Try A 'Busman's Holiday' To Mt. Hood Meadows

Getting from Portland to Mt. Hood Meadows can be rendered entirely hassle-free by utilizing any of several transportation alternatives (i.e., not using your own car).

One such is Sea to Summit Adventures which offers daily round-trip service with its fleet of well-equipped vans; they pick up at select metro area locals as well as provide door-to-door service from downtown hotels.

Costs, which include lift ticket, are $100 weekdays and $120 weekends for adults ($50 and $80, respectively, if you don't need a lift ticket) and $85 every day for juniors. Sea to Summit also has a beginner's special (shuttle, lift ticket, rental gear, and lesson) for $110 midweek and $120 on weekends.

Another option is the Meadows' Park & Ride weekend and holiday shuttle, which is entering its 40^th year. The service picks up at three Trimet Park and Ride stations - Tualatin Park and Ride, Sunset Transit Center and Gateway Transit Center - on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. A round-trip bus ride and lift ticket is just $79 - a bus ride by itself is $35. Purchasing tickets online will assure you of having a seat.

Mt. Hood Meadows, in conjunction with FUEL-TV, is inaugurating a Friday shuttle service from The Mountain Shop in Portland. Tickets - $79 adults, $65 for kids 7-14 and $35 without lift ticket - can be purchased at the resort's Web site.