I didnt get to explore Hood enough.... Im coming back!

Will most runs at Meadows be opened or just parts of it?


----------



## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

It hasnt been talked about, but if you come on a good conditions day(theres been atleast 3+ inches), Skibowl can be pretty amazing...and when it dumps i dont think anybody will argue its one of the best spots on the Hood.

You may want to drop by there and do some laps some night your in town, they still got ghetto slow doubles chairs but its cheap. Right now for a night ticket(3-10pm) is 15 dollars...25 dollars for a full day.

And its closer to Portland than Tline or Meadows by about 20-30 minutes. Right at government camp so you can stay there and walk to the slopes ;d
But if the conditions arent good, dont bother because its so much lower they can get rain and some pretty sticky snow...
But then again for 15 dollars for 7 hours, who really cares ;d


----------

