New to Portland. What mountain is the best?

Yung_Gnarley

Yung_Gnarley

Active member
Hey yall

My gf and I just moved to Portland from Bozeman and I am looking to get a season pass next year (fingers crossed for normalness). I have skied T-Line in the summer and the park is obviously good, but I haven't been to Ski Bowl or Meadows. Looks like I have to choose between the T-Line/Ski Bowl combo pass or Meadows. I work 9-5 so night skiing is probably gonna happen but probably some weekends too; looks like Ski Bowl has really sick night skiing. I love skiing everywhere; not too worried about the park quality if there's good mountain to ride. Where do my Portland on here ride?

Thanks!

- Jack
 
Meadows has the best terrain on Hood, Skibowl has some cliffs but most landings are flat and Tline is super boring minus when the palmer or mile is open, which is pretty rare during the majority of the winter. As far as parks go, TLine does a good job in the springs but lacks during the winter and early season. Meadows usually has a pretty solid park but they build everything as if its a slopestyle course via 2004, so you have to take the good with the bad (The lawyer that deals with Meadows sucks ass and limits everything, so don't except that to change). The bowl has a rope tow with some janky but fun rails and would be perfect for you after work.In addition, they have over 1000 acres open at night (bring a headlamp, their lights are not the most powerful). DM with any other questions or comments.
 
Recently Meadows parks have been getting better every year and I would say they are pretty damn solid and even kind of creative these days. Meadows without a doubt has the most terrain and it's pretty good. But upper bowl at skibowl is super fukn fun if they have snow. Skibowl is a smaller resort so there's not as much, and it's much lower on the mountain so sometimes they don't get snow. I love skibowl. I wouldn't bother with timberline until they put out a spring pass, it's too flat for heart of winter ripping. There are a few good steep tree runs, but there's just better terrain at Meadows. Night skiing is fun at Meadows and super fun at skibowl.
 
14161397:rudolph said:
Meadows has the best terrain on Hood, Skibowl has some cliffs but most landings are flat and Tline is super boring minus when the palmer or mile is open, which is pretty rare during the majority of the winter. As far as parks go, TLine does a good job in the springs but lacks during the winter and early season. Meadows usually has a pretty solid park but they build everything as if its a slopestyle course via 2004, so you have to take the good with the bad (The lawyer that deals with Meadows sucks ass and limits everything, so don't except that to change). The bowl has a rope tow with some janky but fun rails and would be perfect for you after work.In addition, they have over 1000 acres open at night (bring a headlamp, their lights are not the most powerful). DM with any other questions or comments.
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Rudolph sums Mt. Hood up perfectly here. I'll add that skibowl has some fun terrain but slow lifts and since it is lower elevation, rarely has good snow. Skibowl is only open nights Monday/Tuesday, so when the stars align, you can great pow laps starting at 3pm.

Meadows weekend crowds suck, but if you can get there midweek, it's great--no lift lines, have the mountain almost to yourself

**This post was edited on Aug 4th 2020 at 4:42:02pm
 
It's probably too far to warrant a season pass, but I'd highly recommend taking some trips to bachelor. By far the most terrain in oregon, super fun playful terrain and a few big cliffs off summit, and imo the parks are better than timberline
 
Skibowl is slept on. Pow takes forever to get tracked out there because the crowds are minimal. Upperbowl on a pow day is like a big mtn tope tow with various cliff options the whole way down. There are numerous hike zones and lines in outback that people don’t know about. The rope tow is sick and open late. The vibe is more local and less corporate. Downside of Skibowl is the risk of a low snow year. Meadows is sick too and bigger but overcrowded if you are a weekend warrior. Night skiing is good but doesn’t compare to duh Bowl.
 
When I was in college in Portland I got to ski at meadows and a little late summer skiing up at timberline. They’re both pretty sick, but I would recommend going to meadows.
 
14161915:JAHn said:
Skibowl is slept on. Pow takes forever to get tracked out there because the crowds are minimal. Upperbowl on a pow day is like a big mtn tope tow with various cliff options the whole way down. There are numerous hike zones and lines in outback that people don’t know about. The rope tow is sick and open late. The vibe is more local and less corporate. Downside of Skibowl is the risk of a low snow year. Meadows is sick too and bigger but overcrowded if you are a weekend warrior. Night skiing is good but doesn’t compare to duh Bowl.
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HMU and let's rip the bowl this winter
 
Lots of good responses here. I moved to Portland 2 years ago and worked in Govy this summer, I definitely had the same question when I first moved.

I agree with everyone on Skibowl being super underrated. It’s much less cooperate, pretty affordable and has a rope tow open until 10-11pm depending on the day. If the snow is good Skibowl can have some of the most fun terrain IMO, hits that range from small to big, beginner to expert.

As Rudolph and others said, the park features can be janky but the rope makes up for it. Lots of good snowboarders at Skibowl who have really nice style and they are mostly all pretty nice guys.

Downside to Skibowl is that their season doesn’t usually start until late December/early January due to the lower elevation.

I would take advantage of the early pass prices and buy the night pass for $179. It will be worth it.

I also bought the Meadows pass the last 2 years as many of my homies ski Meadows. I would recommend the Meadows pass as they open a good month earlier than Skibowl. Meadows has good terrain and pretty good parks all season. You will definitely meet a lot of homies and have some good days riding with big groups.

In the end, Meadows pass, Skibowl night pass, and Timberline spring pass is the best combo. Depending on your age that will go...

Meadows All-Access pass: $430

Skibowl night pass: $179

Timberline spring pass (not totally necessary, Meadows ski season goes until first week of May usually, Timberline goes through June 1st and the spring pass is cheap so I’d do it): $150

Total: $760 for a 7 month ski season.

Make it a 11 month lift-serviced ski season for another $900 but that’s a whole different story.
 
14162475:Skibumsmith said:
Why’d you leave Bozeman for Portland?
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I hear the government is hiring a bunch of drivers for some type of government van pickup service in the Portland area. Sounds like a great paying gig.
 
14162484:50Kal said:
I hear the government is hiring a bunch of drivers for some type of government van pickup service in the Portland area. Sounds like a great paying gig.
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I don’t know why some people don’t get what we’re trying to do. We’re actually offering relocation services and transportation to shelters for the cities homeless.
 
14161915:JAHn said:
Skibowl is slept on. Pow takes forever to get tracked out there because the crowds are minimal. Upperbowl on a pow day is like a big mtn tope tow with various cliff options the whole way down. There are numerous hike zones and lines in outback that people don’t know about. The rope tow is sick and open late. The vibe is more local and less corporate. Downside of Skibowl is the risk of a low snow year. Meadows is sick too and bigger but overcrowded if you are a weekend warrior. Night skiing is good but doesn’t compare to duh Bowl.
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Go bowl!!!
 
14162475:Skibumsmith said:
Why’d you leave Bozeman for Portland?
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I moved to Bozeman 10 years ago and fell in love with it. Last couple of years though has seen a big surge in development and poor city planning/road maintenance. Could barely drive anywhere! Also wages there are a joke and the "big mountain fly fishing hunting cool guy with a 2021 Tundra" guys were getting to me. It seems you either are a rich mountain bro or you're a broke line cook. No diversity so the food sucks minus mexican food, international tourism bringing droves of Covid-19 to our small town, and the antiquated marijuana laws.

Portland is chill. People of all incomes (not just rich and poor), from all over the world, and with a gov that isn't trying to arrest me for smoking spliffs. So yeah, Bozeman is going through a tough growth period but I love MT and Bozeman :)
 
14162474:ScootSkiLyfe said:
Lots of good responses here. I moved to Portland 2 years ago and worked in Govy this summer, I definitely had the same question when I first moved.

I agree with everyone on Skibowl being super underrated. It’s much less cooperate, pretty affordable and has a rope tow open until 10-11pm depending on the day. If the snow is good Skibowl can have some of the most fun terrain IMO, hits that range from small to big, beginner to expert.

As Rudolph and others said, the park features can be janky but the rope makes up for it. Lots of good snowboarders at Skibowl who have really nice style and they are mostly all pretty nice guys.

Downside to Skibowl is that their season doesn’t usually start until late December/early January due to the lower elevation.

I would take advantage of the early pass prices and buy the night pass for $179. It will be worth it.

I also bought the Meadows pass the last 2 years as many of my homies ski Meadows. I would recommend the Meadows pass as they open a good month earlier than Skibowl. Meadows has good terrain and pretty good parks all season. You will definitely meet a lot of homies and have some good days riding with big groups.

In the end, Meadows pass, Skibowl night pass, and Timberline spring pass is the best combo. Depending on your age that will go...

Meadows All-Access pass: $430

Skibowl night pass: $179

Timberline spring pass (not totally necessary, Meadows ski season goes until first week of May usually, Timberline goes through June 1st and the spring pass is cheap so I’d do it): $150

Total: $760 for a 7 month ski season.

Make it a 11 month lift-serviced ski season for another $900 but that’s a whole different story.
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Thanks to you and everyone! I'm liking the look of that combo you proposed. Most skiing for me will prob be 5 pm - close at SkiBowl but my GF and I will be at Meadows on Fri-Sun if she is free to. Would getting the fusion pass not be a good move? I figured I could ski T-Line leading up to SkiBowl opening or are they slow to open in the fall too? Hope we can ski together too ya'll! I'm an old 28 year old from MT but can still keep up!
 
14162760:Yung_Gnarley said:
Thanks to you and everyone! I'm liking the look of that combo you proposed. Most skiing for me will prob be 5 pm - close at SkiBowl but my GF and I will be at Meadows on Fri-Sun if she is free to. Would getting the fusion pass not be a good move? I figured I could ski T-Line leading up to SkiBowl opening or are they slow to open in the fall too? Hope we can ski together too ya'll! I'm an old 28 year old from MT but can still keep up!
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Fusion pass is totally a good idea for a lot of us and I do it every year. Timberline is usually first to open in the fall also last to close in May so it will give you the most total days. HMU if you want to take some laps
 
14162815:OregonDead said:
Fusion pass is totally a good idea for a lot of us and I do it every year. Timberline is usually first to open in the fall also last to close in May so it will give you the most total days. HMU if you want to take some laps
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Yeah!! I'll dm folks come ski time (fingers crossed!)
 
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