An unknown skier sending a very casual Lazyboy 3 off the main jump at the solstice party. Just a small taste of the chaos. Photo: Alex Zimmerman

Straight Line

Solstice Sessions

Like an army of ants, a line of partygoers stretches across Mount Hood, OR’s Illumination Saddle to celebrate the first day of summer. There’s a steady stream of skiers and riders working their way across the Zigzag Glacier, stretching all the way down to the Timberline parking lot 3,000 feet below. For some, this is their first ever ski tour. Others are seasoned veterans, decked out in vibrant party shirts and retro ’80s kits with umbrellas and concert-sized speakers. A few determined skiers haul up a stove to whip up high-mountain paella. Regardless of the skill level, attendees all have one thing in common: they’re there for a good time and will be treated to one hell of a show.

With more than 300 summits of Mount Hood under his belt (including a fully naked ski descent from the top), local Asit Rathod has spent most of his life on this mountain. In June 2010, Rathod and a couple close friends held the first solstice party up here, looking for a way to maximize fun on the longest day of the year. Illumination Saddle, a thin ridgeline nestled at 9,300 feet on the west side of the mountain, was an obvious choice for the party. With expansive views over the Reid Glacier and the gentle rolling hills toward the Columbia River and Portland, there is no better place in Oregon to watch a sunset. What started as an intimate gathering back then has since evolved into a party of at least 500 people.   


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