Taking advantage of the cold weather in Oregon means exciting winter recreation. It means an adrenaline rush filled with snow, ice and powder. It means a mini-vacation for students to go skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing or tubing. Students of any skill level can look forward to hitting the slopes at various ski resorts located near Eugene.
University sophomore Matt Atwood learns to telemark ski at Telefest, an event dedicated to telemark skiing, at Hoodoo Ski Area on Saturday. (Tess Freeman/Oregon Daily Emerald)
Mt. Bachelor @@http://www.mtbachelor.com/winter/index.html@@
Located 151 miles from Eugene, near Bend, Mt. Bachelor is the biggest resort in Oregon — with a summit an impressive 9,065 feet above sea level. It offers six parks, including a half pipe and an events arena. On Jan. 29 it will feature the reggae-rock-dubstep group John Wayne and the Pain. @@http://www.myspace.com/jonwayneandthepain@@Bachelor also holds a Hookey bus for 21-and-up crowd. @@http://www.bergsblog.com/2011/03/08/still-time-to-play-hookey/@@Snacks and alcohol are served on the bus and a continental breakfast is provided at the resort for this particular group.
“It s a real family movement that has a lot of fun together,” said Berg’s Ski and Snowboard Shop owner Dale Berg. “It’s just a very upbeat group of people who enjoy life.”
Lift tickets range from $53-$73 depending on weather conditions. Lifts operate between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. @@http://www.mtbachelor.com/winter/mountain/tickets/lift_tickets@@
Willamette Pass
Willamette Alpine Race Program, located just 67 miles southeast of Eugene via Highway 58, offers students a chance to develop a real love for the white stuff. It offers opportunities to develop skills in skiing and alpine racing. Willamette Pass also features snowboarding, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and tubing with two parks and a half pipe.
Lift tickets are $49 before 4 p.m. and $24 after 4 p.m. @@http://www.willamettepass.com/passport/@@
Hoodoo Ski Bowl@@http://www.hoodoo.com/@@
Located approximately 85 miles east of Eugene via Highway 126, this resort features one of the largest tubing areas in the West, according to hoodoo.com. @@do we really need to cite their site? And yes, I think I’m clever.@@
Day lift tickets are $45 and evening lift tickets are $25, although special rates continue until January 19th. The tubing all-day rate is $25 or $14 for 10 runs. @@http://www.hoodoo.com/@@
Timberline Lodge
Located 161 miles northeast of Eugene via Highway 26, students can enjoy the snow at Timberline, which has just been named No. 8 in Transworld Snowboarding’s Annual Top Ten Terrain Parks list. @@http://snowboarding.transworld.net/1000109663/featuresobf/transworld%E2%80%99s-top-ten-parks/@@It’s also celebrating its 75th anniversary with promotional packages and special events throughout the season. And, to top it off, the Friday Nights Under the Lights @@http://www.timberlinelodge.com/friday-nights-under-the-lights-finale/@@ is back, featuring variously themed designs for night skiing and snowboarding. Previous themes have ranged from pirates to a junkyard.
“People love it,” spokesperson Jon Tullis said. “It’s very, very popular.”@@http://www.timberlinelodge.com/happy-75th-anniversary-to-timberline-lodge/@@
Lift tickets range from $50-58 before 4 p.m. and $24 between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.@@http://www.timberlinelodge.com/rates-info/@@
Mt. Hood Meadows
About 30 minutes east of Timberline off Highway 35, Mt. Hood Meadows offers students and snow aficionados a “big mountain experience on the Northwest’s most diverse and playful terrain” — according to its website, at least. It features six parks including a 500-foot “Super Pipe” and another two seasonal parks. Mt. Hood is also holding three more jam series for the Meadows After Dark Rail Jam Series, @@http://www.skihood.com/Events-and-Teams/Calendar/2012/01/28/Rail-Jam@@which features a live DJ and prizes by sponsors, including skis or snowboards. There is no entry fee.
“The benefit of the jam format is that you are not stuck in one place waiting for you turn,” Mt. Hood Meadows spokesman Dave Ragethon said. “There’s a lot more freedom “
Lift tickets are $74 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and $59 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.@@http://www.skihood.com/The-Mountain/Lift-Tickets@@
Transportation
Though the resorts are located between one and a half and three hours away, transportation is not hard to find. The UO Outdoor Program, located in the EMU, holds trips to the resorts regularly during the season with prices running $10-$15 per person, depending on how many students sign up.
Berg’s Ski and Snowboard Shop, located at 367 W 13th Avenue, also holds trips to certain mountains on a weekly basis with package deals that include transportation and or a lift ticket to certain resorts.
Mt. Bachelor
Day of trip: Saturday.
Depart from Berg’s at 6 a.m.
Depart Bachelor at 4 p.m.
Hookey Bus day of trip is Wednesday
(Call Mt. Bachelor for reservations, 1-800-829-2442)
Depart from Faith Center, 13th and Polk at 6:30 a.m.
Departs Bachelor at 4 p.m.
Willamette Pass
Days of trips are Saturday and Sunday.
Depart from Berg’s at 7 a.m.
Departs from Willamette pass at 4:15 p.m.
Transportation is $16.
Hoodoo
Days of trips are a few times per season. Call Berg’s for more information.
Depart from Berg’s at 6:45 a.m.
Depart from Hoodoo at 4 p.m.
Equipment
Equipment is also available to rent at both the Outdoor Program and Berg’s at decent prices.
Outdoor Program
Snowboard package: $20
Snowshoe package: $10
X-country ski package: $10
Berg’s Ski and Snowboard Shop
Snowboard package: $20
Snowshoes: $7
Cross-country package: $10
Helmet: $3
Interested in going on a trip? Sign up for the Outdoor Program’s email alerts to catch the next bus to a resort. Or sign up a week prior to Berg’ next trip by calling (541) 683-1300.
