Read skier and snowboarder-submitted reviews on Willamette Pass that rank the ski resort and mountain town on a scale of one to five stars for attributes such as terrain, nightlife and family friendliness. See how Willamette Pass stacks up in the reviews, on and off the slopes, from skiing and family activities to the après scene. Read up on pros, cons and other comments in reviews left by fellow skiers and riders. Don't forget to submit your own Willamette Pass review! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your skiing and resort experience.
Reviews for Willamette Pass
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A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account.
There’s no better place to teach folks to ski. All new skiers/boarders get a free lesson. Rentals are inexpensive and lift tickets are very inexpensive if bought ahead of time. No lines at all on the lifts. Runs are well groomed and powder has been fantastic. Plenty of variety for a couple days of skiing—maybe not for a week’s stay. Beginner area and staff are excellent. They made accommodations two days when I needed a lesson for the kids—went way out of their way to see we got what we needed. Folks move through gear rental quickly with preorders online. Ordering online gets a much cheaper lift ticket than buying one there on the same day. We love this place—it’s a gem of a ski area. We’ve been there four times this year. I’ve got a family full of competent skiers now!... Full Review
Logan Frederic
This place is good but idk why they can’t be like a normal place like hoodoo instead of selling limited tickets I can’t even go with my friends now because they’re sold out of tickets like reallly?:/ ... Full Review
Benjamin Hansen
Great terrain for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers alike. Even on busy days there's no line for the lifts.
I'm a pretty good skier. I love the steeper stuff off the Eagle Peak and Peak 2. Plenty of runs with pitches over 35 degrees. Great terrain for powder days. There's some great cliff to drop off, including one 1 with a 20 ft drop right under the lift on Peak2.
I also been teaching my family to ski here the last 3 years. They've gone from pure beginners to confident intermediate skiers. The season pass for kids are only $40, so we've taken full advantage of that.
Sleepy Hollow is a perfect 1st time beginner run because it isn't too steep but you have to make a couple turns. The other green runs are a great way for kiddos and new adults to build confidence and challenge themselves and they are segregated away from blues and blacks so my kids don't have to worry about making a wrong turn or dealing with hot shots whizzing by.
I say this as someone teaching a 6, 9, 11 and 35 year old to ski (3 daughters and wife). Willamette is perfect for us . Plus I can make a couple quick runs to the top and enjoy long groomed blues, steep black runs, or great hidden routes through the trees.
P.S. Best bluebird powder day of my life on 2/16/2020.... Full Review
Susan Aldine
Bought first time skier the package deal for the day. Lift closed at noon. No refunds. Just trying to figure out if the lift would start again took 90 minutes -- none of the staff had a clue, wouldn't give me an answer, one told me to walk to another lift, that lift told me to go back to the lodge, the lodge told me to go back to the lift operator. Terribly run business. Hours not put on website, lift status not kept in the rental store. No scales to weigh your child. If Mt. Hood within reach, go there.... Full Review
Jeff Wisdom
I grew up skiing here and have always loved it. What I like most is the small local feel and variety of terrain. Most of the runs are nestled in the trees, and I really love to ski the powder. I have many fond memories of the area and I get to relive them every time I'm there! Beautiful panoramic views, great skiing, well maintained and groomed runs and friendly staff. It only takes me just about an hour to get there from Eugene so I get a great deal of skiing in. LOVE IT!!!!... Full Review
Jeff Wisdom
I grew up skiing here and have always loved it. What I like most is the small local feel and variety of terrain. Most of the runs are nestled in the trees, and I really love to ski the powder. I have many fond memories of the area and I get to relive them every time I'm there! Beautiful panoramic views, great skiing, well maintained and groomed runs and friendly staff. It only takes me just about an hour to get there from Eugene so I get a great deal of skiing in. LOVE IT!!!!... Full Review
Fluffy Kitty
You don't come to Willamette Pass for a week-long resort experience. It's a day-trip kinda' place at a day-trip-able distance from the Willamette Valley. No one speaks aprés ski, although you can find broasted chicken in the nearby village of Crescent Lake, and I'm sure there are bars that open late in Oakridge, if you don't mind the wood smoke.
But, the mountain! It's a small mountain with only three main lifts, logically laid out, which means you can get from anywhere to anywhere with just a lift ride away, and there isn't a single trail that isn't worth trying. Trails range from about 0.6 to 1.5 miles.
For beginners, Duck Soup is a nice, long run to start with. For honing your carving skills, By George is a very wide trail that's an even-keeled 20 degrees all the way down, and Rough Cut is a more variable alternative. If you want more variability, Rosary Run in the front and Where's Waldo in the back (which is actually North-facing) are decent-width choices with only little bits of flats.
In the end, Willamette Pass is for advanced/expert skiers and boarders, and you get your money's worth with $49 lift tickets. The black trails are ungroomed, and arranged from easy to hard as you go from east to west, on front and back, ranging from about 25-30 degrees to RTS's infamous 40-45 degrees! On powder days, be sure to show up first thing in the morning, as things get tracked out by lunch, but those first runs will be the ones to remember, as it's never that crowded there. On weekdays, you may be the only one on that trail! Just make sure you know how to handle crud and bumps. Backside trees can be gnarly. Success is a flat 30 degrees all the way, often icy or bumpy, good for perfecting your steeps form; it is on a lift line, so people will be watching you. Northern Exposure in the back can be messy on top, but mellows out into a nice run.
Some cons. Powder is almost always wet and heavy. It rains there more than it should. The bunny slope and back side are often closed on weekdays. They are sometimes understaffed; ski patrol coverage can be uneven, and sometimes a lifty is missing. There is only one express lift, Eagle Peak Accelerator. Route 58 east of Oakridge can get pretty foggy at times, and there are a lot of trucks and very impatient locals. Snow can get pretty choppy after 2 pm. When driving through Oakridge, DO NOT EXCEED 35 MPH!
Some pros. Wind is much gentler than at Bachelor. The front side is south-facing, which means it softens up nicely and evenly when it's sunny. You don't need backpacks, since you can park very close to the lodge if you arrive before 9 am. All that rain means that the road is often ice-free (but it can also be deceptively slippery). Lift lines are super short, even on weekends; often, you can coast right up to the loading spot. Boarders and skiers get along well, and there are few obnoxious people. You can often find a good powder stash on the sides of groomers.
I have found the staff friendly and knowledgeable, with some who have skied there for decades. Be nice and friendly to them, and they will be nice and friendly to you. Be demanding, and you will get a baffled look back, which is a typical Oregon thing. Food is the usual burgers and fries and some other things I don't eat, but they do have a good collection of teas!... Full Review
chris murray
please stay away. more for the rest of us who don't rely on toothless waitstaff to make our lunch. Freakin prima donna's. ... Full Review
JP Walker
I will be back, but because I don't spend any time dealing with their horrible staff. Crazy long runs.... Full Review
Nick
My wife and I just had the worst customer service experience of our lives at Willamette Pass Ski Area. After driving 3 hours from Portland to meet some friends for a day of skiing, we attempted to pay for our lift tickets with a gift certificate we had received about a year ago. We had been emailed the gift certificate and did not see the fine print stating that the gift card was only valid for the current season (turns out this is illegal under Oregon statutes (chapter 646A) on trade regulation). We were eventually passed to the on-duty mountain manager. After we questioned the legality of expiring gift cards, the gentleman told us to "take them to small claims court". With such a display of inflexibility, we turned around and walked out. Aside from the legal issues, why on earth would someone in the business of fun treat customers so poorly? I will never ski at Willamette Pass again.... Full Review
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