Our Story
Teacup Nordic works to enable kids, families and friends enjoyment of nature, cross country skiing and the healthy lifestyle encouraged by outdoor sport. Serving the Mt. Hood Nordic community since 1979, we are a volunteer-powered nonprofit. Your trail fees and donations go directly towards grooming, maintenance, programs for kids and adults, races, and family-friendly events. Like all ski areas on Mt. Hood, we pay to operate under a longterm special use permit administered by the US Forest Service - Mt. Hood. Our 20+ kilometers of trails are varied; from flat and easy, to challenging hills with turns. Trails are groomed for both skate and classic skiing. Depending on snowpack, we usually ski from November to May. Everyone is welcomed, and thanks for your interest!
Thank you to these generous organizations for your support!
And a special thanks to the Mt. Hood Ski Patrol for their many years of partnership at Teacup!
Our Team
All these fine folks work hard to make Teacup Nordic an amazing place to ski.
Staff
Jason Lemieux - Mountain Manager
Kelly Ryan: Programs Coach
Karl Andersson - Technical Coach
Board Members and Officers
Chip Dickinson
Clint Harris - Treasurer
Dave Hawley
Steve Hochman - Vice President
Leif Hovin
Noel Johnson - President
Tom Jeanne
Angharad Porteous
Duncan Roberts
Ken Salzberg
Sue Seyl
Sue Seyl’s introduction to Nordic skiing was through ski touring, snow camping, and igloo-building trips after moving to Portland in 1971. Sue has been skiing at Teacup since the days of the Teacup trailer (aka the cold sauna) and the Barlow Trail Race. A competitive masters rower, Sue quickly embraced the joys of skiing on groomed trails, and its great cross training effect. Over the years, she has competed in some local races, a couple of Birkies, and several Boulder Mountain Tours. Her racing highlight was doing the Engadin Ski Marathon in Switzerland to celebrate her 50th birthday. Sue has been on the board since 2010.
Duncan Roberts has skied at Teacup since 2000 and has been on the Board since 2020. Originally from Wisconsin but now living in Portland for the past 21 years, Duncan and his family enjoy Mt. Hood’s amazingly long ski seasons. Duncan is a pilot for Alaska Airlines and also runs Portland’s DLR Nordic Volvo. Still an elite wave Birkie racer, Duncan has skied 21 birkies - the first being in 1994. A favorite aspect of nordic sking at Teacup is the varying terrain and not being a slave to gravity, being able to ski continuously for as long as you would like.
Leif Hovin has been skiing at Teacup and enjoying the great trails and wonderful terrain, since moving to Portland in 2003. He grew up skiing in Minnesota, and raced in College, but has now focused more time helping maintain the ski trails. He supports the Teacup Classic and the high school races, getting the courses set up and taken down, as well as other events at Teacup. Leif has been on the board since 2016, but has worked to get the ski trails ready in the fall for over 13 years, and has been working on the trail improvements that make Teacup so fun to ski.
Steve Hochman has skied at Teacup since 2010 and has been on the Board since 2020. Having lived in Hood River or Portland for the past 20+ years, Steve and his family have enjoyed the limitless challenge of trying to make skinny skis glide a few extra millimeters on every double-pole or skate. Steve’s also raced a few Birkie ski marathons, slowly working his way up the ranks by occasionally attempting to chase the world-class skiers who just happen to ski at Teacup! As a sustainability-focused leader in the sports apparel industry, Steve appreciates the beauty and plenty of Mt. Hood winters, and is convinced an annual membership at Teacup is the best thing going.
Angharad Porteous has skied at Teacup since 2016 and has been on the Board since 2020. Having grown up in North East England, and originally a competitive cyclist, runner and golfer, Angharad started nordic skiing later in life when she moved to Portland to work for Nike. Now having completed a 50KM Birkie along with many local races, Angharad finds time in between her work enjoy the beauty of Teacup and practicing her v1 & v2 skate technique!
Ken Salzberg has been a cross country skier since he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1979. He was an active racer from about 1984 until 2010, having raced in nearly all the Upper Midwest races one time or another. He first skied at Teacup when he was a visiting professor at Willamette University School of Law in 1995-96. He has skied at Teacup regularly since moving to Portland in 2013, and has been on the Board since 2014. Ken's engagement in the nordic ski world includes Team Birkie Ski Education Foundation Board, Sisu Skiers (athlete and coach), and WAMXC, while residing in Minnesota. Now in Portland, Ken enjoys the amazingly long ski season of Mt. Hood, and the wonderful skiing at Teacup.
Clint Harris has been an avid nordic skier since 1980, and a Teacup board member for the past 8 years. Raised skiing in Montana, Clint moved to Hood River 31 years ago to teach skiing on Mt Hood, and build houses to make enough money to keep skiing 200+ days a year. Beyond skiing, Clint enjoys mountain biking, and helping his wife Megan with Pine Street Bakery – a local Hood River favorite since opening in 2012. His favorite Teacup moments include skiing at night during solstices, with storm skiing a close second.
Tom Jeanne has skied at Teacup since 2013 and has been on the Board since 2020. Having grown up in Madison, Wisconsin and skied for most of his life, Tom continues to enjoy elite wave Birkie efforts as well as casual Mt. Hood cruises in between his work as a public health officer. He loves the simplicity and the beauty of nordic skiing, a sport which a broad range of people can enjoy at any level and any age, and an excellent way to stay active in winter. Toward that end, Tom advocates for improving access to trails, equipment, and lessons for people who are new to the sport.
Noel Johnson has skied at Teacup since 2003 and been on the Board since 2020. Originally from Stillwater, MN (same high school as Jessie Diggins!) - Noel raced for Williams College where he met his wife Lauren who took him back to her hometown of Portland. Noel manages the stress of his real estate development work by continued racing at local and national races like the Boulder & Birkie. And by hanging out with friend’s at Teacup where it always seems to be sunny! A favorite aspect of cross country skiing is how it attracts uniquely interesting persons who enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
Dave Hawley has skied at Teacup since 1993 and has been on the board or board support for at least 20 years. He joined the Anchorage Dimond HS Nordic program In 1974 and has found delight and solace In XC skiing since then. While not a racer, Dave enjoys tours like the Great Nordeen, the Boulder, and Tour of Anchorage. He built several incarnations of TNC websites and the interface for the trail camera. Dave appreciates how the Teacup ski area is genuinely unique.
Chip Dickinson, along with his wife and children have lived in Hood River since 2004. He has enjoyed most forms of sliding on the snow since he was a wee 6 years old living in the corn fields of downstate Illinois. How so? Annual overnight train trips to Winter Park with his four siblings and parents guaranteed a future addiction and lifestyle. Chip is an owner of Slopeswell Cider Co and Working Hands Fermentation in Hood River. We aspire to be the Teacup Clubhouse.