02.21.2024

SUBSCRIBE | REFER

Today’s Forecast

52º | 70% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:03 a.m. | Sunset 5:46 p.m.
Full Weather Report | Traffic Report

🚠 Need a lift?

Where to ski, snowboard, tube, and sled near Portland

A skier launches through the air, skis crossed and left arm and pole facing forward, with powder falling below, off of a snowy jump with mountain forests and a lake laid out below.

Skiing on Mount Hood comes with the added bonus of panoramic views. | Photo by @alex_zimm

The mountains around Portland were slow to don their snowy mantles this year, but slope sports are now in full swing and there’s no better time to indulge in some wintry fun. We’ve rounded up popular places to ski, snowboard, and sled within a 2-hour drive of Portland.

Before you head to higher ground, it’s always a good idea to check road conditions on Trip Check.

Skiing + snowboarding

World-class downhill slopes skirt Oregon’s tallest peak, Mount Hood, with options for every skill level. Weekend and holiday traffic can make reaching them a pain, so plenty of planning — and equal measures of patience and humor — can go a long way in making the journey a fun one.

A snowboarder barrels down a summit run with jagged peaks and clouds in the background. — Skiers and snowboarders with lift tickets or season passes are shuttled to Timberline’s summit run via the Palmer Snowcat.
|
Photo by @alex_zimm

Timberline Lodge, 27500 E. Timberline Rd., Government Camp
Billed as having “the longest ski season in North America” — and the longest vertical (4,540 ft) — Timberline is a magical place for newbies and seasoned skiers and snowboarders alike. Eight chairlifts, a surface lift, and two snowcats give visitors access to a whopping 1,685 skiable acres, including green, blue, and black diamond runs. Multiple terrain parks for all levels are also available, with rails, halfpipes, and jumps for thrill seekers.

Sledding + tubing

Visiting a designated sno-park requires a permit, which ranges from a one-day ($4) or three-day pass ($9) to an annual pass ($25). You can purchase these online or at local resorts, sporting goods stores, and other retail outlets. To make sure you’re getting the most out of the slopes, Next Adventure stocks a variety of sleds, tubes, and other toys. Just be careful you don’t go full Griswold.

A view from the top of a long sledding hill flanked by trees on both sides. — Little John Sno-Park is another great (but farther) option.
|
Photo by Ben McBee, PDXtoday

Mt. Hood Skibowl East, 31315 E. Multorpor Rd., Government Camp
You won’t have to waste energy traipsing back uphill at the area’s only conveyor-assisted tubing hill. Stick around after sundown for what’s said to be the only cosmic tubing in the world, featuring laser shows, black lights, 600,000 LEDs, and more. Tickets range from $37 to $39.

5 more spots to shred + slide

Events

Wednesday, Feb. 21

Lunar New Year Lantern Viewing Evenings | Wednesday, Feb. 21-Wednesday, Feb. 28 | 5-7 p.m. | Lan Su Chinese Garden, 239 NW Everett St., Portland | $10-$20 | Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with a stroll through the garden, taking in the beautiful glow of lanterns and sipping aromatic tea.
Marc Anthony — Historia Tour 2024 | Wednesday, Feb. 21 | 8 p.m. | Moda Center, 1 N. Center Court St., Portland | $41-$181 | This multi Grammy Award winning and top-selling salsa musician of all time is in town for a huge show.

Thursday, Feb. 22

Narpski & Friends: A BIPOC Film Showcase | Thursday, Feb. 22 | 6-10 p.m. | Polaris Hall, 635 N. Killingsworth Ct., Portland | $0-$20 | Attend the premiere of three films featuring all BIPOC skiers and snowboarders — including a film shot on Mount Hood and in Portland — and enjoy a gear raffle, drinks, and live music.

Friday, Feb. 23

Breakfast on the Bridges | Friday, Feb. 23 | 7-9 a.m. | Steel Bridge + Blumenauer Bridge, Portland | Free | Make a pit stop for hot coffee and breakfast to-go on your bike commute into the Lloyd District.
Body + Soul Black Wellness Weekend | Friday, Feb. 23-Sunday, Feb. 25 | Times vary | Locations vary | $0-$25 | Join wellness and fitness experts, artists, influencers, and leaders within Portland’s Black community for workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.

Saturday, Feb. 24

PSU Farmers Market | Saturday, Feb. 24 | Times vary | Southwest Park Avenue + Southwest Montgomery Street, Portland | Free | Join hundreds of residents, visitors, and chefs shopping for fresh produce, artisan food and drinks, and handmade goods under the cover of giant elm trees on the Portland State University campus.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

State

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Oregon Clean Vehicles Rebate program may reopen this spring. Overwhelming demand led DEQ to temporarily suspend the program last May due to a lack of funds; when it reopens, hundreds of people who have been on a waitlist since then will be prioritized. (OPB)

Eat

Portland’s food scene seems set on putting all 52 weeks to good use. Forty-five restaurants are participating in Portland Sandwich Week, offering $8 special sammies that put your PB+Js to shame. Try creations like Speed-o Cappuccino’s vegan Cali Katsu (panko-crusted avocado with katsu aioli) now through Sunday, Feb. 25.

Number

$10 million. That’s how much money the Oregon State Treasury will return this month to people who have unclaimed funds held by the state. Even if you think your chances of cashing an unexpected windfall are slim, doing a quick search through the Unclaimed Property Program website could pay off. (Portland Monthly)

Outdoors

Portland General Electric is reaching out to its customers for feedback on a power line expansion project. PGE has proposed removing some trees from Forest Park along Highway 30 near Linnton “to enhance reliability and resilience of our grid,” according to company spokesperson Andrea Platt. (KGW)

Tech

A new Portland-based app designed for “the LGBTQIA2S+ and ally community to find welcoming, queer-owned spaces to shop, connect, eat, learn, and grow all over the world” launched this week. Everywhere Is Queer is also an online resource, providing an interactive map with 400+ locations tagged in the Portland area. (KOIN)

Sports

Aspiring NBA stars aren’t the only people whose dreams begin with the Trail Blazers’ new G League team. Paid interns for Rip City Remix can cut their teeth in sports marketing and finance, gaining valuable experience to help launch careers in what are highly competitive fields. (OPB)

Try This

Do you have a plan in place if the “Big One” strikes in your lifetime? Liz Safran, a geologist and professor at Lewis & Clark College, created a free online video game — “Cascadia 9.0” — to teach players real-life skills to survive catastrophic earthquake fallout, like where to find drinking water. (Portland Monthly)

Sports

This year’s NBA All-Star weekend is now history — and love it or leave it, fans have opinions to share. Mike Richman invited listeners to share their thoughts and hopes for Rip City on the latest episode of Locked On Blazers.

Home

Getting organized? This 24-piece glass storage container set is perfect for meal prep or storing leftovers and is on sale through the weekend.*

Seasonal

🌱 Get your hands dirty

Winter gardening tips + tasks for Portland, OR

A gardener pulls a plant out of the dirt

Swiss chard will happily grow through a PDX winter. | Photo by @unsplash

Our climate is the cream of the crop when it comes to gardening because it’s mild enough to allow growth nearly every month of the year. That means there are plenty of tasks to keep a gardener busy even in winter.

What’s growing?

Winter in the Pacific Northwest is the time for cool-season crops to take center stage. Vegetables like beets, kale, and Swiss chard are planted in summer and harvested throughout the winter, while some fall-planted crops like carrots and onions will grow slowly through winter and be ready in early spring. Check out these veggie planting calendars for Portland.

Some flowering plants also shine during the colder months — like hellebores, which will bloom even when snow blankets the ground.

If you want to grow something now, try sprouting some microgreens. Or prep your seed trays. Clean and organize your trays, then sow seeds indoors with a growing light — the plants can be moved outdoors when the time is right.

Grow your knowledge + shop for seeds

The Buy

The Buy 2.21.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

A comfy fit to curl up in while it’s still sweatshirt and hoodie season. We love: this pink + lime crop by East of These and this Blue Ridge Parkway sweatshirt from Burlaep.

Share PDXtoday

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

Facebook

Twitter

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_20}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.

Claim your rewards

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie

From the editor

My alma mater, Oregon State University, is earning recognition for its online education offerings. U.S. News & World Report ranks OSU’s Ecampus bachelor’s degree programs No. 4 out of 339 in the country, with 1,371 online courses, access to financial aid, and more than 100 degree and certificate programs. Go Beavs.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY