The small mountain in the heart of the Cascade Range might not look very intimidating in the summer months, but it offers surprisingly good skiing and boarding when blanketed with snow. Situated near the top of Santiam Pass, with spectacular views of the Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson, and Three Finger Jack, Hoodoo is a small resort, with five lifts and 9.8 miles of Nordic trails. There are also two tow ropes and one carousel, making the area ideal for learning how to ski and snowboard. Lessons are very competitively priced, with small classes and a good rental program for both youth and adults. In fact, few resorts are so well adapted for novices. More than half of the runs are beginner and intermediate. The advanced runs tend to be short but offer great tree skiing and mogul fields.

When the snow is good at Hoodoo, the skiing and boarding can be really fun. While the summit is only at 5,703 feet, this part of the Cascades generally has snow from December through April. January through March are the best months to ski Hoodoo. Although most of the runs are on the north side of the mountain, warm weather can make for wet conditions. The runs are well-designed, so that novices aren't intimidated by fast-moving experts. The Manzanita Lift accesses wide-open, low-angled slopes, ideal for beginners. Hoodoo really shows its strength when it comes to intermediate runs. The summit of many areas can be scary for beginners and intermediates. But Hoodoo's Green Chair, which reaches the top of the mountain, provides access to easy, fun runs like Art's Alley, Impossible Dream, and Over Easy. More advanced skiers and boarders will want to head to the Hodog Chair, for the

The small mountain in the heart of the Cascade Range might not look very intimidating in the summer months, but it offers surprisingly good skiing and boarding when blanketed with snow. Situated near the top of Santiam Pass, with spectacular views of the Three Sisters, Mount Jefferson, and Three Finger Jack, Hoodoo is a small resort, with five lifts and 9.8 miles of Nordic trails. There are also two tow ropes and one carousel, making the area ideal for learning how to ski and snowboard. Lessons are very competitively priced, with small classes and a good rental program for both youth and adults. In fact, few resorts are so well adapted for novices. More than half of the runs are beginner and intermediate. The advanced runs tend to be short but offer great tree skiing and mogul fields.

When the snow is good at Hoodoo, the skiing and boarding can be really fun. While the summit is only at 5,703 feet, this part of the Cascades generally has snow from December through April. January through March are the best months to ski Hoodoo. Although most of the runs are on the north side of the mountain, warm weather can make for wet conditions. The runs are well-designed, so that novices aren't intimidated by fast-moving experts. The Manzanita Lift accesses wide-open, low-angled slopes, ideal for beginners. Hoodoo really shows its strength when it comes to intermediate runs. The summit of many areas can be scary for beginners and intermediates. But Hoodoo's Green Chair, which reaches the top of the mountain, provides access to easy, fun runs like Art's Alley, Impossible Dream, and Over Easy. More advanced skiers and boarders will want to head to the Hodog Chair, for the black-diamond classic "Leap of Faith." Grandstand, a big mogul field directly under the Green Chair, is also an area test piece.

The user-friendly, low-key resort sports a beautiful lodge with big picture windows that overlook the slopes. There's plenty of room for families to spread out for lunch. The resort has a reputation for friendly employees and a ski patrol team that is attentive and helpful. Overnight parking is available with a Hoodoo parking permit. The majority of Hoodoo's guests come from the city of Salem, which just over an hour's drive to the west. Boarders and skiers also make the half-hour drive east from Sisters, Oregon.

Recent upgrades include improvements on the Autobahn Tubing Park, which was voted the #1 tubing park in Oregon. Hoodoo features Airboards, arguably the fastest, most maneuverable inflated sleds available. The rental shop has also been redesigned, making checking out and returning equipment more efficient. The lodge offers a restaurant, a bar, and showers for the overnight camping and RV crowd.

One of Hoodoo's biggest selling points is its night skiing. While the view of the Cascades is majestic from the summit during the day, twilight and sunset are not to be missed. Also, when the slopes close at 9 p.m., you generally don't have to fight any traffic on your drive home. There are a variety of good hotels in nearby Sisters and Bend. Black Butte Ranch is 13 miles to the east on Highway 20 and offers packages that include lift tickets.

Where: Hoodoo is located on the summit of the Santiam Pass on Highway 20, just 20 miles northwest of Sisters, 40 miles northwest of Bend, and 85 miles southeast of Salem.