Tucked between the coast and the Cascades, Oregon State University is positioned for students who would rather spend their weekends on a chairlift than on the couch.
Oregon State University is near many mountains where students can ski or snowboard. So many in fact there is an entire club dedicated to taking trips up the mountains to ski or snowboard.
Ever wonder where to start? Here are some local, well-known mountains where OSU students are snowboarding.
- Hoodoo
Hoodoo is a great place to go snowboarding, with it only being 2 hours away. You and your friends could easily make a fun day of it. “They’re open from 9 am to 9 pm i believe, on Friday, Saturday, Sunday” said Ryan Hopkins, who is President of the SNOWSU here on campus and is also a 5th-year senior. Hoodoo is around $90 to ski and snowboard for the day, but through the SNOWSU club its around $65 to snowboard.
- Willamette Pass
Willamette Pass is another great option for skiing and snowboarding, and it’s only 2 hours away. “Willamette Pass has a variable pricing structure that depends on demand, which means prices range between $25 on weekdays to $90 on weekends,” Hopkins mentions. Willamette Pass also offers rentals for anyone who doesn’t own their own snow gear; these can cost up to $25 on weekdays and $45 on weekends for ages 13+.
- Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort
Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort is around a 3-hour drive from campus, but it’s also the 5th biggest ski resort in the United States of America. Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort is just a little bit pricier with tickets averaging around $100 to $130 for adults. But they also have multi-day passes and season passes if you don’t want to spend that much per day.
- Mount Hood Meadows
Mount Hood Meadows is also a 3-hour drive from campus. Mount Hood Meadows pricing also depends on your level, age, and the time you would like to start skiing. Mount Hood Meadows also offers a bunch of seasonal passes, including spring passes, year-round passes, and even beginner progression passes if you’re starting out as a beginner.
If you are looking into skiing or snowboarding this winter, these are the closest and best mountains for you and your friends to go spend the day at.
The SNOWSU club also offers lifts to these mountains. “We run a shuttle, it leaves from the Dixon Rec Center and then goes to either Hoodoo or Willamette Pass,” Hopkins says.
Ryan Hopkins also said that you do not need to be a member of the SNOWSU club to use this lift up to the mountains.
Interested in learning more about the SNOWSU club? Check out their Instagram linked here.
