Fireworks at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, courtesy of MtHoodTerritory.com
It’s beginning to look a lot like winter — especially when you take a peek at the peak of Mount Hood on Portland’s horizon. Just a 90-minute drive from the downtown, the mountain sits right in the city’s backyard and makes for a heck of a winter playground. In fact, there are a number of different ways to enjoy Mount Hood’s wonderland of snow.
For skiing and snowboarding, Mount Hood Meadows, Mt. Hood Ski Bowl and Timberline can’t be beat. Meadows, with 11 lifts, 85 runs and a three-mile stretch of uninterrupted downhill, has a trail for every level of skier. Ski Bowl, with the largest night ski area in the country, keeps snow-hungry riders shushing for hours. And Timberline, a national historic landmark, is as popular for its relaxing lodge as for its runs. (more…)
To me, the ultimate Oregon vacation combines amazing food and drink with outdoor exploration in this spectacular natural wonderland. Our Travel Portland team had the chance to guide the editor of Washington Flyer magazine on such an experience last May, and he made this great video to share what he found. It’s that time of year again, and you could plan this itinerary too — biking around Portland, whitewater rafting on the Clackamas, dining in the city and waking up on Mount Hood — what a trip!
A couple of weeks ago, I had a perfect day. I joined an all-day snowshoe tour with Pedal Bike Tours, which took us from downtown Portland up to Timberline for about an hour of downhill snowshoeing through some gorgeous and varied terrain, followed by a ski-lift ride up the mountain (what a view!), and a lavish lunch in the Cascade Dining Room at Timberline Lodge (freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and caramel ice cream!). The sky was bright blue and the air was about 40 degrees. It was amazing and the best part: I didn’t have to worry about, or pack, a thing — the tour took care of the drive, the snowshoes and lunch. It was fabulous.
The group with Todd from Pedal Bike Tours and Timberline Lodge in the background
Timberline Lodge is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, which makes it an excellent time to visit this national landmark. If you want to stay over (highly recommended), Timberline’s offering a lodging deal for $75 for a second night’s stay in a queen room.
With a new year upon us, most people take stock of what they’d like to accomplish in the next year – everything from exercising more, losing weight and breaking bad habits. However, I’m focusing on my Portland New Years’ resolutions – to explore more of the city, and its surrounding adventure, in the next year. Here are a few items on my annual “bucket list”:
Fertile Ground Festival: This 10-day festival of new works features plays, including “(I Am Still) The Duchess of Malfi” at Artists Repertory Theatre, as well as dance performances, staged readings and a compilation of short films.
Belly dance classes: Yes, I’m joining thousands of other Portlanders who take continuing education classes through Portland Community College. I’ll be learning new things and trying to NOT trip over my two left feet!
Spend a night (or two) at Timberline Lodge. Who knows, I may even add “skiing lessons” to my list!
All year down in Portland we look up at Mount Hood’s beautiful snowy peak. In the wintertime it’s at its brightest, covered in a blanket of powder. Of course there’s skiing and snowboarding for all of you speed demons, but snowshoeing is such a peaceful way to spend time with friends on the mountain with minimal gear, and not very much cost. You can rent snowshoes in Portland at the Mountain Shop for $10 for two days, if you’re an adventurer who wants to explore on your own. Pedal Bike Tours has recently started to up the ante with their snowshoe tours that leave from downtown Portland for a day on the mountain, including a decadent lunch at Timberline Lodge.
Whether you visit Mount Hood on your own or with a group, stopping at Timberline for a warm beverage is a must. The historic landmark is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2012. In celebration, they’re offering a deal of $75 for a second night’s stay in a queen room from January to May.
That mountain is a lot closer than it looks. With Portland Bicycle Tours’ new shuttle service, you and a mountain bike can be up on Mount Hood’s west side in just 90 minutes. There the Sandy Ridge Trail System awaits with its spectacular views — and 15 miles of single track trails.
Even closer to town — in fact, in town — Pedal Bike Tours now offers a ride through Portland’s Forest Park, the largest forested park in within city limits in the U.S. Take their shuttle service to the top of the park and ride down in the cool of the canopy for 11 miles. Not sweaty enough? Ride back up!
Here’s one of Wieden + Kennedy’s terrific new TV spots for Travel Oregon, our friends charged with attracting visitors to the state.
With a smoothness reminiscent of W+K’s popular Old Spice Guy, the ad moves effortlessly from Mount Hood to the coast, with a lunch stop in Portland in between.
Speaking of Portland lunches (and dinners): Check out Travel Oregon’s Webby Award-nominated food and drink website, food.traveloregon.com. Of particular interest: The location-aware mobile version, created by Portland firm Substance, connects you to nearby dining options while you’re exploring Portland and beyond. (Gotta stay fed, you know, for all of those outdoor — and urban — adventures.)
When you’re driving up to a mountain, seeing its bright peak pop up in the distance is one of the most exhilarating feelings. Anticipating what you’ll find there is part of the fun, because a winter-white landscape can be so refreshing to the body and spirit during the grayest part of the year. Whether you are someone who feels the need for speed — downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling or sledding – or prefer the peace of quiet forest trails and cozy lodges, Mount Hood has a world of fun waiting only about an hour and a half from Portland. (more…)
Some skiers prefer bars, but in Portland, we power up with Voodoo Doughnuts. (Photo by Kimberly M. Lawson via Flickr)
All energized by a New Year’s Eve trip to Mount Bachelor, I returned to Portland psyched to hit the slopes of Mount Hood. Now that the mountain’s got a good layer of snow, my only dilemma is transportation. I’m a non-driving Portlander. I commute to work by public transit, ride my bike all over in the summer, and take in my urban surroundings on foot. So, it’s just my luck (and yours) that this season, TWO companies kicked off new Mount Hood shuttle routes. (more…)
Having spent many years in the frigid tundra commonly known as Montana, I know a thing or two about life after daylight savings time — mostly that it gets cold and it’s dark when I wake up AND go to bed. More importantly, it’s also when I start doing deep-knee squats in preparation for the ski season that typically begins around Thanksgiving weekend.
Here in Portland, winter means a touch of “liquid sunshine” — and I’ve learned that if it’s raining here, it’s usually snowing on nearby Mount Hood. This year has been no exception — except for the fact that record snow last week has lead to one of the earliest openings in decades. (more…)
All year down in Portland we look up at Mount Hood’s beautiful snowy peak. In the wintertime it’s at its brightest, covered in a blanket of powder. Of course there’s skiing and snowboarding for all of you speed demons, but snowshoeing is such a peaceful way to spend time with friends on the mountain with minimal gear, and not very much cost. You can rent snowshoes in Portland at the 
