It’s understandable if you’ve never heard of the Mt Hood Skiway. The brainchild of a Dr. J. Otto George in the 1940s, the idea behind it was to connect Government Camp and Timberline Lodge via an aerial tram. Not just any tram: actual flying buses. The “Skiway” line, so-called not just for the winter activity but because “Skyway” had trademark issues, made its debut in January 1951 to much press and fanfare, with two modified city buses inching their way up the 3.2-mile cable in what turned out be a rather slow 25-minute haul.

Unfortunately for the Skiway operators, the Timberline Highway had been established in 1949, presenting a quicker trip, so the flying bus business model ultimately proved unsuccessful. The Skiway closed in 1956 after just five years. However, the building that housed its lower terminus in Government Camp lives on as Thunderhead Lodge—first opened in 1962, complete with 21 private rooms, a dining room and dance floor, and a geothermally heated swimming pool—as does the old tramway path, now called the Glade Trail.

Yes, there is a condo in this article: it's in the Lodge. Originally, the tram buses entered the building on the third floor. At that time, there was also a restaurant and snack shop on the premises, as well as a gift shop, ski shop, and guest lounge. By 1979 it was announced that the lodge would change again, this time becoming a smaller collection of private condominiums, still under the name Thunderhead Lodge. Now, after a recent top-to-bottom makeover, unit #102, fittingly dubbed the Cloudliner Condo in homage to the building’s past, is for sale for $849,000.

Thanks to the remodel, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom condo has what its neighbors still stuck in the ’80s do not: smart space design and storage; a suite of updated finishes and a kitchen you’ll actually want to cook in; and amenities like heated floors in the entry, a built-in workstation if you need to hop on email, and an in-house sauna.  

To start, per designer Jen Lorentzen’s website, the aesthetic goal was to remain "rooted in mid-century, but more modern than ‘mountain motif.’” That meant keeping the existing wood paneling in the main rooms, exposing the hefty ceiling beams and rough-cut timber posts throughout, and installing white oak floors milled from recycled offcuts so that the new matches the patina of the old. “I love how they simulate warehouse flooring and create an industrial feel,” writes Lorentzen.

The kitchen layout was reoriented to maximize the space, and to let the cook join any party. A central island topped in leathered granite faces the big windows, as well as the connected living and dining areas, and is lined on one side with stools. Custom cabinetry offers plenty of storage and conveniences, like deep, pullout pantries, charging nooks, and a coffee and tea station with instant hot water. You won’t find hand-me-down appliances here, but rather Fisher & Paykel models, including an induction range and dual dishwashers, with a nearby bonus wet bar in the living room appointed with its own beverage fridge.

The rear wall of the kitchen now has a doorway on either side of the stove wall, with one leading to a back hallway. There, find two bedrooms (one staged with bunk beds sleeping four) and two bathrooms, with the third bedroom off the dining room. Per the listing, this means the condo can comfortably sleep nine.

The two updated bathrooms feature a lovely charcoal wall tile treatment that echoes the wood paneling in the main rooms, with mint green vanities and poppy orange Schoolhouse and Rejuvenation light fixtures for fun contrast. On the other side of the kitchen lies an owner's closet and a fun surprise: a tiled alcove with a dry sauna.

This stylish condo is equally ready for family getaways, winter parties, or design-minded renters who will appreciate the location close to Meadows, Timberline, Skibowl, and Summit Pass, not to mention the ability to ski down the Glade Trail—and thoughtful details like the vintage steering wheel mounted to the living room wall, in a nod to the dashboard of those once-flying buses.

Listing Fast Facts 

• Address: 87557 E Government Camp Loop #102, Government Camp, OR 97028
• Size: 1,486 square feet/3 bedrooms/2 bath  
• List Date: 11/16/2023 
• List Price: $849,000 with $935/month HOA
• Listing Agent: Calle Holmgren, Friday and Company
• Interior Styling: Nicole Wear, Friday and Company
• Interior Design: Jen Lorentzen, Fore Story Projects

Melissa Dalton is a freelance writer who has focused on Pacific Northwest design and lifestyle since 2008. She is based in Portland, Oregon. Contact Dalton here. 

Editor’s Note: Portland Monthly’s “Property Watch” column takes a weekly look at an interesting home in Portland’s real estate market (with periodic ventures to the burbs and points beyond, for good measure). Got a home you think would work for this column? Get in touch at [email protected].