| Mount Bachelor | |
| Location: | Deschutes County, Oregon, United States |
| Mountain: | Mount Bachelor |
| Nearest City: | Bend 22miles east |
| Pushpin Map: | Oregon#United States |
| Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
| Coordinates: | 44.003°N -121.677°W |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Status: | Operating |
| Owner: | POWDR |
| Vertical: | 3365feet lift-served |
| Top Elevation: | 9065feet Summit Express |
| Base Elevation: | 5700feet Northwest Express 6350feet Pine Marten Express |
| Skiable Area: | 43231NaN1 |
| Number Trails: | 101 total - 15% novice - 35% intermediate - 30% advanced - 20% expert |
| Longest Run: | 4miles |
| Liftsystem: | 12 total (9 high speed quads, 3 fixed grip triples, 3 surface lifts) |
| Terrainparks: | 15 |
| Snowfall: | 462inches[1] |
| Snowmaking: | Yes |
| Nightskiing: | No |
Mount Bachelor ski resort (stylized as Mt. Bachelor) is a ski resort located in Central Oregon, approximately 22miles west of Bend, along Century Drive Highway. The ski area is on the northern side of Mount Bachelor, a stratovolcano rising atop a volcanic shield in the Cascade Range.
Since 2001, the ski area has been owned by Powdr Corporation of Park City, Utah. It is the largest ski resort (by area) by more than 1000acres in Oregon,[2] the second largest single-mountain ski resort in the U.S., behind Vail, and the sixth largest of all ski resorts in the nation.
Mount Bachelor offers one of the nation's longest ski seasons, mid-November through the end of May (weather permitting).[3]
The Mount Bachelor Ski Area was founded by former 10th Mountain Division Elite Force ski trooper[4] Bill Healy on December 19, 1958, with $75,000 (equivalent to $ today) and a one-year lease from the U.S. Forest Service for the land.[5] The four other major stockholders were Felix Marcoulier, Dr. Bradford Pease, Oscar Murray, and Phil Gould. The founders raised $100,000 from local investors and made many important management decisions that would shape the path of Mount Bachelor and Central Oregon for decades to come.
The ski area opened as Bachelor Butte in October 1958 with a rope tow and a 3100feet-long platter lift rising 1000feet; a lift ticket was three (equivalent to $ today). The name of the volcano was changed to Mount Bachelor in 1983 after the Bend Chamber of Commerce persuaded state and federal officials to adopt the more descriptive term Well-known broadcaster and avid skier Lowell Thomas visited the young ski area in 1961, flying over from Sun Valley with agribusiness magnate
The first chairlift was "black chair" in 1961, shortly followed by "red chair" in 1964. In 1967 and 1970, the yellow and blue chair lifts were added,[6] and in 1973 the green and orange chair lifts were added. The "Outback chair" was added in 1976, "Rainbow" in 1980, and "Sunrise" in 1982. The first area of the mountain developed for skiing was the northeastern side.[7] The northwestern side was not lift-served in 1973, but those who ventured for the "Outback Trail Tour" paid a dollar in advance and got a return ride by a snowcat to the lodge.[8] A new trail was finished in 1975,[9] and the Outback double chairlift was installed at a cost of $700,000.[10] [11] It was replaced by the $3 million high-speed quad (Outback Express) in the summer of 1987;[12] with a capacity of 2,800 passengers per hour.[13] The 8377feet-long Northwest Express chairlift was added in 1996, a high-speed quad with 2365feet vertical.[14] This lift further expanded the terrain to the west and increased the resort's overall vertical, lowering the minimum lift-served elevation to 5700feet. In 1976, Mount Bachelor had a severe drought and was only open January 2 through February 14, and February 26 through April 30. There was a loss of an estimated $4 million which took four years to recover. Following the drought, the Nordic initiative began and the main lodge expanded.[4]
Plans for the first summit chairlift were announced in autumn 1979;[15] the high-speed detachable triple was installed in the summer of 1983.[16] At the time, it was just the second detachable chairlift installed in the world. It was upgraded to a quad in 1997.[14] Original plans for a summit lodge and an accompanying service road[17] [18] were abandoned in 1982 to attain approval from the U.S. Forest Service.[19]
Due to its challenging terrain parks and excellent snow conditions, Mount Bachelor is the official home training resort of many professional and Winter Olympic athletes, and hosts several professional USSA competitions each year.
On April 4, 1968, a single-engine light airplane crashed on the slopes of Mount Bachelor with three fatalities. Bound for Eugene from Boise and Billings, it was found three days later at the 8100feet level by skiers after a multi-day regional air search in limited visibility.[20] [21]
The mountain is famous for its dry snow (for the Pacific Northwest), with typical snowfall of over 462inches per year and a mid-winter base over 150inches. The resort boasts a lift-served vertical drop of 3365feet with a lift running to 9000feet, just below the volcano's summit, which is accessible via a short hike. As one of the tallest mountains in the vicinity, Mount Bachelor often experiences high wind speeds causing the chairlift to the summit to be put on standby.
Total lift accessible area is 4323acres[22] [23] with approximately 1600acres groomed daily. The longest run is just over 4miles. There are 12 chairlifts: Alpenglow, Early Riser, Northwest Express, Outback Express, Pine Marten Express, Rainbow Chair, Red Chair, Skyliner Express, Summit Express, Sunrise Express, Little Pine, and Cloudchaser. Northwest Express, Outback Express, Pine Marten Express, Skyliner Express, Summit Express, Sunrise Express, and Little Pine [24] are express quads.
Following the Summit triple in 1983, the Pine Marten was the first express quad, installed in the summer of 1986.[12] [13] The accompanying lodge at the top of Pine Marten was built two years later.[25] The Pine Marten Express was the world's first height-adjustable detachable quad. It was overhauled in 2006 for $3.5 million, with new terminals, cable, and all new moving parts.[14] The Outback Express was installed in 1987 and the Skyliner Express in 1989.[26]
Mount Bachelor has outlined in its master plan that it intends to replace its Sunrise Express to a high-speed six-pack, along with replacing its Rainbow triple chairlift with a high-speed quad. In addition, the ski area plans to expand its downhill mountain bike terrain and install a zip-line.
In the early 1990s, Mount Bachelor had intentions of installing an 8 passenger high speed gondola which would run from the Sunriver access road. However, while marketed in ski magazines, this gondola was never built.[27]
In recent years, Mount Bachelor has made sweeping efforts to attract freestyle skiers and snowboarders. A 400feet super pipe is among the best on the continent, and hosted the 2006 USSA Olympic Qualifier. The resort's Bachelor Parks terrain park encompasses 3 parks, is nearly a mile (1.5 km) long, descending 850 vertical feet (260 m) and featuring a number of jumps, rails, boxes, and jibs for freestyle riders. Other parks include "Slopestyle Arena", and "Sunshine Park" for beginners.
In 2003, Transworld Snowboarding magazine (editors & readers) ranked Bachelor as the fourth best snowboarding resort in North America.
Mount Bachelor also has a cross country skiing area with 12 groomed trails covering 35 miles (56 km) and 850 feet (260 m) of vertical.
Skiing/ Snowboarding
Mount Bachelor offers lift accessed skiing and snowboarding seven days a week from late-November to the end of May. Hours are generally 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. On nice weather days Mount Bachelor offers skiing 360 degrees off the summit of the mountain. Bachelor holds some of the driest snow relative to the Cascades. The mountain's wide variety of elevation and aspect allows skiers and snowboarders to find good snow nearly every day of the season. Many avid skiers and snowboarders can access a bulge on the north side of the mountain referred to as 'the cone' by hiking before, during and after the resorts typical hours of operation.
Nordic skiing
Mount Bachelor has the longest groomed Nordic season in North America, running from late-November through late-May. Snow conditions may extend into June.[28]
Mountain bike park
Starting in the summer of 2013, Mount bachelor was granted a special use permit from the Forest Service allowing chairlift for downhill mountain bike laps. Mountain bike trail continue to be developed, varying from a family-friendly single track trail to "bad to the bone" downhill bike park.
Other features at Mount Bachelor include snowshoeing, dog sledding, and on-mountain interpretive tours. Seven restaurants, three bars, and three coffeehouses on the premises are distributed in three day lodges. Additional accommodations and lodging are nearby at Sunriver and in the city of Bend.
Number of guests per day.[29]
| Season | Peak Day | Average Top 10 Days | Average Top 20 Days | Average Entire Season | Operating Days | Total Seasonal Skier Visits | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-2006 | 12,207 | 8,364 | 7,462 | 2,747 | 194 | 532,997 | |
| 2006-2007 | 11,431 | 8,340 | 6,936 | 2,557 | 185 | 472,969 | |
| 2007-2008 | 10,098 | 7,020 | 6,187 | 2,447 | 179 | 437,954 | |
| 2008-2009 | 9,430 | 6,694 | 5,881 | 2,530 | 157 | 397,211 | |
| 2009-2010 | 8,074 | 6,642 | 5,983 | 2,428 | 180 | 436,995 |
15 (Woodward Mountain Parks, Slopestyle, and Sunshine)
| Cloudchaser | Rainbow Chair | Sunrise Express | Alpenglow | Summit Express | Skyliner Express | Little Pine | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lift Number | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
| Lift Type | D4C | 3C | D4C | 3C | D4C | D6C | D4C | |
| Year Installed | 2016 | 1980 | 1993 | 1993 | 1997 | 2023 | 1993 | |
| Top Elevation ft. | -- | 7,605 | 7,270 | 6,606 | 8,950 | 7,631 | 6,628 | |
| Bottom Elevation ft. | -- | 6,390 | 6,470 | 6,440 | 7,240 | 6,325 | 6,385 | |
| Total Vertical ft. | 1448 | 1,215 | 800 | 166 | 1,710 | 1,293 | 243 | |
| Horizontal Distance ft. | 6576 | 3,700 | 3,643 | 1,175 | 4,460 | 5,722 | 1,871 | |
| Slope Distance ft. | -- | 5,515 | 3,732 | 1,194 | 4,783 | 5,878 | 1,888 | |
| Average Slope % | -- | 23% | 22% | 14% | 38% | 23% | 13% | |
| Hourly Capacity | 2400 | 1,800 | 1,800 | 1,350 | 2,400 | 3,200 | 2,200 | |
| Rope Speed (fpm) | 1000 | 500 | 886 | 300 | 1,024 | 985 | 886 | |
| Trip Time min. | -- | 11.03 | 4.21 | 3.98 | 4.67 | 5.97 | 2.13 | |
| Drive Output (hp) | Unknown | Unknown | 244 | 60 | 800 | 520 | 128 |
| Pine Marten Express | Red Chair | Outback Super Express | Northwest Express | Early Riser | TOTAL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lift Number | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ||
| Lift Type | D4C | 3C | D4C | D4C | D4C | ||
| Year Installed | 2007 | 1980 | 1987 | 1996 | 2020 | ||
| Top Elevation ft. | 7,732 | 7,495 | 7,755 | 8,065 | 6,415 | ||
| Bottom Elevation ft. | 6,365 | 6,337 | 5,975 | 5,712 | 6,345 | ||
| Total Vertical ft. | 1,367 | 1,158 | 1,780 | 2,253 | 70' | 12,124 | |
| Horizontal Distance ft. | 4,562 | 3,850 | 6,738 | 8,040 | -- | ||
| Slope Distance ft. | 4,779 | 4,020 | 6,991 | 8,377 | 647' | 47,428 | |
| Average Slope % | 30% | 30% | 26% | 29% | -- | 27% | |
| Hourly Capacity | 2,400 | 1,500 | 2,400 | 2,400 | 2,400 | 23,050 | |
| Rope Speed (fpm) | 985 | 475 | 985 | 1,000 | 1,000 | ||
| Trip Time min. | 4.85 | 8.46 | 7.10 | 8.38 | -- | ||
| Drive Output (hp) | 488 | Unknown | 646 | 931 | Unknown | 3,817 |
