A few words on the Snow at Mt. Hood SkiBowl

Mt. Hood Ski Bowl has no detail snow data, so we estimate 350 inches snowfall, less than nearby Hood Meadows and Timberline due to its much lower altitude range. The key risk to snow conditions is not drought but rain. This is a minor issue for the locals, who can sit out the wet weather and wait to ski the next week’s dump. It does, however, make planning a big trip involving air travel here more of a gamble. In terms of quality, storms at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl can bring the cold stuff that makes for beautiful turns, or just as often, they can douse you with warmer snow that you weigh by the pound instead of measuring by the inch. Be prepared with the fattest, most rockered skis you can get for the latter conditions.

With its ample snowfalls, Mt. Hood Ski Bowl is often well covered by mid-December and rates to be in full operation by Christmas most of the time. Mt. Hood Ski Bowl is the lowest ski area in Oregon and thus the most rain sensitive. The low altitude is also not optimal for snow preservation though most exposure is north. Mt. Hood Ski Bowl is best skied midwinter or immediately after fresh snowfalls..