Willamette Pass Resort
Willamette Pass Resort is a ski area in the western United States, located at Willamette Pass in west central Oregon, in Klamath and Lane counties. In the Cascade Range between Oakridge and La Pine and accessed by Highway 58, it operates on federal land under special use permit on the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests. Founded in 1941, the ski area has been locally-owned and operated by the Wiper family of Eugene since 1982, the year its first chairlift was installed.[1][2][3]
Willamette Pass Resort | |
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View from summit of Willamette Pass Ski Area | |
Willamette Pass Resort Location of Willamette Pass in Oregon Willamette Pass Resort Willamette Pass Resort (the United States) | |
Location | Cascade Range, Klamath County, Oregon |
Nearest major city | Oakridge 20 miles (30 km) |
Coordinates | 43.60°N 122.036°W |
Vertical | 1,563 ft (476 m) |
Top elevation | 6,683 ft (2,037 m) |
Base elevation | 5,120 ft (1,561 m) |
Skiable area | 555 acres (2.25 km2) |
Runs | 29 total |
Longest run | 2.1 mi (3 km) |
Lift system | 6 Total - Winter - 1 High-Speed Six Pack - 3 Triple Chairs - 1 Double Chair - 1 Magic Carpet 1 Total - Summer - 1 Gondola, 6 person (sightseeing) |
Terrain parks | 1 |
Snowfall | 430 in (10.9 m) per year |
Website | willamettepass.com |
Ski area information
Willamette Pass Resort is a year-round destination with two distinct seasons: A winter ski season and a summer season. In the summer, hiking, sightseeing, disc golf, geocaching, and downhill mountain biking are available, as the Eagle Peak Accelerator is converted into a 6-person gondola.
Willamette Pass is best known for having one of the steepest runs in the world, "RTS", which at its steepest point is 52 degrees. It hosted the 1993 Subaru U.S. Speed Skiing Championships, where a top speed of 116.56 mph (187 km/h) was achieved.[4]
The area is a popular place for nearby schools to visit, with lessons and plenty of green runs. The lodge has a restaurant, shop, lost-and-found service, and ski and snowboard rentals.
Snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, and inner tubing activities are also available.
Resort statistics
Elevation
- Summit: 6,683 ft (2,037 m)
- Base: 5,120 ft (1,561 m)
- Midway: 5,899 ft (1,798 m)
- Vertical: 1,563 ft (476 m)
Trails
- Skiable area: 555 acres (2.25 km2)
- Groomable area: 225 acres (0.91 km2)
- Trails: 29 total
- 20% Beginner - 45% Intermediate - 35% Advanced / Expert - Nordic trails: up to 12.4 miles (20 km) groomed
- Longest run: "Kaleidoscope/Perseverance" - 2.1 mi (3 km)
- Steepest run: "RTS"- up to 52°
- Average annual snowfall: 430 inches (1,090 cm)
- Terrain Parks: 2 (By George and Timberglades)
- Peaks: 2
- Eagle Peak
- Peak 2
Lifts
- 6 Total
- 1 High-Speed Six Pack Eagle Peak Accelerator (Doppelmayr CTEC)
- 1 Triple Chair Twilight (CTEC)
- 3 Triple Chairs Sleepy Hollow, Midway, and Peak 2 Lift (Riblet Tramway Company)
- 1 Magic Carpet
- Lift capacity: 11,100 skiers per hour
U.S. Ski Team
- Mike Lafferty - 1972 Olympian
References
- Solomon, Chris (October 16, 2002). "Willamette Pass". SKI magazine. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
- Lynch, Bill (May 30, 1982). "Ski area to install chairlift". Eugene Register-Guard. p. 1B.
- Mortenson, Eric (November 8, 1986). "Crash kills Eugene woman". Eugene Register-Guard. p. 1.
- The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, USA
External links
- Official website
- Ski Lifts.org Photos of Willamette Pass Lifts