Be Prepared for Winter Conditions!

A snowy day at Meadows can be epic, but don't let those dreams of chasing powder prevent you from getting to the mountain safely. When the powder's piling up at the mountain, it also means you'll probably be driving on snowpacked, icy and sometimes hazardous road conditions. Be prepared for it and make the drive smoother for you and everyone else headed to the mountain for the freshies. We want to encourage our guests to ride safely, and that starts on the drive to the mountain!

Winter Driving Tips

Here are some winter driving tips to help you drive safely:

• Reduce your speed
• Allow longer braking distance
• Do all braking with vehicle straight, before a corner
• Use smooth inputs to the steering wheel, brake, and gas pedal
• Do not over-estimate the capabilities of four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles
• If your vehicle skids, do not slam on the brakes. Look and steer in the direction you want the vehicle to go, rather than at the object you are trying to avoid

Suggestions to keep traffic moving!

Here are some great suggestions for how we can all contribute to keeping traffic moving on the big powder days:

• Make sure that you and your vehicle are well prepared for mountain weather: wipers clean and in good condition, windshield washer tank full with de-icer/cleaner, battery charged, battery cables tight and in good condition, complete auto safety kit in your vehicle, heater/defroster working correctly
• Make sure you have traction devices in your vehicle and know how to use them, and/or have traction tires. Use the designated areas to put your traction devices on in advance as opposed to waiting until you spin out and clog traffic for everyone else
• Check the road conditions before you leave. For current road condition information in Oregon, call 511 or 800.977.ODOT (6368). Reports are available 24 hours/day. Visit www.TripCheck.com for information on road and weather conditions, incidents and traffic delays
• Consider car pooling with an experienced driver in a rig prepared for winter driving. Fill up that SUV and keep other, less prepared for winter vehicles off the road
• Ride a bus! Columbia Area Transit (CAT) is running buses from Hood River. A pass is needed and reservations must be made in advance online.Get more details here
• Maintain good distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. This will give you more room to brake and maneuver, and help save your windshield from rock dings and cracks
• Purchase a Sno-Park permit in advance or in the parking lot when you arrive at Meadows. The cost is $5 for the day or $30 for the season
• On peak days, take Highway 35 North through Hood River, and I-84 back to Portland. Avoid the traffic jam that can occur between MHM and Government Camp

We'll continue to use our website, snow phones, Concierge Desk and truck-mounted digital reader boards at MHM to help provide current travel and parking status information to our guests before and upon arrival to the MHM parking lot access roads and upon departure. Thanks for driving safely!