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 spreads 41 runs across 1,415 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 50%, with 10 beginner runs to find your feet and 10 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
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 2025 - 2026
28 Nov 2025
Opens
25 May 2026
Closes
178
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.
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
Timberline Lodge Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 21 Sept 2026
8,540ft
summit
+0in
new snow · last 24 hours
Partly Cloudy42°F / 56°F · NW 20mph
Snowfall
24 hours
0in
48 hours
0in
7 days
0in
Base depth
0in
Season total
20in
28 Nov 2025 - 25 May 2026
Hour by Hour
Next 46 hours· Updated Sep 22, 2026 at 7:02 AM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
8,540 ftUpdated Sep 22, 2026 at 7:02 AMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0"
Days 8–14
0.0"
Tue, Sept 22
Overcast
Temp56° / 42°°F
Snow0.0"(2%)
Wind20 mph NW
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Timberline Lodge snow report
Timberline Lodge snow conditions, updated regularly: current snowfall, snow depth, temperatures, and the outlook for this Oregon resort on the Powder Alliance.
Snow measurements
Snow depth at Timberline Lodge is tracked at both the base and summit, since the two elevations often see different totals — roughly a 1384m difference here. We report fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours and 7 days alongside the running season total, in both metric and imperial units.
Weather conditions
Snow quality tracks closely with temperature and wind. We surface both alongside the snowfall data so you can judge whether conditions at Timberline Lodge are holding up or starting to soften.
Data sources
We pull Timberline Lodge's conditions from on-the-ground mountain reporting, then layer in forecast data so you get a fuller picture than either source alone.
When to check
Snow reports are typically updated early morning and late afternoon. For the most current conditions, check back regularly, especially if a winter storm is approaching.