We're operating our Buttercup lift and a rail park from 11 AM - 4 PM today. The pictures show how we're able to do it. Great job by our mountain team to harvest the parking lot snow and transport it to Buttercup for distribution. We used the Marooka, which has rubber treads, because the high capacity trailer with its metal treads could have disturbed the ground. That would be counterproductive.
Snowmakers supplemented the 8 inches of light snow we received Friday night into Saturday. Lift maintenance deiced Buttercup (that's what happens when the freezing level plummets from 10,000 to 500 feet during a moisture laden storm). And our groomers and Meadows Parks crews are putting the finishing touches on the terrain and rail park for some fun turns and jibbing today. Expect sunshine and crisp temps. It will be an awesome winter day!
Snowcats distribute the snow piles dumped by the Marooka. Once distributed they'll put a finishing corduroy groom on it.
One of four snowmaking fans at Mt. Hood Meadows helped supplement the natural snowpack and harvesting operation.
A fan can cover a football field about two feet deep in 24 hour period. Cold temps are making for good snowmaking conditions.
The foreground shows how important our snow harvesting operation is to cover the Buttercup slopes.
The rail park will have seven features - here a crew member is prepping the popular down flat down rail. The Dance Floor is in the foreground (and you are encouraged to use it to do your snow dances).
Our mountain team worked all night to harvest this snow for today's operation. We thank them, and hope you can enjoy it!