Hardcore Oregon ski parents get their kids on the mountain in preschool. It took me until my oldest was about 10.
Every winter, I’d start researching lessons, take inventory of what snow gear still fit from last year, and maybe look up that ski sale at the Expo Center or call about seasonal rentals at Next Adventure. And every winter, overwhelmed by the logistics and the expense, I’d quit. It would have to be yet another year of sledding and tubing.
This shouldn’t have been so hard for me (thanks, anxiety!). After all, I grew up skiing on Mount Hood and graduated from the SnoBlasters lesson program at Meadows myself. But somehow none of that muscle memory was strong enough to get me and my three children up on skis until, five or so years into my annual paralysis, a neighbor encouraged me to check out Timberline’s Summit Pass.
I was experiencing many of the common hurdles for young families, says John Burton, Timberline Lodge’s marketing director.
“Getting into new things is intimidating, plus there’s crowds and complicated lifts,” Burton says. “Summit Pass just takes that out of the equation.”
Summit Pass will be familiar to anyone who has stopped at Government Camp and noticed the small ski area and tubing hill above the large public restrooms there. There’s a lodge, ski and snowboard rentals, a 2,300-foot chairlift, 3½ miles of trails and a “magic carpet” conveyor belt-style lift for beginners. All of this starts at a reasonable elevation of only 4,000 feet, meaning you get to opt out of some of the nastiest weather and slipperiest roads up higher on the mountain.
Two-hour lessons were only $90 a pop (the same thing would be $115 at the upper Timberline ski area), and I found three slots for them even though I had procrastinated on signing up until it was nearly time for spring skiing. Plus, I didn’t feel so much pressure to have the perfect snow gear or SUV, since the lesson was only two hours long and right off Highway 26. (Do check the forecast and driving conditions before heading up the mountain any time, Burton says.)
For an extra $34 each, their lessons came with rentals, which I was happy to pay rather than try to figure all that out on my own at a ski sale. Burton recommends that first-time skiers and snowboarders rent equipment while they’re getting used to the sport. Pro tip: Fill out the paperwork online beforehand to save time on the mountain.
Summit Pass isn’t fancy—the simple two-seat chairlift was built in 1980, and the 1966 lodge serves a menu of no-frills burgers, chicken strips, hot chocolate and beer. But simplicity is exactly what we needed to build some momentum. My kids took lessons at Summit Pass for a few weekends over two winters before launching into new ski areas and slightly steeper terrain. And there were benefits to starting a little late: The kids can carry their own skis, snap their own snaps, and (theoretically) keep track of their own accessories.
The ski area leans into its accessibility by partnering with Snowdays Foundation, a nonprofit that brings children from underserved communities up to the mountain to snowboard for 10 Sundays after New Year’s. It’s a win-win.
“We’re committed to creating skiers and snowboarders, if they want to make that part of their winter activities,” Burton says. “And it’s also good for us if there’s more skiers and snowboarders coming up.”
This story is a part of Oregon Winter, Willamette Week’s annual winter activity magazine. It is free and can be found all over Portland beginning Friday, December 13, 2024. Find your free copy at one of the locations noted here or at our online store, before they all get picked up!