Timberline Lodge Officially Annexes Summit Ski Area as Part of Resort

Mount Hood’s Summit Ski Area is now officially a part of the Timberline Lodge resort. The small, local ski hill, which sits a few thousand feet below Timberline’s main footprint, has now been rechristened as Timberline’s Summit Pass. For now, this merger will not include any lift connection between the two areas.

Summit was bought by Timberline back in 2018, but the official resort merger did not occur until this summer. Prior to Timberline’s buyout, Summit operated independently for nearly a century, opening to the public for skiing operations back in 1927.

Ticket prices for Summit Pass will remain quite cheap. Full-day adult tickets will go for $43, with discounted rates for children, teen, senior, and afternoon products.

Timberline’s vertical drop now extends so far that it takes two trail maps to cover.

Our Take

For now, this change is mainly technical in nature, as no terrain and infrastructure has been altered with this merger. There will be no lift connection between Summit and Timberline, meaning those in the lower-elevation former will have no direct way to access the latter without taking a shuttle bus. However, Timberline guests will still be able to ski down to Summit through the Alpine or West Leg Road trails; previously, these trails were considered backcountry, but a newly-released trail map shows they are now officially in-bounds. That being said, it’s unclear how often these two trails will be open, given the more variable conditions in lower-elevation Hood areas.

Summit is essentially just a learning hill, comprising only two official trails across a handful of acres. But with the combination, Timberline guests will technically now have access to a 4,500’+ vertical drop, giving it the longest descent of any resort we’ve reviewed besides Whistler Blackcomb. Rumors have swirled about a gondola installation that will truly connect Summit and Timberline, and we’re excited to follow along as plans develop.

Considering a trip to Timberline Lodge next winter—or next summer? Read our comprehensive mountain review here. Additionally, check out our West Coast rankings.