| Week of July 31-August 6, 1997 |
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Summer ski trips near Portland, Oregon Question: I’m going to Oregon and Washington in August. Is there a place to ski at this time in the Mount Hood or Mount Adams area? I’ve heard they have year-round skiing. How good is it? Erwin Petschauer ϳԹ Adviser: Timberline Ski Area, about a 60-mile drive east of Portland, boasts the longest ski season in the United States. This year it will close for the season September 7 and will reopen a brief three weeks later (snow pending, of course). Snow conditions continually change, but as of July 27 the report was 59 degrees, no wind, and 400-plus inches of snow on Palmer Snowfield. Keep in mind, however, that though the morning snow is meticulously groomed, it’s reduced to ball-bearing consistency later in the day — the kind of snow that will give you asphalt-like road rash if you wipe out. Also, there are only two areas of the mountain that are open in the summer: Palmer Snowfield, which is broken into lanes and dominated by snowboard and ski-training camps, and Magic Mile, a 1-mile run that drops 1,500 vertical feet — perfect for intermediate cruising. You’d think summer skiing would mean bargain lift tickets, but it still breaks the $30 barrier, which — according to my pocketbook — hurts. Plus the mountain is only open from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in order to stretch the season as long as possible. But if you’ve really got those summertime ski blues, call Timberline Lodge (503-272-3311) at the base of the |
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