Highly-Anticipated Mt. Hood Gondola Project Canceled
The dreams of a gondola at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, Oregon, have been squashed.
When Timberline purchased Summit Ski Area in 2018, they revealed intentions to build a gondola or lift to take skiers from Summit's base, off U.S. 26 in Government Camp, up to Timberline Lodge.
Timberline released plans and a rendering of the proposed gondola in 2019, with hopes of breaking ground within 5 to 10 years. Their 2022 Master Development Plan was also centered on building a new lift structure.
However, as of April 2026, the USFS project is listed as 'Canceled.' Now, the plan is apparently to replace the existing Summit chair and extend it farther up the mountain so skiers can transfer to a second, new lift that would top out near the east side of Timberline. The new lifts wouldn't create as direct a path as a gondola, but they would make the transfer between ski areas more seamless. Overall, the hope would be for Summit Pass to continue to be a more approachable, family-friendly ski area and to allow access to Timberline's upper mountain from Government Camp.
In a statement sent to the Oregonian, a spokesperson for Timberline noted that "Timberline has chosen to evolve its long-term approach to mountain access and guest experience in a way that better supports the resort's long-term business viability and operational flexibility."
Oregon had a particularly tough ski season during the 2025/26 winter, with many of the state's ski resorts receiving well below-average snowfall. Mt. Hood Ski Bowl had a record-short season, only opening for a few days. While Timberline Lodge is one of the only ski resorts in the country still open, the ski area has had to cut its famously long summer season short due to a lack of snow. The statement did not include any information on whether the change in plans was related to the lackluster winter.
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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 10:24 AM.