Will Mt. Hood’s Snowpack Recover This Spring?

The lack of snow on Mt. Hood is on many people’s minds these days. Our ski resorts are hoping for more, to salvage a disappointing season. Businesses are struggling with fewer visitors than usual. But there is hope: Data from Timberline Lodge show that in all four of the seasons with the lowest snowpack, the snowpack recovered significantly in the spring. In three of those seasons, snowpack ended up above the long-term depth by May, as the chart on this page shows. In 1980/1981, Timberline recorded a depth of 92 inches on May 1. 

Will this year’s snowpack recover? Snowbody knows. Even if it does, the situation on mountains around the western US is not encouraging. As I reported in my April 2025 column, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data shows that April snowpack on mountains in the western US declined at 81 percent of the sites measured since 1955. A February 11 article by Oregon Public Broadcasting: “Oregon’s record low snowpack is not likely to recover, scientists say.”

I had a fair bit of feedback from last month’s column, “The Woodsman’s Tips for Short-Term Renters.” One local resident, who asked to remain anonymous, wrote that they would not approach people target shooting in their neighborhood. I understand! I’m a fairly large guy, yet I felt a bit apprehensive when I walked up to the half-dozen young men who were shooting near my house a few months ago. I had the same experience several years back when three guys were shooting toward the Sandy River. I informed them that there were houses in the trees directly in the line of fire. Fortunately, the shooting stopped in both cases — no problem. Except for the lack of common sense in these twenty-somethings.

The correspondent wrote that, “We have had trespassers get to the beach behind our houses, and use the kayak stored behind the trees. My courageous female neighbor went to the beach and got her kayak back. She also called Hoodland Fire Department about a campfire on the beach behind her house when there was a burn ban in Clackamas County.”

“We can’t ask 911 to deal with neighborhood renters,” the writer continued. “We can’t access the [phone] number of the owner of the STR easily.Your article about rules for STR renters needs to be printed up on a 10 Commandments plaque in each STR. But then – who do we call if the renters are jerks? What will the owner do in a timely way, or ever, if the owner is a corporation?”

Good questions! For answers, I recommend visiting the web site of the Mount Hood Livability Coalition, a group of locals with a mission “to cultivate a vibrant and sustainable mountain community that prioritizes livability, safety, and strikes a harmonious balance between the needs of our residents and the positive impact of tourism” (see mthoodlive.com). The coalition has a summary of the county’s short-term rental (STR) regulations, as well as a place to submit complaints — or compliments. “We use this database to share information with the local STR administration, and the County Council. This provides invaluable statistics to show how well the regulations are working and what needs to be tweaked and changed,” says the coalition.

One of the county regulations is that STR owner’s or agent’s business name and phone number must be posted within ten feet of the roadway nearest the rental property. I’ve seen such numbers on some, but not all, STRs in my area. 

The coalition notes that the County will hold an in-person town hall meeting to discuss STR regulations on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Mt. Hood Oregon Resort, at 68010 East Fairway Ave., Welches. This is your chance to express your views on STR issues.

“It’s worth noting that the County chose to hold the in-person session in Welches specifically because Mt. Hood area residents have been the most vocal about STR impacts on their neighborhoods,” writes the coalition. “That recognition is meaningful — and it’s an opportunity we should not let pass.”

One of the common complaints about STRs is that renters sometimes build campfires, also known as recreational fires, during times when such fires are banned. If renters — or anyone — ignites a campfire or debris pile during a fire ban, call Hoodland Fire, (503) 622-3256, or the Clackamas County Sheriff’s 24 hour non-emergency line, (503) 655-8211. I hope all STR managers inform renters of fire bans and the need for safety.

The reason for banning outdoor fires is obvious: We do not want a wildfire. Back in 2017, researchers from the University of Colorado, Boulder’s Earth Lab studied national statistics on the causes of wildfires in the US. About 16 percent are ignited by lightning, while the rest, 84 percent, are started by people. 

Of the human-started wildfires with a known cause, 29% are started by debris burning — if you ever wondered why Hoodland Fire bans “backyard” burning every summer, this is why. Arsonists light 21 percent of fires. The use of lawn mowers and other equipment causes 11 percent of fires. And children playing with fireworks or matches cause five percent of fires. Campfires cause another five percent of fires (the 2020 Riverside Fire, which burned more than 138,000 acres east and south of Estacada, was started by an unattended camp fire). 

Another startling statistic: Between 2015 and 2024, wildfires destroyed an average of over 8,000 homes and other structures every year.

Now you know why Hoodland Fire and other jurisdictions ban not only campfires, but also the use of fireworks in the dry season. 

Have a question about the snowpack in the Cascades? Want to know the difference between a campfire and a bonfire? Let me know. Email: SWilent@gmail.com.