Q – How many people can fit in the cabin?
A – The cabin can accommodate up to 8 people per night.
Q – Will I have to share the cabin with other parties?
A – No, the cabin is rented to 1 party and is only open on Friday and Saturday nights December through June.
Q – How will I obtain the facility door access code?
A – The snow door access code is included within your e-mail confirmation that is sent as a part of your Recreation.Gov reservation booking.
Q – What do I do if the facility door access code doesn’t work?
A – Make sure you entered the correct access code. If you don’t have the numbers aligned just right, the code won’t work. Try again, make sure you’ve entered the correct code and that the numbers are aligned perfectly. Also, sometimes, you have to push the lock hasp in before pulling to open the lock. Push/Pull a couple of times and make sure the numbers are aligned. Finally, sometimes the lock tumblers freeze due to water/moisture inside the lock. Try warming the lock with your hands or a lighter. This will loosen/unfreeze the tumblers and allow the lock to be opened. Attempt all these fixes multiple times. If you still can’t get in, email: reservations@tillyjanecabins.org. Someone is monitoring this address 24/7 and will get back to you ASAP.
Q – Do I have to hike into the cabin if I make a reservation?
A – Yes, you’ll need to hike 2.7 miles with an elevation gain of 1900 feet. This route follows the historic Tilly Jane ski trail. You can also follow the 9-mile road. In summer months you can drive up to the cabin, park in the Tilly Jane campground parking area and walk ¼ mile to the cabin. The USFS typically closes the road in October, and it is not reopened until the snow melts, usually in early July.
Q – Can I drive up to the cabin?
A – Not during the rental season. The Cloud Cap road is gated and locked during the winter months. The Forest Service typically closes the road mid-October and re-opens when the snow has completely melted, typically by early-July. Please check with the Hood River Ranger District for up-to-date information.
Q – Do I need a parking permit?
A – Yes, a Sno-Park parking pass is required between Nov 1 – Apr 30th
Use this link to find a retailer near you: Sno-Park
Q – Can I bring my Dog?
A – Dogs are NOT allowed in the cabin. Rodents are a big problem at the cabin. We use poison as a control measure throughout the cabin. Do not bring your pets, for their safety.
Q – Are cooking pots/pans provided?
A – Yes, the cabin maintains a full kitchen including all necessary cutlery, plates, cups, bowls, cutting boards, and pots/pans. There is a propane gas stove/cook top and oven. See the check in/out procedure for detailed instructions on how to turn on/turn off the gas supply.
Q – Are cleaning supplies provided?
A – Yes, dish soap, bleach, hand sanitizer, cleaning sponges, towels and paper towels are provided. 3 wash basins are also provided for dish washing. Please clean everything you used during your stay before leaving! Leave the cabin in a better condition than you found it. We also ask that you put away all dishes before you leave. We do not provide napkins or paper plates. Bring your own if you’d like them. We also suggest you bring your own tin foil if you’ll be needing it.
Q – Where do I obtain water?
A – Either melt snow or obtain water from Tilly Creek (you may be required to dig an access hole). Water is NOT available at TJ campground. There are several 5-gallon buckets with lids available in the cabin specifically for hauling drinking water, these are ideal if you’re carrying creek water. There are also several large pots for melting snow on the wood stove. We recommend all water be treated before drinking.
Q – Is electricity available? Are there lights at the cabin?
A – No electricity, but the cabin is equipped with propane gas lights. Please DO NOT leave the lights on when leaving for any reason. Fire is a huge concern. Don’t be that person! Extra mantels are in the cabinet in the living room.
Q – Are there restroom facilities?
A – Yes, the pit toilet is located at the back of the wood room. Hand sanitizer and toilet paper are provided but we suggest you always bring a roll, just in case. DO NOT dump feminine hygiene products or garbage into the toilet, these can’t be pumped out.
Q – Is garbage service provided?
A – NO, please remove all garbage generated from your stay. If you brought it, please take it home with you. You can help us out, by removing any leftover items you might find.
Q – What’s the heat source/how do I stay warm?
A – First off, bring lots of warm clothing for your stay. A woodstove is available in the kitchen for melting snow and heat. Instructions are located next to the stove. A large fireplace is in the living room. Please be conscious of the amount of wood you burn. The cabin holds 5.5 cords which should be enough to last the entire season (Dec-June). Extra newspaper is provided in the bottom cabinet in the wood room. We recommend you bring extra matches.
Q – Is firewood provided?
A – Yes, 5.5 cords of wood are stacked in the wood room area. We have an annual volunteer wood stacking party on the 1st Saturday, every October. Once the wood is exhausted… it’s gone. Please be respectful of those that follow you and only burn what you need. Avoid overfilling the stove/fireplace and follow the wood stove operating instructions located on the wall near the stove. And please join us by volunteering for the annual wood haul!
Q – Where do I sleep?
A – There’s a 2nd story sleeping loft. Foam sleeping pads are provided, or you may want to bring your own or a ground cloth to cover the pads and floor. We recommend a 20-degree sleeping bag at the minimum. Bring extra clothes if you run cold. Earplugs are also highly encouraged! Please re-hang all pads before you depart to help with possible rodent destruction.
Q – What is there to do once I arrive?
A – There are multiple hiking trails in and around the cabin area. During the winter months, they will be snow covered, so route finding is required. A Mt Hood Wilderness map is available at the cabin for reference. We recommend you bring your own map for on-trail reference. Major landmarks include Polallie Ridge, The Stone Hut and Eliot Glacier.
Q- Where can I sled?
A – Do not use the roof as a sledding hill. Cedar shakes are extremely expensive. We want to make the roof last for a long time. There’s a great hill behind the cabin or near the Cloud Cap cabin and campground.
Q – Where can I learn more about current weather conditions?
A – Unfortunately, there isn’t a telemetry station within the Cloud Cap recreation area. We recommend you use the conditions links from Mt Hood Meadows: National Weather Service, NOAA Forecast, Temira’s Mt Hood Forecast, Snow-Forecast.com, NW Avalanche Forecast Center, Trip Check-Road Report. These are just a few different sources. The best tool you can use is your brain. Make smart decisions!
Q – What’s the history of the cabin?
A – The cabin was built by the CCC in 1935 and served as the local FS guard station for the surrounding area. The all-volunteer Oregon Nordic Club has managed the cabin for over 20 years now. While the cabin itself isn’t on the National Register of Historic places, it is included within the Cloud Cap Tilly Jane National Historic District. The nominating materials are in the “library” at the cabin. This is a good historical source.
Q – Who is Tilly Jane? How was the cabin named?
A – Tilly Jane was the nickname of Mrs. William S. Ladd of Portland. Caroline Ames Elliott (AKA, Tilly Jane) loved the area so much, they named it after her!
Q – What happened to all the trees?
A – This resulted from the Gnarl Ridge fire which started on 8/7/2008 by lightning. The fire raged for several months before fall rains reduced the potential for the fire to spread and ultimately the long winter extinguished it. Fortunately, this fire didn’t reach the Tilly Jane area and the cabin dodged another bullet. While no one wants to see fire ravage our wilderness areas, there are a few benefits we can enjoy. These fires have opened new areas to great skiing. More recently, the area around the campground is suffering from a tree root rot disease. We’re told it will get worse before it gets better.
Q – Can I have a fire outside?
A – NO, the wood is for heating the cabin!
Q – How can I help maintain the cabin?
A – First, please treat the cabin with the respect it deserves. It’s old and needs all the help it can get. We always need volunteer help with different projects. We hold two work parties per year: one in July and the other on the first weekend in October. Please come to one of these events and show your support and help keep the cabin open! If you’d like to be added to the e-mail distribution list, please send a note to: reservations@tillyjanecabins.org. You’ll receive 2-3 e-mails a year including the annual cabin newsletter. Please use this e-mail if you have any other questions, not included within this document.
Q – What’s the date of the annual wood haul and maintenance weekend?
A – This is the main cabin maintenance weekend and serves to prepare the cabin for winter usage. It occurs the 1st Saturday of each October.