With heavy snowfall in the imminent future, Tualatin High School (TuHS) students will soon take part in their favorite outdoor winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding. 

Each winter, tens of thousands of Oregonians in the Portland Metropolitan Area head out of town to their favorite snowpack locations, ranging from Mt. Hood resorts to Mt Bachelor and other areas in Eastern and Southern Oregon. 

Recently, The Wolf met with students at TuHS to learn about some unconventional locations for their favorite outdoor winter activities.

What is the best outdoor winter sport or activity involving snow?

Grace Love, senior: Skiing because I’m a skier, and it’s just the best. It’s fast and fun and outdoors. You also get to be with your friends and see all sorts of cool places.

Anders Lien, sophomore: I believe that skiing is the best outdoor winter sport. There’s so many things to do, from skiing down the slopes with your friends to having conversations on the chairlift.

Trystan Lee, sophomore: Skiing because there is really nothing like getting out at sunrise and catching that first lift. Using your own power, you can move as fast as a car, and it really feels like you’re flying sometimes.

Where is the best spot/spots to do it?

Love: Mt. Hood is fine, but what you really want is big mountains like in Utah and Montana.

Lien: Probably Mt. Hood for us since it’s conventional and easy. But I’d probably pick Whistler if I could go anywhere.

Lee: My personal favorite so far is Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

For something like skiing/snowboarding, what is the best trail to go on?

Love: Heather Canyon at Mt. Hood Meadows.

Lien: ​​Anywhere challenging, but still not too hard to the point that you dread it the entire time.

Lee: Stadium at Mt. Hood Meadows is very nice because it’s long and you can get some nice speed going down it.

Unconventional locations for that activity?

Lien: A Walmart parking lot.