stormy weather touring options on/around Mt.Hood?

Spending a couple days on Hood around turkey day and trying to think of some good places to tour... I've spent lots of time on Hood, but only for skiing up in the alpine...haven't spent any time there for winter powder turns.  With SkiBowl, Timberline, and Meadows all open, I figure skinning for turns in the resorts isn't an option.   Anyone got some suggestions of Hood vicinity tours when the weather is too snowy and blowy to head up high on the mtn?  thanks

edit- one spot i've wanted to check out it Tom Dick & Harry Mtn...anyone know if theres a reasonable way to skin to the ridge via SkiBowl without pissing off the ski area patrollers? Looks like its possible to get to the ridge via Mirror Lake TH, but that sounds like a bit of a schwack without a deep snowpack.

Hey Pete, directly across the highway from Mt. Hood Meadows there is a parking area with logging roads leading back into an area of trees, glades, clearcuts and the usual South Cascades terrain. Sorry that I can't remember whether snowmobiles are allowed, which would be the kiss of death for touring, or not, but I've been back there in the spring and found perfectly tolerable short descents and places to explore--enough to stay busy for a day in bad weather if not too fussy. I've used waxless skis, three-pins and Excursions, which seemed like the right choice.

I've also done some exploring below Timberline. If there's enough snow (which needs to be verified) you can follow the White River drainage to the highway, or explore the glades directly out of the Timberline parking lot, or traverse across above Zig Zag Canyon to the Mississippi Head area and drop as far as you want through the glades and canyons just beyond there. This last option requires good map and compass skills, gps and/or local knowlege, since some of the canyons are steep-sided and the whole area is somewhat remote from normal winter playgrounds. People do get lost there (typically by following the fall line from higher up in bad weather, missing Timberline entirely and ending up in Zig Zag Canyon).

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

thanks Mark!

I've only skied on Mt Hood once in mid-winter/stormy conditions but here's what we did. Park at the lower HRM parking lot at Mt Hood Meadows ski area (Hood River Express lift). Follow the farthest right cat track along the ski area boundary. This is the return run from the Private Reserve area in the ski area. The area allows tourers to use this to access the backcountry. After a short bit, half mile or so, you will see signs "No uphill travel beyond here" or something similar and look for the track to continue to the right, outside the ski area. It winds through the trees and eventually gains the ridge across the valley containing the creek and cat track from the ski area. Follow the ridge upwards. There are shortish (500 ft?) long timbered runs down to right, away from the area. Toward the top of the ridge is a smallish bowl that also provides good skiing if visibility is decent. Have fun!

Pete,
I've always liked the Alpine trail out of Government Camp when the weather is lousy up above.
Park at the rest area in Government Camp and skin up the west edge of the Summit ski area groomers. From the Summit tram dock, follow the obvious trail up Mazama Hill to the bottom of the Timberline groomers. Stay on your toes, there is a fair bit of downhill traffic from Timberline on the Alpine, so keep an eye out while you're slogging up. On the plus side, I don't mind doing this one solo because if you did manage to blow out a knee on the way down, there's a good chance that there would be someone going by within 30 minutes. From the bottom of the groomers, either follow the marked x-country trail to the lodge, or veer west and skin up between the trees, crossing a couple of runs, until you top out near the tram dock for Stormin Norman. From here you can continue up the Mile and Palmer as conditions permit, run some laps on the groomers, or ski all the way back down into Government Camp.

It's not exactly a back country experience, and sometimes the skiing is challenging, but the Alpine is convenient. It's also generally safe in all but the very worst weather, at least as far as route-finding and avalanches are concerned.

Hope you get some great turns, where ever you end up.