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Buying lift passes normally isn’t the most enjoyable part of skiing, but as I looked up at the prices on the wall, I knew it was going to be a great family vacation.
Having become accustomed (desensitized?) to the absurd price of skiing in 21st century America, I was pleasantly shocked to learn Hoodoo Ski Area lets kids 10 and under ski free.
It was our first time at the unpretentious resort tucked just behind the Santiam Pass off Highway 20, and we were weary from the two-and-a-half-hour drive from Portland. So the moment I realized my son would be hitting the slopes free all week, it felt like Hoodoo owner Chuck Shephard had personally folded up a couple of $20 bills and gently cupped them into my hand.
Surrounded by some spectacular Cascades scenery and not far from the family-friendly town of Sisters, Hoodoo (541-822-3799, hoodoo.com) offers a great winter alternative to the regular options on Mount Hood.
“Hoodoo is a cool location and great for families,” says Mike White, the skiing hard- goods buyer at Portland’s Mountain Shop (mountainshop.net) outdoor store. “There’s a good amount of terrain on a steep and short cinder cone, and though it’s not the cheapest, it’s on the cheaper side.”
Skiing with young kids is inherently stressful. If it costs you an arm and a leg on top of everything else, you might begin to question your life choices.
At the risk of exposing my advanced age, downhill skiing wasn’t necessarily a luxury sport when I was growing up.
We did it on the cheap, with my dad taking me and my brother out of school early on Tuesdays to score an affordable half day on the slopes. We didn’t spend money on food—packing snacks from home—and I had hand-me-down equipment my entire childhood.
Nowadays, of course, skiing in the United States has become a pricey pastime exceedingly out of reach for a lot of people: costly equipment or rentals, lessons and eye-wateringly expensive lift passes. It doesn’t help that Oregon ski operators face soaring insurance costs after the Oregon Supreme Court weakened the status of liability waivers some years ago. (Timberline recently said it would hike prices to offset just this.)
So, the modest approach taken at Hoodoo appeals to me on several levels—first, it harks back to a time when ski resorts placed more emphasis on “ski” than “resort,” and second, its management seems to understand that not everyone hitting the slopes is made of gold. Though an $89 all-day adult lift pass is not nothing, consider the $170 you’d pay at Timberline for peak times. Or the late-capitalism fun of dynamic pricing at Meadows. Compare that to Hoodoo’s “Thrifty Thursdays,” when passes cost just $35.
“We do our best to keep prices low, especially compared to other resorts who are part of much larger, often out-of-state organizations,” says Jennifer Davis, who handles PR duties for Hoodoo.
Keeping it real
Hoodoo certainly isn’t for anyone expecting a luxury lodge and other fancy amenities.
The main building, built in the early 2000s, could be considered a bit dated by some, but that didn’t seem to bother any of the guests we met. There are rentals and lessons, food concessions, a small arcade, an upstairs bar, and that’s about it. There’s no Wi-Fi.
But that’s exactly the point. You’re going to Hoodoo for some decent skiing with beautiful views that’s not going to break the bank. Even better: They’re totally OK with you bringing your own picnic into the dining area. Sure, your kid is still going to demand french fries or a slice of pizza, but maybe you can alternate that every other day with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich you’ve brought yourself.
I could offer you a breakdown of how many runs there are and the peak elevation and annual average snowfall and loads of other ski facts, but does your kid care about that?
No, she cares that Hoodoo also lets children 10 and under sled for free at the neighboring Autobahn Tubing Park (kids 11–12 $25, 13+ $30 for all-day tubing).
And your partner, who has sworn off Alpine skiing forever, cares that Hoodoo’s Nordic trails are free Monday through Wednesday, when they are not groomed. (Nonpeak adult tickets Thursday through Sunday and holiday Mondays cost $16.)
If you’re looking for even more affordable fun, there are several state Sno-Parks (annual or day parking permits required) right next to and across the highway from the ski area. You’ll find lots of great places to sled, snowshoe or cross-country ski.
Good Vibes
The overall atmosphere at Hoodoo is decidedly relaxed. Nobody here is in a rush, and you shouldn’t be either. A couple of years ago, we struck up a friendly conversation with one older staff member from Portland in the parking lot.
“This is the retirement plan,” he told us at the time. “Me and the missus rent a cabin here every winter.” That tracks with information from Davis about the ski area’s long-term staff retention. “Many of our employees have worked at Hoodoo for years and keep coming back every season because they love the laid-back vibes, fun events, and incredible guests,” she says.
One of the biggest events of the year is the Winter Carnival normally held in February. An annual tradition for over 40 years, the day is chock-full of free activities, including ax throwing, musical chairs, a three-legged obstacle race, a team tube race, a pie-eating contest, a ski javelin throw, and the ever-popular Dummy Downhill, which entails launching mannequins off a ski jump near the base area.
Though loads of guests come for the festivities, you can’t help but get the feeling that even if there were no customers that day, the Hoodoo staff would be doing it all just for their own amusement. Case in point: the employee-only snow sculpture contest.
After the sun goes down, there’s a torchlight ski procession, and the party wraps up with a professional fireworks display over the mountain. It can get pretty raucous, and it’s likely one of the busiest days of the year for the resort.
But the best thing about Hoodoo is probably when it’s just a regular day, and you and your kids are cruising down the slopes together. No crowds. No lift lines. Bluebird skies. It’s almost enough to make you forget about how much you spent on your new set of skis.
Where to stay
Hoodoo is situated in an exceedingly beautiful part of Oregon, with wonderful views of Three Fingered Jack and Mount Washington. But part of its attraction is also its proximity to the cute town of Sisters, some 25 minutes farther down Highway 20.
With its Western theme and accessible downtown, Sisters makes up for its touristic tendencies with plenty of charm. One fairly affordable place to stay is the Left Coast Lodge (511 W Cascade Ave., 541-549-2551, leftcoastlodge.com), which offers both units with kitchenettes and pet-friendly options.
Head to the Sisters Saloon & Ranch Grill (190 E Cascade Ave., sisters-saloon.net) when steak’s your thing. If it’s not too cold, the upscale outdoor food cart spot The Barn in Sisters (171 E Main St., thebarninsisters.com) has craft beer on tap and some nice fire pits. Another great option is the old-school burger joint and ice cream parlor Sno Cap Drive In (380 W Cascade Ave., facebook.com/snocapdriveinSistersOR)—just make sure to pace yourself if you’re getting both lunch and some ice cream. Need coffee? Go straight to the source of those tasty Sisters beans you’ve picked up at the supermarket at Sisters Coffee Co.’s Flagship Cafe (273 W Hood Ave., sisterscoffee.com/pages/sisters-cafe).
The closest accommodation to Hoodoo Ski Area is its aesthetic opposite, the stylish Suttle Lodge (13300 US 20, 541-638-7001, thesuttlelodge.com). Nestled right next to a picturesque lake of the same name, this place has both rooms and separate cabins, and even if you’re not staying the night, the smallish lodge cafe is a potentially good spot to spend the money you saved on lift passes.
About halfway to Sisters, there are other lodgings at Camp Sherman. The cabins at Lake Creek Lodge (13375 SW Forest Service Road 1419, 541-588-2150, lakecreeklodge.com) are plenty big and very cozy. Be sure to visit the old-timey camp store and fishing shop Camp Sherman Store (campshermanstore.com). Otherwise, if you’re a big group, nearby Black Butte Ranch (blackbutteranch.com) is a planned community with lots of spendy rental homes.
Even cheaper thrills
Is your kid no longer 10? There is a place in Oregon where you can get two more years of free skiing in—Willamette Pass (willamettepass.ski), located southeast of Eugene on OR 58. It’s a bit farther away from Portland, three hours’ drive in total, but what you pay in gas money you’ll more than make up for in lift passes. Kids 12 and under are free, and an adult all-day ticket can be had here for as low as $19 if you book in advance.
Oregon Winter is Willamette Week’s annual winter activity magazine. It is free and can be found all over Portland beginning Friday, November 21, 2025. Find your free copy at one of the locations noted here, before they all get picked up.
