Boot tester Kori Coggin enjoying the payoff of patience, Spring 2026

BOOT TEST HEADQUARTERS 2026-2027 Timberline

Aug 28, 2026 - 08:46am by melling

One of the key elements of a great boot testing venue is the same thing that attracts the traveling, spring skier—a thick, late-season snowpack. Last winter’s low snowfall in the west pointed out the scarcity of these reliably viable, April-May ski meccas. Predictably, a burst of late-April storms brought feet of powder to the Northwest, which highlighted another test venue challenge—operational will. Most resorts had let their bean-counters convince them to run for early-closure cover, but thankfully not Timberline on Mt. Hood.

Timberline perennially boasts one of the longest ski seasons on the planet, typically running into August after a short break at the end of the spring season. While this past summer season got cut short, the mountain still remained open into July, showcasing their commitment to both the snowsports community and their staff that they kept employed as long as they could.

For our boot testing purposes, the thinner snowpack provided an unexpected bonus, as it allowed Timberline to open the upper Palmer chairlift earlier than usual, which, in turn, opened up a vast amount of testing terrain with two, quick chair rides. We were reminded why Timberline is the pre-eminent corn skiing headquarters of the northwest—long, buttery fields that self-smoothed in the sun, readying the surface for another test pass on a different pair of boots.

Add to the ski experience an epic, grand lodge from a bygone era, only steps away from the snow (with a variety of restaurants, bars and a massive outdoor hot tub with amazing views) and you get a boot test that felt suspiciously like a world-class spring ski vacation.

Big thanks to Timberline for hosting our 2026-2027 boot test. We can’t wait to come back.

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BOOT TEST HEADQUARTERS 2026-2027 Timberline

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