Mt. Bachelor ski area
Encyclopedia
Mount Bachelor ski area is a ski resort
located in central Oregon
, approximately 22 miles (35.4 km) west of Bend
,at the end of Century Drive Highway. The ski runs are on the northern face of Mount Bachelor
, a stratovolcano
built atop a volcanic shield in the Cascade Range
. Mount Bachelor is owned by Powdr Corporation
. It is the largest ski resort by more than 1000 acres (4 km²) in Oregon
, the second largest single-mountain ski resort
in the U.S.
, behind Vail
, and the sixth largest of all ski resorts in the nation.
for the land. The four other major stockholders were Felix Marcoulier (1917–2004), Dr. Bradford Pease (1912–2004), Oscar Murray (c.
1917-present), 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 November 1958 with one rope tow and one platter lift
. The geographical name changed to Mount Bachelor in 1983 after the Bend Chamber of Commerce persuaded state and federal officials to adopt the more descriptive term "mountain" . Well known broadcaster and avid skier Lowell Thomas
visited the resort in 1961. The first area of the mountain developed for skiing was the northeastern side. In the summer of 1975, the Outback chairlift was added on the northwestern side, replaced by a high-speed quad
(Outback Express) in the summer of 1987. The lengthy Northwest Express chairlift was added in the summer of 1996, a high-speed quad with 2365 feet (720.9 m) vertical. This lift further expanded the terrain to the west and increased the resort's overall vertical, lowering the minimum lift-served elevation to 5700 feet (1,737.4 m).
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.
with typical snowfall of over 350 inches (889 cm) per year and a mid-winter base over 100 inches (254 cm). The resort boasts a lift-served vertical drop of 3300 feet (1,005.8 m) with a lift running to 9000 feet (2743 m), just 65 feet (20 m) 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 3683 acres (14.9 km²) with approximately 1600 acres (6 km²) groomed daily. The longest run is just over 1.5 miles (2.4 km). There are 10 chairlift
s, seven of which are express quads
.
In recent years Mt. Bachelor has made sweeping efforts to attract freestyle skiers
and snowboarders. A 400 foot (120 m) 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
.
, interpretive tours and snow-tubing
. Seven restaurants, three bars, and three coffeehouses on the premises are distributed in four day lodges. Additional accommodations and lodging are nearby at Sunriver
and in the city of Bend
.
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
located in central Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, approximately 22 miles (35.4 km) west of Bend
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
,at the end of Century Drive Highway. The ski runs are on the northern face of Mount Bachelor
Mount Bachelor
Mount Bachelor, formerly named Bachelor Butte, is a stratovolcano atop a shield volcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the Cascade Range of central Oregon.The Mount Bachelor ski area has operated on the mountain since 1958....
, a stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
built atop a volcanic shield in the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
. Mount Bachelor is owned by Powdr Corporation
Powdr Corporation
Powdr Corporation is one of the largest ski resort operators in North America, along with Boyne Resorts, Intrawest, and Vail Resorts. Unlike its competitors, Powdr focuses on ski area operations rather than real estate development. It is owned by the Cumming family and headquartered in Park City,...
. It is the largest ski resort by more than 1000 acres (4 km²) in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, the second largest single-mountain ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, behind Vail
Vail Ski Resort
Vail Ski Resort is located in Eagle County, Colorado, next to the town of Vail. Vail Mountain, at , is the largest single mountain ski resort in the United States, featuring seven bowls and intermediate gladed terrain in Blue Sky Basin...
, and the sixth largest of all ski resorts in the nation.
History
The Mount Bachelor Ski Area was founded by Bill Healy (1925–1993) on December 19, 1958, with $75,000 and a one year lease from the United States Forest ServiceUnited States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
for the land. The four other major stockholders were Felix Marcoulier (1917–2004), Dr. Bradford Pease (1912–2004), Oscar Murray (c.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1917-present), 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 November 1958 with one rope tow and one platter lift
Platter lift
A platter lift , platter pull or button lift is a surface lift, a mechanized system for pulling skiers and snowboarders uphill, along the surface of the slope. In Europe they are also known as Poma lifts...
. The geographical name changed to Mount Bachelor in 1983 after the Bend Chamber of Commerce persuaded state and federal officials to adopt the more descriptive term "mountain" . Well known broadcaster and avid skier Lowell Thomas
Lowell Thomas
Lowell Jackson Thomas was an American writer, broadcaster, and traveler, best known as the man who made Lawrence of Arabia famous...
visited the resort in 1961. The first area of the mountain developed for skiing was the northeastern side. In the summer of 1975, the Outback chairlift was added on the northwestern side, replaced by a high-speed quad
Detachable chairlift
A detachable chairlift or high-speed chairlift is a type of passenger aerial lift, which, like a fixed-grip chairlift, consists of numerous chairs attached to a constantly moving wire rope that is strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. They are now commonplace at all but the...
(Outback Express) in the summer of 1987. The lengthy Northwest Express chairlift was added in the summer of 1996, a high-speed quad with 2365 feet (720.9 m) vertical. This lift further expanded the terrain to the west and increased the resort's overall vertical, lowering the minimum lift-served elevation to 5700 feet (1,737.4 m).
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
United States Ski and Snowboard Association
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association is the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding. Founded in 1905, the century-old organization provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders from over 400 member clubs who share an Olympic...
competitions each year.
Alpine terrain
The mountain is famous for its dry snowSnow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
with typical snowfall of over 350 inches (889 cm) per year and a mid-winter base over 100 inches (254 cm). The resort boasts a lift-served vertical drop of 3300 feet (1,005.8 m) with a lift running to 9000 feet (2743 m), just 65 feet (20 m) 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 3683 acres (14.9 km²) with approximately 1600 acres (6 km²) groomed daily. The longest run is just over 1.5 miles (2.4 km). There are 10 chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...
s, seven of which are express quads
Detachable chairlift
A detachable chairlift or high-speed chairlift is a type of passenger aerial lift, which, like a fixed-grip chairlift, consists of numerous chairs attached to a constantly moving wire rope that is strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. They are now commonplace at all but the...
.
In recent years Mt. Bachelor has made sweeping efforts to attract freestyle skiers
Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
and snowboarders. A 400 foot (120 m) super pipe is among the best on the continent
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, 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
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Nordic terrain
Mount Bachelor also has a cross country skiing area with 12 groomed trails covering 35 miles (56 km) and 850 vertical feet (260 m).Other activities
Other features at Mt. Bachelor include snowshoeing, dogsleddingDog sled
A dog sled is a sled pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel over ice and through snow. Numerous types of sleds are used, depending on their function. They can be used for dog sled racing.-History:...
, interpretive tours and snow-tubing
Tubing (recreation)
Tubing is a recreational activity where an individual rides on top of an inner tube, either on water, snow, or through the air. The tubes themselves are also known as "donuts" or "biscuits" due to their shape.-Water:Tubing on water generally consists of two forms: towed and free-floating, also...
. Seven restaurants, three bars, and three coffeehouses on the premises are distributed in four day lodges. Additional accommodations and lodging are nearby at Sunriver
Sunriver, Oregon
Sunriver, Oregon is a private planned resort community in Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. It is part of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and in the city of Bend
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
.
Resort statistics
One of the nations longest, opening Mid-November through the end of May (Weather Permitting)Elevation
- Summit: 9,065 ft (2,763 m)
- Base: 6,300 ft (1,920 m)
- Vertical Rise: 3,365 ft (1,025 m)
Trails
- Skiable area: 3683 acres (14.9 km²) accessible by lift, with 1,600 acres (6.47 km²) groomed daily
- Trails: 71 total 15% Novice 23% Intermediate 35% Advanced 25% Expert
- Longest run: 1.5 miles (2 km)
- Average annual snowfall: 370 inches (9.4 m)
- Terrain ParksTerrain parkA terrain park is an outdoor area that contains terrain that allows skiers and snowboarders to perform tricks. Terrain parks have their roots in skateparks and many of the features are common to both. One of the first in-bounds terrain parks was the "Snowboard Park" built in 1990 at the Vail...
: 5 (Bachelor Parks P1-5, Slopestyle, and Sunshine)- Including 1 SuperpipeSuperpipeA superpipe is a large halfpipe structure used in extreme sports such as snowboarding, freestyle skiing, skateboarding, freestyle BMX and inline skating....
- Including 1 Superpipe
Lifts
- 12 Total
- 7 Express Quads (Pine Marten Express, Outback Express, Sunrise Express, Skyliner Express, Summit Express, Sunshine Accelerator, Northwest Express)
- 3 Triple Chairlifts (Carrousel, Rainbow, and Red Chair)
- 1 Magic Carpet
- 2 Tubing Lifts
External links
- Mount Bachelor - official site
- Ski Lifts.org - photos of lifts at Mount Bachelor
- Oregon History.org - history of Bachelor Butte ski area
- Terraserver - USGS topo map & aerial photo