The following guidelines are in place when opting to access these areas:
1.) Check in with a supervisor and receive approval prior to accessing treed or gated terrain.
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- The purpose of this check in is to have a conversation about current conditions and safety concerns, as well as review the protocols outlined in this document.
2.) All instructors and coaches shall complete the Extremely Difficult Terrain Safety Protocols Course (currently this E-Learning Course) as administered by the Meadows Learning Center if they intend to take students into treed runs or gated terrain.
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- You are encouraged to complete this training for your own knowledge and awareness regardless of whether you take students into these types of terrain.
3.) Adults 18 years of age or older in daily lesson, camps, clinics or multi-week lessons may access treed runs and gated terrain at their own risk while in a lesson and should follow the recommendation of carrying the necessary shovel, probe and transceiver when in this type of terrain.
4.) Minors in daily lessons, multi-week lessons, camps and Freeride Team athletes may only access visually open terrain such as Heather Canyon’s Twilight Bowl and above when conditions permit, while avoiding treed areas. The runout and return to the lift should occur on the “skier’s left” route and staying left of the waterfall area. Going right of the waterfall area leads to treed terrain.
5.) Minors in lessons or Freeride Team athletes and instructors or Freeride Team Coaches may access treed and gated terrain below Twilight with the additional required safety equipment and required training. The required equipment and training are as follows:
- Training – Instructors and Freeride Team Coaches: Shall attend a basic snow safety, rescue and safe travel training led by the Mt. Hood Meadows Pro Patrol
- Training – Students/Athletes: Shall participate in training led by the Freeride Team Head Coach or designated instructor on snow safety, tree well immersion, safe travel and basic transceiver usage
- Equipment – Freeride Team Coaches and Instructors: transceivers, shovel, probe and radios – all equipment will be tested and properly functioning before using that day.
- Minor athletes: must carry transceivers; tested daily for proper functionality
The additional safety equipment for team coaches will be provided by Mt. Hood Meadows and checked out to instructors or coaches that plan to access treed and gated terrain below Twilight.
Adult and minor program, daily lessons and private lesson participants may purchase or rent their own necessary beacons elsewhere should they wish to access treed terrain below Twilight Bowl.