Conditions report for snowy Central Oregon

Published 12:00 am Friday, December 17, 2021

With above-average temperatures lasting well into December, the anticipation has been building among snow sports enthusiasts. Well, their patience has been rewarded this week with snow fall of more than 13 inches in the last three days. Ski and snowboarding season is finally here!

Gear up and prepare for cold temperatures in the mountains this weekend, with a slight chance of snow on Saturday and Sunday.

For a full list of conditions updated regularly, please visit centraloregonexplore.com.

Hiking and Day Use Sites

Deschutes National Forest

Aspen Day Use: Open

Benham East Trailhead: Open

Benham West Trailhead: Open

Bessie Butte Trail: Open

Besson Day Use: Open

Big Eddy Day Use: Open

Black Butte Trailhead: Open; likely patchy snow, clear

Boyd Cave Day Use Area: Open

Buttes Loop Trailhead: Open

Cabot Lake Trailhead: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall

Canyon Creek Meadows: Open

Charlton Lake Trailhead: Open; light deadfall

Chush Falls: Open; possible snow with possible downfall

Cinder Beach Day Use: Open; operated by the Suttle Lodge

Coral Swamp Trailhead: Open; light deadfall

Crane Prairie Picnic Area: Open; lake currently has an algae bloom

Cultus Lake and Winopee trails: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall

Deer Lake Trailhead: Open

Devil’s Lake/South Sister Trailhead: Open; possible patchy snow

Dillon Day Use: Open

Dutchman Trailhead: Open

Edison Trailhead: Open

Elk Lake Day Use: Open

Elk Lake Trailhead: Open; light deadfall

Green Lakes Trailhead: Open; possible patchy snow

Head of Jack Creek Trailhead: Open; possible downfall

Head of the Metolius: Open; clear

Horse Butte Trailhead: Open; light deadfall above Swamp Wells Horse Camp near junction with Crater Rim

Irish and Taylor Lakes Trailhead: Open

Jack Lake Trailhead: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall

Jefferson Lake: Open; possible snow above 4500 ft.

Lake Creek Trail: Open

Lava Butte Interpretation Viewpoint: Open

Lava Camp Lake Trailhead: Open

Lava Cast Forest Trailhead: Open

Lava Island Day Use: Open

Lava Lake Day Use: Open

Lava Lands: Open; visitor center closed for season, trails still open

Lower Black Butte Trailhead: Open

Lower Bridge Day Use: Open

Lower Canyon Creek (West Metolius Trailhead): Open

Lucky Lake Trailhead: Open; recent logout, trail should be clear

Many Lakes Trailhead: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall

Meadow Picnic: Open

Meek Lake Trail: Open; patchy snow with five good sized trees across the trail before the junction with Summit Lake trail

Meissner Trailhead: Open

Metolius-Windigo: Open; patchy snow

Mile Camp Day Use: Open

Millican Crater Trailhead: Open; snow with possible downfall

Mirror Lakes: Open; light deadfall

Moraine Lake: Open; clear

North Twin Boating Area: Open

Park Meadow: Open

Peter Skene Ogden Trailhead: Open; possible snow near Paulina Lake

Phil’s Trailhead: Open; clear

Pine Mountain: Open

Pole Creek Trailhead: Open; snowy with possible downfall. Green Lakes trail logged out except the section between Park Meadow and “the pond” with moderate deadfall. Camp Lake trail and DeMaris snowy with possible downfall

Rimrock Trailhead: Open

Rockpile Lake: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall, heavy brush

Round Lake Trailhead: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall

Scott Pass Trailhead: Open; snow with possible downfall

Scout Lake Day Use: Open

Sisters Cow Camp: Open

Sisters Mirror Trailhead: Open

Six Lakes Trailhead: Open; deadfall

Skyliners Trailhead: Open

Slough Day Use: Open

South Twin Day Use — Launch: Open

Summit Lake: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall

Sun Lava Trailhead: Open; heavy use on weekends

Sunset View Day Use: Open

Suttle Lake Day Use: Open

Swampy Lakes Trail: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall

Tam McArthur Rim Trailhead: Open; deep snowfall, Tam Rim Horse trail has light deadfall;

Ten Mile Trailhead: Open

Tenino Boating Site: Open

Todd Lake Trailhead: Open; do not trample restoration areas; possible snow;

Tranquil Cove Day Use: Open

Tumalo Falls Trailhead: Open; site is extremely busy, only park in designated areas or find another route to the falls. No dogs or stock allowed within the Bend Municipal Watershed; possible downfall and snow on upper portion near Bridge Creek

Tumalo Mountain: Open; patchy snow possible

Wake Butte Trailhead: Open

Wanoga Trailhead: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall

Whychus Creek Overlook Trailhead: Open

Whychus Portal (Lower Whychus Trailhead): Open

Wickiup Plains Trailhead: Open

Winopee Trailhead: Open; clear to junction with PCT

Deschutes National Forest — Diamond Peak Wilderness

Fawn Lake Trail: Open; snow with possible downfall

Snell Lake Trail: Open

Whitefish Creek Trail: Open

Yoran Lake Trail: Open; patchy snow with possible downfall

Stag Lake Trail: Open

Willamette National Forest — Three Sisters Wilderness Area

Foley Ridge: Open

McKenzie River Trail: Partially open; closed from Tamolitch Falls Trailhead to Frissell Boat Launch due to fire activity

Obsidian Trailheads: Open; Central Cascades Wilderness Permit required

Separation Lake Trailhead: Open

Rainbow Falls Trailhead: Open

Tamolitch Blue Pool: Open

Willamette National Forest — Diamond Peak Wilderness

Bear Mountain Trail: Open

Blue Lake Trail: Open

Corrigan Lake Trail: Open

Diamond Peak North: Open

Diamond Peak South: Open

Diamond Peak Tie: Open

Happy Lake: Open

Hemlock Butte Trail: Open

Marie Lake Trail: Open

Mt. Yoran Trail: Open

Pioneer Gulch Trail: Open

Rockpile Trail: Open

Willamette National Forest — Waldo Lake Wilderness Area

Abernethy-Deer Creek Trailhead: Open

Betty Lake Trailhead: Open

Betty Lake Trailhead: Open

Black Creek Trail: Open

Bobby Lake Trailhead: Open

Bunchgrass Trailhead — Lower: Open

Bunchgrass Trailhead — Upper: Open

Cupit Mary Meadow Trail: Open

Devil’s Garden Trailhead: Open

Erma Bell Trailhead: Open

Fuji Mountain Trailhead at Gold Lake: Open

Gander Lake Trailhead: Open

Gold Lake Day Use Area: Open

Harralson Trail: Open

Helen Lake Trailhead: Open

High Divide Trailhead: Open

Jim Weaver Loop Trailhead (Waldo Lake Trail): Open

Koch Mountain Trailhead: Open

Marilyn Lakes Trailhead: Open

Mt. Ray Trailhead: Open

North Waldo Day Use Area: Open

Rigdon Lakes Trail: Open

Salmon Lakes — Waldo Mountain Trailhead: Open

Spirit Lake-Waldo Meadows Trailhead: Open

Swan Lake Trailhead: Open

Twin Peak Trailhead: Open

Verdun Trailhead: Open

Wahana Trail: Open

Whig and Torrey Way Trailhead: Open

Winchester Ridge Trailhead: Open

Ski areas and sno-parks

Updated 9 a.m. Dec. 16

Hoodoo: Open; 36.9-inch base

Mt. Bachelor: Open; 34-inch base; Pine Marten, Skyliner, Sunrise, Alpenglow, Rainbow and Little Pine are open, all other lifts closed

Willamette Pass: closed; anticipated opening day Dec. 22

Deschutes National Forest

Lower elevation parks have poor to marginal snowpack

Crescent Lake Sno-park: Open

Crescent Junction: Open

Edison Butte Sno-park: Open

Kapka Butte Sno-park: Open

Meissner Sno-park: Open; lodge open

Skyliner Sno-park: Open

Swampy Sno-park: Open; no dogs

Vista Butte Sno-park: Open; area north of parking area closed to snowmobiles, use Kapka Butte or Wanoga

Wanoga Snow Play: Open

Wanoga Snowmobile: Open;

Newberry (Six Mile Sno-park): Open

Newberry (10 Mile Sno-park): Open

Three Creek Sno-park (Lower): Open

Three Creek Sno-park (Upper): Open

Walt Haring Sno-park: Open

Willamette National Forest

Gold Lake Sno-park: Open

Ikenick Sno-park: Open

Little Nash Sno-park: Open

Maxwell Sno-park: Open

Potato Hill Sno-park: Open

Ray Benson Sno-park: Open

Salt Creek Sno-park: Open

Santiam Sno-park: Open

Waldo Lake Sno-park: Open

Camping

Deschutes National Forest

Allen Springs Campground: Open

Camp Sherman Campground: Open

China Hat Campground: Open; no campfires

Devils Lake Campground: Open; no campfires

Lower Bridge Campground: Open

Pine Mountain Campground: Open; no campfires

Pine Rest Campground: Open

Sisters Cow Camp Horse Camp: Open; no campfires

Cycling

East of Bend trails

All trails riding well

Phil’s Trail Complex

Some trails are closed weekdays until 3 p.m. Friday, see note.

Lower Whoops trail and Pine Drop: Ridable snow; closed between 310 road and 300 road

Phil’s trail closed between 4601-336 road and 300 road

All other trails riding well

Wanoga Trail Complex

Dinah Moe Humm: Deep snow

All other trails riding well

North of Skyliner trails

Northfork, Met-Win: Deep snow

All other trails riding well

Swampy Lakes trails

Flagline Access, Flagline Tie, Middle Flagline, Upper Flagline, Swampy/Dutchmen, Met-Wit-Flagline to Happy Valley, Vista Butte: Deep snow

S.S.T., Tumalo Creek: Muddy

All other trails riding well

Cascade Lakes trails

Deep snow on all trails

Mt. Bachelor

Bachy West XC: Deep snow

All other trails closed

Sisters trails

Metolius-Windigo (99 Upper): Deep snow

All trails riding well

Waldo Lake Region

All trails: Deep snow

Cascade Crest

Bugaboo Ridge: Rideable snow

Gordon Meadows: report needed

Gate Creek, Gordan Peak, Heart Lake, Pyramid Epic Loop, Santiam Wagon, South Pyramid Creek, Swamp Peak: Riding well, deadfall reported

All other trails open and riding well

McKenzie Region

McKenzie River trail closed from Tamolitch Trailhead to Fissell Boat Launch due to Knoll Fire

King Castle: Muddy

All other trails riding well with deadfall reported

Fishing

Updated at 10 a.m. Dec. 16

Upper Deschutes at Benham Falls: 347 cfs; rainbow trout, brown trout; fishing closed until May 22

McKenzie River (at Clear Lake): 286 cfs

McKenzie River (near Belknap Springs): 253 cfs; rainbow and coastal cutthroat trout; fire cleanup still being conducted in the area, access may be limited; all nonadipose fin-clipped trout must be released; lures and artificial flies only

Crane Prairie Reservoir: 73% full; brook trout, kokanee, largemouth bass, rainbow trout; algae bloom; good fishing but higher water temperatures, trout will be holding in deeper water; must release wild rainbow trout

Wickiup Reservoir: 25% full; the Deschutes Arm is closed from the boat ramp at Gull Point to the ODFW markers upstream of Sheep’s Bridge

North Twin Lake: Rainbow trout; good fishing reported

South Twin Lake: Rainbow trout; good fishing reported

Davis Lake: rainbow trout and largemouth bass; water level is low and it may be difficult to launch larger boats; fair fishing for largemouth bass; fly fishing only; fair fishing, catch and release for trout, no limit on size or number for warmwater fish

Lava Lake: Rainbow trout; algae bloom; recent reports are mixed, should improve when the water quality does

Little Lava Lake: Rainbow trout, brook trout and whitefish; best methods are bait, lures and flies still-fished or trolled

Cultus Lake: Mackinaw, rainbow and brook trout; troll depths for mackinaw and shallower areas for rainbows

Hosmer Lake: Brook, cutthroat and rainbow trout; fly fishing and catch and release only with barbless hooks; good fishing reported

Elk Lake: Brook trout and kokanee; jigging, still-fishing and trolling from a boat or fly fishing are best

Diamond Lake: trout; all brown and tiger trout must be released; trout fishing has been good on lures; if you catch one over 20 inches, take it to the marina to be entered for a raffle

Crescent Lake: 9% full; kokanee, mackinaw, rainbow and brown trout, whitefish and chub; one lake trout per day, 24-inch minimum; fishing is poor; lake level is extremely low, developed ramps are unavailable for launching boats

Waldo Lake: Boating restricted to electric motors or non-motorized vessels

Odell Lake: Lake trout, kokanee, rainbow trout; good fishing for kokanee with some larger fish being caught; 25 kokanee per day in addition to daily trout limit

Fire danger is currently listed as Moderate in the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River Grasslands. It is listed as Low in the Willamette National Forest.

Industrial Fire Precaution Level has been lowered to Level 1 as of Oct. 1

As of July 22, Deschutes River access is closed due to safety concerns and to prevent further erosion to the river bank. The access point will be closed until further notice. For more information visit bendparksandrec.org

The following trails will be closed weekly every Monday through 3 p.m. Friday. They will be open on weekends and federal holidays.

  • Lower Whoops and Pine Drops between FS Road 310 and FS Road 300
  • Phil’s Trail between FS Road 4601-336 and FS Road 300

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