Snow Bunny is a small snow play area in

Mount Hood National Forest The Mount Hood National Forest is a U.S. National Forest in the U.S. state of Oregon, located east of the city of Portland and the northern Willamette River valley. The Forest extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than of ...

on the south face of

Mount Hood Mount Hood is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. It was formed by a subduction zone on the Pacific coast and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located about east-southeast of Portl ...

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idah ...

, United States, about east of Portland. Inner tubing,

toboggan A toboggan is a simple sled traditionally used by children. It is also a traditional form of transport used by the Innu and Cree of northern Canada. In modern times, it is used on snow to carry one or more people (often children) down a hill ...

ing and other snow sports are on a maintained to hill of snow, popular with young children and families. It was established in 1952 as Mount Hood's first snow play area for children.

History

The ''East Leg Timberline Road''—the road through Snow Bunny—was the original road to

Timberline Lodge Timberline Lodge is a mountain lodge on the south side of Mount Hood in Clackamas County, Oregon, about east of Portland. Constructed from 1936 to 1938 by the Works Progress Administration, it was built and furnished by local artisans during th ...

since its construction in 1936. In 1949, Timberline Highway opened and obsoleted winter use of East Leg Road and the Timberline Lodge garage at its foot at Route 26. In 1952, George W. Jackson led about 150 volunteers from East Side Commercial Club to convert the garage to a snow lodge intended as a safe place for children away from congested and dangerous ski areas. The lodge opened February 1, 1953, with meals, a children's playroom, and warming rooms on weekends during snow months. The Commercial Club sponsored a nonprofit organization called Snow Bunny Lodge Incorporated that operated the lodge from 1977 until 1992. During the week, it was available for youth groups. The lodge also offered overnight accommodations for up to 66 people, while it could hold 300 during the daytime. In the early 1990s plans were made to renovate the lodge. The building had developed dry rot, plus the fire suppression system was inadequate and the building contained the known carcinogen asbestos. The

U.S. Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Nationa ...

received a federal grant of $250,000 to remodel the structure, but returned the grant after estimates for repair exceeded $700,000. In October 1992, the Forest Service tore down the lodge due to those safety concerns and burned the remnants. The non-profit group operating the tubing area, which is on public land, stopped operating the area when the lodge was demolished, but Northwest Nordic acquired a lease from the Forest Service in 1992 and began operating Snow Bunny. At that time the area drew 25,000 visitors each year.

Operations

Snow Bunny's elevation of makes it a popular trailhead for cross country skiers (

nordic skiing Nordic skiing encompasses the various types of skiing in which the toe of the ski boot is fixed to the binding in a manner that allows the heel to rise off the ski, unlike alpine skiing, where the boot is attached to the ski from toe to heel. Re ...

snowshoe Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...

rs and

snowmobile A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...

rs. This includes access to Trillium Lake and the Yellowjacket Trail. The facility is operated by the company that runs the

Summit Ski Area Summit Pass (formerly Summit Ski Area) is a small ski area located on Mount Hood, alongside the Mount Hood Highway ( U.S. Route 26) in Government Camp, Oregon. Built in 1927, it is the oldest ski area in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to d ...

(Northwest Nordic) located 2 miles west on U.S. Route 26. It is located along the

Mount Hood Scenic Byway Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, ...

, about east of

Government Camp Government Camp is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, on the base of Mount Hood and north of Tom Dick and Harry Mountain. It is the only town within of Mount Hood and therefo ...

on U.S. Route 26, near the junction with the Trillium Lake road (NFS 2656) and East Leg Road which connects to Timberline Highway, near the junction with

Oregon Route 35 Oregon Route 35 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Oregon, running between Government Camp on the slopes of Mount Hood and the city of Hood River. OR 35 traverses part of the Mt. Hood Highway No. 26 ( Mount Hood Scenic Byway) a ...

. Neither forest road is plowed, making them popular winter sports choices. Inner tubing and other sliding is usually possible from

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...

through spring break. The concession operates winter weekends and most school holidays. When operating, no personal sliding equipment is permitted. The fee covers unlimited day use. A Sno-Park permit is required to park. Snow Bunny features a single rope tow.

References

External links

Summit Ski Area
- operates Snow Bunny {{Oregon Ski Areas Ski areas and resorts in Oregon Geography of Clackamas County, Oregon Mount Hood National Forest Tourist attractions in Clackamas County, Oregon 1953 establishments in Oregon