Bachelor holds pass-price line after tough year

It’s still very much summer up at Mt. Bachelor, with empty lifts, a deserted lodge and road construction. But officials want you to be thinking about making some turns.

“The weather is already changing,” Marketing Director Andy Goggins said Wednesday. “Fall is in the air and winter is coming up quick.”

Frozen at the same prices as last year, season passes go on sale Thursday. Pre-season, an adult pass is just over $800; young adults go for half that, and teens will pay $100 less.

Another option is the fall pre-payment plan, where you put down $49 now and pay the rest later.

“The remaining purchase price is broken into two payments, one on October 15th and one on November 15th,” said Goggins. “So, it adds a little more flexibility — you don’t have to pay it all at once, but you lock in the early season rate with the down payment.”

2012 was a rough season for the mountain. Mother Nature brought barely any snow in the beginning, then brought way too much in late January.

Crews could barely keep up with the brutal conditions, and many pass-holders were not happy. Some even formed a group in hopes of taking over Mt. Bachelor, which never happened.

Bachelor reps say they’re ready for a smoother 2012-13, and hope finishing up a five-year lift upgrade will cut down on skiers’ wait times.

One of the biggest changes you’ll notice at Bachelor this year is a brand-new administration building. They’ve been working on it throughout the summer and it will be ready come fall, to bring all their staff together in one place.

Another work in progress is ODOT’s project to pave over potholes on Century Drive on the way to the mountain.

All summer, people headed up to the lakes funneled through the construction zone stretching 17 miles between Bend and Bachelor. The good news is going slow now will mean a quicker trip to catch that first chair.

You can buy your pass online at www.mtbachelor.com,