Prepare yourself for the biggest storm of the season. It started snowing Friday afternoon, accumulating 13inches of new snow in less than 24 hours, and the forecast has snow every day through next Friday. And it’s cold – the temps are dipping down into the lower teens making for some awesome powder conditions.
And if the forecast amounts from Sunday night through Tuesday are accurate, we are going to be buried with wonderful powder! Two-and-half to four FEET of snow is forecast during that time frame. Thanks El Nino!
So prepare yourself for the fun plunging through pristine powder presents, but also be aware of the dangers of deep snow immersion. When chasing powder you should always:
- Ride with a buddy and keep each other in sight
- Avoid tree wells – they can become traps
- Observe and obey boundary lines and closures
- Equip yourself with a beacon, shovel and probe when riding gated access advanced terrain.
Here’s a link to a deep powder blog from last season.
Here’s a couple of links you should bookmark as you plan your trip and head to the mountain. Our conditions page has all the information you need to prepare yourself for a great day. And TripCheck will give you current traffic conditions, any delays due to accidents or closures along with a network of ODOT cams along the route.
Conditions | TripCheck
Make it easy on yourself – you can take the free shuttle from the Hood River event site on Saturdays and Sundays (and President’s Monday) in February, or reserve a Park&Ride seat from Portland on weekends and holidays. Sea to Summit mountain shuttle runs daily from Portland. And you can also Ride Share with DriveLessConnect.com. These are all great ways to get to the mountain, especially when these awesome powder conditions will most likely fill out lots on weekends.
And the best part of a storm cycle like this is the free refills throughout the day and into the evening. You can avoid the morning crunch, arrive in the early afternoon and get a full six hours powder riding from 3 – 9 PM (except Mondays and Tuesdays when lifts close at 4 PM.) By the way - President's Monday, February 18 lifts run until 9 PM and you can purchase a special $20 3 - 9 PM ticket online!
Now that’s how to make the most of this delightful powder!