Mount Bachelor is a dormant volcanic cone offering 360-degree skiing, and is one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest ski areas. Located in the Cascade Mountains, to the southeast of Portland, Mount Bachelor boasts every type of terrain, from easy novice slopes to challenging gladed skiing for thrill-seekers, and it is also open to snowboarders.
You'll find a range of ski/sports shops and rental outlets at the resort, and there is also a cross-country centre and a revolutionary ski school, while the bulk of the facilities are in nearby Bent. Childcare is available for children from the ages of six weeks to 10 years ($40 per day) and child ski lessons are also available.
Mount Bachelor lacks accommodation at the resort, but there are lift and lodging packages available in nearby Bend through various hotels, motels and inns. Non-ski activities at Mt Bachelor include snowshoeing and tubing, but there is little après-ski to speak of, apart from the Castle Keep Lounge and a number of restaurants; alternatively, the town of Bend offers more of a choice.
Mount Bachelor has 71 runs consisting of expert tree-skiing and open-bowl terrain, excellent intermediate runs, beginner runs from most lifts and novice areas by the base lodges. Thirteen lifts, including seven high-speed quads, have an hourly uplift rate of 22,000 people. The longest of the slopes is 3.2kms. Additionally, snowboarders have access to two terrain parks and a half-pipe.
Away from the slopes, Eugene is nestled in the Willamette Valley between the breathtaking scenery of the Cascade Mountains and the Oregon Coast Range, and is known for its wonderful parks and gardens, shopping, recreation and cultural pursuits. Alternatively, McCredie Hot Springs is southwest of Bend near Oakridge.
The ski season at Mt Bachelor runs from mid-November to the end of May and Christmas holiday rates are slightly more expensive. Children ages five and under and seniors 70 and over ski for free. The most convenient means of travel is to fly to nearby Redmond and take a shuttle bus, via Bend.
