There are several ski resorts within about an hour's drive of Portland, on the slopes of Mount Hood. Timberline Ski Area even boasts summer skiing. There are also many miles of marked cross-country ski trails. The best cross-country skiing on Mount Hood is at the Nordic center at Mount Hood Meadows, and at Teacup Lake, which is along Ore. 35 near the turnoff for Mount Hood Meadows. You'll find numerous ski and snowboard rental shops in the town of Sandy, which is on the way from Portland to Mount Hood, and ski areas also rent equipment.

* Timberline Ski Area (tel. 503/272-3311 for information, or 503/222-2211 for snow report; www.timberlinelodge.com) is the highest ski area on Mount Hood and has one slope that is open all the way through summer. This is the site of the historic Timberline Lodge, which was built during the Depression by the WPA. Adult lift ticket prices range from $18 for night skiing to $37 for an all-day pass. Call for hours of operation.

* Mount Hood Meadows (tel. 503/337-2222, or 503/227-7669 for snow report; www.skihood.com) is the largest ski resort on Mount Hood, with more than 2,000 skiable acres, 2,777 vertical feet, and a wide variety of terrain. Lift ticket prices range from $18 for night skiing to $41 for a weekend all-day pass. Call for hours of operation.

Mt. Hood SkiBowl (tel. 503/272-3206, or 503/222-2695 for snow report; www.skibowl.com), the closest ski area to Portland, offers 1,500 vertical feet of skiing and has more expert slopes than any other ski area on the mountain. SkiBowl is also one of the largest lighted ski areas in the country. Adult lift ticket prices range from $18 for midweek night skiing to $31 for a weekend all-day pass. Call for hours of operation.

All of the ski areas mentioned above allow snowboarding. Mount Hood Meadows and Mt. Hood SkiBowl both have cross-country skiing (though only Mount Hood Meadows has a Nordic Center and groomed fee-access trails).