Powdr buys Sun Country Tours; Mt. Bachelor to operate outfitter
Mt. Bachelor, a Powdr resort, and Sun Country Tours announced Friday that Powdr has acquired the longtime Central Oregon adventure outfitter. The two organizations will be managed and operated by Mt. Bachelor.
The transition of ownership and permits is expected to be completed by mid-June, and allows Mt. Bachelor to extend its summer recreation offerings into rafting, stand up paddle boarding and tubing in and around the Central Oregon region, the company said.
Terms of the acquisition by Park City, Utah-based Powdr were not disclosed. A company representative said the public should see no difference, as the name will remain the same.
“Mt Bachelor will now be able to offer visitors a single source for booking and experiencing even more of their Central Oregon adventures,” the news release stated.
“Over more than 37 years, Sun Country Tours has evolved into one of the largest and most respected river outfitters in the Northwest, and much like Mt. Bachelor brings friends, families, and even complete strangers together to share outdoor adventure while respecting the natural environment,” said Dennis Oliphant, founder and CEO of Sun Country Tours.
“The company was founded in 1978 as a way to make a living doing what I love most and to share that passion with locals and visitors alike, and I believe this transition will be a great fit with Powdr’s mission to deliver memorable experiences, enhance people’s lives and have fun doing it.”
In addition to its signature “Big Eddy Thriller” whitewater raft trip on the Deschutes River near Bend, Sun Country Tours also offers guided rafting trips on the McKenzie, North Umpqua, and Lower Deschutes rivers, as well as stand up paddle board lessons, tours, and rentals, and river float tube rentals.
The company employs a seasonal staff of approximately 80 during peak summer months. Many of the company’s seasonal employees transition to employment at Mt. Bachelor at the end of the summer season, where they work through the winter until returning to Sun Country Tours in the spring.
“Sun Country Tours is an outstanding outfit and we are confident that Mt. Bachelor will continue to uphold Dennis Oliphant’s legacy of creating the finest river outfitting experience possible,” said John McLeod, Mt. Bachelor’s president and general manager.
“While there are numerous benefits to this acquisition, we are most excited to be making a deeper commitment to our community and our employees as a year-round employer contributing to strong and stable economy.”
“With a growing portfolio that includes products in ski, snowboard, skate, BMX, and mountain biking, we are excited to add outdoor water sports through the acquisition of Sun Country Tours to Powdr’s unique offering as an adventure lifestyle company that exists to inspire every human being with cool experiences in awesome places,” said John Cumming, CEO of Powdr.
“What Dennis has accomplished is a testament to the dedication, passion, and stewardship which he and his team exemplify and which we embrace as part of our own culture within Powdr.”
About Mt. Bachelor: Mt. Bachelor is the largest ski resort in the Cascade Range, offering 4,318 acres of lift-accessible terrain. The mountain features 11 lifts including the recently announced Cloudchaser lift, eight of which are Express Quads, plus two tubing lifts and two beginner carpets, and an average annual snowfall of 462 inches. Mt. Bachelor also features 5 terrain parks, a superpipe, 56K of groomed and tracked cross country trails, snowshoeing, tubing, sled dog rides and summer attractions including downhill mountain biking, scenic chairlift rides, a mid-mountain fine dining experience, and disc golf. For weather conditions, news, and events visit www.mtbachelor.com.
About Powdr: Powdr, an adventure lifestyle company, is best known for its nine mountain resorts including Copper Mountain, Killington Resort, Pico Mountain, Mt. Bachelor, Boreal Mountain Resort, Eldora Mountain Resort, Soda Springs Mountain Resort, Lee Canyon and Gorgoza Park. The company also owns Woodward camps and progression centers across the U.S., events company Human Movement Management, and media company Outside Television. For more information, please visit www.powdr.com.
About Sun Country Tours: Serving Central Oregon for 38 years, Sun Country Tours provides professionally guided whitewater rafting trips, river tube rentals, and standup paddle board rentals, lessons, and sales from their locations in Bend and Sunriver, Oregon.Trip offerings range from 3-hour to all day excursions on the Deschutes, North Umpqua and McKenzie Rivers in Oregon.For more information please call 541-382-6277 or visit www.suncountrytours.com.
