Yesterday, I finally got the chance to ski at an area that's been on my list for a while, and is one of the last few areas in the state which I hadn't skied at, Mount Jefferson in Lee. The ski area has 432' of vertical, which is served by a classic Hall T-bar.
The mountain relies on natural snow, so cover was quite thin yesterday, but the it was 100% open, and they did a good job packing the snow. Every trail was packed, except for the steep double black diamond, Pine Sluice Cut-Off. This trail was quite fun, and had some good leftover powder stashes. The mountain skis bigger than its vertical would suggest, and there is more than enough terrain to keep you occupied for a full day of skiing. The terrain is interesting, and the trails have a lot of variation and character. My personal favorite yesterday was Spruce Alley, which is a narrow trail that passes through an old halfpipe.
The mountain has a great community of people supporting it, and it was good to see so many kids out enjoying the slopes. Most people showed up in the afternoon, and I actually was the only skier on the mountain for about the first hour. Even in the afternoon, the mountain never got busy, and there was never a line of more than 10 people. The tubing park looked like it stayed busy throughout the day.
The owners have started selling firewood as an additional source of revenue, and they will also start selling lumber as well. They are hoping to eventually make enough money to install a snowmaking system, which would be a game changer for the mountain. Future ambitions also call for the installation of a chairlift.
Base of the T-bar
Inside the lodge
Their groomer & the base of the abandoned Baja branded T-bar, which was the mountain's original lift
Base Lodge
Juniper Way & the T-bar
Riding the T-bar
Willow Way
The T-bar's return terminal
The top of the T-bar & Juniper Way
The top of both T-bars
Cedar Lane
Approaching the base area
Elm Street
Juniper Way & the T-bar
Juniper Way
The abandoned T-bar
