The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Timberline Lodge's terrain rises from a base at 4,000 feet to a summit at 8,540 feet, a vertical drop of 4,540 feet across 41 runs spread over 1,415 acres on Mount Hood, Oregon. Terrain splits 50 per cent intermediate and 25 per cent each for beginner and advanced, with no expert-rated runs, and average annual snowfall of roughly 464 inches, among the highest totals of any resort in the contiguous United States. The resort carries Powder Alliance affiliation and offers the longest ski season in North America, with skiing available all twelve months of the year on the Palmer Snowfield.
Timberline Lodge itself, a National Historic Landmark, is as significant a draw as the skiing, representing one of the finest surviving examples of Works Progress Administration architecture and craftsmanship in the country. The resort's exceptional 4,540-foot vertical drop and near year-round operating window set it apart from every other resort on Mount Hood. Its combination of historic significance and genuine high-elevation skiing makes it a distinctive destination even within Oregon's crowded Mount Hood ski corridor.
The lodge was constructed between 1936 and 1938 as a Works Progress Administration project during the Great Depression, with 80 per cent of its 695,730 US dollar building budget spent on labour. Around a hundred construction workers lived in a nearby tent city while building the lodge, with women weaving draperies, upholstery and bedspreads, hooked rugs made from strips of old Civilian Conservation Corps camp blankets, and discarded cedar utility poles hand-carved into newel-posts shaped as birds, bears and seals. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the lodge on 28 September 1937, calling it 'a monument to the skill and faithful performance of workers on the rolls of the Works Progress Administration.'
The lodge opened to the public on 4 February 1938, with a portable rope tow installed the following year and the Magic Mile chairlift opening in November 1939, bringing organised skiing to the mountain. Summer skiing and race camps began in 1956, establishing the year-round operating tradition that continues today. Adult daily winter tickets run from 89 to 109 US dollars, with a season pass at 899 dollars.
4,541ft
Vertical
41
Runs
1,415 acres
Skiable
39ft
Annual snow
Powder Alliance
Pass
The Terrain
41 runs across 1,415 acres skiable
Timberline Lodge covers 1,415 acres (573 hectares) on the south side of Mount Hood, with 41 runs and a vertical of 4,540 feet (1,384 m), from a 4,000-foot base to an 8,540-foot summit (2,603 m). Half the terrain is intermediate, with 25% beginner and 25% advanced, and no expert-graded runs. Snowfall averages roughly 464 inches a year, and the Palmer Snowfield keeps skiing going for much of the year. For most visitors the draw is that vertical, together with the historic lodge at the bottom of the mountain, so the numbers are only half of the appeal.
The Magic Mile and Palmer lifts reach the upper mountain above the trees, and they only suit clear, calm days. When wind or cloud closes them, the Jeff Flood Express drops into Still Creek Basin on the lower mountain, and the Pucci chair adds beginner and intermediate cruisers. When Palmer is open, a non-stop run of more than 3.5 miles with about 4,000 feet of elevation change is possible. Timberline suits intermediates and families wanting length and altitude, while expert skiers will find the graded terrain limited, however long the season runs.
Terrain split
41
runs
41 runs across 4 grades
Beginner10 runs · 25%
Intermediate21 runs · 50%
Advanced10 runs · 25%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Timberline Lodge
The 2025-26 winter season at Timberline Lodge ran from 28 November 2025 to 25 May 2026, one of the longest seasons in the country at roughly twenty-six weeks, and the resort's Palmer Snowfield extends skiing beyond this window into genuine year-round operation. Average annual snowfall of around 464 inches, among the highest totals of any resort in the contiguous United States, underpins this exceptional season length.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions across the resort's terrain. Timberline's status as the site of the longest ski season in North America means spring and even summer visits remain possible on the Palmer Snowfield, a rarity that draws race teams and enthusiasts specifically seeking off-season training conditions. Weekend crowds are generally heavier than weekdays throughout the winter season.
As a Powder Alliance resort and a National Historic Landmark, Timberline draws a mix of skiers and visitors interested purely in the lodge's architecture and history, particularly given its Works Progress Administration origins. School holiday periods and spring break bring particularly strong demand given the resort's reliable late-season snow. Summer race camps, running since 1956, bring a distinct visitor base to the mountain outside the conventional winter season.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations and race camps is not confirmed in available resort information. The lodge's dedication by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in September 1937 remains a significant point of historical pride referenced throughout the resort's identity. Timberline's combination of a working ski area and a preserved architectural landmark continues to shape how the mountain presents itself across all four seasons.
Season 2026 - 2027
26 Dec 2026
Opens
19 July 2027
Closes
205
Days open
39 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Timberline Lodge, and where to stay
Timberline Lodge sits on the southern slope of Mount Hood, Oregon's highest peak, with a base elevation of 4,000 feet and a summit at 8,540 feet across a 4,540-foot vertical drop over 1,415 acres. This is one of the highest-elevation ski areas in the Pacific Northwest, with terrain reaching well above the treeline near the Palmer Snowfield.
Government Camp, a small mountain community, lies just below the lodge and offers additional lodging and dining options beyond the historic lodge itself. Portland, Oregon's largest city, lies roughly ninety minutes to the west, supplying much of the resort's weekend and day-trip visitor base. The broader Mt. Hood National Forest surrounds the resort, with several other ski areas operating on the mountain's other flanks.
US Route 26 provides the main route from Portland to Government Camp, with the Timberline Highway then climbing the final distance directly to the historic lodge. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, and chains or traction tyres are often required during storms given the elevation gain involved. There is no direct public transport service to the resort, though its historic lodge draws sightseeing visitors alongside skiers.
Portland International Airport is the nearest airport with extensive commercial service, roughly two hours from the resort under normal winter driving conditions. Despite this distance, Timberline's status as a National Historic Landmark and site of the longest ski season in North America continues to draw visitors well beyond the immediate Portland region.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Timberline Lodge, powered by Stay22.
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