Mt. Hood Skibowl
Solid, no-frills resort with affordable lift tickets and the best night skiing
Photos courtesy of Mt. Hood Skibowl
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl
OVERVIEW
The most affordable lift tickets and best night skiing in the area. Great terrain for all levels, but with a smaller footprint and underwhelming amenities.
ADDRESS
87000 US-26
Government Camp, OR 97028
20 minutes from Mt. Hood Alpine Chalet
FIELD NOTES + INSIDER TIPS
1,500’ Vertical | ~300” Snowfall | 960 Acres | 69 Runs | 4 Lifts
Welcome to Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, etched into the record books as “America’s Largest Night Ski Area.” The resort’s name is a bit misleading though, because Ski Bowl sits on a separate, lower mountain just southwest of Mount Hood. At 3,600 feet elevation, it’s plagued by more rainy days and a shorter ski season – generally running from late December to early April. But, its unique location also comes with some big perks.
One is having the closest runs to Portland, Oregon. Ski Bowl also claims to offer the most black diamond runs in the state (fact check, please). No matter how you spin it, it does boast extended hours and fantastic terrain that together provide a lot of time and space for making memories.
Local lore documents Norwegian ski jumpers cutting the first tracks here in 1928. No lifts, no turns, no helmets, no fear. Mt. Hood Ski Bowl has come a long way since, but still lacks some modern amenities found at Timberline and Mt. Hood Meadows. With that, you get the best bang for your buck on lift tickets and other sundries.
Did we mention the electric atmosphere? More than half of its runs are lit, covering roughly two-thirds of the skiable acreage. Ask any local, and they’ll tell you that Mt. Hood Ski Bowl is the place to be for a late day lift. Ski Magazine concurs. One has seemingly endless hours to hit a good deal (pun intended) of its terrain.
Like many Portland area teens, my buddies and I would often escape here after class to catch laps late into the night. As long as Ski Bowl has existed, it has provided a no frills outlet that attracts locals like moths to its lights–all of us looking for a quick, affordable fix.
Ski Terrain + Trails
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl offers advanced bowl terrain day and night. This doesn’t include Ski Bowl’s most challenging runs though. These reside in the unlit 300-acre Outback area. Looking for something less aggressive? It also gets good marks with families because of the accessibility of beginner options off every lift and its longtime ski school and youth clubs.
Route to Easy Street: Multorpor and Lower Bowl offer fun beginner runs, but the latter can get crowded. If so, escape by taking Arts Corner. From here, double back around the Historic Warming Hut and keep your speed up to link into Low Road. Ride on until you see the second lift, which is Multopor. Catch a ride up and stay skiers right to hit undulating, less-traveled beginner and intermediate runs like Broadway and Easy Street.
A Traversing Trail: Ski Bowl’s longest run is worth a ride for a family that can take a few sharp turns and dips. At three miles, the Skyline Trail weaves you around the area’s west side and can even link into Low Road for more distance. Throughout, you’ll find a decent percentage of mellow terrain with great views and lots of light for those riding at night.
Lit Adventure: Upper Bowl is generously lit at night, and thanks to Ski Bowl’s trusty winch cats, many of these exhilarating runs are also groomed. Routes get skied off quickly though, so lock in your line on the way up. If it’s a clear day, you’ll also get an amazing view of Mount Hood from the top. Take a second to enjoy it, because you’ll need a breath before heading down aptly named runs like Radical, Accelerator and Cannonball.
Hidden Stashes: Come on a weekend day near a powder dump and you’ve hit the jackpot. Head to The Outback! This series of expert runs features technical cliffs, spaced trees and steep chutes that earned the title of “best terrain on Hood” from Powder Magazine. Grab a buddy and head right off Upper Bowl to traverse toward the western boundary. You’ll quickly realize you’ve entered another dimension. Just note, the Log Road at the bottom is a flat cat track, so boarders should keep their speed up.
Attractions
Ski Bowl brings more of a county fair brand of fun and food to the mountain. Strobe lights, lasers and other fancy flair make for some one-of-a-kind family outings, but the gas station nachos and frozen french fries leave a lot to be desired for our foodie fam. Thankfully we don’t mind packing a lunch, and that gives you even more time to hit all of the sites and slopes Ski Bowl offers.
Cosmic Tubing: Skiing under lights? Been there. How about tubing under the night sky? Now add 600,000 LEDs, a laser show, and party music. It's an unforgettable adventure you'll cherish for years. This popular winter extravaganza packs 8 lanes of cosmic tubing excitement and sends you back for more on a "magic carpet" lift. Hurry, weekend slots vanish fast. Tickets grant access to even more winter wonder, so make it your cosmic playground in 2023 for $39.
Historic Warming Hut: A 1937 Forest Service project, this rustic space still features original wood beams and thick timber walls. The hut is perched strategically between the upper and lower bowls to offer skiers respite from the cold. Today, the tradition continues on the weekend, when the lights turn on and staff doles out German sausages, warm soups, cold beer, and decent wines. Pull open the wood door and feel its immense, crackling fireplace inviting you in to add to the many stories these walls could tell.
70 Meters Bar & Grill: If you’re done for the day, there are better places to eat in Government Camp. But 70 Meters is a suitable place for grabbing a bite between runs. Nestled on the second floor of Multorpor Lodge, you can find epic views of Mt. Hood and the nearby slopes outside its A-frame windows. The menu satisfies all tastes with hearty burgers and specialties. They pour four local microbrews at the full bar and always have a fire blazing. The name is a nod to the 70-meter jump hill that once sat behind the lodge and launched this ski area into existence.
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl Summer Adventure Park: Ski Bowl transforms in the summer. Beyond the typical swap to 40+ miles of mountain biking, they also operate an adventure park perfect for families. Really, any thrill-seeker can find their fun in the mix of indy karts, alpine slides, aerial courses, zip-lining and bungee jumping. For the kids, they have an entire play zone with a carousel, kiddy karts, batting cages, frisbee golf, and the always popular putt putt. If you want to see how we conquered this chaos, we’ll report back soon.
No matter where you go, you’ll find Ski Bowl harkens back to the old school, before rocker and camber were a thing and before heat-mold liners and step on bindings. Sure, that means it has fewer creature comforts, but you will find die-hard locals who keep coming back for Ski Bowl’s approachable ethos, affordable passes, lit nights and diverse terrain.
So check the weekend conditions and, if the powder Gods deliver, see what secret stashes you can find. You’ll have all day and all night to hunt. Then, you and your crew can relive the memories while sitting under the moon, chatting around the firepit, looking up at this modest mountain from the base of Lower Bowl. Or, even better, while soaking in the hot tub at Mt. Hood Alpine Chalet.
