Mount Hood is only place to ski all summer in North America

While all of Oregon was baking in a historic heat wave, I packed up my skis, boots and gear and headed for the mountains.

I stood atop the Palmer snowfield at 8,540 feet on Mount Hood looking over a vast snowfield flooded with skiers and snowboarders escaping the heat. It was the dream for anyone that loves cooler temperatures and laps on groomed snow: skiing in the summer.

As the snow melts and other resorts become dormant for the summer months, Timberline Lodge and Ski Area prepares for some of its busiest months of the year.

"This year we are literally the only place in North America where you can ski through the summer,” said John Burton, Timberline director of marketing and public affairs.

Tickets are $105, giving you an opportunity to ski in a T-shirt across 2,216 feet of vertical descent among some of the best athletes in the world all summer long.

When summer skiing started at Mount Hood

Skiing on Mount Hood dates back to 1907 but summer skiing started in the mid 1950s. It started with Tucker Sno-Cats transporting skiers to the Palmer snowfield, at about 8,000 feet. The Palmer chairlift was installed in 1978, giving people lift access to snow above the lodge. From there, summer skiing blew up.

Timberline started summer ski camps as a way for people from all over the world to train on an elite surface and out of season. Today, Timberline offers the same training venue for national alpine and freestyle teams and invites anyone from the public to enjoy summer skiing.

“I think it’s important to note we have a good mix," Burton said. "You can be here for a camp, with your training team or (as a member) of the public. "

The ski season on Mount Hood is the longest in North America. The lifts typically start turning in November or December and even sometimes as early as October. The summer season aims to run through August. Snow conditions and weather make exact closing dates unpredictable. Most ski resorts across the country close in early spring while a few can extend into late spring. None, however, run into August like Timberline.

“A lot of these late summer skiing or late spring skiing experiences, it's often just a strip of snow on a run," Burton said. "But up here on Palmer it’s a full experience, not just one trail."

How do they keep snow so deep into summer at Mount Hood?

Skiing so late into the season on the Palmer snowfield is made possible in part by snow farming. Crews at Timberline dig out "wind rows" on the snowfield that look similar to a halfpipe.

The dug out trenches go from north to south on the snowfield. The winds that blow from east to west fills the trenches in with snow that would otherwise end up in nearby canyons.

This helps to preserve the snow at higher elevations and makes a huge impact on the summer operations.

"We are planning all winter for this," Burton said. "Snow farming is a big deal for us."

What to expect on the summer slopes at Mount Hood

Mount Hood is Oregon’s tallest peak at 11,249 feet. Lift accessed skiing goes to the the top of the Palmer chairlift at 8,540 feet. Most summer days are full of clear skies giving you unmatched views from the top of the lift.

To one side, you can see Central Oregon and Mount Jefferson. To the other, you can see the urban sprawl of nearby cities.

“You can see Portland," Burton said. "And if you look really hard on the right day, you can see the coast."

In the morning, the surface is firm and fast. After the sun has time to hang over the snowfield for the morning, it becomes softer and your skis glide and cut through the snow with ease. Most of the summer, the snow sticks around just long enough to ski down right to the parking lot. This gives skiers over 2,000 feet of vertical descent.

Something for everyone

The terrain offered during summer is geared toward an intermediate level skier and above. The terrain includes a wide open space with a sharp descent.

“It’s definitely not for beginners, its steep up there, but for the right intermediate to advanced skiers it’s a full experience," Burton said.

The hill space is shared by the public and camps with a training focus. On one side are summer camps of training skiers. On the other are public lanes.

The public and camps are assigned lane space daily. Alpine ski camps tend to leave by mid morning and their lane space becomes open to the public once their gear is cleaned up.

In addition to alpine skiing, Timberline opens a freestyle training center that is geared toward freestyle progression. The FTC includes airbag jump training and one of the only Olympic specification halfpipes in the world. This area is open to individuals, teams and camps with the purchase of an FTC ticket.

There is also a public park which includes another halfpipe and terrain features accessed on the Magic Mile Chairlift, at a lower elevation. Because of the lower elevation, the snow found at this level is usually softer.

Be prepared

Most mornings start off cold and occasionally windy. The Palmer snowfield is wide open and well above the tree line causing it to be exposed to wind. Be prepared by bringing winter and summer layers. By mid-morning when the sun has been shining, it's common to see people in T-shirts and shorts soaking up the sun.

At higher elevations and when bouncing off the snow, the sun is stronger. Sunscreen is a must on your packing list.

Details on tickets, hours, access for summer at Mount Hood

Lift tickets can be purchased on-site at guest services in the Wy’east Day Lodge at $105 per day. A ticket to the FTC is $135 per day and includes added access to the park on Palmer as well as access to the public park and any other terrain within the boundary.

Lifts run from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day, with the FTC open Monday through Saturday.

Winter conditions do exist and change hours of operation frequently. Updated weather information and an operation schedule can be found at timberlinelodge.com

Emma Logan is an outdoors journalism intern for the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at elogan@salem.gannett.com or on X @emmmalogan

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Mount Hood is only place to ski all summer in North America