Skiing, RVing combine at Oregon's Hoodoo

If you're a snow skiing fan and an RVer, you can combine your passions at Oregon's Hoodoo Ski Area on Santiam Pass. Catering to both downhill and cross-country skiiers, the Forest Service offers year-around RV sites--just be sure you've got plenty of propane!

Considered by some to have one of the best day lodges in the ski industry, Hoodoo's snowy attributes include a 1,035-foot vertical drop, five chairlifts, two tow ropes, a carousel, and an autobahn tubing hill. For the Nordic fans, you'll find a 7.5 kilometer groomed track, and an 8.3 kilometer Skyliner trail, groomed on weekends and holidays. The trail fee is $14.

What about RV camping at Hoodoo? It's not too difficult to find a spot Sunday through Thursday, but reservations for the weekends are definitely recommended. If you simply want to take your RV up for the day, and not overnight it, there's free parking available. Overnighters will pay a fee, but it includes electric hookups. A standard width site (11') with electric runs $30 a night, while a wider (15') site will cost you $35 to $40 depending on the choice of site. Don't need electric? You can camp overnight for just $15. Die-hard enthusiasts can even pay for monthly, even seasonal camping privileges.

For more information, check out the ski area's web site.

photo: Cåsbr on flickr.com

Two campgrounds to open In Washington's Tahuya State Forest

Good news for RVers who like to camp in Tahuya State Forest: The Washington State Department of Natural Resources will reopen two campgrounds — Camp Spilman and Kammenga — on December 1. The campgrounds were closed in 2009 due to budget cuts, along with about 40 other trailheads and campgrounds across the state.

Now, with the help of grant funding from the Nonhighway and Off-road Vehicle Activities (NOVA) program and revenue from the Discover Pass, DNR is able to reopen these popular campgrounds, just west of Belfair in Mason County.

No more reservations: Tahuya Horse Camp
In addition to reopening these two campgrounds, DNR will be doing away with the reservation system at the Tahuya River Horse Camp, beginning January 6.

All three camps will be on a first-come; first-served basis. The horse camp is open for weekends only; Camp Spilman and Kammenga are open seven days a week.

Keep in mind there is no garbage service at Tahuya State Forest. So pack out what you pack in. In addition, the maximum stay limit at these campgrounds is 10 days in a 30-day period.