The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Hoodoo's summit reaches 5,702 feet, dropping 1,033 vertical feet to a base at 4,669 feet across 36 runs spread over 806 acres near Santiam Pass in the central Oregon Cascades. Terrain splits 42 per cent intermediate, 31 per cent advanced, 19 per cent beginner and 8 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 323 inches. The resort carries Indy Pass affiliation. Twelve lifts, including four quad chairs and three triple chairs, serve the mountain alongside five surface lifts.
Hoodoo sits on a volcanic cinder cone, Hoodoo Butte, within the Willamette National Forest, giving it a distinctly central Oregon character relative to the state's larger Mount Hood resorts. Its comparatively affordable pricing and lack of major crowds have made it a value-focused alternative for skiers travelling from Bend and the surrounding central Oregon communities. The resort's substantial snowfall total, exceeding 320 inches annually, supports reliable conditions through a long winter season.
The ski area was built in 1938 by a group funded by Ed Thurston of Bend, who had originally hoped to develop nearby Three Fingered Jack but could not secure funding for the necessary access road. Following the Second World War, the resort expanded with lodging and chairlifts, including a three-story main lodge built in the late 1940s from surplus wartime structures. In the 1960s, the ski area was purchased by Hoodoo Ski Bowl Developers, Inc., which went on to build the Manzanita chairlift.
In 1999, real estate developer Chuck Shepard of Eugene, through his company Umbrella Properties, acquired Hoodoo Ski Area. Since then, the resort has added the Hodag chairlift, a 60,000-square-foot lodge and the Autobahn Tubing Park, and has replaced its older green and red double chairlifts with quad chairs. Adult daily tickets run from 65 to 75 US dollars, with a season pass at 499 dollars.
1,033ft
Vertical
36
Runs
806 acres
Skiable
27ft
Annual snow
Indy
Pass
The Terrain
36 runs across 806 acres skiable
Hoodoo spreads 36 runs across 806 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 42%, with 7 beginner runs to find your feet and 14 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
36
runs
36 runs across 4 grades
Beginner7 runs · 19%
Intermediate15 runs · 42%
Advanced11 runs · 31%
Expert3 runs · 8%
Time it right
When to visit Hoodoo
The 2025-26 season at Hoodoo ran from 6 December 2025 to 29 March 2026, a roughly sixteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 323 inches, among the higher totals in the Oregon Cascades. This substantial snowfall supports reliable conditions throughout the season without heavy reliance on snowmaking. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season storm activity.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Hoodoo's varied terrain. The resort's value-oriented pricing and central Oregon location draw a strong local following from Bend, Sisters and the surrounding communities, with weekday visits in particular remaining notably quiet compared with the region's larger resorts.
As an Indy Pass resort, Hoodoo draws some visiting skiers holding that multi-resort pass in addition to its core central Oregon base. The Autobahn Tubing Park provides a non-ski option for family visitors throughout the season. Weekly Thursday Special ticket pricing reflects the resort's ongoing effort to draw midweek visitation. School holiday periods bring increased family visitation given the resort's approachable terrain mix.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Chuck Shepard's 1999 purchase, continued investment in lifts and facilities has supported the resort's identity as a modernised yet still affordable central Oregon option. Hoodoo's substantial snowfall total and volcanic cinder cone setting on Hoodoo Butte remain distinguishing features through the season.
Season 2025 - 2026
6 Dec 2025
Opens
29 Mar 2026
Closes
113
Days open
27 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Hoodoo, and where to stay
Hoodoo sits on Hoodoo Butte near the summit of Santiam Pass on US Route 20, within the Willamette National Forest in the central Oregon Cascades, with a base elevation of 4,669 feet and a summit at 5,702 feet across a 1,033-foot vertical drop over 806 acres. This puts the resort roughly midway between the Willamette Valley and central Oregon's high desert.
The town of Sisters, known for its outdoor recreation and mountain-town character, lies within a reasonable drive of the resort, while Bend, central Oregon's largest city, provides more extensive lodging and dining options a further drive away. The Willamette National Forest surrounds the resort, offering additional recreation beyond skiing throughout the year.
US Route 20 runs directly past Hoodoo at the summit of Santiam Pass, providing straightforward access from both the Willamette Valley to the west and central Oregon to the east. Winter driving conditions on Santiam Pass can include snow and ice during storms, and travellers should carry chains during winter weather advisories. There is no direct public transport service to the resort.
Redmond Municipal Airport, serving the Bend and central Oregon area, is the nearest airport with substantial commercial service, roughly an hour's drive from the resort. This gives Hoodoo reasonable accessibility for visitors flying into central Oregon, though most skiers drive from Bend, Sisters or the Willamette Valley rather than flying in specifically for the resort.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Hoodoo, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Aspen Snowmass Marks 80th Anniversary With $3.75 Throwback Lift Tickets
Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.
17 Sept 2026
Doppelmayr Group Posts 9.1% Revenue Growth in 2025/26, Passing 1.3 Billion Euros
Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.
16 Sept 2026
Hintertux Glacier Replaces 40-Year-Old Gondola to Tuxer Fernerhaus
Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.
16 Sept 2026
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Hoodoo Webcams
8 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.
About Hoodoo's live webcams
Check live conditions across Hoodoo with 8 real-time webcams showing snow, weather, and lift operations, updated every 10 minutes. Check high-elevation cams for powder visibility and base-area cams for crowd levels before you head up.
Camera guide
- Base Area4,685ft
- Monitor all the action at Hoodoo ski area through this essential base area webcam positioned at 1428 meters elevation in the Central Oregon Cascades. This Hoodoo live cam captures the main lodge, lift operations, and current snow conditions at this family-friendly mountain. Perfect for assessing crowd levels and weather before making the drive from Salem or Eugene, this Hoodoo web cam provides real-time views of Oregon's most affordable ski destination.
- Top of Manzanita5,030ft
- Experience mid-mountain perspectives through this Hoodoo webcam at the top of Manzanita lift at 1533 meters elevation. This live snow cam reveals conditions across popular intermediate terrain and provides visibility updates for planning your descent. Families use this Hoodoo live cam to check grooming quality and snow coverage on the resort's most popular runs in the Central Oregon Cascades.
- Top of Ed5,348ft
- Discover upper mountain conditions through this Hoodoo webcam positioned at the top of Ed lift at 1630 meters elevation. This Hoodoo live cam captures the resort's more advanced terrain and provides essential snow quality updates. Advanced skiers rely on this live snow cam to monitor conditions on Hoodoo's steeper slopes before tackling Oregon's hidden gem in the Santiam Pass.
- Top of Easy Rider4,724ft
- Watch beginner terrain come alive through this Hoodoo web cam at the top of Easy Rider lift at 1440 meters elevation. This Hoodoo live cam focuses on the resort's gentle learning slopes, perfect for families checking conditions before ski school. New skiers use this live snow cam to assess the welcoming beginner terrain that makes Hoodoo ideal for first-time Oregon powder adventures.
- Hoodoo Summit5,659ft
- Capture breathtaking summit views through this Hoodoo webcam positioned at the peak's 1725-meter elevation. This Hoodoo live cam delivers panoramic perspectives across the Central Oregon Cascades and surrounding wilderness. Essential for assessing visibility and weather patterns, this live snow cam showcases the dramatic alpine scenery that defines Hoodoo ski area's mountaintop experience.
- Hoodoo Parking Lot 14,682ft
- Check parking availability through this Hoodoo webcam monitoring the main lot at 1427 meters elevation. This Hoodoo web cam helps visitors assess arrival timing and parking conditions before making the scenic drive up Highway 20. Families planning weekend trips use this live snow cam to gauge crowd levels at this budget-friendly Oregon ski destination.
- Hayrick Butte & Gripper Run from Top of Ed Chair5,348ft
- Experience Hoodoo's signature terrain through this webcam capturing Hayrick Butte and the Gripper run from the top of Ed Chair at 1630 meters. This Hoodoo live cam reveals conditions on the resort's most challenging terrain and iconic natural features. Advanced riders use this Hoodoo web cam to assess snow coverage on these expert runs before exploring Central Oregon's steepest in-bounds skiing.
- Hoodoo Parking Lot View #24,682ft
- Monitor parking lot activity from a different angle through this Hoodoo live cam at 1427 meters elevation. This alternate view provides additional perspective on arrival patterns and lot capacity. Weekend warriors use this Hoodoo webcam to time their approach to Oregon's most family-friendly ski area in the Santiam Pass.
Hoodoo snow cams FAQ
How often do Hoodoo snow cams update?
All Hoodoo snow cams and webcams update every 10 minutes with fresh images showing current mountain conditions. This frequent update schedule ensures you have access to near real-time conditions for planning your ski day at Hoodoo.
Which Hoodoo webcam shows the best powder conditions?
The high-elevation Hoodoo Summit webcam at 1,725m provides the clearest view of powder conditions and snowfall. These Hoodoo webcams capture fresh snow accumulation and visibility better than base area cameras.
Can I see Hoodoo lift queues on the webcams?
Yes. Multiple Hoodoo snow cams specifically show lift queue areas and chairlift operations, helping you time your arrival and avoid peak queue periods.
When is the best time to check Hoodoo snow cams?
Check Hoodoo webcams early morning (7-8am) for overnight snowfall assessment, and mid-afternoon for current crowd levels and weather. The live cams are most useful after storm events to assess fresh powder.
How can I check current conditions before buying Hoodoo lift tickets?
Use our Hoodoo webcams alongside the live snow report to assess conditions before purchasing lift tickets. The webcams show real-time visibility, snow quality, and operational status.
Do Hoodoo webcams work on mobile devices?
Yes. All Hoodoo snow cams and webcams are optimized for mobile viewing, so you can check live conditions from anywhere using your phone or tablet.
More Hoodoo intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.