With laser lights and thumping music, you’ll feel like you’re attending a party on the mountain, that’s both kid-friendly and COVID safe.
We live in Portland, Oregon, where rain is a certainty, but a good winter snowstorm is rarity. On an average year, we might get at least one snow day, bringing an inch or two of snow. Sure there was that bizarre day in January of 2017 where we got 11 inches in the city. But that’s not the norm.
By mid-January, with no sign of snow in the imminent forecast, we decided to seek it out for ourselves. We headed up Mt. Hood on a recent Friday afternoon. Lucky for us, we live close enough that we can drive up after school/work.
Towering at over 11,000 feet, Mt. Hood is the highest mountain in Oregon. There are several places on Mt. Hood where you can play in the snow for free, except for the cost of a Sno-Park Permit ($4/day or $25/year). If you go the route of free fun, you’ll need to bring your own snow gear, like tubes or sleds.
Cosmic Tubing
We opted for Cosmic Tubing at Mt. Hood SkiBowl. Let me tell you, it’s a hot ticket! Reservations are required and sessions are often sold out weeks in advance.
Cosmic Tubing takes place at night and it’s a whirlwind of fun. The tubing hill’s lit up with LED lights and lasers while party music blares from the speakers.
There are several lanes on the tubing hill. Tubers line up, then slide down, on cue, as a group. The hill is fast, at one point my hat flew right off my head. An employee helped me retrieve it.
There are single and double tubes. Smaller kids can ride in the front of double tube with an adult or older sibling in back. Once you make it to the bottom, you’ll quickly scurry to the side to get out of the way for the next group. Rather than lugging your tube back up the hill, you can jump on one of the conveyor belts and hitch a ride to the top.
Stay safe
You won’t need to bring your own tube. They’re provided for you. The tubes are sanitized between guests in a specialized UV-C automated tube sterilizer.
Other COVID safety measures include required masks and physical distancing. You’re required to wear your mask at all times.
KidTripster Tip: Bring an extra mask to change into when you’re done tubing. Yours might be damp and cold.
Dress warmly
Dress warmly. It gets chilly on the mountain at night.
Layer up in warm socks, waterproof boots, snow pants and a warm jacket. You’ll definitely want waterproof gloves, too, as you’ll be gripping your tube, flying headfirst into the snow.
Buy tickets in advance
There are three 90-minute Cosmic Tubing sessions that take place between 5-10pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and certain holidays.
It costs $38 for adults (over 48” tall) and $33 for kids (under 48”). Tubers must be at least 3-years-old and 36” tall. You’ll need to make advance reservations online. Day tubing is also available.
We wondered whether 90-minutes would be long enough. Although the time went by quickly, we felt we got our money’s worth. We lost count after awhile, but slid down at least 20 times, probably more. We could have squeezed in a few more runs had we not taken a few breaks. It was tricky at times for our family of four to all slide at the same time, meaning sometimes we waited at the top of the hill to reunite with the others.
Other logistics
You should arrive at least 20 minutes early to allow time to check in at the kiosk. When you check in, you can also purchase a Sno-Park Permit for your vehicle.
Restrooms are open, but food services at SkiBowl are closed.
KidTripster Tip: Pack a snack and drinks. You might be hungry or thirsty after 90 minutes of tubing. There are restaurants nearby in Government Camp although operations are impacted by current COVID regulations.
Mt. Hood Ski Bowl is located about an hour from Downtown Portland. The Snow Tube and Adventure Park is located at SkiBowl East.
Be sure to check road conditions before heading up the mountain. Traction devices might be required.
If you want to make a weekend of it, consider booking a tiny house. The Mt. Hood Tiny House Village is located near SkiBowl.
Another popular destination for winter sports is Mt. Bachelor in Central Oregon.
