Hoodoo
806 acres, 36 runs at Santiam Pass. Affordable central Oregon skiing near Sisters, Indy Pass access.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
27 Nov 2026
Closes
28 Mar 2027
Days open
121
Annual snow
27ft
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 is a central Oregon ski area on Santiam Pass in the Cascades, covering 806 acres (326 hectares) with 36 runs. The summit is 5,700 feet (1,738 m) and the vertical 1,030 feet (315 m), from a base at 4,670 feet. Terrain is 42% intermediate, 31% advanced, 19% beginner and 8% expert. Quad and triple chairs plus a set of surface lifts serve the hill, and snowfall averages roughly 323 inches a year. The area is also known for night skiing and a large tubing park, which makes it as much a family day out as a place to chase vertical.
The Green lift, a fixed-grip quad, serves the whole hill and reaches all 806 acres. A separate beginner area is served by Easy Rider and is isolated from the rest of the terrain, the Hodag lift opens the backside, and the Manzanita triple serves the bowl, the terrain park and night skiing. About 23 runs are lit for night skiing, and the Autobahn Tubing Park has 800-foot lanes. Hoodoo suits skiers from the Willamette Valley and Bend wanting a day or evening on snow, and its mid-range terrain suits families and intermediates best.
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 2026 - 2027
27 Nov 2026
Opens
28 Mar 2027
Closes
121
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
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Hoodoo Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 14 Oct 2026
5,702ft
summit
+0in
new snow · last 24 hours
Clear39°F / 58°F · E 10mph
Snowfall
24 hours
0in
48 hours
0in
7 days
0in
Base depth
0in
Season total
0in
Total lifts12
Live open status isn’t available right now.
27 Nov 2026 - 28 Mar 2027
Hour by Hour
Next 37 hours· Updated Oct 14, 2026 at 7:02 AM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
5,702 ftUpdated Oct 14, 2026 at 7:02 AMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0"
Days 8–14
0.0"
Wed, Oct 14
Overcast
Temp58° / 39°°F
Snow0.0"(3%)
Wind10 mph E
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Hoodoo snow report
Hoodoo snow conditions, updated regularly: current snowfall, snow depth, temperatures, and the outlook for this Oregon resort on the Indy.
Snow measurements
Base depth, summit depth, and recent snowfall are the core numbers to watch. At Hoodoo, summit conditions (1738m) can differ noticeably from the base, so we break both out separately rather than showing a single average.
Weather conditions
Wind and temperature swings matter as much as fresh snowfall. Cold, calm conditions hold snow quality well, while wind-loading or a warm-up can change things quickly — especially given the elevation spread between Hoodoo's base and summit.
Data sources
We pull Hoodoo's conditions from on-the-ground mountain reporting, then layer in forecast data so you get a fuller picture than either source alone. The mountain is served by 12 lifts, including 4 quad chairlifts.
When to check
The biggest swings usually happen right after a storm. Check Hoodoo's report in the morning for the freshest numbers, and again in the afternoon as conditions evolve.