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RECREATION Southern Oregon ski areas, snow parks enjoy high visitation Comment By Greg Stiles For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Greg Stiles For the Tidings Posted Dec. 27, 2015 at 7:30 PM Updated Dec 27, 2015 at 10:35 PM By Greg Stiles For the Tidings Posted Dec. 27, 2015 at 7:30 PM Updated Dec 27, 2015 at 10:35 PM » Social News Snow-lovers are making up for lost time, hitting their favorite downhill runs, cross-country ski trails, tubing hills and snowshoe paths in the Cascades and Siskiyous. Following less than stellar or just plain awful snowfall the past two winters, the final weeks of 2015 are serving up ample opportunity for snow fun. After some heavy weather and resulting power issues, Mt. Ashland Ski Area is on a roll. "We had a record Christmas Day and Saturday was another banner day," said General Manager Hiram Towle. "We filled the front parking lot, started on the back area, and sold out of rental gear. That means a lot of people are learning to ski. That's what we want." A combination of a good thing and a lack of common sense created additional hazards for drivers just north of Union Creek at the Farewell Bend snow parking area, where generations of tubers have gathered, crowding highway shoulders. "We've had tons of people coming through and getting Sno-Park permits," said Rob Cheyne of Union Creek Resort. "We've a book and a half of Sno-Park permits. We didn't sell many at all last year, because we didn't have any snow at this point." The crush of visitors at the snow park near the junction of Highway 62 and Highway 230 taxed the roughly 40-car capacity. "Most of the people can't even find a parking spot right now," Cheyne said. "They've been parking down the highway, along the side of the road and parking next to the berm, which is part of the highway." As a result, the road effectively turned into a single lane at some points. "We've had several people coming down and telling us we need to get (the state police) up here," Cheyne said. A cold weather system passing through the region Sunday night was expected to deposit 4 inches of new snow at Mt. Ashland, Mt. Shasta and Crater Lake, with 3 inches anticipated at Diamond Lake. Showers are predicted to follow Monday as snow levels ratchet up from 1,800 to 2,100 feet in Southern Oregon and as high as 2,900 feet in Northern California, National Weather Service meteorologist Charles Smith said. "Then we have high pressure coming in for a day or two before having another chance of snow on Wednesday," Smith said. With Highway 62 reopening between the Farewell Bend junction near Union Creek Saturday, access to Crater Lake National Park got a lot easier for Rogue Valley residents. Through Saturday, 109 inches have fallen on the park, settling to a depth of 96 inches, spokesperson Heidi Barker said. A year ago, the park maxed out at about 3 feet. "We had a little sunshine after the last snow," Barker said Sunday. "All of us were looking forward to a day where we didn't have to shovel snow." Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing is on many minds after the road to the Rim Village was reopened. "When the road is closed, it kind of deters people," she said. "There's a pretty advanced trail from the Visitor Center, but there are still some adventurous people." Downed trees, heavy snow and power outages have hampered Diamond Lake's Hill Top snow slide, but close to 100 people were tubing on four groomed tracks. "We're all excited, because last year was kind of a downer," said Linda Mattos, who manages the Hill Top inner-tube slide at Diamond Lake. "Our biggest problem was that we didn't have electricity for about eight days and the lights have been on and off, leaving us without power for two or three hours for a couple of days this week. We really need it and we're seeing a lot of people who have never been in the snow and are excited to play in it." Hill Top has been in operation for 30 years, drawing daily crowds as big as 200. So far, Diamond Lake area has snow accumulation of between 8 and 10 feet, she said, a major improvement over the past two winters. "Last year, we might have had 6 to 8 inches," Mattos said. "We operated for three weeks, but we had to bring in snow from other nearby places." The Diamond Lake vicinity is surrounded by cross-country, snowshoe and ski-mobile trails. "When the lake is frozen and safe, we will clear off a 50-by-50 area so people can ice skate right in front of the lodge," Mattos said. Mt. Shasta spokesman Michael Smith said the ski area is hoping to equal the 160-day season mark hit in 1997-98. So far, there is 54 inches at the top of the Douglas Butte run, he said. "We're getting closer to measuring (snow) in feet instead of inches," Smith said. "When that happens, we know we're in pretty good shape. The ski area has been on the verge of turning back cars, but hasn't exceeded its capacity yet. "Right now the biggest trouble we're having is that people are trying to get here too fast after the turn off Highway 89," Smith said. "When people come up the (4.5-mile) Ski Park Highway, they're taking it a little too fast." Like at Mt. Shasta Ski Park, parking can be a challenge at Mt. Ashland. Even with the expansion, capable of handling 700 or more cars, manager Towle said efficiency still requires effort. "We've redoubled our efforts at this point," he said. "The reality is that it's the windiest point in the Siskiyous. When you open your door we don't want it to hit another car. But at the same time we can't allow people to space their cars out so they can have barbecues between cars." Mt. Ashland plans to be open daily through Jan. 4 then will switch to a Thursday through Monday schedule with night skiing commencing Thursday and Friday nights Jan. 7. The base at the lodge is 147 inches, far exceeding last year's 87-inch depth. —Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 By Greg Stiles For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Greg Stiles For the Tidings Posted Dec. 27, 2015 at 7:30 PM Updated Dec 27, 2015 at 10:35 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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