[/caption] Mt. Hood ski bowl is still using the old style chair lifts that look like they belong somewhere in the Swiss Alps and they make for some great photos. I could almost pass this photo off as a ski resort in the mountains of Europe but it’s actually located in Government Camp, OR. Mt. Hood Ski Bowl doesn’t offer any gondolas or high speed quads but they do offer you the opportunity to think back to how the original ski lifts used to operate. The wooded structures that run the chair lifts are a great example of the old days and they allow you to get some great pictures. I took this photo last month and on a day that the resort wasn’t opened. This allowed me to snow-shoe and wonder through the area without having to dodge skiers or snow-boarders. I was using my Canon T1i and my Sigma 17-70mm lens. I noticed the backdrop of this shot so I tried to make it look as though the mountain behind the structure was several hundred feet above it. The blue sky added a dramatic scene as well as the snow covered trees and rock outcropping.
Tag Archives: snow-shoeing in the Cascade mountains
Mt. Hood, OR
[/caption] If you’re looking for an opportunity to view Mt. Hood while perched on a steep slope with forested trees vying for space, you will want to follow the snow shoe/x-country trails that take you along the White River West trail. Winter is the best time to visit since you are almost guaranteed to find yourself trudging through several feet of fresh powder. If you decide to go all the way to the top you will enjoy one of the most grueling days of your life. Not only is it steep but you have to navigate through the trees and the snow can be very deep. The top of the climb takes you smack in the middle of Timberline lodge on your left and the tallest chairlift at Mt. Hood Meadows on the right. There are several crevasses separating you from either of the two ski parks. The climb ends at about 6,500 feet and by the time your at the top, you’ve climbed close to 2,300 feet in elevation gain. You have a great view of Mt. Jefferson and the Three Sisters in the south and the overall view is pretty spectacular.