Willamette Pass triples snowmaking capacity to ensure a longer season

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) --- Willamette Pass Resort has completed an expansion of its snowmaking system, tripling the mountain's overall snowmaking capacity. The upgrade more than doubles the resort's fleet of snow guns to 19 and provides top-to-bottom snowmaking coverage.

The project serves as the first step in the resort's Master Development Plan, a long-term roadmap for future infrastructure investments across the mountain. Located near Crescent Lake, Ore., the expanded system is designed to support earlier season openings, create more consistent winter conditions and extend the operating season by reducing reliance on natural snowfall.

The new snowmaking coverage spans multiple trails across the resort, including Kaleidoscope, Eagle's Flight, Perseverance, By George, Rough Cut and Sleepy Hollow.

Mindy Ingebretson-Wolowicz, general manager of Willamette Pass, stated that the project focuses on reliability for resort visitors. “Everything we do at Willamette Pass comes back to giving people the freedom to ski,” Ingebretson-Wolowicz said. “More reliable snow means more days on the mountain for our guests.”

Ingebretson-Wolowicz noted that the upgrade aligns with the mountain's history of development. “This is about helping to provide our guests and our community a season they can count on,” Ingebretson-Wolowicz said. “Every generation at Willamette Pass has built on what came before it. We're proud to continue that tradition.”

Founded in 1941, Willamette Pass has been owned and operated by Tim Wiper and his family since 1982. Wiper built Oregon's first snowmaking system at the resort decades ago. In 2022, the resort entered a joint venture with Durango, Colo.-based Mountain Capital Partners, which operates 17 ski resorts and outdoor assets across the United States and Chile.

The upgraded snowmaking system will debut when Willamette Pass opens for the winter season on Dec. 11, weather permitting.