Mt. Bachelor, OR, Conditions Report: Bigger Base, Cascade Concrete Report from January 22, 2024 Mondays are no fun at work, so I talked my partner, Katie, into a quick trip to Bend to catch the snow on the east side of the Cascades. We drove from Portland around 4:00 A.M. to ensure we would make opening bell at Mt. Bachelor, Oregon. Mt. Bachelor is my home mountain and it […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | January 24, 2024 0 Comments
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, OR, Backcountry Report: Ice Above and Powdery Trees Report from January 15, 2024 After the incredible storm system of the past week, I couldn’t help but double dip with a second weekend trip to the Ski Bowl area. The road from Portland to Sandy was mostly clear with snow in the middle and frozen slush on the shoulders. Heading up the pass, road conditions deteriorated to packed snow […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | January 17, 2024 0 Comments
Tom Dick and Harry Mountain & Ski Bowl Backcountry, Oregon After so long without a base, Oregon terrain has finally received enough snow to make it feel like real winter. Although Timberline is currently #2 on the North American snowpack list, I went to a local haunt to tour during the storm while Timberline was borderline whited-out. A tour up Tom Dick and Harry Mountain coupled with some hard-earned powder […] Nicky Blumm | January 12, 2024 0 Comments
Mt. Bachelor, OR, Resort: Ringing in the New Year and Hoping for Snow Report from 1/1-2 at Mt. Bachelor/Bend and 12/31 at Mt. Hood. Ringing in the beginning of 2024 at Mt. Bachelor bodes for a good year to come. A group of six of us traveled from Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA, to Bend, OR, to celebrate together for the first two days of the new year in my hometown. We were […] Nicky Blumm | January 11, 2024 0 Comments
Mt. Hood, OR, Backcountry Report: Ice on Mt. Hood Report from Sunday, December 17, 2023 When it is your buddy’s birthday, and he drives up from California for a tour, you go touring, even if the turns are less than silky. Sunday, December 17th, on Mt. Hood, Oregon, was a saga of ice and… shaved ice. Although Timberline Resort had Bruno, the Miracle Mile, and Palmer up and running, […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | December 19, 2023 0 Comments
Mt. Hood, OR, Backcountry Report: Early Season Turns on Crater Rock Report from Monday, November 20, 2023 When I saw how snow-covered Mt. Hood looked from a plane this weekend, I knew it was time to get back on the slopes, especially after Sunday’s weather. While Sunday’s storm was not quite as big as we had hoped, there was still some new fluff to enjoy. I left Portland around 6:45 a.m. […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | November 21, 2023 0 Comments
First Turns of the Season on Mt. Hood, OR — Get Pumped for the Season Report from Thursday, October 26, 2023 It’s here! It’s here! The first snow of the year touched down on the glorious south side slopes of Mt. Hood this week. Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to spend the morning (and most of the day) in the snow above the famous Timberline Lodge. Let’s start with the drive. From Portland, once I […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | October 30, 2023 0 Comments
Women’s and Men’s Skis— What’s the Difference? I’m a guy whose favorite pair of skis are DPS Yvettes— which I have long called my Paintbrushes. The Paintbrushes float, carve and bring me the exultation for which I yearn when I am turning in the trees. Technically, they are women’s skis— but what does that distinction even mean? Related: Men: Would You be Willing to Wear a Women’s […] Nicky Blumm | October 16, 2023 0 Comments