Snow piles up as ski resorts eye weekend opening
01.01.70
MOUNT HOOD, Ore. - For Mount Hood ski resort operators, the weather outside is anything but frightening.
Flakes were flying Friday morning while KATU Meteorologist Joe Raineri reported from Timberline Lodge on the slopes on Mount Hood. The current storm is expected to add up to a foot of fresh powder to a current base of 21 inches.
The resort's website reports they are opening today and that "almost a foot of fresh snow accumulated at Timberline in the past few days allowing the ski area to open its lower mountain terrain 7 days a week."
Two chairlifts are planned to go into operation at Timberline. Their conditions page showed 17 degrees and 30 inches of new snow in the last 72 hours as of 5:30 a.m. Friday
"It' been snowing all night, and it's still coming down. Timberline Lodge is a Winter wonderland this morning," a post on the site reads.
What's the forecast? Go to KATU News Storm Tracker weather page
Around the corner from Timberline, Mt. Hood Meadows officials announced on their website a limited opening on Saturday.
Source: KATU
Winter steelhead opportunity on Hood River
01.01.70
Here is the weekly fishing report for selected areas in and around Central Oregon, provided by fisheries biologists for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife:
CENTRAL ZONE
ANTELOPE FLAT RESERVOIR: Fishing has been fair. The trout are very healthy and average 14 inches in length with fish up to 17 inches sampled in the traps. There are a few areas of packed snow on the road leading to the reservoir. There is a little bit of ice forming around the edge of the reservoir during the night. Access to the reservoir may not last very long if we get sustained cold weather and snow. The water level should be conducive to good over winter survival, which means there should be plenty of large trout available next spring.
CROOKED RIVER BELOW BOWMAN DAM: The whitefish should be beginning to spawn so look for the trout to key in on the eggs. The use of bait is now prohibited until next spring. The water level will be increased a little for the next couple of weeks to evacuate excess water from the reservoir, but should not have a negative impact on the fishing (river flows near Prineville).
Source: Bend Bulletin