Pro Guiding Service - The Cascades

The Cascades have gotten the rap--and not necessarily the bum rap--of being the rain capital of the country. Indeed, on the western slopes of the range where the damp winds blowing off the Pacific collide with the mountains, over a hundred inches of moisture may be wrung from the clouds each year.

Naturally much of that moisture accumulates as a massive white mantle on the high peaks of the range. Unfortunately, the preponderance of ski hills in Oregon and Washington are located off highway passes (whose objective is to avoid heavy snows) and are neither particularly high nor particularly far east. The result? Most Cascadian ski hills log more than their share of swamp weather. That makes rubberized raingear and designer Glad Bags functional Northwestern ski garb, and that in turn keeps the Great Northwet from becoming a national ski destination.

Not that Northwesterners (aside from ski area operators) care. Experts are hard pressed to find more challenging ski mountains than Crystal Mountain or Alpental (both close to Seattle). And because rain dilutes their national stature, these hills, and other regional favorites like Mt. Baker (Washington) and Hood Meadows (Oregon), have ridiculously low attendance (and rates) on weekdays.

The exceptions to the Cascadian rain of terror are two-fold. Mission Ridge, a 2000-acre hill, is located well east of the Cascade Crest and basks in the sunnier, colder climate of Eastern Washington. Unfortunately, the absence of high-speed lifts, on-mountain lodging, and an adequate airport all keep Mission from cracking the national nut.

And then there's Mt. Bachelor, the Cascades' only name-brand resort.

MT. BACHELOR

Mt. Bachelor escapes the Curse of the Cascades by merit of its location. Situated on the flanks of a 9000-foot volcanic cone near Bend, Oregon, both its base and summit are 2000 feet higher than other Cascadian ski hills. That makes rain at the 6000-foot base unlikely and at the 9000-foot summit rare. Furthermore, the mountain lies east of the Cascade Crest where temperatures are colder. In tandem, these factors give Bachelor consistently better snow conditions than any other Cascadian hill.

The preponderance of Bachelor's acreage is not steep. Except at the summit and those areas where stream erosion or glaciation have eaten away at the stratovolcano, the pitch of Bachelor's slopes is a very steady 28 to 30 degrees. That's not exactly gonna put your heart in your mouth. Fortunately the cornices and clifflets capping the peak, steeper bowls off the summit, and the truly fabulous tree skiing through open, old-growth hemlock forests all vary the mix. Even if you don't have a near-death experience here, you'll find entertaining terrain.

SKIING THE MOUNTAIN

November and December are traditionally big snow months for the Cascades. That makes Bachelor a good early-season destination. The bulk of its 3700-skiable acres is typically well-covered and open by early December. Combine that with the seven high-speed quads climbing the northwestern, northern, and eastern flanks of the volcanic cone, and it's debatable whether any area in the country beats Bachelor's pre-Christmas appeal.

POWDER

It is surprising that any place in the Cascades is capable of receiving as much powder as Bachelor does. When it flies, start the day on the Pine Marten Express. Keep working west with each additional run until you end up back in the Northwest Territories. If the weather is socked in, push lines farther and farther west off the top of the Northwest Express Quad. And keep asking the liftees when the Summit will be opening; poise yourself to be on one of the first chairs when it opens. Once the Summit opens, take laps in the Cirque Bowl until it's flogged, then drop off the top into the back bowls leading down to the Northwest Territories.

TREES

The well-spaced conifers are a real specialty of this mountain. You can dive into them almost anywhere and find enough room to keep the boards running fast. The spacing of the trees adjacent to Tippy Toe and Grotto off the Pine Marten Express makes these good early-morning hits. Work your way west hitting Pecker Poles (the trees between the Red Lift and the Outback Express), then work the trees flanking the cut runs of the Outback Express and the Northwest Express quads.

GROOMERS

Between the number of cruising runs and the proliferation of high-speed quads, you can rack up huge vertical totals fast. Skiing under the Summit Express to Carnival or Cliffhanger gives you a rapid 3000-vertical-foot cruise. Tippy Toe in early morning is an enjoyable steeper cruise, and for the best twisting, undulating run, hit Devil's Backbone off the Northwest Express Quad.

BUMPS

Between the big snowfalls and big grooming efforts, bumps are sometimes hard to find. Boomerang and Bushwhacker (both off the Outback Express) are usually left to bump up. Best lines are by the trees.

SPRING

Bachelor merits recognition as a late-season destination. Snow deposition and elevation work together to keep the cone covered into late spring--typically you can ski from the summit to the main lodge (3000-vertical-feet) in June. Combine that with the 360-degree skiing off the summit and there are few mountains where it's easier to follow the corn around the clock. In the morning, start on the Summit Express and ski Cow's Face. By late morning or early afternoon, start dropping off the summit via the back bowls and ski down into the trees of the Northwest Territories. Finish off the day back on the east-facing Cow's Face.

IN-BOUNDS HIKING

Hike to the Pinnacles and the Cirque Bowl, a short huff from the top of the Summit Express. Also hike the Cinder Cone, accessed from Leeway off the Pine Marten Express.

BACKCOUNTRY

While the Outback and Northwest Territories have abundant ungroomed, off-piste skiing, there is no true, lift-accessible backcountry here because you can ski 360 degrees off the summit down to the catch line circling the mountain. It's not worth ducking the rope below the catch line; the pitch beyond is too mellow. Leg-accessible backcountry in the area is another matter--for starters, take a look at both South Sister (10,358) and Broken Top (9,175).

SNOWBOARDING

The mountain has hosted several World Cup events and has a big terrain park off the Skyliner Express. Many terrain features in the Skyliner Express environs are also used for jumps and tricks.

NORDIC SKIING

Mt. Bachelor's Cross-Country Center (800-829-2442) is accessed from the West Village parking lot and offers 56 km of groomed trails. The U.S. National Cross-Country Championships have been held on these trails for two consecutive years.

SKI SCHOOL

Perfect Turn Clinics used for skiers of all abilities. Women's clinics also offered in all disciplines: alpine, telemark, cross-country skiing, as well as in snowboarding.

FOOD

The West Village Cafeteria is the best value on the mountain--try the Chili Fries and the burritos. In Bend, the Taco Stand is a cheap favorite of ski bums. Both the Deschutes Brewery and the Bend Brewing Company dish up great lunches and dinners for a reasonable price. For a classier dinner try the Pine Tavern or Broken Top Clubhouse (both in Bend), or the Trout House at Sunriver. And for breakfast either the Alpenglow Cafe or West Side Bakery and Cafe (both in Bend) are local favorites.

LODGING

Bachelor offers no on-mountain lodging. Most visitors stay in the town of Bend or the resort community of Sunriver (both about a 35-minute drive). Bend has the greatest diversity of hostels, motels, hotels, and luxury resorts. The Bend Cascade Youth Hostel (800-299-3813) on the edge of Bend is the cheapest bed you'll find ($14/night). The Best Western Entrada Lodge (541-382-4080) and Econo Lodge (541-382-1821) are also good beds for the buck. If you're into luxury, try Mt. Bachelor Village Resort (800-452-9846) or the Pine Ridge Inn (both on the outskirts of Bend) or the Sunriver Resort (800-547-3922). For information on which properties are offering ski/lodging packages, call the Lodging Reservations of the Central Oregon Visitors Association (800-800-8334).

APRES SKI

Most skiers descend to Bend where they visit either the Deschutes Brewery or Bend Brewing Company. The two breweries are a short walk from each other, so visit both. Snowboarders prefer the Evil Sister Saloon, which has the cheapest beer in town.

COOL NON-SKIING THINGS TO DO

* Rock climb. Smith Rock State Park, home to some of the country's sickest rock climbing routes (as well as to many sane ones) is 25 miles north of Bend.
* Fly fish. The Deschutes and Metolious rivers are both fly-fishing grounds of national caliber.
* Dogsledding. Call 800-829-2442 for details.

TRANSPORTATION

Getting There:

Horizon Air flies to Redmond, Oregon (17 miles north of Bend) from both Portland and Seattle. United Express connects to Redmond from Portland. Several expensive properties (Sunriver Resort, Inn of the Seventh Mountain, Shilo Inn, Eagle Crest) provide shuttle services to the airport and to the ski hill. There is no public transport between Bend and the airport or between Bend and the ski hill.
Local:
From Bend, Oregon, drive 22 miles (about 35 minutes) up Century Drive to the mountain. From Sunriver, drive 20 miles up the Cascades Lakes Highway.

JUST THE FACTS
Resort: 800-829-2442 or 541-382-2442
Reservations: 800-800-8334
Snow Report: 541-382-7888
Web Site: www.mtbachelor.com
Lift Ticket: $39 (97/98)
Season's Pass: $812 before October 31, $905 after October 31.
Vertical Footage: 3,365 feet
Skiing Acres: 3,686 acres
Number of lifts: 13 (7 high-speed quads)
Lift Hours: 9:00 to 4:00, 7:30 to 1:30 in late spring.
Length of Season: mid-November to early July
Earliest Opening: October 27
Latest Closing: July 31
Population: O

Note: All prices were compiled in August 1997.