History With SnowBrains: Remembering the Time Oregon Put a City Bus on a Cable to Access Mt. Hood

The Mt. Hood Skiway operated in the early 1950s and connected Government Camp to Timberline Lodge. The system was developed by Dr. J. Otto George during a post-World War II ski boom. Instead of building a tram or gondola, developers modified full-sized city buses to run on a massive suspended overhead cable. The buses used gasoline engines to pull themselves along the cable. The ride was rough, with cables sagging between support towers, creating repeated dips and crests. Loud engines and constant shaking made the trip feel like a slow roller coaster. The Skiway opened in 1951, but improved road access soon offered faster, cheaper, and less dramatic travel, reducing demand.

"Known as the Mt. Hood Skiway, the unusual transportation system operated during the early 1950s and connected the town of Government Camp to Timberline Lodge. The Skiway was developed by Dr. J. Otto George during the post-World War II ski boom, when interest in skiing around Mt. Hood was rapidly growing. Instead of constructing a traditional tram or gondola system, developers took a far more ambitious route by modifying actual city buses to travel along an overhead cable system."

"These were not lightweight tram cabins. They were full buses equipped with gasoline engines that helped pull the vehicles along a massive suspended cable stretched across the mountainside. The ride itself was reportedly anything but smooth. As the buses traveled between support towers, the weight of the vehicles caused the cables to sag dramatically. Riders would climb toward a tower, crest over it, and then dip into the next span repeatedly throughout the trip."

"Combined with loud onboard engines and constant shaking, the experience felt more like a slow-moving roller coaster than a modern aerial tram. For some passengers, the Skiway was a thrilling novelty. For others, once was enough. Ironically, the timing of the project worked against it almost immediately. The Skiway opened in 1951, just as road access to Timberline Lodge improved significantly."

"Suddenly, visitors could drive up the mountain faster, cheaper, and with far less drama. A one-way ride on the Skiway cost roughly 75 cents, while driving or taking ground transportation became the more practical option for most skiers."

Read at SnowBrains