Best time to ski Mt. Hood Skibowl
From Portland via US 26 (Government Camp). Status: Likely not open yet (resorts here usually open around Dec 5, an estimate).
Quietest: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, especially in March. Busiest: Saturdays, plus Christmas to New Year's, New Year's weekend, MLK weekend, Presidents' Day weekend.
This week at Mt. Hood Skibowl
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 | 14 | 2 |
| January 2027 | 19 | 5 |
| February 2027 | 19 | 2 |
| March 2027 | 22 | 0 |
| April 2027 | 12 | 0 |
Calmer mountains nearby
Hoodoo, Mt. Ashland usually draw smaller crowds than Mt. Hood Skibowl on the same day.
Questions skiers ask
When is Mt. Hood Skibowl least busy?
Tuesdays and Wednesdays outside holidays and school breaks, especially in March.
Is Mt. Hood Skibowl busy on weekends?
Yes. Saturday is usually the busiest day of the week at Mt. Hood Skibowl. Arrive before the lifts open or go on a weekday.
When is Mt. Hood Skibowl busiest?
Saturdays, plus christmas to new year's, new year's weekend, mlk weekend, presidents' day weekend.
Will Mt. Hood Skibowl be busy this weekend?
Check the live 7-day crowd forecast for Mt. Hood Skibowl on SkiWhen. It updates every morning with snow and weather.