Skyliners Ski Swap to offer deals on winter gear

It’s that time of year again, when everyone’s starting to bundle up and prepare for winter in Central Oregon — and that includes fun sports in the snow.

Late Friday afternoon, people brought their unwanted ski gear to the Mount Bachelor Sports Education Foundation Skyliners Ski Swap at the Pavilion in southwest Bend.

While some people are still clinging to the last memories of summer, these people are just getting warmed up.

“I think it brings everyone together, and makes them kind of start getting really excited for the winter,” volunteer Hunter Hess said. “It kind of marks when the year is starting for a lot of people.”

Events like the Ski Swap serve as a reminder of the plethora of different things you can do in Central Oregon, no matter the time of year.

“People are off doing different things in the summer, so you’ll run into a bunch of people you haven’t seen since the past winter and reconnect,” MBSEF Ski and Snowboard Director Coggin Hill said.

Even if you don’t ski or snowboard, there are plenty of gloves, caps, and jackets you’ll need anyway.

But if you do make it to the slopes this winter, you’ll have to catch up with Bend resident Maya Hunter.

“I can do a 180 and I can kind of do a 360,” the elementary school student said. “I can do a 90 on a box and I can kind of do a 180 on a box.”

Twenty-five percent of the proceeds go to MBSEF. The event is open to the public Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. More info is online at: http://www.mbsef.org/events/skyliners-winter-sports-swap