Love and elevation: Bend woman says ‘yes’ atop Mt. Bachelor

Mt. Bachelor was the perfect setting, and the rest of the snowy Cascades the perfect backdrop for a Bend man to get down on one knee and propose to his girlfriend.

The warm sun greeted Cassie Foster, 23, and her boyfriend Justin Coats, 23, of Bend on Wednesday as they snowshoed up to a cinder cone located on Mt. Bachelor.

“There was no clouds in the sky, it was beautiful colors. It was just the perfect scenario,” Coats said late.

Coats said he knew this was the perfect moment after the Cascades saw a series of winter storms these past few days.

He bought the ring a few weeks ago and was waiting for the perfect moment to put the ring on her finger.

The two met at New Hope Church in Bend, where he’s a youth pastor, and had their first date at Mt. Bachelor eight months ago.

So it was a fitting, perfect spot to start a new chapter in their relationship.

“He started getting down on one knee, and I was like, ‘You’re kidding!” Foster said.

Coats pulled out the ring, and Foster said yes.

Steve Heinrichs, a photographer and friend of Coats, was there to capture the special moment for the Bend couple.

The reality of tying the knot with her soul mate is still sinking in for Foster.

“It’s still a little unreal for me. It sinks in a little bit every time I look at it (the ring),” she said.

The couple is slowly starting to plan for their wedding, planned for the fall of next year.