News

Actions

Heavy snow in the Cascades sends skiers, boarders to chairlifts

Posted at 6:34 PM, Feb 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-22 20:34:33-05

Click here for updates on this story

    MT. HOOD, OR (KPTV) — The parade of snow in the Oregon Cascades is set to continue into the weekend and into next week, and ski areas are anticipating the flakes stacking up in feet.

The delayed start to winter weather has sent people by the thousands out to enjoy it anyway they can.

Ski areas across Oregon and Washington are reporting huge numbers in terms of skier visits this season. They attribute it to all the new snow that keeps coming.

Mt. Hood Meadows says the five feet of new snow that fell before the Presidents Day holiday weekend really boosted visitor numbers.

The ski area says the three-day weekend was one of the busiest holiday weekends ever. The numbers were up 23 percent from the year before and 7.5 percent from the year before that.

Dave Tragethon with Mt. Hood Meadows says turnout was about 10 percent higher than their average. With more snow in the forecast, they expect to be busy.

“As a ski company, ski area operator that bases its season on snow, we are delighted by it,” Tragethon said. “Maybe some of our lifties who have been shoveling snow for the last two weeks are like, ‘give me a break’.”

ODOT is reminding drivers to be ready for snowy pass travel. They say to check the conditions before heading out and to pay attention to chain requirements.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.