Hoodoo (ski area) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hoodoo |
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Hoodoo Ski Area in 2006
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 Hoodoo
Location in Oregon
Hoodoo
Location in the United States
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| Location | Santiam Pass, Oregon, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Salem 95 miles (150 km) northwest Eugene 80 miles (130 km), southwest Sisters 20 miles (30 km) east |
| Coordinates | 44°24′32″N 121°52′19″W / 44.409°N 121.872°W |
| Vertical | 1,035 ft (315 m) |
| Top elevation | 5,703 ft (1,738 m) |
| Base elevation | 4,668 ft (1,423 m) |
| Skiable area | 806 acres (3.26 km2) |
| Runs | 32 |
| Longest run | 1 mile (1.6 km) |
| Lift system | 3 quads, 1 triple, 1 double |
| Snowfall | 360 in (30.0 ft; 9.1 m) |
| Snowmaking | No |
| Night skiing | Friday-Saturday |
| Website | SkiHoodoo.com |
Hoodoo is a fun ski resort located in the northwest United States. You can find it in the central Cascade Range of Oregon. This ski area is near the top of Santiam Pass on U.S. Route 20.
Hoodoo operates on land managed by the Willamette National Forest. It sits on Hoodoo Butte, which is a type of volcano called a cinder cone. The ski slopes at Hoodoo mostly face the northeast.
Contents
History of Hoodoo Ski Area
How Hoodoo Ski Area Started
Hoodoo Ski Area was built in 1938. A group of people, led by Ed Thurston from Bend, helped fund its creation. They first wanted to build the ski area on Three Fingered Jack. However, they couldn't get enough money to build a road there.
After World War II, the ski area began to make improvements. They added places to stay and installed chairlifts.
Changes and Growth Over Time
The main lodge at the base of the mountain was built in the late 1940s. It was made from leftover materials from World War II. This lodge had three stories and could sleep up to 100 guests.
In the summer of 1967, a forest fire almost destroyed the lodge. Firefighters used special "back fires" to save it. Sadly, an old chairlift with wooden towers was destroyed. Less than a year later, in April 1968, the lodge itself burned down. Luckily, no one was inside except for a family dog.
A new two-story lodge was built later that same year. Many people started using pickup campers to stay in the Hoodoo parking lot. In the 1960s, a company called Hoodoo Ski Bowl Developers, Inc. bought the ski area. They later built the Manzanita chair lift.
In 1985, Hoodoo Ski Area began managing the historic Santiam Lodge. This lodge was built in 1940 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It used to be run by the United Presbyterian Church. It offered dormitory-style lodging for up to 80 guests.
In 1999, Chuck Shepard bought Hoodoo Ski Area. He owned Umbrella Properties in Eugene. Since then, Hoodoo has added many new things. These include the Hodag chair lift and a huge 60,000 square foot lodge. They also built the Autobahn Tubing Park. The old green and red double chair lifts were replaced with faster quad chair lifts.
Skiing and Snowboarding at Hoodoo
What to Expect at the Lodge
Hoodoo has a large, full-service lodge that is about 60,000 square feet. Inside, you can find a restaurant, a full bar, a shop for ski gear, and a rental area. There are also meeting rooms, an arcade, a daycare, and locker rooms.
Exploring the Ski Lifts and Runs
Hoodoo's main lift is called the Green lift. It's a fixed-grip quad chairlift. This lift takes you to the top of the hill. From there, you can access all 806 acres of skiable terrain and 1,035 feet of vertical drop. The Green lift replaced an older double chair in 2001.
The Ed chair is named after Hoodoo's founder, Ed Thurston. It replaced the old Red lift in 2001. The Manzanita triple chair takes you to the bowl and terrain park. This lift is also open for night skiing. The Hodag lift was built in 1999. It helps skiers and snowboarders get to the backside of the mountain.
For beginners, there's a special area with a double chairlift called Easy Rider. This area is separate from the other, more difficult runs. Hoodoo also has many trails for Nordic skiing (cross-country skiing). These trails are found at both high and lower elevations.
Fun at the Autobahn Tubing Park
The tube hill at Hoodoo is called the Autobahn Tubing Park. It's located on the northwest side of Hayrick Butte. The tubing runs are about 800 feet long. A special handle tow helps you get back up the hill easily.
RV Camping Options
If you have an RV, Hoodoo offers RV camping. You can find the RV camping spots on the south side of the parking lot.
Hoodoo Ski Area Facts
Ski Lifts
- Green Chair - This is a Quad chairlift.
- Manzanita Chair (formerly known as blue) - This is a Triple chairlift.
- Ed Chair (formerly known as red) - This is a Quad chairlift.
- Hodag Chair - This is a Quad chairlift.
- Easy Rider - This is a Double Chairlift, great for beginners.
- None of these chairlifts are detachable.
Ski Runs
- Longest Run - "Over Easy" takes you from the summit all the way down.
- Steepest Run - "Chuck's Backside" is the steepest challenge.
- There are 34 runs in total at Hoodoo.
- About 20% of the runs are Easiest.
- About 39% of the runs are Difficult.
- About 41% of the runs are Most Difficult.
Images for kids
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The Big Green Machine chair lift at Hoodoo Ski Area takes skiers and riders from the base to the summit.
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Hoodoo Ski Area's mascot is Harold the Hodag. He is based on a folkloric creature from Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
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Hoodoo Ski Area's 60,000 square foot lodge has a restaurant, bar, shop, rentals, meeting rooms, arcade, daycare, and locker rooms.
