SNOWPACK REACHES 200 INCHES
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Spring Skiing will be phenomenal, eventually, but for now, let's enjoy the huge accumulation of light powder we've been receiving. A ten-day storm brought six feet of snow to the mountain, and elevated the season's total snow accumulation to 526-inches, boosting the base to 200! Fourth highest total snowfall accumulation in history, with a month-and-a-half remaining! We have so much deep and light that skiers were tunneling last weekend - with conditions like this, spring can wait awhile!

TRIVIA QUESTION - What is tunneling? (Read on for the answer)

WIN A 2002-2003 MT. HOOD MEADOWS UNLIMITED SEASON PASS
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Here is your chance to win big - an unlimited season pass to Mt. Hood Meadows, good for the entire 2002-2003 season, with a $5.00 raffle ticket. We are selling tickets at Mt. Hood Meadows, at Cooper Spur Ski Area, or with a phone order to raise money for the SECRETS science environmental education program, presented in Columbia Gorge area elementary schools. The SECRETS curriculum teaches science concepts prescribed by Oregon and Washington academic standards, using the forest or shrub-steppe ecosystems to illustrate these concepts.

The drawing will be held at the SECRETS Fundraiser at Cooper Spur Ski Area Sunday, March 31 (need not be present to win). Purchase your tickets at Mt. Hood Meadows, at Cooper Spur Ski Area, at the Mt. Hood Meadows Portland Office (1975 SW 1st Avenue), or over the phone with a credit card by calling 503-287-5438 in Portland, or toll free 1-800-754-4663. All of the money collected in the raffle will go to benefit SECRETS.

KIDS KARNIVAL PRESENTED MARCH 23 - 24
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Mt. Hood Meadows will create a carnival-like atmosphere aimed at kids from ages 4 to 12, but fun for everyone. There will be activities, contests, competitions and fun music. The crowning achievement of the Kids Karnival will be the giant snow castle, which kids will be able to walk up on, and then slide down a side on inner tubes, provided by the resort.

Most of the activities will be presented in the afternoon, to allow families to frolic on the slopes all day. But following the frolic, families will be able to participate in the cornucopia of activities. There will also be activities for adults, including a "Mad Dash for the Pass" - a group race held at 3:30 PM each day, with the winner taking home a $325 Ten Time Pass for next season. http://www.skihood.com/karnival.htm.

THREE DAY KIDS SKI OR SNOWBOARD SPRING BREAK CAMP MARCH 25 - 27
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Mt. Hood Meadows will offer three-day holiday kids-camp for skiing (age 4 - 12) and snowboarding (age 7 - 12) March 25 - 27. The camp includes three days of instruction (two hours in the morning / two hours in the afternoon), lunch and all day supervision for $160. Rentals are just $15 more. For more information call 503-337-2222 ext. 419.

BUS-LIFT RUNS DAILY DURING SPRING BREAK
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Mt. Hood Meadows "BUS-LIFT" service runs daily from March 23 - 31. The lift picks up from several Portland locations each morning, arriving at the resort around 9 AM. The price for a round trip ride and lift ticket is $50 for adults, and $40 for ages 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased in advance at any G.I.Joe's TicketMaster location. For more information call BUS-LIFT in Portland (503) 287-5438. http://www.skihood.com/rideabus.htm.

PLUS NEIGHBORHOOD BUSES SCHEDULED
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Each day during spring break next week we have special buses scheduled which you can still sign up for.
Monday - Beaverton/West Portland
Tuesday - Beaverton
Wednesday - Tualatin and Corvallis/Albany
Thursday - Beaverton and Salem
Friday - Beaverton/N. Portland and Newberg/SW Metro
For details visit our web site - http://www.skihood.com/rideabus.htm#spring

COOPER SPUR SKI AREA OPEN DAILY MARCH 23 - 31 9 AM - 4 PM
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Cooper Spur Ski Area offers affordable winter fun for the whole family, offering skiing, snowboarding and inner tubing, and learn to slide packages. Lift tickets are just $15 for adults or $10 for children 14 and under for the entire day. Tubing is $10, and includes the rope tow uplift and inner tubes, and there are special rates for groups as few as 10. The base facility includes a restaurant lodge with indoor seating and an equipment rental shop.

For the snow report call 541-352-7803, or visit http://www.cooperspur.com.

"SECRETS" FUNDRAISER AT COOPER SPUR SKI AREA SUNDAY, MARCH 31
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Cooper Spur Ski and Recreation Area will hold a fundraiser for the SECRETS program March 31, the last scheduled day of operation for the ski area. SECRETS is a science education curriculum developed for and taught to students in elementary schools in nine rural Columbia River Gorge communities. The fundraiser will help offset the cost of bringing the SECRETS program to the classroom.

Cooper Spur will charge a special $10 admission to guests on Sunday, March 31. The charge will allow guests lift access and inner tubing, and the entire amount will be donated to the SECRETS program. Those who attend will also be eligible for door prizes given away throughout the day. There will also be a raffle for a Mt. Hood Meadows 2002-2003 season pass sold for just $5.00 a ticket (need not be present to win). Details regarding the fundraiser, door prizes and raffle can be found at the Cooper Spur web site, http://www.cooperspur.com.

EASTER SUNDAY BRUNCH AT THE INN AT COOPER SPUR (Sunday, March 31)
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The Inn at Cooper Spur will offer a special Sunday breakfast (seating 9 AM - 11 AM) and brunch (seating 11 AM - 3 PM), on Easter Sunday March 31. You can see the menu at http://www.innatcooperspur.com/dining.htm, because showing it here will just make you too hungry to finish reading this message. For those of you who can stand it, a sample of the menu includes

Eggs Benedict, French Toast, Scrambled Eggs, Fresh Fruit, Prime-Rib, Chicken Marsala, Roasted garlic Mashed Potatoes, and an array of desserts - chocolate mouse, NY cheesecake, and apple pie.

Reservations required by calling 541-352-6692
Breakfast Buffet 9 to 11 AM Adults $10.95 | Kids under 12 $5.95
Brunch Buffet 11 AM to 3 PM Adults $16.95 | Kids under 12 $7.95
The restaurant will maintain regular hours Easter - 4:30 - 6:00 PM Happy Hour; 6:00 - 9:00 PM Dinner

TRIVIA ANSWER - "Tunneling" occurs when the snow is so deep and light, that you can jump into a deep powder cache, disappear completely under the snow and emerge from under the snow farther downhill. It was absolutely amazing!

SPRING BREAK AVAILABILITY IN HOOD RIVER AND $25 LIFT TICKETS!
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There's still room available in Hood River or on the mountain at our participating lodging properties, where you can receive $25 lift tickets to Mt. Hood Meadows! Hood River is the ideal spring break getaway, with awesome scenery, affordable places to stay and great restaurants. And when you stay at any of the participating lodges, motels, hotels or bed and breakfasts, you can purchase Mt. Hood Meadows lift tickets for just $25! The only requirement is that you use the lift ticket during the same time frame as your stay (one lift ticket per guest per night's stay). For details call 1-800-SKI-HOOD or visit http://www.skihood.com/acc.htm.