Photography courtesy of Timberline Lodge
Timberline Lodge, which operates uninterrupted during the spring and summer months on Mount Hood, plans to reopen this Friday, May 15. The Oregon resort will service season pass holders and local skiers with two chairlifts, to-go meals in its dining halls and modified hotel amenities. The reopening will mark the first of its kind following early season closures across North America as a result of COVID-19.
Serving its guests is a no-brainer for the ski area, founded in 1937. “Timberline was born from the Great Depression as a response and need to heal: creating jobs, mending communities and bringing back a sense of purpose to a fractured society,” commented the resort in an open letter. “It is with this ethos of creation, healing and purpose that we move forward with a limited ski area re-opening and modified hotel operations.”
Timberline Lodge has implemented a COVID management team to educate employees on safe practices during the limited reopening, but a “successful” day (and weeks to come) will take diligence and cooperation from the general public. The lodge will operate with entirely new processes for parking, lift tickets, pass holders and lift lines; the Wy’East Day Lodge will be open for grab-and-go food, repairs, retail and restroom-use. The hotel will be open to overnight guests, with a limited number of available rooms.
Skiers coming to enjoy Timberline’s reopening will need to make a mandatory online reservation and fill out a COVID-related questionnaire prior to skiing or staying at the hotel. Backcountry skier do not need to make an appointment online, but will need to stop at the entrance gate to the parking lot, where a safety checkpoint will be established. Given the cooperation of skiers and employees, the ability to enjoy resort skiing might be making a comeback sooner than anyone expected.
Apart from the chairlifts spinning at Timberline, the many ski camps and summer skiing on Mount Hood are all still scheduled to run as planned, but not quite yet. Camps and other events with later start dates will need to comply with updated policies to ensure the health and safety of attendees, however, as with many things right now, all of that is still up in the air.
The bottom line: It’s encouraging to see Timberline Lodge reopen so swiftly, but there will need to be great commitment from the general public to ensure a successful opening. Stay safe, follow the rules, thank the employees working—and be happy that you’re all back on snow.
