SPOT TO SKI: HOODOO SKI BOWL

There are four types of skiers who ought to try the Hoodoo Ski Bowl: skiing families who like an area with low-budget tow prices and dormitory rates; experts who like to bushwhack through fresh powder in open pine forests; nostalgic veterans who yearn for the old days when the trails didn't get packed out for a week after a storm and you knew half the people at the lodge; and spring skiers who think the season is just getting under way in April. For these types, Hoodoo, a cozy resort high in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, is the Spot to Ski. A three-hour drive from Portland, Hoodoo has the only chair lift in Oregon outside of the teeming Mt. Hood area. The Hoodoo chair stretches 4,000 feet over a 1,000-foot vertical rise to the top of Hoodoo Butte. The runs down, a combination of open-slope and trail skiing, are mainly intermediate, but there is the famous Hoodoo Headwall and plenty of powder off in the woods for the experts. On the lower slopes are three more rope tows for beginners and lower intermediates. And you can ride all day on the ropes for $1.50. The chair costs only $3.50, about half the price of a day at a big resort. The cafeteria serves hot meals, and a bed at the lodge is $2.50 per night ($1.50 if you bring your own blankets).

The scenery here is so beautiful, and the snow so good—particularly in the late spring—that many skiers prefer touring to riding the lift. By setting out cross-country they can pick their own trail, stop for a long, quiet lunch, then wind up the day with an easy swing back through the woods.

SKIING ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Be sure to check resorts for latest condition changes

UP—inches of snow on upper slopes and trails
LO—inches of snow on lower slopes and trails
CR—crowd last Saturday
SN—inches of snow last week

•NORTHWEST

Hoodoo Ski Bowl, Ore.: Skiing fair to good on wet snow. LO 82, SN 31.

Mount Hood, Ore.: Severe snow storm hit area last weekend, bringing new cover but chasing skiers to lower slopes. Portland Junior Chamber of Commerce ski school expects 2,500. Skiing excellent on trails between Timberline Lodge and Govt. Camp. UP 145, SN 48, CR 800.

Mount Spokane, Wash.: All tows operating, and skiing generally excellent on fine dry cover over packed base. Ski weekend package deal, including round-trip plane fare from Seattle, now being offered for $62.10 by Where-to-Go Travel Service. UP 36, CR 800, SN 12.

Mount Baker, Wash.: Good skiing in fresh powder left by week-long storms. Attenhofer racing skis favorite among local hotshots.SN 70.

Snoqualmie Pass, Wash.: Big weekend crowd skied all over Chalet Mountain. Wednesday and Thursday night skiing started January 1. Fashion eye-catcher is gold, black striped parka, topping gold stretch pants. SN 60, CR 2,000.

White Pass, Wash.: Excellent skiing for expert on Cascade, Roller Coaster. All tows operating. UP 150, SN 40.

•FAR WEST

Dodge Ridge, Calif.: Area is operating fully and skiing was excellent last weekend. Ski school holding a free clinic every Saturday and Sunday noon. UP 45, LO 27, CR 4,500.

Mammoth Mt., Calif.: Skiing excellent on five feet of packed powder. Young skiers taking to Schaeffler technique, with own innovations. SN 35, CR 2,000.

Badger Pass, Calif.: Fine skiing on 21 inches of packed powder. Area featuring low prices (cabin for four with bath—$10) and babysitting service. CR 3,000.

Heavenly Valley, Calif.: Sierras have best early snow in two years. Nordic training camp in full swing. California Nordic Championships scheduled Jan. 4-5. UP 40, LO 18, CR 800.

Sugar Bowl, Calif.: All facilities operating for big holiday crowd, and skiing excellent. UP 56, LO 40, SN 6, CR 1,000.

Reno Ski Bowl, Nev.: Skiing fine on packed powder during week, but snow storm halted skiing on upper slopes on weekend, UP 36.

Squaw Valley, Calif.: All facilities jammed for holiday. Swedish Libo pants crowding Bogner for fashion limelight. UP 50, SN 6, CR 1,000.

•WEST

Sun Valley, Idaho: Excellent snow conditions on Baldy Mt. Ridge and College runs. Wedelerx enjoying steep Exhibition Run and Christmas Bowl. Tartan plaid Bogner shipment sold out before arrival. UP 38, SN 10, CR 1,500.

Big Mountain, Mont.: Skiing excellent. Matt run attracting speedsters. CR 450.

Brighton, Utah: Excellent skiing, Pub business fallen off, proprietors complain, as skiers skiing so hard they go to bed instead of partying. UP 63, SN 10, CR 2,000.

Alta, Utah: Touring skiers taking to unmarked slopes as avalanche danger negligible during past week. Peruvian Ridge has fine powder.

Aspen, Colo.: All trails open and skiing excellent. No lift-line waits even with capacity crowd. UP 41, SN 12, CR 1,600.

Winter Park, Colo.: Conditions good with lower slopes packed. UP 27, CR 1,800.

•MIDWEST

Mt. Telemark, Wis.: Best conditions in Midwest were at Telemark where Sno-Cat kept surface smooth and skiable with help of a one-inch snowfall. UP 4, LO 8, SN 1, CR 1,100.

Boyne Mt., Mich.: Snow-making machines working to improve cover on upper slopes. UP 6-10, CR 625.

•EAST

Stowe, Vt.: Conditions poor, as over entire East, but there was some skiing last weekend for those who cared to ride Mansfield chair, ski Toll Road to Nose Dive intersection and walk back, or mush uphill from Octagon Hut to Nose and ski back. UP 8, SN 6, CR 1,500.

Bousquet's Mass. and Black Mt., N.H.: Areas produced enough artificial snow for marginal skiing.

Mont Tremblant, and Lac Beauport, Que.: Conditions fair to good with new snow falling.

PHOTO

SKIERS ON HOODOO SUMMIT ADMIRE MAGNIFICENT COUNTRY OF CASCADE RANGE