As snow flies in the mountains, crews work to keep parking lots open to the 22 Sno-Park areas in Northeastern Oregon.

Moving snow isn’t cheap, what with the snowplows, backhoes and snow cats — plus people to run the equipment.

Permits, which are required at Sno-Parks from Nov. 1 to April 30, fund a program that pays for snow removal. The program, coordinated by the Oregon Department of Transportation, started in 1977. There are about 100 Sno-Parks in Oregon.

“Basically every penny goes into snow removal and surface maintenance,” said Peter Johnson, president of the Anthony Lakes Outdoor Recreation Association.

Johnson has been a member of ODOT’s Winter Recreation Advisory Committee for 12 years — ever since he became general manager at Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort. He recently resigned from the committee, and Perry Batten, the resort’s new general manager, will take his place.

The committee distributes funds as well as reviews requests for new Sno-Park areas before the application is considered by ODOT.

About 66,000 Sno-Park permits are sold each year, said Vicki Moles, ODOT community affairs specialist, and an average of $1.9 million is spent annually on snow removal in designated winter recreation parking areas.

Sno-Park money does not pay for snow removal on highways, she said, but can include the access road to the parking lot, such as at Anthony Lakes.

“It’s a really good program — it allows us to keep the road open and keep our prices low,” Johnson said.

Permits

Permits can be purchased as an annual pass for $25, a three-day permit (consecutive days) for $9 or a daily pass for $4. (Agents may charge an additional service fee.)

Permits can be transferred between vehicles, and Oregon permits are honored in California and Idaho.

Parking at a Sno-Park without a permit could result in a $30 fine.

Each year, the committee determines how much money to distribute for snow removal.

“When I started at Anthony Lakes, we wouldn’t have survived without the program. It’s huge,” Johnson said.

To maintain access to Anthony Lakes, crews plow nine miles of road, plus the parking lots.

“Our crew starts at 3 a.m. if we have more than three inches,” he said.

And if the snow keeps falling, the plows keep working.

“Sometimes it’s all day until 4 or 5 p.m.,” he said. “It’s a full operation, but we have a talented crew that are really good at what they do.”

He does want drivers to be aware, he said, that the plowed pull outs on the road to Anthony Lakes are for letting faster traffic pass, not for parking. These areas also provide extra space to put snow later in the winter.

Once open, the ski resort operates Thursday through Sunday, and Johnson said it is not guaranteed the road will be plowed Mondays and Tuesdays. Exceptions are Monday holidays, plus days when the resort is open for an extended period, such as late December and spring break.

“Basically every penny goes into snow removal and surface maintenance.”

— Peter Johnson, Anthony Lakes Outdoor Recreation Association, talking about Oregon’s Sno-Park permit program

Sno-Park permits are required from Nov. 1 to April 30 at Oregon Sno-Parks. Permits cost $25 annual, $9 for three days or $4 daily. (Agents may charge an additional service fee.)

Purchase permits online at DMV2U.oregon.gov and around Northeastern Oregon at:

• DMV offices

• Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort

• CJ’s Country Store, North Powder

• The Trailhead, Baker City

• Chester’s Markets, John Day

• Elgin Foodtown

• Halfway Motel

• Island City Market

• Bi-Mart (Hermiston, Pendleton, La Grande, Baker City)

• MF Ranch and Home, Milton-Freewater

• Outlaw Motor Sports, Enterprise

• The Sports Corral, Joseph

• Tollgate Crossing Store

Northeastern Oregon Sno-Parks

Oregon has 100 Sno-Parks. To find a map of the parks, visit tripcheck.com and hover over “Travel Center” to select Sno-Parks. Here are the Sno-Parks in Northeastern Oregon:

• Anthony Lake Area: 19 miles west of North Powder

• Dixie Mountain: On Highway 26, six miles west of Highway 7

• Starr Ridge: 16 miles south of John Day on Highway 395

• Four Corners: 20 miles east of Ukiah on Highway 244

• Salt Creek Summit: 28 miles southeast of Joseph on Forest Road 39

• Tollgate: On Highway 204

• Langdon Lake: 1 mile east of Tollgate

• Milepost 20B: 1 mile east of Tollgate

• Morning Creek: 2 miles east of Tollgate

• Spout Springs Ski Area: 3.5 miles east of Tollgate on Highway 204

• Milepost 22: Across from Spout Springs

• Woodland: 5.5 miles east of Tollgate

• Horseshoe Prairie Road: 7.5 miles east of Tollgate

• Andies Prairie: 8 miles east of Tollgate

• Milepost 27: 8.5 miles east of Tollgate

• Oregon Trail-Blue Mountain Crossing: Exit 248 on Interstate 84

• Mount Emily: 6 miles east of Meacham on Forest Road 31

• Clear Creek: 7 miles north of Halfway on Forest Road 66

• Ferguson Ridge: 10 miles south of Joseph

• Catherine Creek: 14 miles south of Union

• Huddleston: 22 miles east of Prairie City on County Road 62

• Blue Mountain Summit: 31 miles east of Prairie City on Forest Road 343