Skiing at Meadows by mid-December?

By Dan Richardson, 11-30-06

We could get our mountain back within a couple weeks.

That’s the word from Oregon transportation officials about the reopening of Highway 35 south of Hood River.

Steven Harry, a PR rep for the Oregon Department of Transportation, has sent out a press release saying that crews are working quickly. He writes, “Barring unforeseen conditions or bad weather, the highway is expected to reopen by Dec. 15.”

The highway was cut — and Mount Hood Meadows ski area cut off — November 6 and 7, you’ll recall, when continuing rains sent huge landslides and overflowing streams across it. A million cubic yards of soil, trees and boulders sluiced down Mount Hood’s flanks. The overflowing White River dug a new channel along, under and over Highway 35; that, and overflows and undercuts along the Hood River, Clark and Newton Creeks washed out a total of 2.5 miles of road.

For an update report of road repairs, click ODOT’s site here. (Click on the story below the photo of equipment along the washed-out highway.)

ODOT says it will hold two public meeting to discuss the wash-out, the repairs and the ultimate rebuilding, or fate, of Highway 35. This, as an Oregonian article points out, is an open question. How many times should we build a highway in an active flood and slide zone?

Any way, the meetings will be Friday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m., at the Huckleberry Inn (23075 E. Government Camp Loop), and Monday, Dec. 4, 5 p.m., at the Best Western Hood River Inn.

Officials expect the current repairs to cost between $10 million and $20 million — and to be temporary measures. [End of article]