They say a thin line separates love from hate, and at Mount Hood ski resorts this is especially true of weather conditions. A couple of measly degrees separate fresh snowfall from dreaded rain during the Cascade Range’s long, variable ski season. As a ski patroller on Mount Hood, I’ve seen hundreds of skiers and boarders go home soaked and demoralized when the raindrops fall.
But I’ve had some of my most surreal skiing moments in the rain: the staccato droplets against my hood and goggles, the snow softening beneath my feet like ice cubes dissolving in warm water. It’s as if  … More