Hoodoo Ski Area in Sisters, OR

Skiing is one of my favorite outdoor activities. As an admitted adrenaline junkie who enjoys the cold, there are few things I enjoy more than carving down the mountain at high speeds. Although skiing is an outdoor sport, the culture of après-ski (translated literally from French as “after ski”) is very much an indoor activity.

No matter how much one may enjoy the snow or even the cold, after several cycles up the lifts and down the mountain, even the most avid skier wants to go inside the lodge, catch their breath, a bite to eat, and some booze to drink.

COVID-19, being the gift that keeps on giving, caused most ski resorts in the country to severely restrict access or outright close their lodges during the 2020-2021 Winter season. Anyone that wished to enjoy the trails would be unable to find reprieve from the bitter cold of the mountain, as such, after visiting Hoodoo late in 2020, I decided that skiing was just not enjoyable under those conditions and called the season a wash.

Now, as the world tries to go back to pre-pandemic “normal” and mask mandates and indoor restrictions are easing up throughout the country, it was time to get back on the saddle.

Located about 70 miles Northeast of Eugene, Hoodoo is just close enough to my home so I can make short day trips and not have to worry about spending money on a hotel or AirBNB.

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There are many different ski areas in Oregon as its naturally mountainous topography lends itself to alpine sports. Although Hoodoo is far from one of the biggest ski areas in the state, it’s location about an hour and a half from Eugene and only an hour from Bend makes it a popular destination for skiers looking for to hit the slopes without having to spend the money on overnight accommodations.

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When measured from the base, the summit only rises a hair over 1000 feet, keeping the trails relatively short, yet despite its small size, Hoodoo has over six times more skiable area than the comparably sized Wachusett Ski Area in Massachusetts.

At 84 years old, Hoodoo is a relatively old ski area with a vibe in tune with Oregon as a whole. No snowmaking equipment mean the mountain is completely reliant on mother nature complying in order to open the trails for the season.

In my multiple visits to Hoodoo, I never saw any groomers and after a heavy snowfall the trails become incredibly more difficult as the fresh powder accumulates and could cause you to unexpectedly grind to a halt or lose your balance altogether.

One thing that helps Hoodoo stand apart is its night skiing. If you really wanna test your endurance and stamina, night skiing is included in an all day pass (9 AM - 9 PM) for $60 (as of April 2022). Alternately, if you don’t feel like hitting the trails for twelve straight hours, you can also buy lift tickets solely for night skiing (4 PM - 9 PM) for $35.

Hoodoo’s night skiing is very generous with roughly 500 of the mountain’s 800 acres of skiable area available to those wanting to hit the trails after the sun has fallen behind the ridgeline.

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Hoodoo’s lodge is rather modest with limited dining options, a small bar, a ski school, and a rental and repair shop in addition to a small locker room with rentable cubbies.

There are only two real options on where to eat inside: the food court and the bar on the second floor.

The food court is pretty lackluster, serving up the best Sysco quality frozen and reheated meals like pizza, burgers, chicken tenders, and French fries, and all for way more than you should have to pay for food of this quality.

The bar has a very limited menu comprised almost entirely of specials. Although the food found here is a noticeable step up in quality when compared to that found in the food court, its still nothing to write home about.

Outside the lodge one can find a couple of different food carts offering things like hot dogs, French fries, and other casual food items.

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Trails (out of 5): ⛷️⛷️⛷️

Although it is a smaller mountain, Hoodoo still has an impressive number of trails with varying levels of difficulty for you to enjoy. On the downside though, the resort lacks a lot of the grooming equipment to help make conditions a little more skiable after a heavy snow fall.

A significant portion of the mountain is still available to you even for night skiing.

Price (out of 5): ⛷️⛷️⛷️

Compared to other mountains in the area, Hoodoo’s lift ticket prices are very reasonable with an all-day pass running you $65 including night skiing.

The biggest downside is that there is no price tier for lift tickets if you do not plan on doing any night skiing. Tickets cost the same price whether you plan on leave at 3 PM or 9 PM. It certainly would be nice to have a separate ticket price for people only planning on hitting the trails until the mid-afternoon.

Amenities (out of 5): ⛷️⛷️⛷️ 

Hoodoo’s base lodge lacks overnight accommodations but there are several third-party hotels and inns in the vicinity for you to spend the night. Considering it’s centralized location in between Bend and Eugene, unless you’re skiing multiple days in a row, staying overnight isn’t exactly necessary.

Food options aren’t super varied either but the prices are not unreasonable.

Nestled comfortable in the heart of the Cascade mountain range, Hoodoo has a fun vibe that is very in tune with Oregon as a whole; the faint smell of weed wafting into your nose every now and the and the somewhat eccentric owner of the ski resort can frequently be found in the base lodge with his faux spiked-hair hat chatting up whoever wants to listen.

It’s hard to beat this place just based on location alone, but the numerous trails running down the mountain is what really help make Hoodoo my favorite place to ski in Oregon.