British skiers are familiar with many North American destinations, from Whistler to Vail and Banff to Breckenridge. One region we have not yet visited in great numbers, however, is Oregon and its two big peaks, Mount Hood and Mount Bachelor.

But Oregon is about to take its place on the global ski map. The North America tour operator Ski Dream became the first to offer winter packages there from the UK last season and it is determined to introduce the beaver state as a cheaper, uncommercialised alternative to the better-known resorts in Colorado and western Canada.

The best itinerary is to fly into Portland and head first to Mount Hood, about an hour and a half away along the stunning Columbia River Highway, which is punctuated by massive waterfalls and breathtaking valley views.

Once there you will find three resorts located handily close together: Mount Hood Meadows, Timberline — Oregon’s only ski-in, ski-out resort — and Ski Bowl.

Each offers a different sort of skiing. The terrain at Timberline is really varied, although it is probably most suited to intermediate level blue-run skiers. Mount Hood Meadows is the largest of the three, with the steepest, most diverse terrain, offering opportunities ranging from double blacks to tree skiing.

Ski Bowl is the biggest night-skiing area in America. It is also better for expert skiers and tends to be quieter than the other two areas during the day.

Because Oregon is a little harder to reach than many other North American destinations, none of the resorts is very busy. Lift queues are virtually non-existent and only become a bit livelier at weekends when skiers from Portland and other parts of Oregon descend on the slopes.

In Hood the place to stay is Timberline Lodge. This is a magnificent ski lodge built in the 1930s as part of the Works Progress Administration programme following the Great Depression. It is hand-hewn inside and out by craftsmen using local materials and is crammed with giant carved logs and gorgeous Native American-inspired soft furnishings.

The lodge perches 6,000ft (1,828m) up the mountain, with endless views over the surrounding Cascade mountains. But it also has a dubious claim to fame: the exterior of the hotel featured in the film The Shining (the scary interior scenes were shot elsewhere).

Any trip to Oregon should combine Mount Hood with Mount Bachelor, probably the state’s best-known ski resort. It is about three hours south of Hood and has more to offer, being the sixth largest ski area in the United States.

The 9,065ft mountain is a volcanic peak standing alone in the central Oregon high desert, soaring dramatically above the Cascades. It offers 360-degree skiing: satisfyingly, you can ski all sides and get back to the lifts from any point.

While exploring Oregon, I did not hear another British accent. I also loved the fact that the resorts were not geared up aggressively for an international market and, as a result, were excellent value. The local people are surprised and delighted to see you there, and the mountains are very much the thing, not surrounding fancy infrastructure.

The snow, too, is said to be fabulous. It was a little thin when I was there in early December last year but the region is quite snow-sure. More than 560 inches (1,422cm) fell in Bachelor during the past winter, with 172 inches falling in January alone. Oregon snow is also high-quality: great powder and low-density, particularly on Mount Bachelor, which is further inland than Hood and drier.