Mt. Hood Meadows Forced to Close for the Summer as Crews Battle to Contain Grasshopper Fire

Mt. Hood Meadows will not reopen this summer, the Oregon ski area confirmed yesterday, citing the ongoing threat from the Grasshopper Fire and the Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation order that has kept the resort shut since early August.

• Related: Mt. Hood Meadows, OR, Forced to Evacuate as Grasshopper Fire Burns 3-Miles Away

The fire has now burned more than 77,000 acres in Wasco and Hood River counties and stood at 20% containment as of Tuesday morning, according to InciWeb. Crews have grown the response to 1,680 personnel as the blaze pushes toward the communities of Friend and Kingsley on its eastern flank.

• Related: Eagle Point Resort, UT, Won’t Open This Winter After Wildfire Burns Half the Mountain and Floods Destroy Access Road

Mt. Hood Meadows Grasshopper Fire: Closure Timeline

The resort first ordered a full evacuation on August 4 as flames advanced on ridges above Highway 35. All resort-organized summer events have since been canceled. Private events, including weddings, will still move forward where conditions allow, and the resort said affected couples are receiving daily updates ahead of their dates.

• Related: Beloved Montana Ski Resort Hit by Sand Creek Fire

“Rather than focusing on returning to Summer Operations, our priority now is supporting the ongoing wildfire response,” the resort said in a statement, adding that closing for the season was not a decision it took lightly.

• Related: [UPDATE] Steamboat Ski Resort Turns on 41 Snow Guns as Fishhook Fire Doubles in Size

There is a silver lining for the mountain. Fire officials say the Grasshopper Fire has shifted away from Meadows, and Highway 35 has reopened during evening hours. The resort still recommends drivers take alternate routes while crews continue clearing hazard trees along the corridor.

Fire Crews Shift Tactics, Highway 35 Reopens

Overnight growth pushed the fire’s eastern edge toward Friend and Kingsley, fueled by strong winds, while the southern and eastern flanks held steady outside continued activity near Boulder Creek. Crews are holding the western flank along Highway 35 and working to fell hazard trees over the road.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Blue Incident Management Team joined the response this week, reinforcing structure protection around Friend, Sportsman’s Paradise and Camp Baldwin. As activity picked up in the evening, resources shifted to the fire’s northeastern edge to protect homes directly in its path.

Tuesday’s priority is the northern flank along Forest Road 4421, where aircraft and ground crews are working to hold the fire south of the road. Southern Area Team 2 takes over command of the fire Wednesday, August 12, at 7 a.m., relieving the team that has led the response for more than two weeks.

A public meeting scheduled for Tuesday night was canceled because of fire operations.

Mt. Hood Meadows Grasshopper Fire: Where Things Stand for the Rest of the Mountain

Timberline Lodge, on Mount Hood’s south side, and Mt. Hood Skibowl in Government Camp were not under Meadows’ Level 3 order. As of earlier this week, both were operating under a lower-level Level 1 “Be Ready” advisory.

The Grasshopper Fire ignited July 23 from a lightning strike in Wasco County and has grown steadily since, destroying the historic Flag Point Fire Lookout in late July. More than 170 structures near Pine Hollow have required protection, and a Mt. Hood National Forest closure covering the Barlow and Hood River ranger districts remains in place through the end of the year.

Evacuation Resources and Fire Details

Evacuations: Hood River, Wasco, and Clackamas Counties have evacuation notices varying from Level 1(Be Ready), Level 2 (Be Set), and Level 3 (Go Status). Check your location: https://perimetermap.com/wascocounty-or. Clackamas County: https://www.clackamas.us/clackcoalerts.

Evacuation shelter: 1100 E. 12th St. The Dalles, OR 97058.

Closures: There is a closure on Mt. Hood National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mthood/alerts/closure-place-grasshopper-fire. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place for the fire area. Aerial firefighting is suspended when unauthorized UAS are in the area.

Travel: Keep up to date on road closures at https://tripcheck.com/

Fire Restrictions: There is a campfire ban in place on Mt. Hood National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/mthood/alerts/fire-restrictions-effect-july-1

There are also burning and fire restrictions across the area. Check your local restrictions: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx

Meadows is far from the only mountain caught up in this summer’s fire season. In Montana, the Sand Creek Fire pushed into Maverick Mountain’s ski area boundary this week and damaged the resort’s only chairlift, while Showdown Montana spent much of August feeding firefighters battling the nearby Ant Park Fire rather than fighting flames of its own. In Oregon, the Anthony Fire briefly shut down weekend dining at Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort, though it never threatened the mountain directly. Colorado’s Steamboat Resort has kept watch on the Fishhook Fire burning south of its boundary but has reported no threat to date. The steepest toll so far belongs to Utah’s Eagle Point Resort, where the Cottonwood Fire burned roughly half of its skiable terrain and destroyed two lodges and four of its five chairlifts, forcing the resort to cancel its entire 2026-27 winter season.

Despite the lost summer, Meadows says it’s already looking ahead. “Winter is right around the corner, and we are stoked to welcome everyone back up here once the snow falls,” the resort said.