Mountain Review: Willamette Pass
MOUNTAIN SCORE
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
See our criteria
7
Snow:
5
Resiliency:
4
Size:
6
Terrain Diversity:
7
Challenge:
5
Lifts:
8
Crowd Flow:
3
Facilities:
4
Navigation:
7
Mountain Aesthetic:
GOOD TO KNOW
1-Day Ticket: $19-$99
Pass Affiliation: Power Pass
On-site Lodging: No
Après-ski: Limited
Nearest Cities: Eugene (1.25 hrs)
Recommended Ability Level:
+ Pros
Incredible off-peak ticket deals
Great annual snowfall
Diverse advanced terrain
Unique views of Oregon’s high alpine lakes
– Cons
Lackluster intermediate terrain
Complete lack of signage and mapping
Smaller food and beverage facilities
Not comparable in size to larger Oregon destinations
Peak day tickets can be pricy
MOUNTAIN STATS
Lifts: 5
Trails: 29
Beginner: 20%
Intermediate: 43%
Advanced/Expert: 37%
Mountain Review
As the closest ski area to Eugene, Willamette Pass serves as that area’s local hill. But with a high-speed six-pack lift and impressive snowfall numbers, the resort may almost look like a regional destination. With a recent ownership change leading to new investment and surprisingly cheap lift tickets on off-peak days, Willamette Pass looks even more appealing than in previous seasons, though it does fall short in a few areas.
Though still relatively small, Willamette Pass is larger than most other regional Oregon ski areas.
Size
Willamette Pass is on the smaller side of western ski areas, with 555 acres of skiable terrain and a vertical drop of just over 1,500 ft. But while a lot more modest in size than the major destinations, these metrics actually make it the largest ski area in Oregon that is not on a volcano; while the Mount Hood areas and Mount Bachelor are far bigger, every other ski area in Oregon is more on the local size.
Lifts and Terrain Layout
The layout of Willamette Pass is very simple, with one front peak and one back peak each served by their own chair to the top, and a few chairs that go a shorter way up the mountain. The front peak is served by the ski area’s high-speed six-pack lift, the first of that type of lift in Oregon. The back side is served by a fixed-grip triple; however, it is shorter than the six pack. The two helper lifts on the front side are fixed grip, though the lift times are not too long given the shorter length.
Crowds
Due to a well-laid-out lift network, lines are relatively uncommon at Willamette Pass. The high-speed six-pack setup of the main lift allows morning crowds to spread to the back side quickly, and the triple-chair capacity of the beginner-oriented Twilight lift allows that pod to keep people moving as well. The largest lines one will likely find are in the base lodge, as that facility is a little lower in capacity than the rest of the ski area.
TRAIL MAP
Snow
Being in the Pacific Northwest means Willamette Pass gets the all-too-common Cascade Concrete, though the base elevation of 5,100 ft lends to slightly lighter accumulation than some competitors such as Mount Hood Skibowl, and about equivalent quality to Mount Bachelor. Rain events aren’t out of the question in the spring, though the high annual average snowfall of over 400 inches means the base is often deep enough that seasons can continue after rain storms.
Beginner Terrain
Willamette Pass’s beginner terrain is somewhat limited, being limited to two areas that don’t extend the full way up the mountain, although the trails themselves are quite nice.
The main beginner pod, served by the Twilight lift, sits to the looker’s left of the main lodge. This area hosts many beginner-only trails that weave through the woods with varying widths and many intersections, which allows for many unique paths through this pod. There is also a wide trail in the middle of the ski area that allows for long sweeping turns, as well as a few park options. These beginner trails only interact with a few advanced trails, meaning that they don’t get crowded with people speeding through.
For true first timers, there is a small learning area served by a carpet and small lift to the lookers right of the main lodge, which is well isolated from other trails.
Intermediate Terrain
Intermediate trails are found across all parts of the mountain, with the highest concentrations sitting on the skier’s right of the front side and the edges of the back side. These trails are generally groomed and make for good cruisers; however, many end in long, flat traverses. The frontside blues can get especially old, as they all end in the same traverse. The Twilight pod has some skiable trees that, while difficult to enter, are good low angle glades. There are also a few easier glades in the lower backside area; these trees are much easier to enter and include several easy natural halfpipes.
Willamette Pass features a wide variety of intermediate and advanced glades.
Advanced Terrain
Willamette Pass has some great variety when it comes to advanced terrain, with longer cut trails and interesting glades being found across the mountain. The backside has many steep mogul trails and wide open trees; however, these aren’t the longest trails, and people looking for more cardio runs will be better served on the front side. The front side glades are a little tighter and are incredibly picturesque, with moss and lichen hanging from many trees, creating a magical feeling run. The cut runs on the front side have a good pitch to them and are longer than those on the backside. Occasionally, a few of these runs are groomed, making for good runs for pretending to be a Super-G skier.
Expert Terrain
There are a few runs at Willamette that are best suited for experts. The backside has several areas with cliffs ranging from 10 to 30 feet, and if there’s enough snow, there are some rock-lined areas to ski or huck. The frontside run RTS is the steepest cut run in the Pacific Northwest. This run used to be a speed-skiing run, and the runout is still visible below. Nowadays it’s left to bump up, making for one of the steepest mogul runs around.
Terrain Park
Willamette Pass has a few terrain park options, with features ranging from small to large. The main terrain park is located front and center under the six-pack, though the easiest way to lap it is from the Twilight lift.
RECOMMENDED SKIS FOR WILLAMETTE PASS
NOTE: We may receive a small affiliate commission if you click on the below links. All products listed below are unisex.
Recommended all-mountain ski
Recommended carving ski
Recommended glade ski
Recommended expert/touring ski
Expansion Terrain
For decades, Willamette pass’s trail map has shown expansion terrain to the west of the current mountain layout. Although none of this terrain has come to fruition, Mountain Capital Partners, the current ski area owner, has recently released new plans for expanding terrain. Given MCP’s large vision and history of big investments in its mountains, it seems like new terrain may not be too far out for Willamette Pass.
Resiliency
Rain and fog, while rare, can substantially reduce visibility or lead to thinner cover on the slopes. The heavy Cascade Concrete snow can also turn to ice more quickly than at some other areas due to the southern exposure of the main face, though the north facing backside can be the place to find softer snow during longer snow droughts.
Navigation
Willamette Pass is fairly straightforward to navigate around, but there are a few issues. First, there are the aforementioned traverses across the front and back sides, which can make lapping some of the best intermediate terrain a bit less desirable. Additionally, while it may look like the peak of the backside is accessible from the six-pack, only several backside trails can be accessed from that lift.
The largest navigational flaw of Willamette Pass, and perhaps the most confusing part of the ski area, is the almost complete lack of signage and maps on the mountain. The ski area map hasn’t been updated in a long time, and it seems like the resort isn’t proud of that. Outside of asking for a map at the front desk or looking at the tables in the bar, there are no maps to be found anywhere across the mountain. Furthermore, many of the places where one would expect signage have posts devoid of such information. These problems turn what would be an easy-to-navigate ski area into one where trails are hard to find and planning routes on the mountain can be tough.
Navigating between the front and back sides of Willamette Pass can be somewhat confusing, especially given the resort's lack of signage.
Facilities
The only place to stop in for a break is the base lodge, which is home to typical cafeteria fare and a bar with large windows overlooking the slopes. Although the building looks huge on the outside, the floor space is actually a lot smaller than expected, though incredibly tall ceilings in the main room result in an open atmosphere. Food prices are pretty typical for a ski area, though with the purchase of a lift ticket, guests will get a $10 voucher to spend at the cafeteria or other retail options at the base.
Mountain Aesthetic
Willamette Pass is on the crest of the Cascades, with volcanoes visible to the north and south and many alpine lakes spread throughout the region. Though there aren’t any above treeline sections of the mountain, views are comparable to lower mountain areas at Mount Bachelor, though the clouds and fog that are common in the Pacific Northwest are still present. Furthermore, the backside terrain looks out on wilderness areas with no development in sight. The base lodge is a bit imposing when visible, though that’s only the case on the six-pack liftline.
Parking
There is plentiful parking at the base area, as well as an overflow lot across the highway. Parking is free, unlike other Oregon ski areas where a sno-park pass is required.
RECOMMENDED SNOWBOARDS FOR WILLAMETTE PASS
NOTE: We may receive a small affiliate commission if you click on the below links. All products listed below are unisex.
Recommended intermediate board
Recommended advanced board
Recommended expert board
Recommended touring board
Getting There
Getting to Willamette Pass is very straightforward, as it’s right off Highway 58 to the east of Eugene. However, there is no public transportation to the ski area.
Lodging
There is no onsite lodging at Willamette Pass, although there are a few lodges on nearby lakes within 15 minutes. For more options, the nearby towns of Chemult, Crescent, and Oakridge offer cheap motels, and the winter is their off-season, so many deals can be found.
Après-ski
There is a small but well stocked bar at the base lodge, though it closes when the lifts do. Nearby towns have some small town bars for locals, but those looking for any sort of true nightlife will want to head all the way to Bend or Eugene.
Willamette Pass was the first ski resort in Oregon to install a high speed six pack lift.
Verdict
While relatively unknown, Willamette Pass has some great qualities—and it can be one of the cheapest places to ski on the right day. Some nonexistent signage and lackluster intermediate terrain may knock it down for certain people, but for those looking for varied advanced terrain, a lack of lift lines, and plenty of snow, Willamette Pass may just fit the bill.
Pricing
One of the best aspects of Willamette Pass is the off-peak ticket prices. MCP uses a demand based ticket pricing model, so many weekdays can have tickets going for as little as $19—and those still include a $10 voucher for onsite purchases. This makes Willamette Pass one of the cheapest options not only in Oregon, but the entire west coast for a mountain of its size.
The downside of this pricing scheme is that on peak days such as holiday weekends, tickets have no ceiling. Though crazy high ticket prices haven’t hit Willamette Pass, its sister resort, Arizona Snowbowl, has had tickets go above $300 using the same pricing, though tickets a few days later went for $19. For guests who are flexible with scheduling ski trips, Willamette Pass can be one of the most affordable options, though more popular days can get crazy on the wallet.
