Mt. Washington, Mt. Crumpit, or Mt. Dunce Cap?
My favorite mountain in the world is Mt. Washington in the Central Oregon Cascades. It can’t compete with the size of Mt. Rainier, the history of Mt. St. Helens, or the popularity of Mt. Hood. However, its signature appearance, not unlike Mt. Crumpit from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, makes it the Cascades most unique volcano. One place to glimpse it is from Hoodoo Ski Resort, which also feels like it’s out of a Dr. Seuss book.
Given its proximity to the uber popular Mt. Bachelor to the southeast and Mt. Hood to the north, Hoodoo is often overlooked. For those who make the voyage though, there is plenty to do; downhill skiing, nordic skiing, tubing, snacking, you name it. They also have a mascot, Harold the Hodag, a creature of Wisconsin folklore who trekked across the country to be in the deep mountain snow. You may be wondering at this point what Hoodoo means. It is a tall, thin spire or rock, also called a fairy chimney. Feeling the Dr. Seuss yet?
One more note on Mt. Washington, or Mt. Crumpit. Truly, I prefer Mt. Dunce Cap. Its goofy looks and isolation make it seem like the volcano that got in trouble and sent to the back of the class. The mountain is visible when driving Highway 20 between Sweet Home and Sisters. In addition, there is no development on its slopes, and hiking to the top requires skillful rock climbing. When driving to Hoodoo, always be sure to take a peek at beautiful Mt. Dunce Cap.
Skiing makes a great first date
The first time I cross country skied at Hoodoo was on my first date with my future wife Rita. It was also her first time on skis. The trails were only partially groomed, and the rental shop warned us the conditions wouldn’t be great. We had driven two hours to get there though, so we bought our passes and skied anyway.
The terrain was a bit slushy and shallow, rocks and twigs poked through the snowpack, and certain sections were borderline impassable. One location in particular, usually covered under several feet of snow, required a creek crossing on thin ice. We bravely tried skiing across, and the ice unforgivingly broke open. It wasn’t deep though, and we got to the other side before the water could soak us.
The beauty of Nordic skiing is that the conditions don’t really need to be great to have fun. If the trails are freshly groomed and skiers fly along like skaters on the ice, great. If the snow cover is thin, or ungroomed, then it’s just like being out snowshoeing. Rita shuffled along, slowly but surely, completing the main trail only one time. It was enough to get the itch though, and she was immediately searching ways to improve her technique when we left.
Freshly groomed
Next year we went together again, this time later in the winter when conditions were significantly improved. The snow was many feet deep, the groomers had been out in the morning, and lots of skiers zoomed along the trails. It was also bright and clear. I donned my sunglasses and did several laps of the course, pausing only to take in the views of my favorite mountain, Mt. Dunce Cap.
Rita doubled her performance metrics from last time, completing two full loops. Was it the improved conditions or all the studying and preparation she did? Likely a combination of both. If she continues improving at that rate, Thailand, her home country, will have no choice but to build an Olympic Nordic team around her.
Although it was a busy day, once out on the trails it was quiet and serene. The only sounds are the occasional bird chirping and the distant rush of wind through the valley. There are great views of rocky outcroppings on the surrounding mountains, and the thin, wispy pine trees add to the Seuss ambiance. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least way if The Grinch passed from behind with his sleigh full of stolen presents.
