Government Camp, OR – Timberline Ski Area, on Oregon’s Mount Hood, is famous for both the historic Timberline Lodge and also North America’s only year-round skiing and snowboarding on the Palmer Snowfield. Thanks to nearly three feet of snow from this week’s storm, however, Timberline officials have announced that they will open the lower mountain lifts on Friday, one of the earliest openings in the ski area’s history.nThe lower mountain has opened in October only three times in the ski resort’s 50-year history, most recently in 2004. The earliest was on Oct. 26, 1996.

Lifts remain closed at Timberline today as crews pack down the new snow, but will reopen at 9 a.m. tomorrow with two or three lower mountain lifts running for a three-day weekend. While waiting for Friday, eager skiers and riders have been using car shuttles to access the Alpine Trail, which leads from Timberline Lodge down to Government Camp.

Despite the early snowfall, nearby Mt. Hood Ski Bowl and Mt. Hood Meadows ski areas both remain closed.