Sample the 37.6-mile Timberline Trail that circles Mt. Hood, starting with a short section from the mountain's historic 1937 lodge.
About the Hike: From Mt. Hood's Timberline Lodge, three particularly tempting goals await hikers. Short trail climb to the Silcox Hut and visit the Zigzag Canyon overlook. Plan a longer day hike or a backpack for the trek to Paradise Park's spectacular wildflower meadows.
Terrain: 8,540-foot top elevation, 3,590-foot vertical drop
Lifts: six chairlifts: 4 quads, 1 triple, 1 double
Nordic: Telemark skiing on downhill trails; no cross-country trails.
Highlights: Timberline Lodge, Oregon's only slope-side lodging, is a national historic landmark that draws skiers from around the world. Timberline is open year round - the longest ski season in North America - and serves as the summer training site for the US Ski Team.
Timberline Lodge, OR | 503.622.7979
When I was 8 years old my aunt and uncle took me to Hoodoo and introduced me to the great sport of skiing. I've been under its spell ever since. In the succeeding winters, I spent as much time and money as I could afford enjoying the pleasures of Oregon mountains and snow.
Today, years later I must add, snowsport enthusiasts no longer comprise just Alpine schussers, but Nordic cross-country devotees, snowboard fanatics, snowshoe adventurers, winter campers and just about anyone else who revels in the pleasures of the winter wonderland.
