Hoodoo is ready. Where's the snow?

The new lodge at Hoodoo is ready to welcome skiers. Photo provided

It's like being ready for the prom but not having a date.

That's where it stands right now for Hoodoo Ski Area at the summit of Santiam Pass.

The popular local family ski area has sunk millions of dollars into capital improvements, but it still lacks the one thing that ski areas need most.

"The lodge is finished!" said Hoodoo's new Marketing Director, Pam DeMarsh. "What else do we need? Oh yeah, SNOW!"

Like everyone else in the Pacific Northwest, DeMarsh is wondering where the winter snow pack is hiding.

Naturally, she and the rest of the staff at Hoodoo believe that the snow is just around the corner, and weather forecasters are hinting that they may be right.

In the meantime, Hoodoo Ski Area -- which is celebrating 65 years of operation this year -- is putting the finishing touches on its brand new 60,000 square foot lodge. The huge new lodge has dining facilities for more than 1,000 people.

DeMarsh says that all the pictures and Christmas wreaths are hung, and the computers are ready to start spitting out lift tickets.

When skiers and snowboarders do hit the slopes this year, they will find that the summit and red chairs have been replaced by new quad lifts, four-seaters that will double the previous capacity.

DeMarsh said that Hoodoo had to bring in helicopters to install the new stands for the quad lifts.

She reports that the new lifts have passed their load tests and are ready to go.

Another new feature this year is a 20-foot wide snowmobile trail that has been cut through from the Ray Benson Sno-Park.

The new trail will allow safe and easy access to the new facilities at Hoodoo, and snowmobilers will not be tempted to use automobile roads to enter the facility.

A parking area near the old south lodge will also be available for up to 100 snowmobiles. Between the Sno-Park and the ski area, Hoodoo is adding a new tubing hill that will be groomed to have three or four runs.

The poor snow season has thus far had the beneficial side effect of facilitating construction of this new project. The tubing area covers about five acres and completion is now scheduled for December 21.

Although Hoodoo President Chuck Shepard seems to be taking it in stride and with a sense of humor. When asked by one reporter to sum up the season thus far, Shepard replied that it was good because "we have not had one ski or snowboard injury so far."