Best time to ski Mt. Hood Meadows
From Portland via US 26 / OR 35. Status: Opening day Dec 4 (announced by the resort).
Quietest: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, especially in February. Busiest: Saturdays, plus Christmas to New Year's, New Year's weekend, MLK weekend, Presidents' Day weekend.
This week at Mt. Hood Meadows
Crowds by day of the week
Typical non-holiday weeks this season, from the SkiWhen crowd model.
Holidays and school breaks to know
| Period | Dates | Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Winter break (OR) | Dec 21–25 | Busy |
| Christmas to New Year's | Dec 26–Jan 1 | Packed |
| New Year's weekend | Jan 2–3 | Packed |
| MLK weekend | Jan 16–18 | Packed |
| Presidents' Day weekend | Feb 13–15 | Packed |
| Spring break (est.) (OR) | Mar 22–26 | Busy |
School break dates marked (est.) are estimates.
Month by month
| Month | Quiet days | Packed days |
|---|---|---|
| December 2026 | 13 | 9 |
| January 2027 | 19 | 8 |
| February 2027 | 19 | 5 |
| March 2027 | 20 | 4 |
| April 2027 | 12 | 3 |
Calmer mountains nearby
Hoodoo, Mt. Ashland, Mt. Hood Skibowl, Timberline usually draw smaller crowds than Mt. Hood Meadows on the same day.
Questions skiers ask
When is Mt. Hood Meadows least busy?
Tuesdays and Wednesdays outside holidays and school breaks, especially in February.
Is Mt. Hood Meadows busy on weekends?
Yes. Saturday is usually the busiest day of the week at Mt. Hood Meadows. Arrive before the lifts open or go on a weekday.
When is Mt. Hood Meadows busiest?
Saturdays, plus christmas to new year's, new year's weekend, mlk weekend, presidents' day weekend.
Will Mt. Hood Meadows be busy this weekend?
Check the live 7-day crowd forecast for Mt. Hood Meadows on SkiWhen. It updates every morning with snow and weather.