Meadows staff members have adopted about a 3 mile stretch of Highway 35, running from the resort's main entrance to a point beyond the Hood River Meadows / Nordic Center turn-off. More than two-dozen employees spent the greater part of the day recently picking up trash along the highway, as well as along the resort's access roads and parking lots.

Resort spokesman Dave Tragethon says it really is an employee driven program, noting, "It was suggested by an employee that we adopt this stretch of Highway 35. We're proud of the resort and want to maintain the natural beauty of the mountain. Tragethon noted that other organizations also volunteer to clean up sections of the highway to keep the mountain beautiful. "We commend and thank those that volunteer their efforts to keep this incredibly beautiful stretch of highway clean and litter free. We also urge those traveling to the mountain to respect the nature of the area by not littering."

Here's more information on Oregon's Adopt a Highway program.

Resort recognized for "Most Impactful Safety Message" AND "Best Use of Web in a Safety Campaign" by National Ski Area Association

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (May 30, 2008) -- Today the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) honored six member resorts with its annual Heads Up National Ski Area Safety Awards at its National Convention and Tradeshow held at the Hilton San Francisco, Calif. Each season the awards recognize those resorts that have done an outstanding job of educating employees and guests about skiing and snowboarding responsibly.

Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort received awards in two categories for "Most Impactful Safety Message" AND "Best Use of Web in a Safety Campaign". In a letter informing the resort of the awards, NSAA Director of Education Ann George wrote, “It is one thing to Know the Code it is another to Live the Code. This message became clear through the materials the resort provided us. It is obvious through Matt’s Blog that the Code is lived daily at your resort, which is why we felt it was important to also recognize you for having great use of the web. The youth generation is using technology more and more and what a better way to reach them than through online communication. You can see Matt is passionate about his answers to the public.”

It was the second consecutive year that Meadows received a safety award from NSAA. Meadows CEO Matt Drake, who coined the phrase “Live the Code”, was pleased that the resort’s safety education initiatives and efforts were acknowledged. “Safety education of our staff and guests is a priority at our resort and we are honored that these efforts have been recognized by our industry association. The mantra ‘Live the Code’ became part of our vocabulary this season and reinforced the importance of personal responsibility on the slopes.” The phrase refers to the “Responsibility Code” – which promotes seven rules of conduct that skiers and snowoarders should follow to increase safety on the slopes. The code can be seen here.

For more information on the NSAA safety programs, including the other awards recipients, visit www.NSAA.org.

Resort ends daily operations April 27 but will operate on a weekend-to-weekend basis
Operational hours 9 AM – 3 PM Saturdays and Sundays with discounted lift tickets beginning May 3 and 4

Mt. Hood Meadows is extending its season on a weekend-to-weekend basis beginning May 3 and 4. The resort will operate Saturdays and Sundays from 9 AM – 3 PM. The resort will be closed midweek (Monday – Friday) beginning April 28. Each weekend the resort will review business levels and announce whether it will extend the season to the next weekend. This is the third season the resort has used the challenge to extend its season.

Lift tickets will be discounted to $44 for adults and $25 for juniors (age 7 – 14) and seniors (age 65 and older). The resort will continue to offer ski school services for adults and children, daycare (reservations required for daycare), ski and snowboard rentals, retail shops (which are featuring sales on merchandise up to 70%; and demo equipment at half price) and several restaurants including the popular Paradise Sundeck and Grill – the perfect place to bask in the spring sun after a day on the mountain. For those age 13 and older that want to take a beginner lesson the package price for beginner lift ticket, two hour lesson and equipment rentals is $40.

For a lift operational schedule and updates on the May Challenge visit the Matt's Blog.

(Leavenworth, WA Wednesday, April 23, 2008) – The Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association (PNSAA) presented the Association’s prestigious 2008 Tower of Excellence Award to Tom Scully, lift maintenance manager at Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort. This award recognizes a ski area employee who has steadfastly contributed to the success of ski area operations over the course of a ski industry career, or has demonstrated exceptional performance during a single winter of operation.

Tom Scully began his ski industry career at Mt. Hood Meadows in 1984 as a rental technician. In the summer of 1989, he secured full-time employment with the resort’s lift maintenance department, where he presently serves as lift maintenance manager. Between 1984 and 1989, he enjoyed stints in lodge maintenance, ski school, lift operations, and lift installations (working the summer of 1987 on a CTEC chairlift installation). Tom has served as Mt. Hood Meadows Lift Maintenance Manager since 2001. “Tom is an incredible asset to Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort and the ski industry. His knowledge and desire for excellence is a key part of the success of our company. Others look up to him as someone who ‘walks the talk’ and Tom does not ask someone to do what he would not do himself,” commented Steve Warila, executive director of operations & planning at Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort.

Tom has been instrumental in the development of the resort’s preventative lift maintenance program. He also organizes the snow machine training program, as well as the non-destructive testing program for chair grips. This winter, Tom put forth significant effort to assist with the development of the Mountain Department’s training programs, procedures, policies, and protocol.

For more information about Tom Scully’s responsibilities at Mt. Hood Meadows, contact Tom Spangler at (503) 337-2222. For additional information about the PNSAA awards program, contact Scott Kaden at (541) 386-9600.

The Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association (PNSAA) announced the recipient of the Association’s coveted Industrial Strength Award at yesterday’s PNSAA Trade Show. Brad Stanford, an attorney with the Portland, Oregon-based law firm Farleigh Wada Witt, was on hand at the PNSAA Trade Show to graciously accept the 2008 Industrial Strength Award.

A widely respected attorney, Brad Stanford’s legal practice focuses on business litigation, products liability, and insurance defense. Having practiced with Farleigh Wada Witt since 1990, Stanford is particularly skilled in the field of ski area risk management. Stanford is actively engaged in the national Association of Ski Defense Attorneys (ASDA); he is ASDA’s immediate past president. Stanford was nominated for the award by Mt. Hood Meadows for the excellent service he has provided the resort and the ski industry.

“Brad is a huge asset to the ski industry and invaluable to Mt. Hood Meadows,” noted Mel Toney, Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort Director of Ski Patrol and Risk Management. “His intimate knowledge of both the sport and the statute, combined with his unpretentious style, make him a formidable foe during the entire litigation process – putting his clients at ease and catching the plaintiffs off guard,” added Toney.

“While Brad is best known for his ability to secure favorable jury verdicts for ski area operations,” commented Scott Kaden, president of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association, “he also is successful with product liability cases related to snow sport equipment manufacturers.

The resort that pioneered Green Tag energy credits will purchase enough to run entirely carbon free April 22 – Earth Day 2008

Mt. Hood Meadows will commemorate Earth Day by leaving a carbonless footprint on April 22. The resort will purchase enough Green Tag carbon offsets to operate entirely on clean wind energy. The Green Tag program was pioneered by Mt. Hood Meadows and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), a non-profit organization, several seasons ago and has now become a nationwide movement marketed through the SkiGreen.org website. BEF sells carbon offsets as renewable energy certificates, to replace traditional polluting sources of electricity with clean, secure, and sustainable renewable sources of energy that come from solar and wind power from across North America. The program started at Mt. Hood Meadows and has grown to 26 ski areas across the country.

Resort Sustainability Manager Heidi Logosz says the resort has been an innovator in developing environmental programs such as Green Tags. “Mt. Hood Meadows joined forces with BEF in 2002 to make mini-green tags available to our guests at $2 each, equivalent to offsetting one round trip car ride to the mountain from Portland. We also offered Green Tags at $20 to pass holders and members of our staff. The program won a Silver Eagle environmental award from the National Ski Area’s Association and has grown to become the ‘Ski Green’ program at dozens of other forward thinking ski areas. But it all started here at Mt. Hood Meadows.”

Meadows operates its Shooting Star and Vista high speed quad chairlifts entirely on clean wind energy through the purchase of renewable energy credits and expects to offset more of its energy needs in the future. Meadows was a charter member of the National Ski Areas Association Sustainable Slopes Environmental Charter adopted in 2000. The resort has developed or adopted many progressive environmental and sustainable programs, including:

• Implementing use of biodegradable cutlery, beverage cups and tableware in many of the food service areas including the use of potato starch cutlery, corn starch cold beverage cups, sugar cane and bamboo tableware (plates & bowls).
• Actively pursuing an on-mountain, in-vessel composting program to include these items in addition to food waste, thereby further reducing its waste stream beyond what it is already doing through recycling efforts.
• Procuring local products to achieve its mission of shopping in a local food shed to reduce transportation, etc.
• Using green cleaning solutions which are less harmful to users and the environment.
• Purchasing organic, free trade coffee from Tully's (utilizing 100% compostable ecotainer cups).
• Converting its fleet of diesel vehicles and equipment (snowcats and buses) to use B5 blend bio diesel.
• Actively promoting carpooling with special incentives including giveaways and mass transportation through bus programs which offer discounted lift tickets.
• LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certification is being pursued for the new Ski Patrol Headquarters building. If approved, the headquarters would be the first LEED project for the ski area. The certification would validate the process of achieving the high standards for environmental stewardship, quality construction, and healthy workplace that sustainable building provides. LEED certification will be pursued for future projects.
• Recycling 100% of our used trans fat free fryer cooking oil by donating for use in bio fuel.

The resort has created a new position of Sustainability Manager to further its environmental and sustainability efforts. The resort recognized Earth Day this past weekend by involving such organizations as Columbia Riverkeeper, Columbia Gorge Ecology Institute, United States Forest Service, Gorge Re-Build It Center, Earth Share Oregon, and the Oregon Environmental Council which had the opportunity to educate our guests on their causes. For further information on these efforts contact Sustainability Manager Heidi Logosz – 503.337.2222 ext. 215.

Resort begins its 40th anniversary season Friday, November 23, 2007 with a 14 inch base
Two lifts – Buttercup and Easy Rider – will operate 9 AM – 3 PM daily

Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort will begin its 40th anniversary season Friday, November 23, the day after Thanksgiving. The ski area has a 14 inch base thanks to the storm which dropped 22 inches of snow Sunday and Monday, and snowmaking which has been running around the clock since the temperatures dropped below freezing Sunday.

Two lifts - Buttercup and Easy Rider - will operate from 9:00AM to 3:00PM, with limited terrain offerings off of each of these lifts. Lift tickets will be $40 for adults and $30 for 7 – 14 year olds and seniors 65 and older. Children 6 and under are $9. The ski and snowboard school, equipment rental centers and day care will be operating. Food will be served at the popular Alpenstube bar and restaurant, as well as the Schuss and Tully’s coffee bar. Beverages will also be served on the Paradise Sun Deck.

Altitude Sports and the Meadows Boutique will celebrate the opening with a Thanksgiving Weekend Celebration with discounts of up to 30% off purchases to season pass holders, and 20% off safety equipment. The Paradise Parks crew will also have some rails set up for freestyling.

Resort officials plan to run lifts daily, although that could change depending on snow conditions. Resort operations and conditions are presented on the resort web site – www.skihood.com.

Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort season passes for the 2007/08 season are now on sale, the earliest the resort has ever offered passes in its 40 year history. Meadows’ popular group season pass plans will be the same price as last season. The group purchase plans sell unlimited season passes to adults for $400, age 15 to 22 year olds for $300 and age 7 to 14 for just $200. The purchase must be made on line by Sunday November 4, 2007.

The daily lift ticket prices at Meadows will increase to $54 for an adult (up from $49). During Peak time frames (Christmas holiday then weekends through the first weekend of March) the adult ticket will be $64. Junior (age 7 – 14) and Senior (age 65 and older) tickets will increase to $32 from $29 last season. Executive Director of Marketing, Sales and Communications Dave Tragethon points out that, "An adult would need to ski or snowboard less than seven times on peak days to pay for the 4 x 4 at $400. That is a terrific deal – we want to convert more day skiers to pass holders with these special group offers.”

The group purchase program began five years ago with the popular 4 Buy 4 adult purchase program – four adults purchase their passes on line together at $400 each. The price this year is the same as five years ago. Three seasons ago the resort added the 3 x 3 for the 15 to 22 year old age group (3 passes purchased on line together at $300 each) and the 2 x 2 for the 7 to 14 year old age group (2 passes purchased on line together at $200 each).

Meadows is also offering the 10 Time Pass purchased in a group of 10 or more at $295 – the same price as last year. As the name implies a 10 Time Pass provides its holders with 10 days of skiing or snowboarding, bringing the cost of a lift ticket to just $29.50 / day, about half the price of a normal lift ticket. The 10 Time Pass can also be “shared” with others after March 24, 2008, so long as the pass holder is present to sign for the additional lift tickets.

For age 65 and older Meadows offers a $250 unlimited season pass. And kids six and under receive a FREE season pass when their parent or grand parent purchase an unlimited season pass, recognizing the multi-generational heritage and uniqueness of the sport.

Meadows is debuting its Platinum Pass this season – an all inclusive unlimited season pass with season ski check, a season locker and up-front reserved parking space all season long. The Platinum Pass is $2000 and only 50 will be offered this year.

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18 inches of snow in 18 hours from a furious early season storm

(October 20, 2007) -- Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort has two feet of snow in the base area – closer to three feet higher up on the mountain. An early season storm (the third one so far this season) dumped 18” of snow in 18 hours on the resort. The storm is expecting to continue to drop snow through Saturday evening.

Resort Executive Director of Marketing, Sales and Communications Dave Tragethon says this is exactly what the ski area needs to build its base. “This is the perfect early season storm scenario. We’ll have more than two feet of unsettled snow pack in the base area – enough for us to ‘track pack’ it with our groomers, to create a firm and persistent base. We expect we’ll need more snow in order to open for the season, but this snow allows us to prepare the mountain for what we hope will be an early opening.”

The resort usually opens by mid-November, but will open as soon as there’s enough snow to offer a quality experience and sustain the opening. The resort celebrates its 40th anniversary this season. The earliest opening in the resort’s history was October 20th. Meadows will update snow conditions and provide any potential opening or operations information on its conditions page..

Tragethon says even if the resort doesn’t open with this storm, this snowfall is having an impact. “Our season pass sales have picked up – there is a lot of excitement and anticipation. Our popular group season pass deals end November 4th – right now it looks like we could have a race to see if the resort opens before our season pass deadline.”

The ‘La Nina’ forecast for this winter by state climatologists also has skiers and snowboarders anxious thinking about the amount of snow a wetter, colder winter will bring.

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Meadows makes the sport affordable for families with special offers

MT. HOOD, OR (Immediate Release) – Mt. Hood Meadows will offer innovative pricing and packages designed to make skiing and snowboarding more affordable for families.

Season Pass Deals
The ultimate value is still the group season pass deals offered on line through November 4. The 2x2 offers a youth pass for ages 7 to 14 for just $200 each, and the 3x3 price for ages 15 to 22 is just $300 each. A family need come to the mountain as few as five times before these passes pay for themselves (based on a $32 junior lift ticket for ages 7 to 14 or a $64 peak price ticket for ages 15 and older).

6 and Under Free with Parent Unlimited Pass Deal Extended to Grand Parents
The season pass deal gets even better for ages 6 and under, who receive a free season pass when their parent or grand parent purchases an unlimited season pass. Meadows recognized that skiing has multi-generational appeal, and many grand parents have a more flexible schedule to take grand children to the mountain than parents.

Safeway Family Saturday (2 free 14 and under lift tickets with purchase of adult 1 - 10 PM ticket)
This is a great offering – boiling down to just $54 on non-peak Saturdays (or $64 on peak Saturdays) for a parent to bring kids up to enjoy Saturday afternoon and evening at the mountain.

Family 4 pack - $125 2 adults tickets and 2 youth (age 14 and under) tickets
Turn any day on the mountain into your family day. These package makes skiing together with a family a great deal any day you can get away. Note that there is no family requirement on this package – meaning the adults don’t have to be married, and the kids don’t have to be related. That allows you to form your own family, instead of having to conform to a preset standard. Rentals are offered at a discount to those on this package for just $25 each.

Parent Skis FREE when child enters new Twilight Club Saturdays and Sundays
The Children’s Learning Center at Mt. Hood Meadows will be extending hours on Saturdays and Sundays in January and February and over the Christmas holiday. A special 3 – 7 PM program for kids 4 to 12 is being offered, with a two-hour on-slope lesson from 4 – 6 PM, and indoor supervision both before and after. The price is just $50 (includes lift ticket and lesson for the kid – rental equipment is just $5 more) AND a parent receives a FREE 3 – close evening lift ticket!

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Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort has had a very busy summer of capital improvement projects. Projects ranging from a new ski patrol headquarters building to remodeled rest room facilities will improve the overall guest and employee experience at the resort.

New Patrol Headquarters Building
Located near the upper terminal of the Blue Chair at the top of South Canyon, this two story 1,240 square foot structure will house the new Mount Hood Meadows (MHM) Patrol Headquarters. Patrol dispatch and a larger professional patrol staff will call this attractive and functional new facility home. This will be MHM’s first LEED’s ("Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" green building rating system) certified building and will be a real milestone in our continuing environmental sustainability efforts.

Remodel North Lodge First Floor Bathrooms
Updated fixtures, finishes and new lighting and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) will create more attractive and welcoming ladies and mens rest room facilities on the first level of the North Lodge. This will definitely provide a more pleasant multi-sensory experience!

Stadium (formerly known as Yellow) Chair Renovation
One of our two original Chairlifts gets new chairs, a variable speed motor as well as a new name. The “Stadium Chair” will honor all of the race and special events presented on the Stadium run. New “bail style” chairs (no center pole and galvanized – no longer yellow) will replace the single center pole chairs making Stadium more comfortable to ride and easier to load/unload. Safety restraint bars are also included. The new variable speed drive will also improve loading and unloading while reducing stoppages.

New Snowcats
We've purchased three Prinoth 350 snow cats all with terrain master tillers and blades to replace older cats. Meadows continues to differentiate itself from other ski resorts with one of largest and current snow cat fleets, and highly skilled team of professional groomers.

A variety of projects in the Patrol, Lift Maintenance, Lift Operations, Race, Food Services, Security, and Retail departments will help our staff provide better guest experiences at Mt. Hood Meadows this upcoming season and beyond.

The Ski & Snowboard School at Mt. Hood Meadows makes learning to ski or snowboard fun and affordable. Meadows is offering a variety of innovative learning programs for ages 13 and older this season.

$40 Learn to Ski or Snowboard Package
(Ages 13 and older – offered not available 12/22-31/07 or 2/1/08-3/2/08)
As a special 40th Anniversary gift, Meadows is reducing the price of its all inclusive learn to ski or snowboard package to just $40. the package includes beginner lift ticket, 2 hour lesson and equipment rentals (for ages 13 and older). This package is normally $59. You can upgrade your beginner package to include an afternoon 2 hour lesson for just $10.

$99 Three Time Learn to Ski or Snowboard Passport
(Ages 13 and older – available all season)
The 3 Time Passport packages two beginner lift tickets and an all mountain lift ticket, with a two hour lesson and equipment rentals each day. This progressive package is designed to get novice skiers and snowboarders enjoying the sport on their own by the third day.

“Bus on Us” Learn to Ski or Snowboard Package $59
(Ages 13 and Older – available weekends and holidays when Park & Ride runs)
First timers receive free transportation on Meadows’ weekend and holiday Park and Ride service with this package when purchased in advance for $59. Package also includes beginner lift ticket, coaching session and equipment rentals for the day.

$109 Learn to Ski or Snowboard Private Lesson Package
The lesson is all about you – the package includes a beginner lift ticket and equipment rentals for the day and a one hour private lesson with one of our instructors. Great way to get introduced to the sport!

Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort marks its 40th anniversary with a season-long celebration to commemorate “40 Years of Making Winter Fun.” The ski area opened to the public in January 1968 – with two chairlifts, a rope tow, a ski lodge and a dream to provide quality winter recreation for families throughout the Northwest. The resort has been guided by the same ownership for all 40 years and has grown to become the second largest ski resort in Oregon.

Meadows is currently looking for the most complete season pass collection. The winner will receive a season pass for this anniversary season, and an invitation to the anniversary gala dinner (for two) in January.

Most Complete Season Pass Collection Contest
Assemble your collection of Meadows picture passes from previous seasons and win a season pass for our anniversary season, and an invitation for two to attend the 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner in Portland in January. Entries must be presented either at Mt. Hood Meadows or the Clackamas Sales Office by November 1, 2007. Up to half of the passes can be staff (employee) passes. Meadows will have special deals and offers all season long, with a special emphasis in January, the 40th anniversary month.

40% Off Item of Your Choice from one of our Sport Shops on your birthday (30% off of hard goods)
Celebrate your birthday at Mt. Hood Meadows – simply show your identification (driver’s license, passport or birth certificate) on your birthday and we’ll give you a 40% discount on one item from our sport shops – soft goods from Meadows Boutique or Altitude Sports – or 30% off hard goods from the High Performance Center. The purchase must be for the Birthday person (the gift is intended for the birthday boy or girl!) In stock merchandise only, no special orders, discount applied to full retail price. - more -

Learn to Ski or Snowboard Special
$40 Includes beginner lift ticket, 2 hour lesson and equipment rentals (for ages 13 and older). This package is normally $59 but we’re offering it at a special price four our 40th anniversary (discount not available 12/22-31/07 or 2/1/08-3/3/08)

$40 eTickets Mondays through Thursdays
This is a special eTicket offer – each non-holiday midweek (Monday through Thursday) day, 40 lift tickets can be purchased for $40 each on-line through eTickets at www.skihood.com. The ticket is good only for the day it is purchased, and the tickets are limited to the first 40 purchased for each day. This represents a savings of $19 off the regular day/night non-peak lift ticket price!

Special eTicket Offers
You’ll want to bookmark the eTicket page at www.skihood.com as special deals will be offered spontaneously – such as a 2 for $68 deal to commemorate the opening season.

Daily Season Pass Drawings in January (Monday through Thursday)
Meadows will give a season pass away each day (valid the remainder of our 40th anniversary season), Monday through Thursday, during the month of January. No purchase necessary, but you need to be present to win. The pass can be transferred to another person if a season pass holder wins it.

40 Year Season Pass good through the 2047-2048 Season!
The 40 year pass will be given away Sunday, January 27. You can register for the drawing all month long – any time you come to Meadows in January. But you will need to be present to win this amazing prize which will allow you to ride Mt. Hood Meadows for FREE for the next 40 years!

For details on the 40th anniversary season and other special offers vist our 40th anniversary page.

It was one of the two original lifts when Mt. Hood Meadows opened in January, 1968. At that time it was referred to simply as “The North Lift”, rising 548 vertical feet from the base area and accessing terrain in the northern portion of the ski area’s permit area. The lift was later changed to “the Yellow lift” thanks to the painting of the chairs to Yellow. With a new drive which controls how the lift performs and operates, and new chairs, Yellow will be Yellow no longer.

The resort held a contest to rename the lift and "Stadium" was suggested by many. The first to submit the name in the contest was Violet Anderson, who won a 10 Time Pass in the contest. The "Stadium" lift services the Stadium run, which hosts many ski racing events each season. The new name pays tribute to all the athletes and recreational skiers and snowboarders who have run gates or participated in events in the past, and will provide uplift for those competing in the future.

The upgrade will be obvious. First, the chairs will be a galvanized metal, which provides greater weather durability and blends into the environment much more naturally than the current yellow chairs. The new chairs are “bail” style, with poles on the outside of chairs instead of one in the middle separating the seat. This will make it easier for beginners and snowboarders to ride the lift. The seats will also feature restraint bars.

The replacement of the drive along with rebuilding the gear reducer will noticeably improve the experience for guests and make it easier to operate. The improvements will create a smoother ride, make it easier to load and unload, reduce stops and downtime due to mechanical problems.

The speed will be more flexible and adjustable than the old drive, however it will operate at the same speed as before taking about four-and-a-half minutes to travel the 2,200 feet. The uphill capacity remains the same with 90 chairs attached to the lift.

If you would like to be placed on a waiting list to purchase one of the current Yellow chairs when they are replaced, click here:

The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has honored Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort with the coveted “Best Overall Guest Service Program” award for the 2006/07 season. Meadows was one of three recipients of the award, winning in the 250,000 to 500,000 skier visit category.

Judges praised Meadows for its commitment to guest loyalty, noting the resort aligned its management, supervisor and employee training with its goals and Mission to become “The Best in the West in Employee and Guest Loyalty.” Each department was challenged to create and implement action plans to support goals ranging from “Create, recognize and reward guest loyalty,” to “Develop and retain exceptional employees and leaders.”

But what really differentiated Meadows from other award nominees was the access every guest has to relate their experiences, positive and negative, directly to President & C.O.O. Dave Riley through “Dave’s Blog,” to make sure the company remained focused on its goals. Judge James Chung of Reach Advisors commented, “Mt. Hood Meadows has dramatically re-engineered how they staff, train, manage and lead with the customer always in mind. The most visible example can be found in Dave’s Blog, which is one of the industry’s best examples of leadership in action.”

The Blog was celebrated as the best guest communication vehicle in the industry, with special acknowledgment to Riley who takes the time to respond to every post. This level of commitment coming from the President clearly demonstrates that Mt. Hood Meadows has placed creating guest loyalty as its highest priority.

The winners of the 2006/07 Marketing and Guest Service Awards were announced at a reception at NSAA's National Convention and Tradeshow held at the La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs, Calif, May 7, 2007. The awards are presented annually to ski resorts nationwide, both large and small, for their successful guest service programs that ultimately help grow the sports of skiing and snowboarding.

This year’s categories recognized the Best Overall Guest Service Program in three resort categories based on resort skier and rider visitation. Meadows received the award in the 250,000 – 500,000 skier visit category. Other award winners were Whitetail Resort, PA in the 100,000 to 250,000 visit category, and Beaver Creek, 500,000 and more visits.

The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) honored Mt. Hood Meadows a Heads Up National Ski Area Safety Award at its National Convention and Tradeshow held at the La Quinta Resort & Club, Palm Springs, Calif. Each season the awards recognize those resorts that have done an outstanding job of educating employees and guests about skiing and snowboarding responsibly.

Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort received an award for Best Use of the Web in a Safety Campaign in using “Dave’s Blog” to promote its Safety Awareness Program to guests. The January 10 Blog was authored in concert with National Ski Area Safety Awareness Week, celebrated January 13 – 19 this year. Dave’s Blog directly addressed on-slope safety issues, outlining Meadows’ Safety Awareness program and explaining the consequences of reckless skiing and snowboarding.

The program was conceived, administered and presented by Mt. Hood Meadows Risk Manager and Ski Patrol Director Mel Toney. The patrol and other high profile personnel were stationed with slow skiing banners in high traffic areas and other locations to reduce speed. Those who ignored the warnings lost their lift ticket. Season pass holders lost their pass privileges until they attended a safety presentation usually led by Toney herself.

The combination of the preventative warning messages through Dave’s Blog, on-slope bannering and patrolling and the Safety Awareness Week program sent a strong and consistent message to guests, and were noted as reasons why Meadows won the national award. For more information on the awards or other NSAA safety initiatives and resources, visit the Safety & Education section of nsaa.org

Hood River, OR – The Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association (PNSAA) is pleased to announce the winner of the Association’s Mel Borgersen Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious award will be presented to Franklin Drake, founder of Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort. The Mel Borgersen Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed on an individual who uses his or her expertise, over the course of a lifetime, to make significant contributions to Pacific Northwest ski and snowboard facilities.

Franklin Drake’s decades-long ski industry career began in the mid 1960s, when he applied for, and received, the USDA Forest Service special use permit to develop Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort on the southeastern flank of Mount Hood. Drake served as president, CEO, and chairman of the resort from 1965 to 2006, when he retired from active resort management. During his 40 years of leadership, Drake arranged for the financing, oversaw resort construction, and led the team of professionals that managed the resort’s day-to-day operations. In 2001, Drake and his team acquired Cooper Spur Ski Area and the Inn at Cooper Spur and melded them into the resort that currently operates as Cooper Spur Mountain Resort. During the winter of 2005-2006, Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort and Cooper Spur Mountain Resort set records for visitation – a combined 525,000 visits.

“As the founder of Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort, Franklin has pioneered many initiatives that have had a profound impact on our operation, as well as the broader, Northwest ski product,” commented Dave Riley, president and COO of Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort and Cooper Spur Mountain Resort. “He brings passion to the development, expansion, and operation of our ski area. It’s a founder’s passion that you see in his eyes when discussing a new chairlift project, or when skiing Mt. Hood above treeline on a sunny day,” noted Riley.

“The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Association and is infrequently awarded,” noted Scott Kaden, president of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association. “It is an honor Franklin so richly deserves for all of his contributions to the Pacific Northwest ski industry,” added Kaden.

For more information about Franklin Drake’s contributions to the Pacific Northwest ski industry, contact Dave Riley at (503) 337-2222, extension 259. For additional information about the Mel Borgersen Lifetime Achievement Award program, contact the PNSAA office at (541) 386-9600.