In Mount Hood, Timberline Lodge and ski area is a fun summertime package
MOUNT HOOD, Ore. - Donning sunglasses at 7 a.m. threw me off the most. While the ski morning routine is a familiar jumble of predawn coffee and fumbling for gear in the dark, I found myself searching for my sunnies while buckling my boots at what would have normally been first light.
Such is the time-out-of-joint sensation that comes with summer skiing, where the blazingly bright sky screams July but the firmly groomed snow insists it's April. And one of the world's best places to keep the dream of winter alive even after the summer solstice lies just down the Cascades.
On the flanks of Mount Hood, Timberline is the lone North American ski area to run chairlifts into August with the full resort package: groomed terrain, marked runs, ski patrol and on-mountain lodging.
Last year, on the heels of a respectable Northwest winter - very different from the conditions facing the Cascades this year, which are forcing an early July 19 season end date - I headed down I-5 in swimsuit weather with skis strapped to the roof and checked into Timberline Lodge to see if the novelty was worth the journey.
Palmer Snowfield: Summer skiing haven
With my ski boot heels clacking on asphalt, I queued at 7 a.m. sharp for the first chair (lift tickets $124). Summer skiing starts and ends early (closing shop at 2 p.m.) because by mid-to-late afternoon, the sun's rays turn even the best grooming to slush. Dress light. Even without base layers, I quickly got hot in ski pants and a soft-shell jacket until I was higher on the mountain.
My destination? Palmer Snowfield. Stretching more than 2,000 feet higher in elevation than the top of Crystal Mountain, this snowy expanse persists through the summer. For 70 years, Palmer has been Timberline's secret weapon to enable the longest ski season on the continent and cultivate a unique North American summer ski culture.
Storms pummel this exposed mountainside with wind, snow and ice so much that the ski area doesn't even contemplate turning on the Palmer Express chairlift until the spring. But even during the frenetic days of midwinter, when there's a sprawling ski resort to run down below, if the clouds part, then Timberline's operations team zooms up to Palmer and stockpiles snow. In short, prepping to ski in July starts in December.
Reaping the rewards of that long-term investment starts just a few steps from Timberline's upper parking lot at Magic Mile. While the original Magic Mile was the first-ever built by Spokane's Riblet Tramway Company, today it's a four-seater that whisks skiers and riders up in just six minutes. The next ride, Palmer Express, opened in 1978 and cemented Timberline's status as North America's premier destination for summer skiing.
Those decades of experience have attracted a unique clientele. As I admired Mount Hood's forbidding summit, most of my seatmates were less than half my age. Palmer attracts youth ski racers from across the world who train on snow in June, July and August to maintain a competitive edge. I was in the minority on the mountain as a casual skier.
At the top of Palmer Express, elevation 8,540 feet, flags fluttered in the wind, denoting different camps. Racers and coaches conferred as they lined up to slalom through gates. While race training is underway, public skiing is shunted to skier's right of the chairlift for a full 1,500 vertical feet or far skier's left for a shorter run. Once racers wrap, the whole snowfield is fair game.
The snowfield is also home to the Freestyle Training Center terrain park for practicing jumps, flips and tricks. A 30-by-60-foot air bag provides a safe landing zone for athletes pushing their repertoire to the next level. Watching potential future Olympians go for big air against a backdrop of Cascade peaks is a highlight of any summer day on Palmer.
So, of course, is the chance to dial back the calendar and feel the thrill of fast turns on expertly groomed snow. In the backcountry, summer skiing is often marred by grabby snow. At Timberline, the grooming team sprinkles rock salt across the snowfield to melt the top surface that then refreezes. As I carved turns around volcanic rock outcroppings, I couldn't believe the sensation beneath my feet. Suddenly, I was back in the glory days of spring. Time travel is possible after all, at least with the right chemistry and snow science wizardry.
Winter lodge on a summer's night
Timberline is an easy day trip from Portland and a short drive from Government Camp, the biggest town in Mount Hood. But coming from Seattle, I wanted to finally pay my respects to a Northwest architectural icon and check into Timberline Lodge. While I was familiar with the alpine lodge's pop culture cachet from its starring role in "The Shining," the building resonated with me on a much deeper level and proved to be a star attraction as much as the skiing.
Built in 1937 as part of the New Deal, this grand hotel embodies a kind of craftsmanship increasingly rare in modern construction. More than 500 workers, many artisans, shaped iron, stone and wood to erect a lodge that has come to define the Cascadian style of architecture. Hand-hooked rugs and handwoven upholstery give the lodge's interior a signature look, a mixture of art deco sensibilities with alpine coziness.
Despite the summer weather beckoning outside, I was transfixed by the details - I wanted to sit on each bespoke chair and inspect every wrought-iron curl. Long after my kids had gone to bed, I found myself wandering the halls to absorb the incredible art on display that represents the best of Northwest modernism, from Charles Heaney's painting "The Mountain" to Douglas Lynch's linoleum carving series "The Calendar of Mountain Sports." Even if you don't ski or spend the night, anyone with an interest in Northwest heritage should make the pilgrimage to tour the lodge's art collection.
My family of four squeezed into a snug room with a queen bed and two twins ($390 plus tax per night). We immediately threw open the window and cranked up the box fan. Timberline was built for the bone-chilling cold of a Cascades winter. The thick timber walls and dark paneling feel incongruous in July, but once the sun goes down, the room cools off easily enough with an alpine breeze.
The most refreshing move, though, is to dunk in the Northwest's highest-elevation swimming pool. Recently renovated, the heated pool and hot tub offer peekaboo views of Mount Hood through the evergreens and ample deck chairs for high-altitude lounging.
After a swim, the lodge offers a range of tasty fare. At the casual Ram's Head Bar we noshed on a chicken masala dip sandwich ($24) while the kids devoured a naan pizza ($10). Reservations are required at the slightly more formal Cascade Dining Room where we opted for lighter summery fare like gazpacho ($21) and a bowl of clams with chorizo ($30). Oregon wines and Mt. Hood Brewing Co. beers feature prominently on both menus. New this year, the brunch buffet has been replaced by an à la carte-only menu - much to the dismay of Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers known to make the most of all-you-can-eat.
Bike, hike, paddle - and loop around the mountain
After a few hours skiing more or less the same run over and over, I'd had my fill. Unless you are a dedicated athlete training at the highest level, summer skiing really is a novelty. Which means you need something else to make the trip worthwhile. Fortunately, Mount Hood delivers in spades with plenty of options for a multisport day.
You can hike out the lodge's front door, with trails crisscrossing the grounds, including both the PCT and the Timberline Trail that encircles Hood. For more of an adrenaline kick, Timberline also runs a mountain bike park with chairlift access on the lower mountain ($50 ticket). The ultimate single-track ride, however, is the 15-mile Timberline to Town Trail that descends from the lodge to Government Camp. The best part? For $2, you can hop on the Mt. Hood Express shuttle back uphill - the bus even tows a bike trailer.
A Northwest summer day in the mountains wouldn't be complete without a dip. Trillium Lake is a day-use-only spot in the Mt. Hood National Forest just 9 miles from Timberline. For $10 per vehicle, find a patch of shoreline to splash, swim and paddle while Mount Hood towers overhead.
When it's time to head home, consider looping around the mountain - a route known as the Mt. Hood Scenic Byway - and stopping in Hood River for lunch. Try Broder Øst, a Scandinavian-style restaurant from Portland with an outpost in the historic Hood River Hotel. Nearby Ferment Brewing Company makes some tart and delectable sour beers. From there, take a leg stretcher along Hood River Waterfront Park to watch windsurfers and kiteboarders in action, and your mindset is back in full summer, where skiing once again feels like a long-lost winter dream.
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This story was originally published July 2, 2026 at 6:41 AM.