A powerful series of winter storm cycles has transformed Mount Hood into a winter wonderland, with over 10 feet of snow at 6,000 feet and three more feet potentially on the way this weekend.

The base depth at 5880 feet was 126 inches or 10 and a half feet as of Friday, February 22, according to the sensors of the Northwest Avalanche Control Center. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch Alert predicting snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches tonight and “additional accumulations of up to 3 feet.. late Saturday through Monday.”

The skiing and snowboarding on Mount Hood this February have been exceptionally good. Strong winds have created some tricky snow conditions in spots, but in the protected areas the snow is still plenty soft and deep. Here’s what happened when I stuck my ski pole into the snow in Heather Woods Thursday.

Large crowds are expected through the weekend, so remember to leave early and carpool. As always, beware those rear-wheel-drive flatlanders with bad tires and dull instincts.

And… please enjoy…

Last modified: February 22, 2019