Mount Bachelor, USA

Deteriorating

Sat 14 March 2009 Angus

Went to Bachelor in 2002 and again in 2009. It is good for intermediates and I expect great for advanced. However, a few points to note:

- As of 2009, the resort is seriously short of cash. Several lifts hardly run at all, not just due to weather reasons. During the week I was there the Outback Express ran once and none of the runs on that side were bashed - result was that despite dumping for the week all the runs just turned into bumps with a little bit of powder on top. - Little bashing on the rest of the mountain either. Blues and greens became bumpy by lunchtime and very hard work for beginners by 1pm. - There is no way to get across the front face without loooong traverses. - Don't factor in the summit into your choice of mountain, unless you like gambling or are booking last minute and are confident in the weather forecast. It was open once when I was there and the whole thing was just sheet ice. - If there has been bad weather for a while then a good day, it can get packed.

8/10 as it's still a good resort, but it's not as good as it used to be and go there with your eyes open. Still, if you're a hardcore boarder that just wants to shred it's still great fun; everyone else might prefer it elsewhere...

 

Bachelor is the bomb

Fri 14 November 2008 roland303

Mt. Bachelor is probably the best place to snowboard in Oregon and in the top three in the Pacific NW, easily. You cannot go wrong here, as it has (for Oregon) a fairly high base elevation, and almost 360 degrees of a full mountain (volcano) that almost ensures some quality riding. The piste skiing is good but really shines is the off-piste. With a tremendous open area on the upper portion to fairly open tree skiing, the whole mountain is literally up for grabs. If it's too windy up top (and it is regularly) then stay around treeline for some protected powder stashes. One of my favorite runs ever is around the Northwest Express lift, where you have almost 2500 ft of vertical from bottom to top of the lift. Yee-haw!! Do a couple of runs on that and you'll be golden.

Snow quality here is good for Oregon but if you're used to champagne powder (uh-oh, better pay Steamboat Springs some money) it will seem a little wet to you. But it's not uncommon to get 2 ft of powder. The mountain itself is fairly easy to get around but be careful on top, if you're not a advanced or strong intermediate rider, you should stay out of the Cirque, as once you're in, you're in until it dumps you out mid-mountain.

Lodging right on the mountain is not currently possible but there are several resorts nearby, especially in Sunriver area. It's a little pricey for Oregon but not a bad deal really. If you have a big crew, renting one of the gargantuan houses in Sunriver makes sense (although prices average around 1200 US dollars for a three-day weekend). There's also Bend about a 30 minute drive away. Bend is a fun mountain-town that has become popular with retirees and outdoor recreationists alike. You'll find good coffee, good food, and some awesome beer (this is the home of Deschutes Brewery, a top-tier brewery with amazing stouts, pale ales, and porters). Another recommend is McMenamins, a bar/restaurant/small hotel that is a chain in Oregon and Washington and has pretty high-caliber brews as well. And if you're from the UK or Europe, the opposite sex should have no problems letting you stay at their place for the night.

 

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