Conditions report for the mountains, sno-parks

Published 12:00 am Friday, January 8, 2021

The mountains are packed with snow with recent storm systems moving through. This weekend may have a few bluebird days (or at least moments) in store for visitors to enjoy some of the fresh powder.

Remember, conditions can change quickly in the mountains so always be prepared with a map, shovel and other emergency supplies before you head out. If a parking area is full, find another place to play that has space and never park in restricted areas, along highways or where you’ll be blocking other vehicles.

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

Hiking and Day Use Sites

NOTE: Many of the trails along seasonally closed highways and forest service roads remain open, but can only be accessed by hike, snowshoe, cross country ski or snowmobile due to accumulating snowfall. See Forest websites for more details and restrictions.

Deschutes National Forest

Black Butte Trailhead: Open

Black Crater Trailhead: Open

Broken Top Trailhead: Open

Buttes Loop Trailhead: Open

Cabot Lake Trailhead: Open

Canyon Creek Trailhead: Open

Charlton Lake Trailhead: Open

Crane Prairie Picnic Area: Open

Crater Butte Trailhead: Open

Crater Ditch Trailhead: Open

Cultus Lake Day Use Area: Open

Deer Lake Trailhead: Open

Devil’s Lake/South Sister Trailhead: Open

Dutchman Trailhead: Open

Edison Trailhead: Open

Elk Lake Trailhead: Open

Green Lakes Trailhead: Open

Head of Jack Creek Trailhead: Open

Jack Lake Trailhead: Open

Jefferson Lake: Open

Lava Lake Day Use: Open

Lemish Lake Trailhead: Open

Little Fawn Day Use: Open

Lucky Lake Trailhead: Open

Many Lakes Trailhead: Open

Meissner Trailhead: Open

Metolius-Windigo: Open

Park Meadow: Open; moderate deadfall on tie trail to Tam Rim

Paulina Falls Picnic and Trailhead: Open

Paulina Lake Day Use: Open

Peter Skene Ogden Trailhead: Open; patchy snow, ice and mud

Pole Creek Trailhead: Open

Rockpile Lake: Open

Rosary Lakes Trailhead: Open

Round Lake Trailhead: Open

Six Lakes Trailhead: Open

Skyliners Trailhead: Open

South Twin Day Use — Launch: Open

Sparks Lake Trailhead: Open

Summit Lake: Open

Sunset View Day Use: Open

Swampy Lakes Trail: Open

Tam McArthur Rim Trailhead: Open

Ten Mile Trailhead: Open

Todd Lake Trailhead: Open

Tumalo Falls Trailhead: Open; Tumalo Falls Road is closed at the gate, visitors must hike, walk or snowshoe in

Tumalo Mountain: Open

Wake Butte Trailhead: Open

Wanoga Trailhead: Open

Winopee Trailhead: Open

Deschutes National Forest — Diamond Peak Wilderness

Crater Butte Trailhead: Open

Fawn Lake Trail: Open

Snell Lake Trail: Open

Whitefish Creek Trail: Open

Yoran Lake Trail: Open

Stag Lake Trail: Open

Oregon State Parks

La Pine State Park: Open, expect reduced services; winter day-use hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; meeting hall is closed

Ski areas and snow parks

Updated 8 a.m. Jan. 7

Hoodoo: Open; 57.7-inch base; all lifts operating

Mt. Bachelor: Open; 75-inch base; Red Chair is being used as a backup for Pine Marten and First Rays lift is closed

Willamette Pass: 36 inches at lodge; rentals and tickets must be reserved online in advance

Deschutes National Forest

Crescent Lake Sno-Park: Open; 8-12 inches; poor conditions due to low snow

Crescent Junction: Open; 8-12 inches; poor conditions due to low snow

Dutchman Sno-Park: Open; 36-50 inches; good conditions, limited parking and no overnight camping; 40-foot max length limit for vehicle/trailer combination; expect heavy use

Edison Butte Sno-Park: Open; 10-18; inches; good conditions; area roads closed to highway vehicles through March 31, 2021

Kapka Butte Sno-Park: Open; 24-36 inches; good conditions; area roads closed to highway vehicles through March 31, 2021

Meissner Sno-Park: Open; 12-24 inches; good conditions; area roads closed through April 1, 2021; no dogs; lodge currently closed

Skyliner Sno-Park: Open; unknown snow depth, access road closed for the season, road is now a ski/snowshoe trail

Swampy Sno-Park: Open; 24-36 inches; good conditions; no dogs; area roads closed through March 31, 2021

Vista Butte Sno-Park: Open; 24-36 inches; fair conditions; area north of parking area closed to snowmobiles, use Kapka Butte or Wanoga

Wanoga Snow Play: Open; 16-30 inches; good conditions; expect heavy use; pack out broken sleds and all trash; shelter is closed

Wanoga Snowmobile: Open; 18-30 inches; good conditions; area roads closed to highway vehicles through March 31, 2021

Newberry (Six Mile Sno-Park): Open; 0-2 inches; poor conditions due to low snow.

Newberry (10 Mile Sno-Park): Open; 12-24 inches; good conditions; road beyond park closed to vehicles for the season

Three Creek Sno-Park (Lower): Open; 0-2 inches; poor conditions due to low snow; sno-park not plowed due to lack of funding

Three Creek Sno-Park (Upper): Open; 8-16 inches; poor conditions due to low snow, bare ground on ski and snowshoe trails

Walt Haring Sno-Park: 8-12 inches; poor conditions due to low snow

Ochoco National Forest:

Bandit Springs Sno-Park: Open

Mark’s Creek Sno-Park: Open

Ochoco Divide Sno-Park: Open

Walton Sno-Park: Open

Willamette National Forest

Gold Lake Sno-Park: Open

Ikenick Sno-Park: Open

Little Nash Sno-Park: Open

Maxwell Sno-Park: Open; Mountain View and South Maxwell shelters are closed

Potato Hill Sno-Park: Open

Ray Benson Sno-Park: Open

Salt Creek Sno-Park: Open

Santiam Sno-Park: Open

Waldo Lake Sno-Park: Open

Cycling

Fatbike and winter trails:

Ben’s-MTB-Kent’s, Horse Butte Loop: Muddy

Wanoga — 3 PSI, Wanoga — Outer Loop: Rideable snow

All other trials riding well

Phil’s Trail Complex

All trails are unrideable due to snow or mud

Wanoga Trail Complex

Deschutes River, Funner: Winter mix

Tiddlywinks, Catch and Release: Rideable snow

All other trails reporting deep snow

North of Skyliner trails

Shevlin Park: Riding well

All other trails reporting deep snow

Fishing

Updated at 8 a.m. Jan. 7

Upper Deschutes at Benham Falls: 514 cfs; section is closed for the season to anglers.

Fall River: Brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout; fish during warmest parts of the day; access limited depending on snow; fly fishing only with barbless hooks; fishing has been good for trout, all public access to the hatchery remains closed

McKenzie River (at Clear Lake): 686 cfs

McKenzie River (near Belknap Springs): 1,570 cfs; rainbow and coastal cutthroat trout; current hatches — blue winged olive, midge, sculpin; river access may be limited due to the Holiday Farm Fire.

Crane Prairie Reservoir: 80% full; brook trout, kokanee, largemouth bass, rainbow trout; fishing is closed for the season

Wickiup Reservoir: 35% full; kokanee, rainbow and brown trout, largemouth bass and catfish; fishing is closed for the season

East Lake: Brown trout, kokanee, rainbow trout, Atlantic salmon; access road is closed but fishing is open year-round

Paulina Lake: Kokanee, rainbow and brown trout; good fishing for trout and kokanee

North Twin Lake: Rainbow trout; fair fishing; high clearance vehicle needed to get to the lake

South Twin Lake: Rainbow trout; fair fishing; high clearance vehicle needed to get to the lake

Davis Lake: Water level is low; rainbow trout and largemouth bass. Fly fishing only

Lava Lake: Rainbow trout; access road is closed but fishing open year-round

Little Lava Lake: Rainbow trout, brook trout and whitefish

Cultus Lake: Mackinaw, rainbow and brook trout

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

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

Crescent Lake: 26% full; kokanee, mackinaw, rainbow and brown trout, whitefish and chub; winter is good for brown trout; one lake trout per day, 24-inch minimum

Fire danger is currently listed as Moderate in both the Deschutes National Forest and Ochoco National Forest. Fire danger is listed as Low in the Willamette National Forest.

As of Oct. 14, the Industrial Fire Precaution Level as been lowered to a Level 1 for the Deschutes and Ochoco national forests and the Prineville District — Bureau of Land Management.

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

Marketplace